I got both of my rides in today. It almost didn't happen though because it's Ohio, it is cold and I had no ambition to go outside and freeze. I kept coming up with every excuse I could to not do my 1st ride of the year and just stay inside like a pansy. I made the mistake of looking at my email and saw an invite from Dr. Joust to the Cleveland Area Mountainbike Associations Annual Urban Assault in Downtown Brownstown, aka Cleveland. Hadn't done it in a couple years and this year it was a poker run.
After much procrastinating I pulled my head out of my azz and decided to go. Met the gang at high noon. The weather really sucked for a road ride but being on the Mtb wouldn't have been too bad but the jacket I took decided to make my day by allowing thew zipper to come apart. Luckily I had a spare but it wasn't 100% windproof or warm. The temps were in the low 20's and the wind was howling off Lake Erie bringing in some snow with it and was pushing the waves over the breakwalls. I paid for my poker hand and headed out with Dr. Joust and his cronies.
The check points were throughout the downtown and the surrounding area and you pulled your own cards. I found it weird as the cards had numbers all the way up to 39+. I found out later you matched the number on the card you pulled with the number on a board that had a real car underneath it. Clever way to get your own hand and score yourself without being able to cheat. I had a pair of 6's didn't get me squat!
Even though the weather truly did suck and kept most men at home watching one ball sports, there were about a dozen women who showed up and rode. While the temps and snow didn't make it bad, the wind made it interesting. No 200 lb man should have to pedal down hill!!
Made it home around 3pm, got a hot shower, downed a half bag of chips and headed out on the 640. I only had time for 30 minutes so I headed down the rail bed to harass the local ATV clan. The locals who drive it for fun in their trucks turned it into a long ribbon of sheet ice so I opted to head for the weeds where at least there was some type of friction to be found beneath the layers of snow. It didn't help I was using a road legal tire set on the bike that had low and wide knobs that would have trouble finding traction on anything less than a groomed trail. I wasn't the only one out, there were 6 ATV's out playing in the snow too. Unfortunately, time always flies when you are having fun.
I no more than got my helmet off when I received a call that George was crossing the county line. We left to meet them for dinner which is always a good time.
Another long day, 364 more to go.
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