[Bent] Mars June 6 2010 Invades New York Ride Report

[Clay Mikolasy]

Wonderful report, made us feel like we were there, wish I could've made it!
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chris Spollen" <cjspollen at aol.com>
To: <bent at list.marsride.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 8:13 AM
Subject: [Bent] Mars June 6 2010 Invades New York Ride Report


> Mars June 6 2010 Invades New York Ride Report
>
> Well Rich Sadler gets a lot of the credit he and I with the aid of the
> computer generated weather projections as well as perception projection
> graphs for the rides time and duration made the educated call for the
> ride to go!
>  The storm was tracking north of New York and at worst come at four
> o’clock we had a sixty percent chance of rain that meant forty percent
> that it would not rain. We both felt let’s go for it and as it turns
> out we were right!
>   Since we were up early we decided to do an tour de Staten Island so
> we did a honey sickle scent morning ride down to the water, on a
> picture perfect glorious summer morning.
>   After some further computer checks we were off to the ferry. The ride
> down was fast and I was surprised to find my short cut to the ferry had
> just been paved what a joy, weather perfect. Arrive so quickly to the
> ferry that we were able to take the ten thirty boat, and were greeted
> by Burt pulling up in a brand new carbon high racer, a beautiful
> machine. It was like two country cousins meeting their city folk next
> of kin. Two homades a folder and a mock f-40, so off we went Burt in
> lead to explore this fascinating city.
>  The west side drive was hoping walkers, talkers, and roller bladers.
> The rollerblades were the worst left to right and back again left to
> right hard to figure when to pass with on coming traffic coming at you
> on the narrow path’s they can not hear you coming up behind them they
> wear headphones. I personally felt it was a good test of the group and
> our riding skills.
>  One spollen moment my left shoe locked up, the cleat would not
> release, pulled over to a grassy noel and Rich removed the stuck cleat
> and I proceeded to continue the ride with only one cleat the shoes were
> way old.
>  Arrived central park amidst glorious sunshine and a dazzle of people,
> here we meet Jaeo riding another high racer a front wheel drive
> Reynolds design and a rather rare one at that. And a fellow on a bike E
> with an electric motor, in front wheel hub capable of a 26 mph. We all
> did a loop of the park Burt taking the lead with Rich on his tail. We
> regrouped for a light lunch on the great lawn and talked of bikes and
> politics and woman.
> On or about two o’clock we broke camp and bid fair well to our city
> Marians and Rich and I started back to our small Staten Island.
>  This is where the fun started the mighty Hudson river was awash in
> white caps we were pedaling into a southerly head wind which I thought
> was 20 mph found out later is was closer to 30 mph. We were both
> undaunted I was holding the steering wheel for dear life every so often
> was being pushed hard to the left or right, it was not till we hit
> downtown that it really hit the fan. The wind was kicking up sand storm
> at the world trade center work site. The side of my machine blew off
> the double tacked Velcro was pulled open by the shear force of the
> wind, I simply let it go if I let the handlebars go I would dump for
> sure. This was for me a white knuckle moment for sure.
>  Our boat arrived on time and with out a drop of rain we quickly
> peadled back to base. After some light food and coffee Rich was on his
> way home, and now I sit hear typing up what was for me a wonderful big
> city summer adventure and as always a test of ones own skills and
> abilities which frankly from time to time I need to check in on and
> evaluate.
> Wonderful feeling of being alive! great fun!
>
>
> Chris  Spollen
> The Art Of Imagination
> 362 Cromwell Ave
> Staten Island New York 10305-2304
> 718 979 9695
>
>
>
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