Added a few more riders to the results in the post below, looks like my rolling count was a little flawed.
26 starters, 19 finished (all well under 48 hours) 7 DNFs.
People want to hear your ride story. Write, blog, post some pictures, tell me about it. I'll get it all compiled here.
Thanks to all the riders for coming out, and all the people out there who helped the riders toe the line on Friday morning.
14 comments:
Given that my ride was the most brief I'll post here,
Got dropped off at the Point in a piss storm after driving about downtown finding it. Met up with the others and departed in the drizzle for a rather spirited "neutral roll-out". Glad I hung on as I wouldn't have found the trail in McKeesport without difficulty.
Rode along with Eric, Chris and Max as they were easing into their pace before I fell back into my "start slow and taper back" mode. Stopped in West Newton to grab some snack time from my pack and Adam rode past. Had a small twig jump up into my chain that required attention. Proved to be an omen.
Caught up to Adam several miles later as he was similarly eating a snack. We continued along together talking at a leisurely pace. Then about three miles or so east of Connellsville a larger stick get itself caught up in my chain and wrapped itself & my rear derailleur around the my cassette-bending the hanger into contact with the small cog.
Collecting myself after the 40+ foot skidding stop Adam and I surveyed the damage. An hour or so later I was single speeding my way back to Connellsville. I called my wife for a bail-out ride home and one of the wrenches there (I wish I could recall his name-great guy) walked up after looking at it and asked what I wanted him to do. Puzzled, I mumbled something about getting a rode home to get it looked at and he said, "I can fix it right now."
An hour later it would be ready, but he didn't have a short cage der. in stock. I was west-bound by car soon thereafter.
Can't wait to hear of the "new rule" for 2012.
Approx 830pm-ish near Hustontown Scott and Wes were gratuitously offered sex acts (separately) by a husband and wife that were parked in the middle of the road fighting.
Anyone else encounter these two?
post script: we did not accept the offers.
-wpe
While I am at it, here are some more random observations from the route:
rednecks in Somerset and Bedford (aka rude drivers).
Friday night at the dirt track races in Bedford.
some big a** hydraulics on the Yough' and the Casselman
seeing breath while climbing on route 31
mud/muck after closed tunnel heading toward Rockwood on the GAP Trail
how warm inside was the general store in Rockwood!
semi-abandoned Cannondale factory
surprisingly dry TPK tunnels and that the abandoned TPK is way easier to ride in daylight than dark
at the end of the abandoned TPK, did y'all know you can turn LEFT behind the grass/dirt mounds (where the old gas station used to be) and take a paved access road to Pump Station Road? (thanks, SS Ted from '09!)
Turkey Hunters at Sheetz at 430am
anti-Racism 10k race in York that we rode through the middle of
very friendly/inquisitive staff at the Turkey Hill on the far side of York center city (the retro-Turkey Hill)
The ATROCIOUS bathroom at same Turkey Hill in York! (did someone poo in the urinal?)
LOTS! of Harley's out on Saturday.
Have the Amish given up on bicycles and moved exclusively to "kick" scooters?
Mennonites riding Trek carbons (wannabe Floyd's?).
a very, shall I say, "helpful" art gallery owner adjacent to the closed bridge on route 462 that was more than willing to offer help to young cycling men find the detour and perhaps come in for a rest.
on the snake-like route (eby road/weavertown road), seeing an 18 wheeler flatbed trailer full of amish-built kids playhouses almost tip over and crush us on a 90 degree turn, one lane road
Poorly/confusingly marked "route s" on Kimberton/Coldstream road and before VF Park as well.
Phillies fans at the Sheetz in morgantown
Everybody in Philly 'burbs is a Cat1 wannabe on a carbon TT frame with $2500 carbon wheels...riding on a recreational walk/bike trail -!! ..on a crowded saturday afternoon.
Lots of hot girls in Philly, naturally.
did anyone hit South Street for beers after (we went to Copacabana)? ...and being in the bar when the Flyers lost.
fitting three bikes, three riders, wheels, gear into a single taxi cab from old city to the Airport car rental office. (I have a pic and yes, there was a bike in the front seat with a rider and the cabbie).
Thank you, Eric, for putting this thing together. And also thanks to Mrs. Eric for fielding the texts and incoherent phone calls. I had a blast!
I've got my pics up over on flickr. Maybe some words in addition to the live updates on the blog later.
Long recap
http://hellopa.wordpress.com/2011/05/04/crush-the-commonwealth-2011/
I snapped some pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/62494487@N06/sets/72157626518621459/
-Dean
My CtC experience -
http://oswaldcycleworks.blogspot.com/2011/05/crush-commonwealth-2011.html
A link to my recap....
http://mass-ssatthecross.blogspot.com/2011/05/crushing-commonwealth.html
Finally finished my ride report.
Enjoy, or not. Whichever.
Tour of California pics here...
http://outdooradv.blogspot.com/
Hey all... I was the guy pointing the video camera at all the recumbent riders.
Finally got the video together and it's now out on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiL1BhU2Dek
Unfortunately, I was only able to shoot on Friday and didn't catch any of the second half of the route.
My ride report /article:
http://www.recumbentjournal.com/views/columns/item/369-treading-lightly-upon-not-crushing-the-commonwealth.html
Is there anywhere one can read an accounting of the Tresslers' ride? Did they make such a recount? Curious what they thought and did.
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