eFurnace

Yup, I'm still alive. Lately it seems like there's about a one month delay between the time I do something and the time it gets on the blog. For some reason my write-ups sit in the cue as incomplete "drafts" most of which never see the light. It's not that there's nothing going on. On the contrary, life is happening faster than I can compose, polish, and proof. Starting now though, I'm scaling back on the quality control and will try to put something up at least every week, even if it's crap. Take this next one for example, about a little ride I did last month with someone whom you may know...

Forget Disneyland, Elizabeth Furnace IS the happiest place on Earth.


Massanutten trail overlookSaturday morning: put the bikes on the car, slathered the cream cheese onto my cranberry bagel (whoa, life in the fast lane!), and Rickyd and I were on our way. The plan was to do the route that I tried last summer with Stoner and Butch. The route goes something like this: Signal Knob parking lot -> Purple trail -> Mudhole Gap -> Woodstock Tower -> Massanutten trail (Orange blaze) -> Signal Knob -> Meneka Peak trail (White blaze) -> Bear Wallow (Blue blaze) -> Signal Knob parking lot. About 20+ miles of my favorite kind of riding.


Signal Knob trailLast year's ride was hell, literally with the temps in the mid 90s and all those exposed fireroads with no shade, not to mention getting lost and having to hike the bikes downhill. This year's ride was much better. For one, I TOTALLY CRUSHED Ricky, yup. I'd be just riding along, you know, whistling and all, and then... "Oops, where's Ricky? Oh, he's only 10 MINUTES BEHIND. Think I'll take a nap." Just crushed him yup. But that was no fun crushing a tired Ricky. Turns out he was getting sick too. Anyone and their grandma can crush a tired and sick Ricky. But not many people I know can crush a fresh and perky Ricky. If you don't believe me look here, and here, and here too. But I digress...

An epic ride just isn't much fun unless someone almost gets eaten by a bear. Fortunately, this ride was fun. So there we were on the Massanutten trail. I stopped to take pictures and let Ricky go ahead (cos that's about the only way he'd get ahead of me, cuz I crushed him, remember?). A few minutes later I hear from up ahead, "Joe! Go back! GO BAAACK!!" as he busts through the branches running towards me with his bike. "It's a bear..." and that was all I needed to hear. I turn my bike around and pedal like mad, taking much comfort in the fact that between me and the bear, is Ricky. Turns out the bear was sliding down the tree to get away from us. Too far from the cars to go back, we decide to push on, riding slowing and being very loud so as not to surprise any more bears. The rest of the ride went without a hitch. We finished the loop we set out to do and were home in time for tea and biscuits. Oh yeah, we both cleared that pesky Signal Knob climb for the first time on this ride. Tired-and-sick-Ricky seemed to have an easier time at it than me. Sick, eh?


Massanutten trail + rigid 29er = world peace