Ready For The Open Road

Wow!! March!! What a month. A new job and new method of commuting, VRE train and bicycle.
324 commuting bicycle miles. I thought I was starting out slow by riding twice my second week of work, then three times, then four times and last week, every day. With just two, additional weekend rides, my highest monthly total for riding miles added up to 361.


My commute is 1.9 miles to the Leeland Road VRE station, about 40 minute train ride to Lorton and then a 7.3 mile, 35 minute ride to my office on Fort Belvoir. Including a shower, it is under 2 hours door to door. A no brainer because my employer helps pay for the public transportation. On the way home I have time to add a couple of miles enroute back to Lorton.

I am extra excited about this coming week as I will be breaking in my new touring/commute bike, a Trek 520. Here are the specs.

Colors Metallic Bronze
Frame Trek butted 520 chromoly
Fork Chromoly Touring w/lowrider mounts
Size 60cm
Wheels Shimano Deore hubs; Bontrager Camino alloy rims
Tires Bontrager Race Lite Hard-Case, 700x32c
Shifters Shimano Dura-Ace, bar end control, 9 speed
Front derailleur Shimano Deore LX
Rear derailleur Shimano Deore
Crank Shimano Trekking M543, 48/36/26
Cassette Shimano HG50 11-32, 9 speed
Pedals Nylon body w/alloy cage
Saddle Bontrager Evoke 1
Seatpost Bontrager Race Lite, 20mm offset
Handlebar Bontrager Race VR, 31.8mm
Stem Bontrager Race Lite, 7 degree, 31.8mm
Headset 1-1/8" threadless, sealed bearings
Brakeset Avid SD-5 brakes w/Tektro RL520 levers
Grips Bontrager gel tape w/Isogel padding
Extras Bontrager Back Rack Deluxe

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Ortlieb Back-Roller Classic waterproof panniers

Shimano PD-M324 pedals with SPD clips on one side

 Shimano Dura-Ace, bar end control, 9 speed

A Caledon Wander

“All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken, the crownless again shall be king.” J.R.R. Tolkien Lord of the Rings.

Caledon Natural Area

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Walk A Mile......

I am not sure where the quote came from, "walk a mile in my shoes".

I have heard it many times associated with a father/son relationship. Growing up, I knew the stories that my father worked two jobs to support his young family of a wife and four children. It didn't really sink in until I had my own young family of three and was working 60 plus hours as an FBI Special Agent. Was I really walking a mile in my father's shoes? As a man have I walked in my father's footsteps or have I wandered outside those tracks and travelled my own path?

I took a different slant to the old saying recently while deer hunting in North Carolina with my son-in-law Travis. The first morning we awoke to 24 degree temperatures and about an inch of snow covering.

"Instead of shoes, I walked several miles in my father's, 1960s vintage, Woolrich, wool hunting pants."

For western New York state, my father's weapon was a 16ga Winchester Model 12 pump shotgun with slugs. (which Sam has now) For NC I carried my Thompson Center Encore pistol in 7mm-08 caliber slung over my shoulder.

Although Dad had a 40" waist (4" larger than mine) and a 32" inseam (2" shorter) I kept his pants from falling with an old pair of his suspenders, and snow out of my boots with a set of my modern gators. I guess you could call it a team effort.

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We chased deer for 2 1/2 days never getting a clear chance to shoot. Too wooded, too far or too dark. All in all I had a great time in the woods with Travis, and I know that is something my father taught me long before I had a chance to walk a mile in his pants. Make the best of every minute in the outdoors. Rain or shine, warm or cold. It's being out among God's world and creatures with family or friend that counts, not the harvest.

Two Nights In Lynchburg - Bliss

A Winey Saturday With Friends

Saturday was beautiful. Sunny, cool and very little wind. Five of our close friends loaded up and departed our house at 10 am. We headed for the Three Fox Winery in Delaplane, VA near Sky Meadows State Park for tasting and lunch.

The place was very crowded so we were very glad we got there early.

After lunch we walked to the top of the hill overlooking the facility.

From Three Fox, we loaded up and headed for Delaplane Cellers, just a mile down Route 17.

Only 2 acres under cultivation, the tasting room has been open for two years.

First Aid For The Sole

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After our first canoe and camping adventure in June, which involved, broken wooden paddles, fish hooks, fingers and forgotten keys, I was excited when my friend John R. wanted to do some hiking in the Shenandoah Mountains. I recommended my favorite hike, Old Rag Mountain. It was a done deal and we headed out early on a beautiful, cool, fall, Monday morning.

We got parked at the lower lot and headed up the road for the upper trail head a half mile away. A fall weekday was perfect for John's introduction to Old Rag's ridge trail and its mile of rock scramble, which can backup in a major queue on the weekends. Except for me having to backtrack 1/4 mile to the upper trail head to retrieve my walking stick, leaning against the Port-a-potty, the first hour was uneventful.

That is until we reached the stretch somewhere near the 2nd or 3rd switchback. I stopped to catch my breath and turned around to check on John, when I heard a crashing in the underbrush. Not 50' back down the trail, a 150-200 lb Black Bear crossed the trail behind us. I yelled "Bear" and was very mad that I didn't catch him with my Nikon D40 as he crossed. John only caught a glimpse. Smokey wasn't in a big hurry so we had 2-3 minutes to watch him just off the trail.

The Old Rag ridge rock scramble begins after the trails merges into this open venue overlooking the valley below. It's a great place for a breather, snack and a few photos.

From here the scramble begins. Up, down, over, under and through.

By now our, my legs were starting to get tired.

And then it happened. "Oh, man." John said. "What now John? Is there blood?", I asked, as I turned around to see John holding up his right boot. The sole of his right, 15 year old leather Vasque boot had completely separated.

To the rescue. Out comes the Nalgene bottle wrapped with Duck Tape. It doesn't take long to wrap two 3' foot pieces to hold the sole in place. I say to John as I wrap. "I'm just glad there was no blood involved on this one."

We took a break for lunch at 1:00pm, about 20 minutes short of the summit as we both were running out of juice.

Our lunch view

The required summit sign post photo.

The return trip down the saddle trail and Wheatly Hollow fire road can be tedious at time but it is still a beautiful walk in the woods.

Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), an all volunteer organization, does an amazing job on trail maintenance.

The fire road

Old Rag from below.

The start of the last 1/2 mile of paved road leading to the lower parking lot. 7 hours round trip. 9.4 miles. Three apples. 2 Clif Bars. 1 Nalgene of water. 1 Nalgene of Gatorade. 1 Cream Cheese and jelly sandwich on Wholewheat. 2400' feet of climbing and 2400' of gliding. All in a days play for a couple of almost old guys who cherished every moment and every cramp.