Training in Rolla

I had a great Christmas break, and got in some miles around Jeff. I am really looking forward to Kanza this year, and scheduled this semester of classes accordingly... No class on tuesdays or thursdays. Today was the first day of many training days to come. This weather continues to be awesome, and made for a great day on the bike.

i had to ride a little blacktop to leave the confines of Rolla, and set out for a nice easy ride. I am trying to stick to a training schedule my dad made up for me from "The cyclist's training bible". It called for a low inensity ride that lasted for a couple hours. I figure i might as well give it a shot. Regardless of pace, it felt great to be on the bike and away from class. After loosening up my legs a little, i had a little motivation to kick it in gear...

for those of you that have poor eyesight or just can't count, there are six dogs in this picture. So after nearly getting mauled by a pack of dogs, i continued out into the country. Not too far from here, i came upon a horse (if you call it that) that i couldn't help but imagine Jenkins riding...

Thinking i already had several nice suprises for the day, i hopped back on the ole' singlespeed and made my way further down the road. This is where i met a really nice farmer that was sitting out to keep watch over a controlled burn (although i don't know how controlled it was).

He asked me what roads i had ridden to get out there and then looked at my handwritten que sheet to see where i was headed. He talked about being retired from the military and how he loved seeing other people out excercising. He then told me that if i ever was out his way and "broke down" that he would be glad to give me a ride where i needed to go or help in any way he could. It's was awesome getting to talk to this guy for a little bit before i continued.

Not too much further down the road from the kind farmer, i happened across something that i assume is an old forest service road. I couldn't help but ride it and figure out where it lead.

i followed this trail down to a gravel road that i wandered down until i found an old cemetary with a few tombstones. I went back to the forest road and back to the road since i didn't know where i was outside of the que sheet i came with. I saw several more service roads that looked very similar to the one in the above picture, but didn't take time to explore them (i do plan to get back out to them soon though). After passing another old cemetary that looked really cool, i came to a pretty sweet low water crossing.

By this time i was pretty well in route back to Rolla. I again came across a group of dogs that were hungry for an afternoon snack.

I stopped in at beaver creek conservation area and rode a couple short trails they had and continued back toward Rolla. I ran across a mean green machine that i like to think is slightly less intimidating than the one i ride on.

At this point i was pretty much home and finished off the ride with a smile on my face. The ride turned out to be just under 40 miles long, but was packed with scenery and some pretty sweet trails too. I hope to have the energy and will to keep training once the cold weather really hits. If anybody is near Rolla tuesdays or thursdays (or if you have an awesome ride that i would want to drive to meet you for) let me know.

Comments

[Moe]

Great article Turbo. That mean green machine would appear to be an M-60 tank, aka M60 Patton. A mainstay of the US Army for many years. It was probably designed by an ME, maybe one from Rolla !!

[Stoney]

You scheduled your classes around training for Dirty Kanza?!? That's pretty cool, but don't forget why you're in school - to get an education.

(and to meet chicks)

[Peat]

TURBO!

[bob]

I'd ride that pony fer sho :)

Looks like a fun time, Turbo. I'm really digging that water crossing

[turbo]

I didn't know that about the tank. Pretty cool stuff.

Stoney, I don't know about you, but I plan on finishing the DK... That's not going to happen without a lot of training (at least for me it won't). And as far as meeting chicks, you obviously haven't been to Rolla.

[Stoney]

Obviously you have never seen this episode of MANswers.

I've got a feeling you'll do more than just finish DK.