Wednesday at Waldo

With this ride I broke a 1000 miles for the year.  Wasn't sure if that was going to happen this year  given the health issues that I have been dealing with.  The one saving grace is adding the road riding to repertoire which is helping me to be a stronger rider.  I don't think I will see 1000 miles of road this year, which is puny compared to the big boys but for me that's great.

  

When I got to Waldo the first thing I noticed was this Toyota in the lot with NEMBA and KT Stickers on the fairing and I kept saying to myself I know this car, I know this car.  Looking inside, there is a CT NEMBA Trail Ambassador jacket inside, too.  The only person I could think of that likes to ride Waldo is Ed P.! 

I was riding the legendary Stephen Badger, a CAT1 road racer, trainer, and colleague from work who brought his dog along for the ride, too.  The dog, Maverick, loved running along on his back wheel while occasionally stopping to sniff the ground and pee in various places.  I wasn't sure how I would do after riding over 50 miles and climbing over 5000 feet in the past two days, not to mention whether the EBB was going to hold for this ride.  It wasn't too bad and besides some creaking (when doesn't an EBB not creak?) things were running smooth on Raleigh.

Sure enough I run into Ed and his friend Tony riding back up Wheres Waldo!

 

Once at the water, Maverick was loving life and swam all over the place.  I tried to use a stick to prop up my bike for some bike pornography but as soon as I would pick up a stick the dog thought I wanted to play fetch.

  

Stephen's bike, personalized even.

Didn't have time for an Extra, Extra Credit Loop.  The trick now is when you come out of Waldo, ride up Extra Credit and then back down to the water for some nature and bike pornography and then ride up the fire road and do Extra Credit in the opposite direction.  Gonna have to do that next time.  Also, due to lack of time didn't have time to ride the Down Daffy 2x and Up Waldo 1x and the vice-a-versa.  That is the only way to really hit all the singletrack.