PatrickGrehan said:

Hey all,

I am signed up for D2R2 180K route on August 20th along with Eloy and James. Given that I will be recovering rather than riding, I am happy to transfer it to someone on the club if interested. Probably a great way to get in big miles before cross season. I've heard it is awesome. I am sad to miss it, but plan to do so next year.  Message me on Slack (or email me at livetoridebikes@gmail.com) if interested 

https://www.franklinlandtrust.org/d2r2/

We will miss you!

I spoke to Rob Mullens on Sunday - maybe reach out to him he hadn't signed up yet.

BUMP

still have that D2R2 registration to transfer. Can choose a shorter route. Would rather it go to someone that to go to waste…

oh cmon, @David Yang @James Reeder @eloy @niallsmart
, I need a macedonia race report so I can live vicariously.  Heard that there was a bit of a tricky descent, I rode some of that route in reverse back in the spring, and that climb's pitch almost forced me off the bike.

Great times at Macedonia GG with Dave, Eloy, Niall, and Brian.

pic by dave/color magic by eloy:

 

The timed sections were mostly flat, no sustained climbs, nothing really steep. But I think that was because the longer climbs were on tarmac and the promotor probably wanted the timed segments to remain on gravel.

We were keeping things together for a while, and an early pancake stop kept things mellow. I attacked the start of the 2nd and longest timed segment. Because Kissena had the largest presence the stronger riders responded right away. Niall came by with them and that was the front group, just as planned. Niall finished 2nd in his age group, and 3rd overall for the Adventure route.

There were 5 timed sections in total. I forget at which point that tricky descent came, but it split up the groups even more. I had to do a bit of tempo to catch back up to Eloy's group. Working with various riders along the way. Toward the end Eloy pushed the pace on one of the climbs which left just three of us to roll in. 

Sorry for the delayed report - It was a ton of fun!

• Met up with everyone in the parking lot - first time in a long time seeing a large Kissena crew for an out of town event. Felt pretty good about that.
• The first part of the course was flat including most of the early gravel so I was able to keep up with everyone for the most part.
  
• Some early punchy climbs during the timed segments that I got dropped on, but I was able to hook back up with Eloy and James.
• Ragot & Brian M. also pulled up and we had a little group into the 2nd/last rest stop.
• I started going backwards once we started the steady climb on tarmac after that. 
• Passed/was passed by stragglers but 80% of the time I was ITTing to the finish.
• Personally really enjoyed the long, steep loose gravel decent, though there was a lone rider in front of me who was being a bit more conservative than I would have been with an open road. There were a few people we passed who were either aggressively braking and crawling down the hill or off their bike and walking.
• Was trapped for a few miles behind a "tourist" car during the shady flat, narrow gravel section toward the end of the course - wasn't going fast enough to provide a draft and was kicking up tons of dust.
• I need a 1:1 or easier gear. Also rethinking my 1x setup for less dramatic jumps between sit n' spin and stand n' contador.

Looking forward to the next one - time to plan a KCC leaf peepin' trip @SammuelAuld?

Raced at De Ronde Van Grampian in MI on August 6.
50 miles on 100% gravel roads, no real climbs to speak of just rollers.
Start and finish were about 1.5 miles of grassy narrow rooted jeep trails, which meant you had to line up at the front, and then be at the front coming into finish, which I did, obvs, and managed to get 4th place in age group.

Love the pain faces in that photo

That is tragic 

Sule Kagangi passing is indeed tragic.

It is very difficult to process, which I might never quite be able to. 

As some of you know, Sam, James R, and myself raced the Vermont Overland, along a large cohort from NYC. Without turning this into a report, even hours we had finished, even after the podiums (including his teammates 1st and 3rd), bbqs, and maple creemes no one knew this had happened. News arrived a day later on Sunday.

Not that it matters, my best guess is that an ambulance rushed Kagangi, and that it happened much later, perhaps Sunday, in the hospital.

There are many reasons to go back next year, to honor Kagangi with over a thousand of our gravel friends the only reason we need.

A reminder to please enjoy life, and realize how fortunate we really are.

A gofundme has been setup for his family
https://gofund.me/db6b697c

Very difficult to process, especially between the life that existed at the after party when nobody knew.  It sounds like he was life flighted from the crash on the long hill road descent, just a bit before South Woodstock, and passed early Sunday morning. 

Hey folks, I was not prepared for the year to pass by so quickly, but here it is...

KCC Gunks Prestige Ride™ 2022 Edition

Last October, James and Sam A and I spent a day wandering through the mountain forests of the Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park Preserve and it turned out to be one of my favorite rides ever. The company, views and route all added up to something special.

Sam's Strava from that day: https://www.strava.com/activities/6088554805

I've since revisited sans-bike with family and friends and was tipped off to an iconic German restaurant right outside of the preserve, down the mountain road called the Mountain Brauhaus. There are a few other German spots in town including Gunk Haus and Schatzi's, all of which would be an amazing way to cap off the ride.

The essentials:

• Proposted date is either Saturday Oct 8th or Sunday Oct 9th
• Find a way to get up to New Paltz - car pool would be awesome to coordinate
• Ride fun and chill with sight seeing from 8ish for approx 4 hours
• Lunch and chill
• Head home before dinner time

I'm only proposing this area since I "know" the route, but happy to explore different paths - John O. - maybe you can be our guide for the day?

I'm in ,and will drive from Brooklyn

I'm in and can likely drive a few. 

@Mark Taylor could I please drive with you?

eloy said:

@Mark Taylor could I please drive with you?

100%

I need to double check the schedule but should be in/likely can drive 2 people (can meet at GWB)

I'm in as long as it is on the 8th. I can take one other person from Brooklyn.

jim_nelson said:

I'm in as long as it is on the 8th. I can take one other person from Brooklyn.

Hi Jim,

Can I get a ride please?

Did we land on a date for next weekend?

Hey folks, it's on for this Saturday Oct 8th!

Who:

• You! - And your gravel, cyclocross, mtb (a sturdy road bike fitted with fatter tires will get you through 90-95%)
• So far we have: Dave Yang, Mark Taylor, Greg Hoge, Eloy Anzola, Matt Budofsky, Jim Nelson, Remy Fogues.
• Let's carpool! Coordinate here or on Slack.

What:

• Very chill explorer gravel ride through Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska State Park
• Mohonk requires a day pass for visitors so bring a $20 bill with you
• Let's wrap it up by having a late lunch at Mountain Brauhaus (no dress code, but prob best if we popped on some street clothes)

When:

• Saturday, Oct 8th, 2022
• Meet at 8a, roll as soon as everyone is ready

Where:

• Meet here
• Roughly follow last year's route here

Why:

• Riding bikes is cool. You're cool. We're all cool.

Message me on Slack if you have any questions, ideas, whatever!

@David Yang can you post a route, or at least make that ride public -- I'll be happy to recreate a proper route. I am all for "roughly following" a route, even getting lost, but let's start with clarity.

My bad, uploaded the gpx file to ridewithgps and that should be public:

https://ridewithgps.com/trips/104627029

We wandered and got lost here and there last year, all part of the fun, but we doubled back a few times so didn't want to follow last year's gps file exactly.

Ok sweet, took a moment and recreated a cleaner, and bit longer version of the route.

I am likely to tweak a few small things still.

Kissena Autumn Leaves 2022 

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/41108481

Map downloaded , excited , @eloy leave around 6am from brooklyn

May need to bail on saturday :'( I'm waiting to find out, but I may be on uncle duty all morning

I'd like to join if anyone still has space in their car!

@JonathanAdler I've got room.  Hit me up on Slack and we can coordinate.

Matt Budofsky said:

May need to bail on saturday :'( I'm waiting to find out, but I may be on uncle duty all morning

How big is the kid and would their parents mind if you strapped them to your back like a back pack?