Barry

It really does look ominous on the radar. But it only shows 40% chance. And the radar shows that whole system evaporating as it hits Austin. I look forward to getting caught in the rain, but being pleasantly surprised if I don't.

I'm just south of WC (directly under that green blob ^^) and it has been trying to rain for about an hour. It hasn't so much as gotten the road wet. If that remains the case, then it'll be fine. Assuming the roads are dry at 4:00, I'll be biking to R&I with an approximate 4:30 ETA.

With a high of 82, it's going to be nice and cool out there compared to what we've seen the last week or so.

Hmm, according to two different randoms on the trail conditions Facebook, Walnut is good. I may have to find out for myself.

Well...dogs are pack animals.

Yeah, google found that for me. In the rain. https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=moci

Looks like I'll be able make the typical early start. It should be interesting since this is the first day I'm feeling near 100% after being sick for 8 days. And I though I was feeling well over the weekend, but my rides did work out at all then. So we'll see...

Wild flower madness at RPR:

I haven't put a hot lap on it since the changes. But the fastest times certainly have gotten faster in the past 2 weeks.

“We rely on the good will of our fellow man and the forbearance of reptiles.”

BTW, some of those earlier top times have a missing bit of trail towards the middle third. I don't know if those folks skipped some section to get better times, or if back in 2014 the path was optional or just not as clear.

I've only ridden the southern portion of it, but I'm pretty sure the Endurance Loop (the new Rattler Loop), with its ultra-wide corridor, is even easier than Beginner. I think it is marked with red/white/blue flags. https://www.strava.com/segments/20300746?filter=overall

I may make it by then. Not sure though. Roll out if I'm not there and I'll try to hook up.

If you're up for a drive a little further than Madrone, Flat Rock is spectacular and they posted that conditions are great.

I really expected more rain, so I didn't pack up. I'll ride from home, albeit a little later than usual. But I'll certainly make a 5:30 roll out and probably some pre-gamer miles as well.

This is typical with all machine cut sidetrack. When it is first built it looks like the highway department came though. A year later it looks like it could have been hand cut.

I choose to believe you noticed this before and posted it to be synergistic with the penny-farthing.

Great idea. There is plenty available on the trail, in the trees and trail side (when we're lucky). You can find it both unpackaged and with packaging as you prefer. But really, sucks about your truck, RA. The issue has gotten pretty bad at some of the trail-heads as well, particularly Brushy.

Yeah, I should be good for the 4:14 roll-out.

Then you missed having your ride cut short for heavy downpours and lighting storms. Looks like you had a cool ride though, albeit a little asphalty for my taste. But what's the deal with the shiny jagged walls in the tunnel?

For the top spots I have 6. Pequonnock (NJ), Blankets (GA), Bootleg (NV), Allegrippis (PA), FRR (TX) and The Whole E (UT). For the whole list, I have 17! The most surprising thing, not only had I not been to the top 3 in NY, I hadn't even heard of any of them! And just like TX, I rode all over the state when I lived in NY.

The list ain't bad. I've been to all 3 places on the list multiple times and they're decent enough choices. I've long said that if/when I move, FRR and RPR will be the only two places I really miss. Of course "popular" means something different than "best." I think my list would look like this though: 1 & 2 in no particular order: Flat Rock Ranch & Reveille Peak Ranch. 3, 4 & 5 in no particular order: BBRSP, Palo Duro & Franklin Mountains.

I think it's a normal sized tampon. The kid is just playing with perspective. The perspective is from someone laying on the ground a couple of feet from the normal size tampon, and the lady and tree are 40 feet away.

From the plan, page 11...a couple of cute kids drawings. But...what the shit is this? Dynamite? A log with a snake crawling out? A tampon? It looks to me that the kid drew someone cleaning garbage, and this far away lady with the garbage bag has to pick up this seemingly unused tampon. Thankfully she has a trash picker with her.

Looks like a go. I plan to be out there, but I didn't pack my bike since I assumed rain. I probably will not make it in time for an early lap.