Crusty Cassette

Text by Nicki Riddle Here we are at the Brundage Mountain parking lot, my favorite place to be. BUT wait where is all of the snow? Oh my, I forgot this is July and it biking and hiking season. Alas, the mtn. manager has informed me that we have only 109 days till ski season, SNOOOOW SORRY CORRIE!! Mike and Sean Riddle and Tamara Ensley made up the mountain bikers. Nicki Riddle and Janet Abernathy made up the hikers. I was happy to have Sean along for his once a year ride.

Tamara worried all of the way down about getting on and off the chairlift with her bike. She just wanted to ride by herself and have a fun day. WRONG!!!

Mike would not allow that. So off she goes on her maiden trip with Sean and Mike. Hang on Sweetie! B

ut as you would expect of anyone that rides bikes with Ben Jain, she was amazing. Yes she fell, yes in some areas she walked her bike(so did Mike) but she did 4 amazing runs in total. Mike would stop and wait for her and hear her laughing and giggling, then he would hear OH MY, OH MY, OH MY!!!(OH SHIT)

When she was finished she resembled Pig Pen and Ben's bike was a total mess, but intact. They had fun and the beer at the end was well deserved.

Janet and I had a beauitful walk on the North side of the chair scoping out next year's snowshoe adventures.

As we were illegally walking down the Hidden Valley trail to check out how steep the ski runs are(and they are STEEP), I mentioned that only an expert mountain biker would venture down this trail. Well who should come up on us? Yes, Sean way out in the lead with Mike and Tamara behind, with enough distance apart as to not eat each others dust.

Tamara is one gutsy chick, no doubt about it.

Janet and I walked for 3 hours, saw some fantastic views, got a blister or two and our own coating of mountain dust. That's all the action we needed.

Cliff practices for retirement on the Old-timers bench out side the grocery in Endicott.

Steve wrote:

. . . someone could have a rash of flats, road construction, and all those unplanned problems that can pop up.

Yes, it was a flat course. I knew that. Even Johnson hill proved no challenge with a bit of tail wind. But it could have been much worse. Had the winds been against us from Colfax to UnionTown, we’d have been another hour and a lot more worn out. No flats or mechanical problems save Dave’s dropped chain. Though road signs warned us from Garfiled to Oaksdale of loose gravel, all we saw were well-rolled seal coats and little traffic.

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Hi All, I haven't fell off the end of the earth - I'm still hanging on! All most every day is over a 100k with quite a few 130's thrown in.

We rode 7 days in a row, one off and then another 6 with yesterday 135k. The distance is not what is the hardest for me it's the heat. It's in the low 90's and high 80's.

The sights continue to be outstanding. Poland, Slovakia, and Hungary were like riding through a flower garden. As soon as we crossed the border into Rumania the flowers dissapeared. In Poland Most of the country roads are lined with shade trees. On our day off in Zomosc the 'internet cafe' had one computer. I;m not kidding!

One day we were out in the sun and came to this solid wall of trees. (that's where Harold fell and chipped a bone in his arm) I slammed on my brakes because it was so dark and the most amazing thing was that it was like someone had turned on the stero full blast with bird song. It was enchanting! It was a long tunnel like road through the woods.

In Slovakia the little towns still have loud speakers up on poles left over from the Soviet days. I guess they all listen to the same radio stastion now.

It took us 2 days to go over the first of the Carpathians - it'sa really just like 'rollers' nothing to compare to the ' Spiral'. We are going over bigger ones soon.

Weve been spolied with good roads ( until we got to Romania) It seems like everyone has a horse and cart.

We have 12 days in a row coming up.

People are waiting for the computer.

Love Helen/Mom