LAJ

Dang. Who knew !

LesterOfPuppets

I'm not sure what they had plans for, just that some developers had their eyes on that land, and the state was thinking about selling it to them

big john

I'm sure the coal trains deposit little flecks of metal wherever they go, just like the diesel electric trains do.

It's been a problem with new cars which are shipped by rail. Things have been tried but for years cars showed up with rust spots and even paint damage.

Velo Vol 

You might need a better witch doctor.

LesterOfPuppets

I didn't mean coal burning locos, I meant a train hauling coal. They spray the coal with a dust control agent upon loading the hoppers but coal dust still shakes off of the train as it goes down the track.

LesterOfPuppets

I don't think I really have a need for an Eroica-legal road bike, but this one is kinda tempting:

big john

I rode my touring bike on a road in Illinois where we were buzzed by coal trucks on their way to the Ohio river. We were covered in coal dust when we got to our motel.

big john

They have brake pads for my mtb cheaper than anyone else. I also bought my last helmet there (on sale) and you can order stuff on-line with no hassle.

genejockey 

The Lotus is theoretically Eroica-legal, but I don't think I'd attempt it with anything less than a triple.

big john

Today I did a 60 mile club ride. There was the biggest turnout yet, at least 30 riders on our ride and some riders did other rides, too. There were even 6 women with us. Only one longish climb early on and I went pretty hard and later when we met up at the break we split into 2 groups. I went with the more casual group which all the women did, too.
They wanted to go to a place called "Pie Hole" where they serve all manner of sweet and savory pies, quiche, and other baked goods. I had a spinach quiche which came with a spinach salad and it was really good.

After that it was all urban riding for 30 some miles. This group really needed a leader and the lady who was trying didn't know what she was doing. She sprinted off the front and lost people at stop lights. She braked hard for no reason on descents. When someone told her she was losing riders she would stop in the middle of the lane.
Some dude I'd never met flatted and I swear it took 30 minutes for him to fix it. Others told me it wasn't 30 minutes but it seemed like it to me,

Anyway, after lots of chaos I decided to lead and see how that went. It was fine and I let the others choose the route which led to more confusion and they eventually settled on a crappy route, but I just wanted to go. After a while I noticed a few had dropped off. I said we should just wait after a light. 2 others said no, just pedal slow and they would catch up. I tried to convince them there were too many lights but they kept going and we didn't see them again for 10 miles when they stopped. So we were together again and I went to the back where a lady flatted. I yelled to the leaders, nothing. I rode up alongside the back of the line. "FLAT" Nothing. I sprinted around all of them and told the 2 in front that there was a flat in back after which I pulled over and stopped. They just kept going. I turned around and rode back. Good thing because the guy trying to help couldn't get the tire off and the lady was making the call of shame. "Just give it to me" I took it and put the tube in and told her to give me her inflator. While she was fumbling to screw the co2 on it sprayed a little so she panicked and unscrewed it and lost half of it. By this time everyone came back and I just inflated it to 40 or 50 psi and stuck the wheel back on her bike. "Lets go".
Anyway it was pretty fun. thanks for reading my novel.

Velo Vol 

Good morning, bike_accountant.

Velo Vol 

Seeing a lot of these lately. #Birding

WhyFi

That wasn't the wrap-up assessment that I was expecting. That **** would drive me to riding solo for a month.

WhyFi

It's a bird.

#yourewelcome

WhyFi

Not much planned today, riding-wise. I might get in a short ride to put me at, or a little over, 200 for the week, but Mother's Day will keep me occupied, otherwise. Will phrantic09 follow my lead-out and sprint around to the top spot on the podium? Will LesterOfPuppets storm back? Is bampilot06 playing the ol rope-a-dope? Will Bah Humbug bang out a century?

High drama!

seedsbelize 

Common grackle. It's common in your neck of the woods.

bampilot06

Took the day off. Lily got the second Vaccine yesterday and she’s feeling rough. Looking like it’s going to come down to Lester or Phrantic. The suspense is killing me.

MoAlpha

Big grackle year here. Maybe they’ve figured out the cicada cycle.

Mojo31

And return it just about forever.

DougRNS

I might do a double century to get bronze. I better get going.
#NotGonnaHappen

DougRNS

that's not what I meant when I said live a little. SMH

Velo Vol 

We know.

Trsnrtr

Combined with Mothers Day and deluging rain and high winds, today's riding is pfffttt.

big john

It was a comedy of errors, for sure. The women were all very friendly throughout and the guys were respectful and probably wondering who is this old dude. There was another geezer that I knew and I had met one more of them a few times but they were not my normal "A" group.

It would be cool to teach them the finer points of group rides, fixing flats, and at least just staying together, instead of going off all willy nilly then trying to find each other over and over. It was obvious none of them could ride with the A riders and that's fine because I have wanted to dial it back a bit. But you're right, I wouldn't want to deal with this madness every ride and would probably go back to chasing the fast group until they get tired of waiting for me after the hills.

bampilot06

After venturing into another thread, I am now filled with fear that my superteam wheels may assplode at any given moment.
I do find peace in the fact that in my small cycling career the only issues I have ever had were with aluminum products.