A nice morning for a ride before the rain

[ascpgh]

After working all weekend I needed something enjoyable to start my week and I thought my mind and my heart would do well with an all-road ride, so I set out to find it all around town. 

About thirty miles when I finished, no idea about elevation gains and I have no idea about Strava legs or PR lists. Just some uplifting fun riding a capable bike all over the place. I was particularly proud to clean a pretty rutted, rock and root studded upslope out of the woods with a couple of FS MTB riders behind me, neither of whom made it through.  Didn't get photos of that stretch or the mud flats before it, was sort of busy wrangling my fendered Rambouillet on Stampede Pass ELs through it all. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pCbKWDZqFf99qoQP9

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh

[Deacon Patrick]

Sweet, Andy! Great brain and soul refresh. Isn't it hilarious encountering the "you're riding THIS on THAT wearing THAT?" from people you've passed or ridden where they couldn't?

With abandon,

Patrick

[Deacon Patrick]

I miss sections of smooth like in your photos. We just got 5" on snow overnight on top of (depending on altitude and sun/shade): mud frozen into deep horse hoof indents, pot holed/washboarded, rutting out dirt and asphalt road, frozen mud and slush ice, sheet ice, 4" wide jouncy pack snow track guard railed by deep powder (fall off and I may not be seen again till mid-June). What does smooth feel like? Oh, wait, there is a section of concrete sidewalk I ride. I'll pay attention there to remind myself. and returning on a dirt road that turns into 6" deep gelatinous gloop for the return ride. That's a viscus experience that makes one rethink the mud binding salt they spray on the road. It's harding pedaling home down hill through that than uphill when it was frozen. Sardonic grin. Thank you for expanding my horizons of what early spring can be like. Grin.

With abandon,

Patrick