So who can say they've biked on gravel (in my case on a fixie) for 20-30 miles, between the hours of 11:30pm and 1:30am, through Thunderstorm watches and warnings, seeing lightning flashes so close you can't tell which side of you it's on, and enjoying every minute of it???
Leave it to Emily to come up with a ride that would put that kind of a ride on my "did it" list. After the fixie ride was dwindling, Emily wanted to go for a gravel ride. We were watching the lightning storm over beers at West Towne. After heading back to my place, I saw the red spotted radar sweeping from West to East, soon to be over Ames. But Emily was set, and we were prepared for a wet ride. I quick flipped in a WTB Interwolf 38 and a Ritchey speedmax 32 on to my fixie. A little after 11 Emily showed up and soon after, Mark from Bike World came over. Mark brought a Trek hybrid (older steel) that "wasn't quite yet his", that he "remembered he had" after searching through his mental bike list.
So about 11:30 we get going. Just a few sprinkles, and some crazy lightning and thunder off in the Northeast. So what do we do? We go North. Yeah. I'm not sure what we were thinking, probly that the shortest distance to gravel was right up near Ada Hayden. We cruised along with a spectacular lightning show over the full horizon in front of us. The gravel was in great shape, and everyone was happy with their ride choices. We loved the view so much that we just headed straight past Gilbert and further North to directly west of Story City. There we turned around. We didn't make it but a quarter mile from the turnaround, that it just downpoured. Mark and I quickly ditched the glasses we couldn't see out of, we all put our heads down and 10 minutes later it lightened up. The gravel stayed in decent shape, and we really made good time on the way back. By the time we got back I pulled out a few beers, and just in time the heavy rain caught up with us for a chilly, but gravel removing rain shower. Like I said, it was one of the craziest good ideas for a ride that I've ever been a part of.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
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7 comments:
Jealous.
Cool. I wish I could have made it.
Give me a call next time and I just might join you in something that "stupid" I mean fun! %^)
Yeah, I hate to admit it, but I'm thinking I was sinking in a bit with a 32 up front. "When wet, go wide".
Sorry Paul, it's hard to think anyone else would want to:) It's convinced me to find some decent lights though.
Stopped into South Salem and found an old lugged steel (not 531, columbus/formula I think) Bianchi (frame and fork) for $200. Need to dig more, but he had a complete lugged 531 Gitane bike with Campy Victory for $400 and a lugged 531 Britoni (sp?) frame for $400.
The Gitane was in great shape, the Bianchi was pretty good also, but the other was buried, though he said it was pretty clean. A bit above what you were looking for, but still there it is.
I guess what's cool about the Gitane is that you'd only need to swap out the rear hub or wheel.. Damn, if you don't I just may. I'll go back and take pics if you want.
We should definitely do that again very soon.
Jeesh, that's quite the dig Cory. The Gitane sounds sweet, I'd have a hard time taking a $400 on a snow covered Ames commute. I'd have to pass on the other couple, after shipping everything, it gets out of my price range. Jeez, I'm such a picky jack*** about my bikes, sorry man. Maybe you atleast had fun diggin. I can't remember, I think Ron was telling me the Gitane Tour De France was a sweet frame to buy. But I don't know if that's right. Anyway, sorry for being f'in picky, I'm getting ready for next weekend:)
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