pa biker

The plan was to get out on some trails tonight, but the weather wasn't looking too good. Frank called around 4 to feel things out. I looked outside my office at the lightning and full-fledged downpour and said: "doesn't look that bad Frank, think it's gonna clear up. What are you thinking?" He says: "There's alot of lightning and such down here, but I've got Gore-tex and I'm game." "Ok, call David, he said he's in and let's meet on the way up to the trail."

Frank calls David as David isn't even thinking about coming to the trail. The allure proves too powerful and David gets his gear out of his Jeep in the pouring down rain - these guys have faith.

I grew up near State College, PA and watched Accuweather.com grow from its infancy. Joel Meyers didn't make alot of friends along the way, but he did build a good company with fairly accurate weather predictions. I read only the icons. You know the smiley suns, frowning clouds, etc. My friend, Larry, who has a graduate degree in mapping, or weather, or something reads the isobars. So it's Icons -vs- Isobars.

When I am solo, I always trust the icons - they have never failed me. However, when I have friends driving through DC rush hour traffic to meet me - I call Larry to check the isobars. It's like getting a second opinion from a surgeon. I was already on my way when I called. He says, "What's up?". "Uh, what's the weather looking like in the Shed about 50 minutes from now?" "I'm riding with O in Chambersburg tonight so you should be ok." A quick "thanks" and I'm reassured that things will be fine.

At the trailhead things are improving by the minute, the sun is poking through, and we are all happy about the decisions we have made.

What a night. The mountain laurels are peaking, their aroma sweetening the raw earth smell that you always get in the woods after a rain.

Had a great time walking the trails, some old, some new, cutting through almost all the way to our old familiar friend, the blue. On the way out we talked about a Michaux Man Camp, what David referred to as a "Mancation" My previous experience there was not totally positive, but not totally negative. I did win "Stump", but wasn't quite able to ride my bike home because I didn't have a Camelbak on (that was part of the problem). Hint: wear a Camelbak to Man Camp even if you don't plan on riding a single inch of trail - it's all about hydration and alcohol content.

Anyway, things are looking great for the Wednesday night Shed ride - hope to see you there.