Ashokan 100 - Total Italiano

With the summer officially here the MRC decided there was no better time to christen the blog with the a non non-race, the Ashokan 100. Shortly after arriving at the new MRC HQ (Provident Bank in Kerhonkson)  Braveheart, the newest landed gentry/gentlemen farmer, and I set about translating the topo maps to determine the best course for the day. No sooner had we completed the translation then Chinaman Sal (fresh from another excursion to Taiwan) arrived with the latest 2013 carbon prototype from one of the big manufacturers. We all became a bit concerned when Top Chef was late for the roll out, it turns out he had broken a spoke the day before on a ride with Mrs. TC and had to swap out the wheel set and cassette at the last minute. Well it was some package and when he arrived Kate Hudson who had been hanging with Lance and the Trek marketing team) tossed aside Lance's latest Trek Mardone and broke into this routine -

And as you can see from this shot of TC's machine it was pure Cinema Italiano/Disco Italiano.

Once the excitement died down and we managed the final course translation it was time to roll. Mounting up I found this poor child who had clearly escaped the clutches of the priest at the church next door.

Well being a good citizen I scooped the poor child up and stuffed him in my jersey pocket. Being a good citizen was worth squat as 3 miles down the road it sounded like a .357 magnum going off after which I rolled to a stop with this -

Fear not as Braveheart broke out the incredible thing (iPhone) and located the nearest bike shop and Top Chef and Chinaman Sal made the dash for salvation. With time ticking by Braveheart broke out the Clif Egg Rolls and we settled down for the count, the 3 revolution count that is. The objective to get the valve stem to rotate 3 times and no more, as you can see from this clip it didn't take much to entertain us.

The bike shop was closed - go figure, who closes a bike shop on the Sunday of a 3 day weekend - but fear not as Sal remembered he had a box of tires in the back of the car - earning him the coveted MRC Harden the Fuck Up bracelet.

His speedy arrival ensured that Braveheart and I would be able to continue the ride. In fact so inspired was our Scotsman that he took several long "powered by excitement" pulls before the mushroom cloud appeared. Surviving the short back road climbs we were treated to this fantastic view of both bikes and natural beauty.

From here it was a long stint of pace line riding before we hit the rollers where Sal and C-Dubbs pushed the pace to Grace, the best espresso stop on any MRC ride (and trust me if anyone knows good espresso strops it is the MRC). Jacked up on copious amounts of fine Italiano espresso it was the express train down 213 and past our other favorite HQ, Hopheads craft beer bar. From here it was the back roads to the Accord swimming hole and we knew that relief from the heat was close at hand when we rolled up on this MILF with child.

Arriving Braveheart took the time to take off his cleats before plunging in while I opted for just removing the jersey and jumping in. Cooled off we made a bee line for the parking lot and the pleasure of some fine yeasty malted beverages.

While all of this was going on a new friend of the MRC and supplier of the latest Colnago to the club was holding the West Coast version of a non race - the Tallboy 100. And most amazing was that Justin (in the cheese jersey) was one of the founding fathers of Team Seagal as we can see from this shot of the infamous salute.

 Now Calvin and company like to take it to an extreme that even the MRC/NECS have only achieved at Beer Cross. Drinking was a part of the ride and by the time the boys rolled back into the Bay Area the final tally was amazing - 6 Anchor Summer Beers, 6 21st Amendment IPAs, 12 Bud Lights and 6 Boont Ambers. They also stopped by at Uncle Larry's place to get an attitude adjuster. Perhaps this is the NWCS (New West Coast Syndicate) and there will have to be a uniting of the biker gangs.