Team headstrong will enter 2014 under 2 new teams, Greenville Velo (out of Greenville, SC) and Maddog83 (out of Tucson, Az).. It has been a great 4 years of racing, companionship, and community. We have accomplished some great things, but like all things, time moves on and so will we. See below for more details......

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Lessons from a Sunday Ride

Last Sunday some of us rode from Clemson up into the Eastatoee Valley. Here are a few of the things I learned along the way.

1. If the rain keeps you from riding on Saturday as planned, try again on Sunday. It might pan out, and it might be one of those rides to remember.

2. If you know there's a vicious dog up ahead, a) shift into a higher gear before getting w/in earshot, b) stop talking before getting w/in earshot, and c) pedal continuously as you pass the house, so your rear hub doesn't make the ticky-tick-tick sound that, along with shifting and chatter taunts the dog that already wants to kill you. (Thanks Steve)

3. Don't heckle the guy with the big knife, even if he is getting ready to cut down a Clemson flag. (Thanks again, Steve)

4. Some days are so right for riding that you show up even after you've said you couldn't possibly make it. (Thanks Bird)

5. Make sure everyone knows when/where the water stops are. (Steve, again)

6. 20%+ grade for more that half a mile is steep. Really steep. It hurts. It hurts more the second time. The third time it's numbing. After that, it instills in us the euphoria of agony. (Thanks Bobby)

7. Suffering Sassafras with a friend is more fun than doing it alone. (Again, Bobby)

8. The patella oblongata will hurt if you put too much pressure on it via a long climb. (That's all Bobby)

9. To make the patella stop hurting you should massage the inner most quad muscle (vastus medialis) which attaches to the inside of the knee. (Thanks Sam)

10. 83 miles can be a walk in the park, but sometimes it can challenge you to climb to new heights, to push yourself beyond perceived limits. (Thanks Sassafras Mountain)

11. Putting in the hard work pays off down the road. (Thanks Debi)

12. Sometimes there is no getting around blogging. (Thanks Weinacker)

13. And finally, I love riding my bike, there's nothing like the back roads of Pickens County, and my teammates are the best in the world. (I came up with this one on my own)

5 comments:

Sam said...

Love it! It was a fun bike adventure, and it continued after we put the bikes back on the car. Thanks for the yummy pizzas. Suffering creates memories, though I haven't figured out yet why we would want to do that on purpose :)

Bird said...

enjoyed the ride ... the company..and your post.... we do have some of the greatest riding in the WORLD... a little suffering builds character..
I just couldn't miss this one...

Big Dog said...

Wow, you lead a ride and make your first post! All in the same week. Em, you rock!

As for Sassafras, i don't think I need anymore character.

Giselle said...

Aw man! I missed out on a good one. Damn rain Saturday!

Is the patella oblongata the kneecap section of the brainstem? Just wondering... :)

Kristen Weinacker said...

Wow, you blog well. I didn't see any grammar mistakes, my editing must have worked!

In all seriousness, you guys tackled a monster! I hope to join you next next time up.... or is it kind of like Sound of Music, where you can only partake of the yodeling every 2 to 3 years? Something about Sassafrass seems so magical, like you are climbing up to the clouds....

Well done to you all! I loved listening to the stories, esp the patella oblongattttta thingy....(thanks Bobby)....:)