Riding in Aiken... part II

Proof! I really did ride there!

This evening I raced home from work to be able to squeeze in a training ride on the R3 before dark. Made it home, changed into my cycling clothes (I ride in mtb shorts and a t-shirt for my work commute on the Kona) and hopped on the R3 for the ride.

Rome - Ostia - Rome - about 32 kilometers on a high traffic road. Why would you ride on that kind of road, Pete, especially with Italian drivers, zooming by you at high speed in cars and scooters?

Well, dear pastatrails blog reader, it is the quickest way for me to get a quick training ride in! All I have to do is exit the front door and start riding. Reach the sea (Ostia), turn around and come home. There is a decent (kind of) emergency lane both ways, so cars usually (occasional morons excepted) leave me alone. Not so the motorcycles and scooters, but we'll leave that to another day...

It's not beautiful, quiet, smog free. And has crap asphalt too.

My, I am painting a pretty picture here, aren't I?

So, riding this evening while trying not to breathe too deeply, I began to think about my Aiken, SC rides again. I returned to Rome from the US on Sunday the 16th. So it's only been a few days. And a universe away from rural South Carolina...

So I though I would share with you what it's like to ride there... with another few pictures.

Enjoy.

Toolebeck Road. I took this while riding, which brings us the weird effect. Whatever, I think it's cool.

Wire Road. Cotton, or so I am told. As a Euro, I found this fascinating... first time I have ever seen it!

Old Dibble Road. Just look at all of that traffic. Unbearable, really.

Wire Road. The best for last. This is my favorite picture from the entire vacation.

Oh, by the way. The Cervelo is wonderful. A hot knife through buttah. Superlative. Smooth. Tight. Fast. Click, click, change a gear. Stand up. The bike jumps instantaneously. I found myself giggling on a longish downhill. The problem are the legs...