RR: The ride that never was...

[OMR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The alarm clock roused me out of a deep sleep at 6 am this morning. I hopped out of bed and quickly threw on riding clothes and went downstairs to fuel up before the ride today. I was meeting Jeff Sims (J-sims) and several other riders for an S & M ride. No that doesn’t stand for Sadism and Masochism. Stands for a Suzanne and Mark ride. They’re known in Warrior circles for always having outstanding rides… but not for the faint of heart. The plan was to park at the bird sanctuary on Modjeska Canyon and ride up Harding to Main Divide to Joplin… down to Old camp and out the Santiago TT back to the cars. I couldn’t wait as this is a great ride and I was taking the squishy 5.5 for comfort and control. [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hurrying to make the 7:30 am meeting time, kissed the wife goodbye as she was off to Whiting for a hike with others at 7 am. Once ride anticipation grabs you, it’s hard to think about anything else. Just as I was entering the canyon, the cell phone rings… its Nancy. Cool! She’s going to tell me that she misses me already! No…instead she tells me that she just locked the keys in the car at the trail head parking lot. [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Now at this moment, all sorts of ideas occur to me… “Honey, I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up!” (crackle, crackle with paper next to cell phone)…” Sorry dear, I’m meeting others and they are counting on me!”…” Call our daughter, she’ll be glad to get out of bed and drive over with keys, after coming home early this morning from a business trip”… yeah, right! [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]No, what I hear myself saying is, “Don’t worry sweetheart I’ll drive home pick up keys and bring them over to you. But first, I have to drive to the Harding Trail head and tell everybody I’m not going.” [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]“No”, she says, “You’ll miss your ride” … I almost agree, but then my lips form the word, “No problem honey, I can always ride!” What! Where did that come from? I was supposed to be meeting my buds and riding up Harding! [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I arrive at the trail head to find Jeff patiently waiting. He had just flown in from Hawaii the night before and is looking forward to this ride as he’s never ridden this area before. With heavy heart I announce that I’m not riding and the reason.. Jeff takes this extremely well. Several others have arrived, yet no Suzanne & Mark. Turns out that Santiago Canyon Road is blocked at the 241 and they can’t get through. The ride quickly dissipates into a no ride. Jeff heads off to Big Bear to join Allison and crew for some downhill action. [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I had also invited Gene, but he was riding Holy Jim with others… key word here is riding. From his RR today sounds like he had a good time.[/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]So off I went home (Laguna Niguel), picked the keys up, changed bikes from the squishy 5.5 to the 29erSS and back over to Whiting… found the locked car & took off up the canyon with the keys and ran into Nancy on the trail. She said I would get my reward later. I had banked a tremendous amount of credits in the Love bank today![/SIZE][/FONT]
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[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Just to let you know, it wasn’t a complete riding bust today. I rode through Whiting, up the Santiago TT and back down, through Whiting back to the car. Whiting was… well, you know, Whiting. And Nancy … well, she was true to her word… I collected my rewards later. [/FONT][/SIZE]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]And so ends my RR of the ride that never was. Listen grasshoppers, there’s a lesson to be learned here: HAPPY WIFE…HAPPY HUSBAND![/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Enough said! [/SIZE][/FONT]
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[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]OMR[/SIZE][/FONT]

[J_Sims]

As mentined above I had a change of plans and after considering my options I changed them around again. I ended up heading over to San Juan with the RIP in tow...

I realized today that I am finally getting into some kind of shape that resembles a differant time in life when I rode a lot... I have only taken a geared bike up SJ one time since I have started riding again, I pretty much died the whole way and other than that it is always the SS and a lot of work...

I decided no hammer session today and just dropped it down and cruised up while enjoying the views that abound from the trail. I stopped several times to have conversations with passing riders new and old (like Me) and continued up to cocktail rock where I simply sat and took it all in.
Cruised down at the same tempo and had several more conversations with some folks that should be joining us here soon. I had a fantastic day that reminded me of when I used to ride this trail back in the early 90's....


I owe this ride to you OMR as I would have never got my @$$ out of bed this morning if not to meet you....

[Pain Freak]

I've found the best way to ride trails, is just like that, take your time, take in the views, meet and talk to folks. Man, those are great rides.

[genusmtbkr5]

Bummer. It's too bad you guys didn't get to do Joplin. Just as well as Joplin was probably way dry and loose. While coming down from Upper HJ, I thought to myself that "they're probably going down Joplin right now", It was getting hot up there for us and another thought was "they still have to climb out of Old Camp".

Glad your guy's(you and Jeff) day wasn't wasted and you got a ride in. I agree with Jeff and Mike. A nice mellow pace is nice sometimes. We didn't hammer either, just took our time and made plenty of stops.

Hey Gregg, what's with you and keys lately? First you, now Nancy.

Originally Posted by mtber3737

Half way down, it occurs to me that I am missing something??? I check my jersey pocket... no car keys... sh*t! Recheck the same pocket 4 times (stupid!)... not there. Ride back up Rocket... no keys double sh*t!

Explain to wife that she needs to drive me back to the park parking lot and pick up the car. She says nothing... but I see the smile playing around the lips. I'm waiting for the "I told you so" after I told her I left them in my jersey pocket.

Pulling into the parking lot I spot Gene and Rich (great! just adds to my embrassment). They are puzzled why I'm riding in a car and not on my bike. My wife explains that I've lost my keys... they both smile knowlingly....

I open the car with my wife's keys and of course spy my keys immediately. Relief washes over me... only for a minute. I must now relay this to my wife... who again smiles knowingly, waves goodby and drives off. I'm left standing there with my pride around my ankles... how can someone so cool be such an idiot? Errr, don't answer that!

But that's water under the bridge... I turn to Gene and we start planning the next Newby ride.

OMR

[OMR]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

Hey Gregg, what's with you and keys lately? First you, now Nancy.

Hey! At my advanced age, I'm lucky to remember my name, grasshopper!!!

We'll do Joplin another time togther...

OMR

[guero]

so.....what were the 'reward's?!?!?!

[OMR]

Originally Posted by guero

so.....what were the 'reward's?!?!?!

A gentleman never devulges those kind of things... but it did involve whipping cream... I may be old but I'm not dead!

OMR

[RacinJason]

Originally Posted by mtber3737

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The alarm clock roused me out of a deep sleep at 6 am this morning. I hopped out of bed and quickly threw on riding clothes and went downstairs to fuel up before the ride today. I was meeting Jeff Sims (J-sims) and several other riders for an S & M ride. No that doesn’t stand for Sadism and Masochism. Stands for a Suzanne and Mark ride. They’re known in Warrior circles for always having outstanding rides… but not for the faint of heart. The plan was to park at the bird sanctuary on Modjeska Canyon and ride up Harding to Main Divide to Joplin… down to Old camp and out the Santiago TT back to the cars. I couldn’t wait as this is a great ride and I was taking the squishy 5.5 for comfort and control. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Hurrying to make the 7:30 am meeting time, kissed the wife goodbye as she was off to Whiting for a hike with others at 7 am. Once ride anticipation grabs you, it’s hard to think about anything else. Just as I was entering the canyon, the cell phone rings… its Nancy. Cool! She’s going to tell me that she misses me already! No…instead she tells me that she just locked the keys in the car at the trail head parking lot. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Now at this moment, all sorts of ideas occur to me… “Honey, I can’t hear you, you’re breaking up!” (crackle, crackle with paper next to cell phone)…” Sorry dear, I’m meeting others and they are counting on me!”…” Call our daughter, she’ll be glad to get out of bed and drive over with keys, after coming home early this morning from a business trip”… yeah, right! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]No, what I hear myself saying is, “Don’t worry sweetheart I’ll drive home pick up keys and bring them over to you. But first, I have to drive to the Harding Trail head and tell everybody I’m not going.” [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]“No”, she says, “You’ll miss your ride” … I almost agree, but then my lips form the word, “No problem honey, I can always ride!” What! Where did that come from? I was supposed to be meeting my buds and riding up Harding! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I arrive at the trail head to find Jeff patiently waiting. He had just flown in from Hawaii the night before and is looking forward to this ride as he’s never ridden this area before. With heavy heart I announce that I’m not riding and the reason.. Jeff takes this extremely well. Several others have arrived, yet no Suzanne & Mark. Turns out that Santiago Canyon Road is blocked at the 241 and they can’t get through. The ride quickly dissipates into a no ride. Jeff heads off to Big Bear to join Allison and crew for some downhill action. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]I had also invited Gene, but he was riding Holy Jim with others… key word here is riding. From his RR today sounds like he had a good time.[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]So off I went home (Laguna Niguel), picked the keys up, changed bikes from the squishy 5.5 to the 29erSS and back over to Whiting… found the locked car & took off up the canyon with the keys and ran into Nancy on the trail. She said I would get my reward later. I had banked a tremendous amount of credits in the Love bank today![/SIZE][/FONT]

[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Just to let you know, it wasn’t a complete riding bust today. I rode through Whiting, up the Santiago TT and back down, through Whiting back to the car. Whiting was… well, you know, Whiting. And Nancy … well, she was true to her word… I collected my rewards later. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]And so ends my RR of the ride that never was. Listen grasshoppers, there’s a lesson to be learned here: HAPPY WIFE…HAPPY HUSBAND![/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Enough said! [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]OMR[/SIZE][/FONT]