Thursday, December 4, 2008

Wednesday Night Ride Report-Plus Real Awful Pics!

Yesterday afternoon after commute home I loaded up the truck and headed over to Ultimate Bike in Mathews to replace my dead rear tire, the Ignitor was flame less and leaking through the worn out sidewall. I love bothering the shop for something as simple as a tire change, see they have this really nifty compressor that I'm told will not blow the tire off the rim. That compressor is essential for the installation of the tubeless idea or I could blow a dozen CO2's at the barn and be so frustrated that I kick the dog. Just kidding, even though I may want to after not being able to install my tire I would never kick the dog. I brought 2 pre-used tires that were hanging in the barn, a 2.3 Rampage and a different Ignitor. Rampage first choice, hole in sidewall after pouring some Stan's in, dammit. Trashed. Ignitor, yes Rick another hole in the side wall. Okay, you guys have any new Ignitors in stock, yes, good, I'll buy one. More Stan's fluid in the beautiful new tire and compressed air, pop, pop, pop, over inflate and contentment with the new tread. Doug, have any foam grips, not too expensive? Goody, ESI gray foam grips at a fair price, it is new grip day! Now I am ready to ride and the sun was still out, Keller let's go and get in a quick lap before the group starts at 1830hrs, so we did. We parked at the Church across from Beatty and were rolling towards the trail by 1750hrs. Backwards around in the darkness with the HID on my helmet that the fine folks at the shop let me thrash test. Laughs and shadows, rabbits and gremlins, noises and tricks of the mind playing tricks with perceptions. Second group of lit riders coming towards us near the end backwards or start of the beginning was our group so we turned around and jumped in. More quiet laughs as I listened to either complaining or confusion about recently purchased moving parts. No more gremlins but plenty of shadow movement in the forest. Woo-hoo group picture just before it was over and another meaningful ride with some good people. Thanks Rick(not Rich but thank you as well) for making sure that there is a night ride option in town! Here are the pics, obviously the group photo Rick took is not so bad but look how horrible the ones I took are. I really have to get it together as far as shooting action in the night. Completely sad, I do apologize.

from left to right: Keller(eyes wide shut), Mike, Unidentified, Unidentified(sorry guys), Dicky and Myself. The not so dirty half dozen plus one the photographer, Rick
Rick holding the raffle drawing
Crappy pic I took of Dicky riding stunt after he had already
Not sure, it was not really foggy last night
Keller's HID caught fire and combined with his helmet made of White Phosphorus caused this beautiful image for me to capture. He was seen from outer space by the Hubble.
After we extinguished his head, we noticed that his Niner was glowing in the dark, may have been a reaction to having White Phosphorus{back in the Corps we used to call it Woolly Pete} so close. I hope you like this yet another really bad picture.
There were gremlins in this section of trail, you'll just have to take my word on it.

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