I arrived early at Dark Horse to finalize the set up and
raid the kegerator for a couple of rounds of some fine craft brewed yeasty
malted beverages to ensure optimal navigation and bike handling skills on the
trail. A few Montauk Brewery Summer Pale Ales later and I was assured that the
odds of getting lost were going to be slim as my teammate, Muttonchops, came
equipped with a map.
With such reassurance and the carefree attitude that comes
from several beers, we did a bit of team building by hanging around the
kegerator and pouring a few more cans of liquid courage down our throats. We
lubricated and feeling the new bike fasties we were as sure a bet as California
Chrome.
Using a technique learned from the great NJ Transit
conductor, Mike “The Calf” Montebano, and to combat Infantile Tom syndrome at
the first stop on Ridge Rd I punched all stops on the ticket. Crossing the
great swamp the fatties put up such a big wake we caught this shot of the
Stewart wildlife.
Pulling up to the turn for the dump at Major Mike we held a
quick team meeting and determined that with our superior attitude (of having
fun) and superior state of mind (due to a lot of scripture reading) our mere
presence in the vicinity of the hole puncher was as sure a thing a actually
getting to the sight. Such profound insight enabled us to flip the bird and
rail some awesome single track. It was on the Campground Trail that I first
discovered that with 4.6” wide tires at 8 psi you can pull some awesome moves
that rival Vin Diesel in The Fast & The Furious Tokyo Drifts. Plowing up
the climb to the Ranger Station as everyone was passing us going the opposite
direction that we had indeed made the correct choice – f*#k the direct route,
railing some hardpacked single track was the right call.
After a brief Micro G teleconference where (the rest of
the MRC Board was unavailable) is was down the Orchard Trail before a spin by
the Beaver Pond, at least we got within a ¼ mile which was close enough for
government work, before passing the base of Washboard Hill and racking up yet
another hole punch. From there it was a direct fatty roll up Baron Road to the
Umbrella Factory and then onto the old steps on Barron Road and onward to Dark
Horse Cycles. Pulling across the line in second MacGyver was up in arms not
believing that a fatty could have possibly completed the course that fast and
he was right. But who cares, we didn’t claim to have finished and in the spirit
of NECS/MRC non racing Muttonchops and I were the absolute winners based solely
on the great time and awesome trails we rode compared to the dirt roads
everyone else rolled. Following the ride we were once again treated to an
amazors BBQ hosted by the Mayor & his better half and the Raveinator &
his better half. Along with the turf and surf spread there was a bit of
crooning with the Makers Mark bottle by the ladies and we want to give a
special welcome to a new member – Cathy the Maker’s Mark Queen.
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