Tag: Virginia

The Great Pumpkin Ride

As I left my house for Warrenton, I wondered if I would actually see any pumpkins during The Great Pumpkin Ride.   I don’t particularly like the taste of pumpkins (a fact that has some bearing on this story), but I didn’t think it would be proper to pedal much of the day in a ride named […]

It’s A Small World, but We’re All Wearing Helmets and Sunglasses

I was walking my dog a couple of days ago and noticed my neighbor, Steve, working on his bike in his driveway.  Longtime readers with excellent memories will recall Steve from a previous post on flat tires.  We had a pleasant conversation about his bike, a Trek 2200, and I regaled him with stories of […]

Cycling Past Royalty

  Cathy in Newport, RI, writes “You must try my favorite energy bar. It is the marathon energy bar, snickers flavor. I’m not going to sell it as nutritionally superior, but at 10g protein, 220 cal it is by far the best tasting!” I know what you’re thinking.  You’re thinking, “C’mon, Steve, we all know […]

Culpeper County Ride

Many people (including commentors on this blog) advise not to try new things when embarking on a long ride.  This is good advice.  New equipment may not perform the way you expect it to.  New food may not agree with you as you had hoped.  A lot can go wrong with new things and it […]

Afghanistan and My Cycling Schedule: The Connection

At the end of August, my work informed me that I would be traveling to Afghanistan for a couple of weeks.  This was a major bummer as I had previously registered for my first-ever organized ride, the Great Pumpkin Ride in Warrenton, VA, on October 23.  This was to be the capstone of my reintroduction […]

A Detailed and Scientific Analysis of the CCC 65-Mile Route

  Well, I’ve reviewed the pdf file of the CCC route I will be embarking upon this October 2.  I’ve studied the cue cards and discovered a kind soul has already mapped the route on mapmyride.com.  I’ve watched the 3D fly thru and have carefully reviewed every aspect of this undertaking.  Here are my detailed […]

17 Miles In The Drops

Most people are familiar with the curved aspect of touring/racing handlebars.  This type of handlebar is formally known as a “drop handlebar.”   Unlike flat handlebars, this type of setup allows for a more aggressive stance which reduces wind resistance and improves performance.  When a cyclist wants to really maximize his performance, he places his hands “in […]