Welcome to October

There’s lots going on this month.  Somehow, October always seems to me to be the real start of Autumn.  Sure the season has its official start in September, but this is the real, bottled in bond, true blue, hundred proof stuff.  This past weekend gave us crisper weather, and truly sparkling  days.

For cyclists it is a confusing time.  It gets cooler, so the don’t like it too hot crowd can get back in the saddle, but it’s getting dark, and it’s sort of chill of a morning.  More, the month can turn and take a bite out of you.  What looks like a pleasant day for a ride can turn surprisingly cool, and the addition of a a bit of rain does make for some spice.  October favors the prepared rider.

On that note, I’d like to spend a few words discussing a couple of upcoming rides.  The first is going to be a regular throughout the Fall/Winter seasons.  Details for these, and a good many other rides can be found on the Southside Cycling Club Calendar.

Night MTB Rides:

Are you a mountain biker?  Have you ever tried doing it at night?  It is a truly different experience.  Things look different…  A lot different!  The visual cues are completely changed.  The world closes in to what is revealed in the beam of the headlight.  The fun factor is huge.

Objections and Strategies:

I can actually hear some of you thinking,  “Are you out of your mind!?  I can barely stay up on a trail, and you want me to do it when I can’t see!  No way!”

Let’s divide this up a bit, shall we?  If you are brand spanking new to mountain biking, trail riding, and such, I’d advise you to skip this one for a bit.  Do your riding in daylight, until you get a bit more competency and confidence.  (We’re still going to be doing the Beginner Group Mountain Bike Ride on the second Sunday of the month.  See the Southside Cycling Club Calendar.)  For those of you with some experience in off-road riding, this just might be for you.

The first strategy you should consider involves lights.  You need them.  You need good lights.  Way back when I first tried this, lights were more primitive than they are now.  They were bulkier, less reliable, and a lot more expensive.  That expense factor led me to try it with what was then a second best system.  These were superb lights for riding on bike paths, and outstanding on the road.  But in the woods, they were…  Let’s just say  …limiting.  At that, I didn’t break my fool neck.  I just had to slow down a touch, and I kept wishing for better equipment.  You will want to have good, strong lights.  Things come at you faster on the trail.

Light Placement:

If you only have one light, put it on your helmet.  You will need to be able to turn the light to see what is coming at you around a sharp bend.  Two lights are a better setup.  If you have that luxury, mount the stronger one on the helmet, and the other on the handlebar.  This setup provides the optimum in trail illumination.

Riding Technique:

To start with, slow down!!!  Take it a good bit easier.  It’s going to look different.  A lot different!  These rides are not races, and they are being done in locations where navigation is not a problem.  (You really can not get lost at the BSC.)  Don’t worry about “keeping up.”  For that matter, allow more room between you and the rider ahead.  Bikes do not have brakelights.  You won’t be able to see much beyond that leading rider, and you will not be able to anticipate their actions.  Give them more room.  Remember!  If you run into another rider from behind, you go down!

A few details:

At first we’ll be starting at 7:00 P.M., with a bit of daylight. Sunset will be at 7:19.  Civil twilight ends at 7:44.  By that time it will be dark under the tree cover.  This will allow us to sort of ease into the darkness riding.  Next month, we’ll start with some light, but it will get darker earlier.

Mid-Fall (Samhain) celebration Night Ride:

24 October 7:30 PM  Start/Finish will be the Holonville Opry House, at the corner of  GA-362 and Kingsbridge Rd.

It will be dark when we start this one.  Good lights are essential.  It will be a dark night, with no moon.  Expect to be out for between three and four hours.  Distance is approximately 40 miles.  (There’s a 46 mile option, but time may stop us from using it.)

Do dress for the weather, and…  Secure everything on your bike well.  In keeping with the season, this is a “Sleepy Hollow” sort of ride.  Much fun, and a delightful landmark in the middle.

Hope to see you out there!