Gears: a love/hate relationship

So there I am yesterday, cruising along and feeling the gear love all the way.  Testing out the conditions for Camp Lynda day 1 things start to get a bit mucky.  Then it happened, that crunchy grinding sound every geary fears.  I stop, look at my rear derailleur, cuss, then laugh and pull out the camera.  Oh the irony.

25 or 30 miles from home this was not a pretty sight.  No phone, long walk.  Or make it a SS?  It took some field service that’d make the boyz at Desert Cyclery cringe, but I got her running again.

In any case, I was so unimpressed with them gears at this point.  Is this how it all begins?  The unavoidable fall into retro-grouchiness?  Not quite yet, but if I had to walk it’d be all over.

How about a roll call for Camp Lynda?  Me first – I’ll be there ;)  What to ride is the question.  SS days 1 and 2, gears day 3 is the likely call.  Small gears like 32.18 on the 26er may get the nod, we’ll see.  For sure on day 1.  Day 2 may see the 17.  If I was gonna SS day 3 I’d prolly go with the 16 and plan on doing a bit of walking on the steep Smithsonian climb.  It’s all downhill except that climb ;)

The weather forecast last time I looked is mid 50s and sunny for the extended weekend.  Can you handle that?

Here’s a descent we’ll hit day 1.  This is about as close as we’ll get to snow.  Snow is pretty when miles away. 

LOL I just realized this is my first post of ’08.  A fitting title to frame the season methinks.