A few weeks ago I tried a ride with the guys one group faster than those I usually ride with. Woosh. Hard to keep up on both the up and down hills. I decided, after riding fixies and singlespeed bikes for a couple of years, maybe it was time to throw some gears back on one of the bikes for a while. The Fuji started as geared and so was the easiest to switch back. I dug aound in the parts bins and came up with some derailleurs, a crankset and a rear wheel. I had to buy some housing for the cables and a new chain.
I wanted to test ride in an area that wouldn't mean a long walk back if something failed hard, so I decided to ride the last neighborhood in Walkersville that has been waiting for me to cross it off my roads list.
Sunday was a very windy day, but warm enough with a wind breaker. Things on the bike felt so good that I tempted fate by going a little further afield than planned, to test the climbing gears. The climb from Walkersville to Mt. Pleasant is fairly nice up Crum Rd, but the cross winds were harsh.
Coasting was an unusual sensation on a road ride, but easily succumbed to when flying down Water Street Rd. I hit a few neighborhood roads in Greenbriar, checked out the now repaired bridge, and took Stauffer Rd. to the Discovery neighborhood. I checked off those somewhat depressing streets, and, since I still felt pretty good, decided to head out Biggs Ford Rd. to take in onle last road that I missed on a previous ride. The wind heading direcly west on Biggs Ford was awful, but I soon got to the end and had a furious tailwind all the way back into town. The Walkersville Southern was blocking the road while backing into the station as I arrived, but was clear by the time I got my camera out. A quick photo and I finished the short leg to the parking area at Glade.
Excellent test. We'll see what happend with the fast guys on Wednesday.
| Looking back down Crum Rd. towards Walkersville. |
| Coasting can be fun. Water Street Rd, looking Northwest. |
| This bridge was under construction last time I was here. |
| Retreat Rd. About the only spot I was out of the wind all day. |
| My geared bike. 18 speeds baby. |
| The train is at the station. |
| Today's Map. |
| Today's Profile. |
Roads Completed 10/29/2006.
| Road Name | ADC Map Grid | Subdivision | |||
| ADVENTURE | AVE | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| ADVENTURE | CT | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| BEACON | CIR | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| CHALLENGE | WALK | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| CRUM | RD | 22-H-12 | N/A | ||
| CURIOSITY | CT | 22-D-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| DARING | CT | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| DISCOVERY | BLVD | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| DISCOVERY | PL | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| DREAM | PL | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| EUREKA | LN | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| FORESIGHT | LN | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| FORTUNE | PL | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| GRAPE CREEK | RD | 22-J-7 | GREENBRIAR | ||
| GREENBRIAR | LN | 22-H-7 | GREENBRIAR | ||
| IMAGINATION | CT | 22-D-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| INNOVATION | CT | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| INQUIRY | CT | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| INSPIRATION | AVE | 22-D-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| INSPIRATION | CT | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| MIDDLE HEDGE | LN | 21-H-7 | N/A | ||
| REVELATION | AVE | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| SCOUTS | CIR | 22-K-9 | SCOUTS KNOLL | ||
| SEEKERS | WALK | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| STAUFFER | RD | 22-E-10 | N/A | ||
| STAUFFER | CT | 22-C-10 | N/A | ||
| SUCCESSFUL | WAY | 22-D-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| TREASURE | AVE | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| TRIUMPHANT | CT | 22-D-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| UTOPIA | PL | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| VICTORY | CT | 22-C-9 | DISCOVERY | ||
| VISION | LN | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY | ||
| WATER STREET | RD | 22-H-5 | N/A | ||
| WHIMSY | CT | 22-C-10 | DISCOVERY |