I started the Continental rides without them. Well, actually they started without me. However, Carey, Slate, Adrian and a scorching white Gentleman by the name of Mr. Staples (rocking some hot new kit by the way) went on a ride with the esteemed Brian Palmer. Now, if you haven't seen his website, now would be the time to check that out. Good stuff.
But let us step back for a moment.
We went out and rode "Logie." Which I thought Joe said was Loki and kind of felt like that was the case as we were climbing. Big fan of Loki usually, but damn this is a tough climb. I'm continually struck by the severity of the climbs that are in such close proximity to Portland. Thanks for that.That was a few days ago. And now my eyeballs hurt.
We're somewhere in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Ah how I love to travel, I really do.
It feels good to be back with these guys. The more that I analyze the riding that we did for our Tour of California ride. The more I put it into one of these cheesey "life experience" categories. In a good way though, like "something I'll never forget" or "these are the friends that I'll have for the rest of my life" and I laugh when I say that...but I mean it.
But right now my eyeballs hurt. I packed up the RS Rapha bike at HQ and headed out to the Airport last night. Barely making the flight. Does everyone know now that to fly with your bicycle you're going to look at spending about $200 in fees?
Make friends with bikes everywhere and you should be fine.
After flying to Atlanta, getting in at 6am and sitting around in the airport for a while it was time to head out to Nashville, TN. Once there I was greeted with the twangy accent and southern hospitality that I've grown to associate with this part of the country. It was at this point that I start getting excited about what lies ahead.
Tomorrow we ride Brasstown Bald.
Have a gander at some of the ones they have done and....in the next few weeks we've got scheduled rides in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virgina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania...a pretty good tour of the East Coast.
Stay tuned here. Because you should. Or because you've nothing better to do. Or because you'd like to see the development of the Rapha Basketball team as seen here.
Or better yet, because I'm about to bring you the best coverage of the lower united states that you've ever seen.
Starting with the Van we're traveling in.
The state magnets on the back of the van dictate a general route but it is apparent right away that this van it going to have some history to it, filling up every little crevice, as it becomes our (my) home for the next few weeks.
Wait till you see the bullets.
