Never Let the Bird Pick the Route

Let's see if I can make this one short and Sweet. The Grimpeurs stayed local and hit the hills around Morgantown on the hottest day of the year so far. We went up Aaron's Creek road, a one mile climb; down to the bottom of Breakiron and back up for a 2.75 mile climb; up Nicholson loop; down Kingwood Pike, much to Tim's dislike and my pleasure; across the backroads south of Masontown; way down Bull Run; way up Mt. Zion (too tired to see how long a climb); up and over Snake hill and back to my house, where I had to break in through a second story window, for a couple of post ride refreshments. Pounds hollow hill and dug hill were also in the mix.

Don asked me if I thought the 48 miles today was harder than the Laurel Mountain miles we logged Tuesday. I thought back to how I rode at under 4 mph for about 8 minutes on Breakiron's 19% grade (total time 25.15, 2 min behind Don and Tim, or was it 3). I winced in remebering how on the final off the chart gradient up Mt. Zion I stood up on the pedals and lost wheel rear traction. I belly flopped onto the handlebars and into a full stop .Only the clipless pedals kept me on and only a ridiculous couple of quad contractions kept me from falling over like a tree in the woods. (No one was around so would anyone hear? I'm just glad they didn't see.) "Yeah," I said between breaths, "definitely harder!"