These stories are simply awesome and I don't really compare to some of them! I started cycling in the late 80s therefore missing the good ole days. My first bike was a old Bridgestone, no epic rides other than an occasional 16 miler on that bike. My next bike lasted me through college and I loved that bicycle. I used to have clinicals on Mondays-thursdays-and friday morning during the summer of 1991 in State College, Pa. therefore following tuesday's clinicals. I would head out on the bicycle to ride til thursday continously. I had a 1988 Schwinn Premis, equipped with suntour cyclone 7000 white anodized components. nicely lugged silver/white frameset. 39 biopace/52t, 14-26 6 speed. Each ride out, I would try and average above 20 all the time...youth. Every Wednesday I would head out and pile on the miles in different directions. taking money with me to stop and eat wherever I could. My one ride took me from State College through Pennsylvania furnace, out to Warrior's Mark, a roller coaster ride basically with lots of small ups and downs. I usually would pass an occasional farm tractor while cycling down the road and this was always a rush for me, pass and try to stay ahead on those little sharp uphills. Then I returned to Pine Grove mills, taking a quick right to begin climbing Pine Grove Mountain as I called it, 2.5 miles or so at an average of 13% upgrade. It was a blast. I careened down the other side hitting 53 which registered on my first computer, a Rhode Gear dashboard (I think it came equipped with an airbag). Once down the other side it climbed gently some more until I biked my way into Huntingdon, pa, where I ate a box of cereal I bought at a grocery store before heading down some backroads which broughts me to a twisting turning winding road to Mifflintown, great ride with some really cool 180, 90 degree multiple turns, extremely enjoyable. when I came to Mifflintown, I ate again (I always ate! I weighed 130-135 pounds at about 6'), my ride touched in all these areas,up through Lewistown, Bald eagle area, Bellefonte (cool looking town,confusing roads), Boalsburg up some whopper hills! each one of these places had interesting stories and little things happening. I met 3 other riders along the way with some interesting chat. when I got back, I had covered 123 miles on the odometer but the computer would often shut off on me without me restarting it. When I look at the route I took today, I must have been nuts. It has to be many more miles (is this a sign of age or wisdom?). I know I was out all day and hungry again when I got home. I could probably tell you where every dairy queen and ice cream joint is along the entire route!
Walter Skrzypek
Falls Creek, Pa