MoRonIc 11-28-06

By Mo-

Karen, Jon, Fuzzy, Larry, Dana, Russell, Craig. Turns out there are actually two things that make people on time for a ride--late fees and 32 degrees. For Karen, the latter works even better than the former (as evidenced by her dwindling bank account). I'll be damned if her car wasn't in the parking lot at 6:02 when I drove by on my way home, hoping I wouldn't be late. Of course, just cause she was THERE at 6:02 still didn't mean she'd be READY a mere 28 minutes later....Hallelujah She Was Ready (and more than willing to tag my ass if I wasn't....). An aside--for all the grief Karen gets for being late, my beloved betrothed made us WICKED late for meeting her and Jon on a Saturday trek to Annadel last weekend. Hmm. Neat how it's still not my fault, eh? I like it.

So, Deer Park, 5 corners (no sherriff-yipee!), Shaver, Sunnyside to Shadyside. On the way up, someone said "I hope SOMEBODY is packing, cause I aint..." This brought about the following responses: Craig "I've got a flask" Russell: "Me too, and safety". Karen "Some healthy-ass thing". Me: "Er.....water?"

As Karen and I walked up a steep little grunt, we heard someone riding up it behind us. She said "is that one of those studs coming?" I looked over my shoulder at Larry, huffing and puffing having just given up and said "Na, he's just breathin' hard...." I know it's like 12-year old humor? Okay? I know that? But I gotta say I crack myself up. I think I'm funny. So does Mo. Maureen too. That's like, three people right there.

Moving right along, we went around the lake without falling in, two boys discovered a new way around it via the shore (Fuzzy and Dana? Fuzzy and Larry?)--anyway, I thought they were lost so I bungled it a little then rejoined the group. We did Shadyside without event (besides the gleeful joyousness of a beautiful dark and clear night). Ol' Marble Mouth led us up Lakeview and around avoiding Ranger Danger, then up P. Knob where Karen was again sighted walking, with me, up a hill. Time to find out what the hell this was about. "Karen--why am I seeing you so much on this ride? I usually see your tiny and able ass flying by my slow and increasingly pathetic one on climbs like this...what gives?"

Two words she uttered, in this order: "Ugh. Spin."

Ahhhhh, I have heard of this evil thing that has afflicted some of our number. Not this old hen. I'll stay lumpy and slow, thank you very much.

Upon the knob we did huddle, the cold made our brains befuddled. I was ecstatic to recall that I had more than water to share, I had HOT HOMEMADE MINESTRONE SOUP. I rock! We had to use rudimentary tools to extract the good bits (read: stick) and we looked like hairless chimps digging at the ants in the bottom of an ant thing. Karen's "healthy ass thing" (heavy reliance on the word "ass" today--hmmm) turned out to be wombat turds in that stuff that's not chocolate whose name escapes me right now CAROB jesus....that was weird...

Anyway, it was damned ass (?!) cold and we went back at it, ddown the hill--Karen and I browbeat Dana for not riding the stairs down (as we walked, making absolutely no attempt to ride having left our bikes at the bottom) until he said, eloquently, "Oh Hell....". I dunno, something about the WAY he said it was funny. Anyhoo, out, pumpkin, MadRon (we're gonna do it....note to self--bring brown paint). Funfunfun. Fire road, Two Owl and out. Cold Cold Cold. Good thing the hubster was made--under duress--to buy me new clothes for my b-day! It was great to be back on the ride--thanks for making my Tuesday!

PS--A tip of the hat to Pete for ushering in a new ride name (I could get my *ass* in a sling for changing the ride name while Bolds is AWOL, but whatever..). Since Eric has missed like one ride ever, and has become such a staple, it is now no longer the MoRon ride, but the ..............(Drumroll please.....)

The MoRonIc ride.

Tzing!!!!!!!!!!