The word epic seems to get thrown around a lot lately. Every couple of months it seems, a word works its way into the daily vocabulary then starts appearing everywhere. You can't describe a bike race without using it. "Wow, that climb was epic" Or "Whoa, that third corner in the crit was epic". The overuse of the word waters it down to the point where it just becomes part of the background.
In a race season that is ripe with crits, TT's, road races and stage races, it's pretty funny that the one weekend I look forward to every year is the final weekend in August. The local town brings in a handful of blues artists, and 40 local breweries as it hosts the Blues n Brews festival. ML and I have gone the past two years, leaving the house for a casual bike ride over, sample the music, brews, food and festival, then pedal home. This year we brought along a couple of friends who joined in the events. Good times with good friends is really where it's at.
It wasn't easy, but Goody worked hard to find a helmet that would distract folks from the shirt
With people already congregating at the house, we invited a couple of more friends over and had a nice cookout. It wasn't to be a late night though, because the definition of epic was going to be rewritten the next day.
The Bakers Dirty Dozen - photo courtesy of PK
13 souls showed up at Palaza Bike Sunday morning. There were guys who regularly podium at mountain bike races standing next to guys who just broke out the mountain bike for the first time. The intent was to ride 60 something miles through local trails on single speed mountain bikes. Six of the 13 riders had their appropriate steeds, while the rest choice gears. It might have been coincience, but only two geared riders pedaled back 7 hours, 70 miles later, while five of the six singlespeed riders made it back. Perhaps it was the speed, the technical terrain, the distance, the heat, the breaking of handlebars or something else all together, but by the end of the day those that collapsed in the yard had truly an epic tale to tell.
The epic good - Save the Landlock in Burlington!
The epic bad - speedy recovery to the Mayor!
1 comment:
Yeah, I had gears, and yeah, I didn't make 70. BUT I did make 55, and wouldn't have gotten that many on my SS! Good times and good ride for sure. Definitely could have the adjective "epic" added.
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