YTD- 27
MTD -27
Today – 27
I started off the year with a bang today. In my scheming mind I thought it would be good to head out to my folks to drop off the little ones and head out from there. First problem – no way to transit a bike with the minivan loaded up. Problem solved – I invited ol’ SurlyTex out for the ride. He has a pickup truck to get the bikes to my parents house. Problem two – weather people had been saying rain. It looked sort of ominous but a little before we left the sun actually came out. We packed up the boys and headed out the county (Oldham that is).
I planned a route to run about 32 miles to give us the opportunity to not have to push the pace and still have time to get back to the house prior to it getting dark. The ride was mostly old roads I used to drive to go to school in Crestwood. We had a sizable chunk of US 42 to deal with. I was at least a little nervous about this portion but it turned out to be unfounded. The road was not crowded although people do go kinda fast. I also planned a brief diversion into the old Boy Scout Camp – Camp Covered Bridge of which I attended including its final year. It was converted to a nice subdivision type development after the closing. If you know what you are looking at there is a house made from the old mess hall.
We got on the road around 3:15 and started right into a steep drop down 1793 to Cardinal Harbor. I reminded Tim that our final return would be back up this very hill. Goshen Lane originates at the end of Rose Island Road and starts straight upwards. It was a good “warm up” climb that brought us to US 42. I had dressed probably too warm and was wearing a water resistant jacket over a wool base layer and t-shirt. I had worked up quite a sweat after only 3-4 miles. However, I knew if it rained I was going to need it. We had about 5 miles to go out 42 to get to our turn-off. My fears of this leg were relatively unfounded. What I should have feared was the head wind. We traded off some drafting time and made the turn to KY 393. By this time we had settled on what this ride was really all about – rolling hills. It was up and down all day long. Plenty of the hills were plenty serious too.
We branched onto Cedar Point to head to New Cut Road – KY 1817. It was about here that I said to myself – “at least we are beating out the rain”. I thought not to say it out loud for jinx purposes but a few minutes later on came the rain. As we rode across 1817 we found a nasty looking pit bull dog that gave chase directly along the side of the road for what seemed like 5 neighbors yards but then yielded. We missed a turn but ended up right at KY 329 where we wanted to be. We had what would have been a perfect ride out a beautiful stretch of road if not for the fact that we were getting drenched. I could feel the water rolling back in forth inside my shoes but was warm otherwise. We rolled through the nicely paved Locke Lane and even saw a lady runner out for a jog in the rain. We crossed 42 onto Mayo lane and past a stately mansion. These two roads kept up the rolling road tradition including a fierce climb toward the end of Mayo Lane followed by a screaming wet brake drop to Rose Island. From there it was just the climb back up 1793 to my parents house. I stood and rode halfway and took a break at Blueberry Hill Road. Tim sat and kept chugging so he did not have to expose his Brooks saddle to the downpour.
After the return Tim headed straight out to meet up with his family and I dried a little and walked inside to find two hunks of cheese and crackers. A Xingu beer rounded it off nicely. The weather turned out bad but this ride was worth every minute. A great start to the year.
