Our Second Training Ride

Our Second Training Ride

On Sunday we did our second training ride in preparation for the big one. We biked 25 miles round trip from the Boston trailhead (near McKeesport) to Collinsburg. The value of these rides is not only to get conditioned but to test out equipment, learn how to bike as a team, and generally get a feel for the bike's performance.

Some things we learned along the way:

1. Your best friend or worst enemy is the bike seat. Choose wisely.
   
2. Watch out for the crazy things that you don't expect. A large squirrel ran within inches of my tire. It wouldn't have been pretty for either of us if we had connected.
3. Walkie-talkies are essential with a group of riders. It helps to have the lead biker and the last one each equipped with one. Ask the lead biker to radio back whenever he/she passes a mile marker.
   
4. Check out the interesting Dravo Cemetery just past Mile Marker 24. There's also a shelter and rest rooms at this stop.
   
   It was a good training ride that gave us a sneak peak of coming attractions on this stretch of the trail.