Testing, Testing, Is This Thing On?

Saturday was test day.  A 20 min. time trial on a flat course after 30 min. of warm up.  I chose the Bloxham Cutoff as it was the flattest long road I could find.  Plus I figured traffic would be light.  Parking at the Trout Pond facility in the Apalachicola National Forest wasn't a problem, I've never seen more than 2 cars there.  That's kind of a shame as the place is set up nice with bathrooms and good drinking water, not to mention picnic tables and a lake with a dock.  The paved "trail" that leaves from there makes for a pretty ride.  Unfortunately it just goes about 2.5 miles and stops.  Could be why the parking lot is empty?

In that 2.5 miles you won't have to worry about running off the "trail".  Five foot high aluminium barriers separate you from certain...well...let's say scratches.  This would be soooo much more interesting if they'd made some kind of loop out of it.

Anyhoo, I did the test which was about as much fun as it sounds.  Then rolled back to the truck easy, thinking about how un believable it was to be riding in 72 degree weather in January.  If it didn't get blisteringly hot during the summer we'd be up to our armpits in people down here.  Sometimes I think we already are.  I had the urge to get off the bike and roll in the pine straw like a happy dog but fear of chiggers kept me from indulging.

                                                         

Night Time

Saturday night we went to Johnny Ringo's to watch Terry's band Neil Alday and Further South perform.  The music was great.  It had been years since I spent that much time in a real bar.  Even longer since I saw so many cowboy hats.  I thought I had been zapped back to the 80's. 

Sunday

I rode alone Sunday also.  That's the problem with the OMTP  it doesn't always match the crew ride set up for the weekend so I end up solo, which isn't always a bad thing.  Riding by myself doesn't necessarily mean I had the trail to myself.  Being as it was another pretty day walkers, joggers, dogs, and other cyclists were out in force on the north side.  I almost wore my bell out.  How (or why) they get those foo foo dogs way back in the middle of Cambodia I'll never know.

Don't Want to be a Fat Man

I'm a little frustrated with my weight at the moment.  On the days after the OMTP has me in the gym I mysteriously gain a half a pound.  No, no Big Meat pizza or extra beer consumption.  In fact I am taking in less calories (starting after last weekend) than I normally do.  Maybe it's all this awesome muscle I'm building?  Zac seems to always notice how tight my shirts are.



"Wow, doesn't the old man look buff!"

 

 

 

 

Zac's dog seems to have issues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amsterdam

I'm thinking about a long clay ride around the Amsterdam property now that hunting season is over with.  Maybe some kind of a race?  Unofficial of course.  No money.  Sometime after the 4 wheeler event the first of March?  Interested?