Road Less Traveled

I really wasn't looking forward to Memorial Weekend. I had no plans, no one to hang out with, and was already feeling the effects of isolation due to the economic shutdown. I don't need much social interaction, but working alone plus living alone with all bars and coffee shops closed and a lack of group rides and races was starting to get to me. Three days of solitude looked pretty rough. But, I had bought a new bike the previous weekend. So rather than steep in confinement, I embraced the solitude and planned some long bike routes.

Over three days I rode 195 miles. 55 of gravel on Saturday; 73 and 67 of road on Sunday and Monday. My legs haven't been that sore since TNGA; it turned out to be a truly great weekend. I'd been commuting on the Niner RLT Steel (a.k.a. the 7empest) all week, but this was the first weekend putting her through her paces. In short, it's a monument to modern bicycle engineering. It's not the lightest thing, but it's not meant to be. It's buttery smooth over the rough stuff, while the thru-axles, oversized bottom bracket and tapered head tube keep it rock solid on the descents. Dropping at 45mph, my heart might skip a few beats, but the bike is incredibly stable. Swap in some road wheels/tires and it rides better than my road bike. So much so, that the roadie may be for sale soon.

Speaking of TNGA, I haven't really been considering it this year (for no particular reason), and with all other races cancelled for the near future, I've set my sights on a new challenge. I'm strongly considering racing the Delta Epic in October. 300 miles of Delta gravel goodness starting at midnight on a Friday; all of the top times are under 24 hours. This is what the RLT was made for.