# 4 Days In Appalachia (The End (for now)).



## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*1of4 Magic Days (Pike2Bike)*

I haven't had a Saturday off since March. Not that I don't enjoy selling my photos at the Eastern Market but it does put a crimp on our riding.

Miss M was getting itchy for some mega riding and I was not opposed to the idea so we picked Labor Day weekend for a 4-Day ride and as luck would have it the local Randonneurs were putting on a multi day ride.

It has been a few years since we rode with them but how could we pass up their "Ain't No Breeze to Breezewood"

Bright and early Saturday am we met up with them in Williamsport. It was nice to see them after all this time and they sure have the best route slips and maps we have ever used.

The route started out nice and flat on the way to Hancock. The last flats we were going to see for the next 150 miles or so.....


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

We were pretty happy about the route, once we left Hancock we were on roads we had never ridden (not that common around here).

Of course we were going to be climbing across a mess of the local "hills". Anywhere else these things would be called ridges and they were steep. Unusual for the East Coast the climbs (and downhills) were long and fairly constant in slope. Long and hard going up long and fast going down.

We reached Breezewood in the early afternoon. Some friends that live in the area knew about the ride and met us on the top of Town Hill. It was nice to cool off and chat before another screaming Western Pennsylvania downhill.

For anyone who hasn't been there I'll clue you in. Breezewood ain't much. Just a wide spot where several freeways including the Pennsylvania Turnpike come together. A mess of motels and about every fast food joint you have ever heard of.

But that isn't why we were so excited about Breezewood.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

The deal was that about 100 yards from our motel there was this trail....

Walk up the hill as best you can. Go around the barriers.

And just like that you are riding on an abandoned section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Notice we had lights on our bikes?

We were going to need them.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

The first tunnel (Miss M who grew up around there and actually went for family drives on this road (back when it was actually a road) insists they are "Tubes") was a bit longer than 1K. The second tube was almost 3K.

Good thing we brought the lights.

Shortly after the second tube it was time to get back on the local roads.

For local roads read "more hills".


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

I suppose if we had any sense we would have just turned around and rode through the tubes again.

Who said we have any sense?

The reason they build tubes through mountains is to avoid driving over the darn things. Since we wern't taking the tubes that required us to do some more climbing.

Actually a lot more climbing.

Back at our motel we found that we had made a new friend.

BTW dinner wasn't all that great.

Still the days riding had been fantastic. And we still had three days left on vacation.


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## acckids (Jan 2, 2003)

So, MB1....... What is your resting heart beat? 21? You and the Misses are work horses. I have learned to live vicariously through others. THanks.


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

MB1 said:


> We were pretty happy about the route, once we left Hancock we were on roads we had never ridden (not that common around here).
> 
> Of course we were going to be climbing across a mess of the local "hills". Anywhere else these things would be called ridges and they were steep. Unusual for the East Coast the climbs (and downhills) were long and fairly constant in slope. Long and hard going up long and fast going down.
> 
> .


Where are these hills? One of the things that I like about the West are long hills with a constant slope rather that the jagged hills with constantly changing grades that we typically have here in the East. 

You and Miss M picked a great weekend for a long ride. On Saturday morning, I was riding in Northern Virginia with some friends. The weather was just about perfect. Thanks for the pictures.


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## undies (Oct 13, 2005)

That abandoned turnpike looks like a great place to ride. But I'll bet that 3k tube is a bit scary, even with good lights :yikes:


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

MarkS said:


> Where are these hills? One of the things that I like about the West are long hills with a constant slope rather that the jagged hills with constantly changing grades that we typically have here in the East. ......


SW PA of course!

Actually you don't have to go any farther than South Mountain to get some killer long climbs. Your local bike club runs the Tour de Montes in the early summer that takes in the Tuscarora Mountains and has some great climbs (you can just ride Saturday if you want and get in 3-6 killers).

On the first 2 days of this trip (more reports to follow) we were riding in the Appalachian and Allegheny Mountains-Town Hill, ***** Mountain, Ray's and Sidling Mountains, Licking Mountain and a mess more.

We got to get together and ride soon. We can take you on the "Big Flat Ride" (a hint-bring your low gears!).


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## MarkS (Feb 3, 2004)

MB1 said:


> SW PA of course!
> 
> Actually you don't have to go any farther than South Mountain to get some killer long climbs. Your local bike club runs the Tour de Montes in the early summer that takes in the Tuscarora Mountains and has some great climbs (you can just ride Saturday if you want and get in 3-6 killers).
> 
> ...


South Mountain is where I go when I need some practice climbing hills for the Tour de Philippe. But, some new hills would be a nice change.

Work is killing me. My weekends for the rest of the month either will be taken up with work or travel commitments that I made several months ago. October looks good, however. But, by then I may be just a shadow of the person I was in July when I was storming the Alps and Pyrenees with Philippe. Well, maybe not storming. Suffering . . . .


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

Any reason for the racks and trunk bags over say a large seat bag?
Looking forward to the next 3 days.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

YuriB said:


> Any reason for the racks and trunk bags over say a large seat bag?
> Looking forward to the next 3 days.


#1 They are insulated (they will keep your 6-Pack cold). 
#2 We own them and don't own large seat bags.
#3 Wait till you see what Miss M is going to carry in the next installment (can't carry a 10" fresh peach pie in a large seat bag).
#4 Miss M's frames are too small to easily mount and carry a large bag under the seat.


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

MB1 said:


> And just like that you are riding on an abandoned section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.


SaWEET! 

What happened to Miss M's trunk bag?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*OMG someone stole Miss M's trunk bag!*



wooglin said:


> SaWEET!
> 
> What happened to Miss M's trunk bag?


Actually we dropped our bags off at the front desk of the motel. It was nice to do the afternoons climbing without them.


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## YuriB (Mar 24, 2005)

MB1 said:


> #1 They are insulated (they will keep your 6-Pack cold).
> #2 We own them and don't own large seat bags.
> #3 Wait till you see what Miss M is going to carry in the next installment (can't carry a 10" fresh peach pie in a large seat bag).
> #4 Miss M's frames are too small to easily mount and carry a large bag under the seat.


You had me at cold 6-pack...


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## theBreeze (Jan 7, 2002)

*Crush the Commonwealth*

See the current issue of Dirt Rag for an article on a "do-it-yourself" (no entry fee, no support) cross state race from Pittsburgh to Philly via rail-trail and this "Pike 2 Bike" route. 400 miles. The author and three others did it in sub-48 hours. But it could be fun to do it as 4 day tour.

Here's a link to the on line version 
http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=893&category=features


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*A "Double Double".*



theBreeze said:


> See the current issue of Dirt Rag for an article on a "do-it-yourself" (no entry fee, no support) cross state race from Pittsburgh to Philly via rail-trail and this "Pike 2 Bike" route. 400 miles. The author and three others did it in sub-48 hours. But it could be fun to do it as 4 day tour.....


I hope Miss M doesn't hear about it or I know what we will be doing......


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*2of4 Magic Days (what goes up...)*

So we are out in Breezewood PA riding our bikes...... http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=106555

The dinner choices on Saturday left a little to be desired, we ended up at Pizza Hut the best of a bad lot of choices. Sunday morning the motel had a breakfast assortment of grains, breads, juices, coffee and hard boiled eggs. That is ok, at breakfast we don't need fancy.

We lit out nice and early, this time Miss M was determined to ride up to the Pike. So she did.

After 8 miles of empty road fun it was climbing time again. The thing you should know about that Sideling Hill Summit sign is that we topped out way above it and rode down to there on a side road. (The third time we climbed that hill in 2 days).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

We took that downhill pretty cautiously, Miss M has been riding fixed so much she has forgotten what 60mph feels like.  

In about 5 miles we burned off all that elevation and turned south-which is a very good thing in the hill country of Southwest Pennsylvania. Going East-West like we did on Saturday meant that we were crossing all those ridges. Going North-South like we were about to means riding along a ridge. Not that it is flat but it makes for sweet riding on a beautiful late summer morning.

I found it amazingly beautiful, Miss M who grew up in the area was not so impressed but did finally admit that it was "nice".

No traffic, great views, a bit of dirt, an assortment of farm buildings in an assortment of shapes and it seemed like in no time (it was actually 65 miles or so) we were back in Hancock.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

We made a quick stop in Hancock to pick up a sandwich and something to drink then headed out to the end of the Western Maryland Rail Trail and the C&O Canal for lunch (we were pretty hungry by then).

It was nice, it was so nice I was ready for a nap but Miss M decided the lunch was missing something and we had to keep riding.......

Missing something like pie! :thumbsup:

Peach Pie! :thumbsup: 

Baked that morning! :thumbsup: 

Good thing we always carry bungee cords.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

From Hancock we had 2 choices to get to Williamsport where we were going to spend the night. Take the roads (about 10-12 nothing special miles) or take the C&O Towpath (17-20 very scenic miles).

Guess which one we choose?

Of course on our way to the canal we first had to stop at Fort Frederick for a little afternoon icecream to get us ready for dinner and pie.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Miss M had found a new place (well new to us anyway) for dinner. Showing amazing restraint we held off on the pie till after dinner.

BTW dinner was great!


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

*Thanks*

I'm jealous. The scenery, the riding and the pie. Excellent report to make my morning at the office on a wet, starting to turn to very wet with a typhoon approaching, day.Thanks for the post. I have never been to the states but know a lot more about the eastern part of it thanks to MB1. My mate is from DC and he really gets excited over your ride reports.


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

As usual, good stuff.

Just a few comments.

How can you relax in rocking chairs with your bike helmets on?
Miss M's yellow skirt is pretty (yellow is my favorite color?
I like pie pictures.


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## DrRoebuck (May 10, 2004)

Great pictures and anxiously awaiting 3 & 4.

Did you guys actually hit 60?? The fastest I've gone is 53. Funnnnnnnn.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

DrRoebuck said:


> ....Did you guys actually hit 60?? The fastest I've gone is 53. Funnnnnnnn.


Hard to tell, I don't have a computer on my bike (and I love it!) but I passed and got way ahead of Miss M who was in the mid 50's. One thing is for sure; you could go just as fast as you dared on that steep, smooth and fairly straight downhill (US30).


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

Are you using a remote or a timer on the camera for the couple shots? Or did you trust the pics to a passer by?

Nice ride. Looking forward to 3 out of 4.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Chain said:


> Are you using a remote or a timer on the camera for the couple shots? Or did you trust the pics to a passer by?....


Both.

For the icecream shot I asked a passerby to take our photo, she was glad to. For the lunch and summit shots I plopped the camera down in the grass.

Whatever works.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

bigrider said:


> .....How can you relax in rocking chairs with your bike helmets on?
> Miss M's yellow skirt is pretty (yellow is my favorite color?.....


LOL, you know we never even thought about taking our helmets off. I guess we are comfortable wearing them.

You can see Miss M buying that skirt in our Texas ride. I'd bet you would like the yellow bandana I bought in Luckenbach........I'd gladly trade it for some fresh cider


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## Chain (Dec 28, 2006)

MB1 said:


> Both.
> 
> For the icecream shot I asked a passerby to take our photo, she was glad to. For the lunch and summit shots I plopped the camera down in the grass.
> 
> Whatever works.


Thanks, I was just curious. We usually only get to see Ms. M in your reports.


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## Brick Tamland (Mar 31, 2006)

The picture of you and Miss M in the rocking chairs is perfect!


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## llama31 (Jan 13, 2006)

Ah Hepburns! I love that place. I work out in Western MD a lot and we often stop there for pies.

You guys REALLY know how to party. Do you know your way around South Central PA as well? Or were you winging it?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

llama31 said:


> Ah Hepburns! I love that place. I work out in Western MD a lot and we often stop there for pies.
> 
> You guys REALLY know how to party. Do you know your way around South Central PA as well? Or were you winging it?


The first day we sort of followed a route slip; mostly because we wern't sure where the entrances to the Pike2Bike were. From then on we made it up as we went along (Miss M got a tad confused every so often but I was generally fairly sure where we were and how we needed to go to get to where we wanted to be (if that makes any sense at all)).


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## wooglin (Feb 22, 2002)

Chain said:


> Thanks, I was just curious. We usually only get to see Ms. M in your reports.


Heh. I was thinking that's the most I've seen either one of them sitting still. Miss M must be slipping (but don't tell her I said that).


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## KDS (Sep 18, 2004)

Looks like you had a great trip. I also love the rocking chair shot. My son lives in Philly, and we have talked about riding the pike, hopefully some weekend I can make it up there to ride with him. I'm anxiously awaiting the next installment.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*3of4 Magic Days (Whoda thunk?)*

So now we were in Williamsport with no real agenda other than to ride.

Hmmm............where should we ride, what should we do?

"I know" says I, "let's do more hills."

So naturally that is what we did (you didn't think that Miss M was going to complain about more hills did you?)..


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

What we were going to do was combine a bit of the Cumberland Bike Clubs "Stone Bridge Century", our favorite parts of the Baltimore Bike Clubs "Civil War Century" and some of the first day of the BBCs "Tour de Montes".

Well, that was sort of the plan but since we didn't actually have the route slips there was going to be a bit of wandering around thrown in there too. 

One thing we were pretty sure of, we would be climbing, climbing, climbing since the routes took in both South Mountain and the Catoctin Mountains. Since we were planning (more or less) an out and back we were going to be crossing them twice.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

If truth be told it was a perfect East Coast summer day to ride. Better yet it was Labor Day so the roads that would normally be quite busy with commuters were for the most part empty.

Amazingly enough, as popular as the area is for cycling and as nice as the weather was we only saw one other cyclist the whole day.

I guess everybody was on the water somewhere......

The route? Oh yes, Williamsport to Boonesboro to Smithsburg, up and over the mountains to Rouzerville (how can you not like that name) then down to Thurmont, about a mile of flat then up and over those same mountains again to Smithsburg. Then we kind of made up our own route to Funktown, Hagerstown and finally Williamsport.

The neat thing? We were never really lost, just kind of missplaced every so often. Made for a nice ride.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Back in Williamsport we agreed that this one of the best 3 day trips we had ever been on. Great routes, fantastic weather and exciting new finds. Neither of us expected that the third day could possibly match the excitment and pleasure of the first 2 days in Western Pennsylvania but it did.

Whoda thunk that?

We might as well ride one more day before getting back to the daily grind. We headed over to Shepherdstown WV where there is one of our favorite resturant and hotel; the Bravarian Inn.

German food for dinner!

PS Finally, since I won't be posting day 4 until Monday here is a preview of what was perhaps the best day of all......


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## M.J. (Jan 28, 2004)

all these reports, as usual, are a great vicarious treat


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## RoadLoad (Jan 18, 2005)

What state/s were you in? I need a map to get my bearings. The towns, vistas and riding were great. I want to retire to a place like that.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

RoadLoad said:


> What state/s were you in? I need a map to get my bearings. The towns, vistas and riding were great. I want to retire to a place like that.


Day 1; Western Maryland and Southwest Pennsylvania.

Day 2; Southwest Pennsylvania and Western Maryland.

Day 3; Western and Central Maryland, Eastern West Virginia and just kissing Central Pennsylvania.

Day 4; Eastern West Virginia and Western Maryland.

If you are thinking about retiring in the area Shepherdstown WV, Hagerstown and Boonesboro MD and Gettysburg PA have enough going on to keep a varied lifestyle going without being too expensive or crowded.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

For three (fantastic) days we had been riding, riding, riding all over the Maryland and SW Pennsylvanian Appalachian string of mountains. We had a great time and really didn't want our mini-vacation to end but alas......it had to. http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=106779

Bright and early Tuesday morning from our hotel in Shepherdstown WV we headed downtown to our favorite bakery for breakfast. Miss M suggested we just start at one end of the display and eat our way to the other.

That isn't quite what we did but we gave it a shot. :thumbsup: 

Then we crossed the Potomac over to Sharpsburg and the Antietam Battlefield where tribute should always be paid.


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## Pablo (Jul 7, 2004)

I like the bluish picture of the bridge. There's so much water out East.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

The Appalachian Mountains are quite different than the mountains out west. I think of them more as a long string of waves in the landscape. There are ways around some of them but not all of them. And the old roads that we chose for the most part just went right up-n-over them. Which was exactly the way we wanted it.

So what we did was ride over the Blue Ridge drop down to a valley and do most of the climb up South Mountain before turning south to hit the C&O Canal and the Potomac just downstream of Harpers Ferry.

This is a great stretch of the Tow Path with great views of the river and is actually part of the Appalachian Trail (perhaps the only part that welcomes cyclists).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Well that was about it for our riding, just a quick 15 miles upstream and a bit of a climb out of the river bottom to the hotel.

Only 50 ish miles for the day and it seemed like way too little.

Of course we had something else in mind for the afternoon.


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Since we had been crossing the trail on almost every ride (and several times on some days) we had got to thinking about hiking. 

We like hiking.

Not as much as biking but we like hiking.

So that is what we did before the long sad drive home.

To make it last just that much longer we took the backroads home.

P.S. This Sunday we rode out and back to South Mountain just to revisit the area. I think we liked our vacation (and are already planning our next several trips).


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*Actually this has been a very dry year.*



Pablo said:


> I like the bluish picture of the bridge. There's so much water out East.


Not quite a drought but it is fairly rare to get such a string of dry days. Still compared to the Southwest it is wet indeed.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

As usual, outstanding pictures.... Do you have preplanned routes on all of your excursions?


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

*We mostly have general ideas instead of plans.*



Dave Hickey said:


> As usual, outstanding pictures.... Do you have preplanned routes on all of your excursions?


The plan for this 4 day trip was to meet our friends and grab their routes and maps.

The idea was to visit and ride on the Pike2Bike. 

Everything after that we made up on the fly.

We know the area around DC very well and I don't get lost easily anywhere so it is rare indeed for us to be able to tell anyone what our exact route will be even an hour in advance. We generally have some idea of where and how far we want to ride and in what direction we want to start but that is about it.

In other words we kind of just wander around until it is time to go home. Sometimes folks that ride along with us pick up on the route negotiations Miss M and I go through on almost every turn and find it quite amusing.......


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Ha...That pretty much what I do too...I'm often asked how I got from point A to point B. It's hard to tell someone because I wander... I was born with a good sense of direction and I rarely take the exact same route twice

I know the general direction I want to go(I try to start out with a headwind and end with a tailwind). I know more back road, subdivision, sidewalk shortcuts than most


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

Dave Hickey said:


> Ha...That pretty much what I do too...I'm often asked how I got from point A to point B. It's hard to tell someone because I wander... I was born with a good sense of direction and I rarely take the exact same route twice
> 
> I know the general direction I want to go(I try to start out with a headwind and end with a tailwind). I know more back road, subdivision, sidewalk shortcuts than most



Dave,

We have a lot in common. I know shortcuts all over Austin and the surrounding area the problem is that I can never recite them as I never know the street or road names. 

MB1, 

Great post...I like the dirt road parts. I always enjoy them on a road bike and I guess that's also why I love Mtb's so much too. Glad the trip went well with a title like you chose my creative mind was buzzing with just what could have happened (banjo music).


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