Willbird

Here is the train I had to climb over, or chose to climb over :-)



And here is the rest of the group when we got caught by another train, this was right after the "tar and boulders" road section.

Willbird

Feeling pretty good today really, lots better than I anticipated :-).

Bill

Pakiwi

Great job. It was around 75 miles that I started to slow down for my century yesterday buta beautiful day.
great accomplishment.
allan

bransom

Great job! And good thing the train didn't start moving while you were climbing over....

indyfabz

How did you like it? This was my 23rd consecutive year. Unfortunately, it was my last. Too much aggravation to make it enjoyable. Maybe I will volunteer if they are serious about improving some things, like not herding people into cattle pens and leaving them there for 45 min. That's simply an unacceptable way to treat people.

indyfabz

As someone employed in the railroad industry, I will say you should consider yourself lucky to have your legs and life. At least you didn't go full ****** and pass under the train, which I once saw a family do on an MUP.

Willbird

Nothing was moving, loco was idling.

Would never thing of messing with a moving train, or going UNDER one. In fact there might even be a first and last time for a lot of things, and this might well be an example of that. There were nice ladders provided to climb up and climb down, and a nice platform to lay the bike on during the traverse.

Bill

indyfabz

And you knew that the train was not going to move while you were on it?

Those ladders and platforms are provided for trained workers, not people wearing cycling shoes (possibly with cleats) and carrying bikes.

Also, did you cross the vacant track first or climb over the train and onto the vacant track? (Don't know if you took the photo before or after you crossed.) If the latter, there could have been a speeding train coming on the second track that you could not see. That's why there if often a sign at a double track crossing noting the number of tracks. Vehicles stop and wait for the train to pass on the track closest to them. Then they cross the tracks before there is a clear line of sight (sometimes with the lights still flashing) and they get nailed by the train coming from the other direction on the second track. Sometimes their chest cavities asplode and/or their heads fly off from the impact. In fact, such things have heppened as the result of crossing accidents in OH. The good news for the victims' familes is that courts and juries are awesome at awarding tens of millions of $$ when things like that happen, especially in OH.

Willbird

Listen dude, I got your message, you issued your lecture, the train and railroad owned that crossing for however long they wanted to park there and eat lunch or whatever.....I knowingly trespassed. And YES I HAVE seen trains block crossings on a state highway in the town I grew up in so they could pick up carry out food from the restaurant that used to be right there at the crossing.

I took the picture before, so I crossed the empty second track first. I probably should have ridden the 4 miles to go around it, as long as they did not decide to be Richards and move up to the crossing and block it TOO :-).

As for the train taking off, they run the 1/4 mile from a standing start pretty slow.

When we were kids growing up the RR tracks were part of our everyday travels, even around the switches that we thought were neat to see move all by themselves, darn lucky we never got caught in one and killed.

Bill

WonderMonkey

I've crossed over a train that was parked. In the evening even. It's a risk for sure and even doing it carefully it is still a risk. However there is a high chance that if I keep doing this route the train will be there again, parked for the night (they do that right there).
@indyfabz I always appreciate someone throwing out a warning or two. I think @Willbird has heard you, as I have. I think it is one of those "Yes it is dangerous but in the right circumstances I'd do it again" thing. I'm sure we all have those things we do. My wife was fairly concerned when I told her and she has a right to be.

Willbird

The bike I ride now is kind of a beater, I am getting a shiny new Fuji 1.5 next Saturday, I would not lay it metal to metal like I did in this portage UNLESS the zombie hordes were approaching.

And while we are on safety and all of that, I'm sure ALL bicyclists stop at every stop sign and red light, and signal every turn and lane change as required by law even when there is no other traffic :-) :-). I DO signal the turns but the lane changes it can be tough to comply.

Bill

indyfabz

Just so you understand the appreciable risks and then I will leave it alone, it's not the rate of accelration but the sudden jerk from the taking up of slack between the knuckles that can send you tumbling, not to mention the fact that it's quite possible to suffer leg and foot injuries steppng down onto ballast even while wearing site-appropriate footwear with steel toes and stiff ankle support.

LongT

I did OK. I was almost 1 mph average faster this year compared to last year. CH to OC 18.2 this year 17.3 last year. OC to CH 17.1 versus 16.3. I never heard from Nery's so I guess he didn't show up. You may not remember but he was my roommate last year along with Neil. Neil did not ride. This was my 2nd year.

Bill

indyfabz

Sounds great. And the weather was pretty darn nice. The battery of my road bike computer has been dead for a while so I have no stats. I also think they get somewhat skewed due to the crowd. I keep the speed relatively slow until at least Kresson Rd. This year, the roads through the residential areas leaing to Kresson Rd. were in pretty bad shape.

I sort of kept my eyes open for those two but figured I wouldn't see them.

If you want a nice challenge closer to home, check out the Black Bear Century. You have to register my next Monday.