Getting Out With Just a Snag Here and There

Yes, the Grimp has gone on over the past couple of weeks despite the lack of report. The Thursday before last Diesel and Fat Cat were the only ones to make it out in the pouring rain. They headed up Snake and down Zion into a reverse Herring loop. (Sounds like some sorta snow boarding lingo, eh?) Diesel flatted out on his Zipp tubulars at the farthest point out. It must be said that he did an admirable job of stripping it off and putting on another skin out there in the cold rain. Having to get back down in time to get to work, the two were forced to time trial back home. Made it in one hour flat. Not too shabby. When they got back and stepped off the bikes, it felt like they had stepped into sloshing aquariums, such was the soaking that shoes and everything else received.
This Thursday featured the return of the prodigal son. Boyscout finally made it back to the Grimp after a long absence. All rejoiced in his iconic presence. Boyscout, Diesel, Birdman, and Fat Cat took advantage of a day without rain and the 40 degree temps and headed down over the outlaw bridge over Cheat Lake. From there it was a (mostly) amicable spin up Quarry Run to Cooper's Rocks. Boyscout did show who was boss a couple of times despite a "hernia" that was supposed to slow him down. Riiight. The Grimp rocketed down the other side on 73 and came back up through Pisgah. That climb is a tricky little so and so. It has continual false summits but seems to just keep going and going. The Grimp passed the site of the classic, if not controversial "Cross-Bikes" photos and remembered fallen comrades.

After gaining the real summit the Grimp zoomed back down past the trout pond where the Fat Cat sustained serious injury. He jumped out of a top tube tuck and snagged his sack (and I don't mean fanny pack) on the point of his Sella Italia. Needless to say, he walked his bike up the little steep gravel rise to the top of Quarry run. He recovered in time for the descent and all made it back safe and happy to have had another great day on two wheels.

Happy Goundhog Day! Looking forward to some of this: