September Highs.

You just have to love those September highs marking the end of yet another mid-latitude cyclone. It gives a slight counter-clockwise twist and pulls the cool, dry air down from the north. After two straight days of rain, I woke up to clear skies and a slight mist rolling across the garden. I just knew it would be a good day.
It was a typical start to a dysfunctional Cupcake ride, guests arrive early....we said "On the bikes by 9"...... Cupcakes show up late. ....However to his credit, Wink was there 5 minutes early, he just forgot everything he needed. On top of this we send some mountain bike legends up arguably one of the hardest climbs in the woods, telling them we would catch up, just to look at each other ten minutes later to quickly decide there was no way in hell we were riding up Stooges.....we took the road.
Speaking of the legends of the woods, how often do you see, let alone get to ride with those old timers. Jim Potts, Don Morning Star (He has got to be related to Ralph Reuben Rick Mouth Kline) and some talented old guy( Mike Eatough) on a fancy red bike that reads Chris Eatough across the top tube.
We did the typical Southy loop. Rocky Ridge, Virginia, Mackey, Rattle Dick, Deer Lick? Deer Lick Chute, and ended on Sucker Punch to get back to some cold beers and the best jerky in the world!
Ride highlights included but were not limited to;

• Riding with a lot of new people and enjoying every last minute of it.
• Having a little bit of time to session some things and actually snap a photo. I don't know how McMillar has done it for so long. Cupcakes are too impatient...especially me!
• Don Morningstar....that dudes a character!
• Watching Larry smooze the line on Virginia.
• Watching Todd not smooze the line on Virginia and still make it down okay. I can't wait to see this guy ride when he's got some space to move!
  
• Stumbling into Kent touring Corey and Stacey around.......while wearing his Ipod. Hmmmnn???
• Watching Jim Potts clean everything we were, and take falls, just as hard. How old is he?
• Having Mike Eatough join us on Sucker Punch after wanting to bail. We said we would only talk bad about him for a little bit! He then proceeded to grab the whole shot. You know, he's got a reputation to uphold.
• A giant get well goes out to Frank. You can just take one look at him and tell he'll be back for more. Did I mention the two cold beers and jerky left on my window when I got back to the car???