Hey, Y’all,
The band played until all the cyclists fell out for lack of breath: 75 piece marching band, fire truck dispencing beer, and a gaggle of cyclists- and enough positive energy in one place to knock the Magic Turtle out of his shell, dancing. Those who missed it did so at their own peril. Have the sence to envy me. Tommy’s wedding was even more so, if possible (I was in a fortunate position not to have anyone to perpose to at the time, as the atmosphier was dangerously contagious. Note: bring second with pistol to any future betrothals of Rose to Tommy).
Swung through Nashville. The area around The Capital is a Neo-Classical (dare I say it?)- nay!- a rightously Classical trials play ground. Sculpture, columns, and 1000 steps. Take the several hundread foot decent from the Capital and be rewarded by a battery of spuradic fountains to cool your jets. Very nice, and well worth a trip out of the way. Then head across town to ride the Acropolis. Athena just got a new paint job- a real must see.
4 Days of foot launcing hang gliders left me with a pulled hamstring- so how did I recouperate? I road along Berkhalter Gap down Lookout Mountain. 1350’ of breaking action, most of it on scree and shale. Whooo hooo! Highly recommended, if you have no desire to be able to walk. Some parts were too steep to walk… but were rideable (something about my walking muscles being weeker than my riding muscles- go figure
). Breaks may have been handy- in skilled hands (surely I would just end up on my ass, yes?).
An amazing number of Bad Ass hang glider pilots are unicyclists. The US Speed Gliding Champion sports a love tap from Medina on his shin, and a shiner on his cheek (from myself) due to a mid-cort volly-ball collision. One bloke mounted and road the Coker on the first try.
I was confused by some of the locals in down town Chattanooga with a local cyclist; it seems the chap hops from the parking lot to the office- about a mile!
Roach knee pads rock for spelunking. Grab your pads, some water, and a couple flash lights and we’ll crawl into a cave after a long hot day of cycling.
I just got a gander at Greg “call me Fabio” Harper in the Gallery. Curse The Oppressor for train robbing the edit function- every picture was a caption contest, and Fabio was King.
-Christopher