Sept 11: Pine Pedal Push

According to www.timeanddate.com (not any relation to Match.com- I'm only interested in the reliable kind of dating service), the sun will set Monday at 7:14pm.  What this means for the Drafters: 1) wheels up at 5:29PM.  Latecomers will suffer the consequences of darkness  2) ride like the wind (or get behind Captain Joe, the elusive B2 Bomber, or Vilks if he's done doing his 300k Dairyland Dare victory dance and shows up to ride with the meek), 3) fully charge your blinky light, and 4) hope you don't have a mechanical, and have a "call a friend" option if you do have a major break down.Speaking of major mechanicals, despite taking meticulous care of my bikes (yes, that noun is plural several times over- but I don't indulge in jewelry or other expensive impractical things, so it is totally justified.  So there.), they are subject to breakdowns.  Last weekend, while riding in the Blue Ridge Mountains of South Carolina (violins playing in the background), my front derailleur derailed.  The good news: it failed in the small chainring, which made climbing Caesar's Head tolerable.  The other good news: it provided a unique cadence training opportunity descending the mountain.  I have now invented and mastered the 150rpm and 0 Watt training program, which I will recommend to no one that I love.I'd like to give a SHOUT OUT to CRONOMETRO and CERVELO. They take care of their customers.  Buy local whenever you can.  I know online shopping is tempting, and I have to confess that I do take advantage of deals every once in awhile.  But, a deal is only as good as the follow through service when you need it.  My derailleur failure compromised my carbon frame, and only because the guys at CRONOMETRO know their stuff and advocate for their customers do I have a new Cervelo on the way.  Thanks, Colin, Scott, Josh and Paul.  You guys ROCK.Back to business- we will return to one of our staple rides out Enchanted Valley to Spring Valley.  As the names indicate, riding into two valleys means climbing back out of them.  We will adopt the Short Pour short cut onto Pine Rd as a way to get home safely before the sun sets.  Because I am inherently lazy, the map below includes the full Spring Valley loop, but please turn LEFT on PINE (Tobacco City Boy, Dan-yelly, and Hit-the-Wall, I am talking directly to you, the directionally impaired).Pine Pedal Garmin LinkDraft responsibly, and probably only through Sept on Monday nights with the Drafters,BrickO