Mineral Springs

Did I mention the fact that it was windy this afternoon. Went out for the Waxhaw ride this afternoon and when James and I got there, there were only two other Bee Teamers and a whole lot of new riders. So I had to take it upon myself to lead the ride. Not that I really wanted to, it is hard riding in the back making sure everyone is ok. It is hard moving from the back to the front of the group then back to the back again to access everyone’s ability and/or condition. It was a hard ride. I should also mention that it was windy!

It was an early morning for me. Up around 6 AM on a Saturday morning, didn’t sleep too well, but it looked to be a beautiful day for a ride. It was already warm and a little humid but I got the tandem ready and bottles prepared. Then made and ate breakfast. Woke Nicole up around 7:45 AM and left the house about 8:10 AM.

Nicole and I decided it would be a good day to leave the tandem home and ride single bikes. Let me say first, that Nicole is ok and went to school this morning without any fuss, more details later.

It was an amazing turnout for the Bee Team rides. There must have been 40-45 riders there. The normal group was split in two and left about 5 minutes apart. The beginner group left after that.

Well it started out as a very small group, 11 riders 10 bikes. I hate the fact that Shannon Rd is right at the very beginning and that it is basically uphill until you get to Pleasant Grove and Billy Howey. It is hard for Nicole and I to keep up with the single bikes on the climb at the beginning without much of a warmup.

Today we had a rough start on the tandem. Shortly after leaving our house we hear what sounded like a gunshot, the rear tire blew off the rim causing the tube to blowout. When we get to the start the first thing to do is change the tube. While putting the wheel back on the brake cable comes off the travel agent. We tell everyone to go and that we would catch up. While enroute to catch up we drop the chain going up to the big ring. What a way to start a ride.

If you are looking for a route out of Matthews that will wind you through rural Union County, this is the one for you. The distance is about 54 miles a little shorter if you take one of the suggested cutoffs. Starting out at Plantation Market (McKee & Matthews-Weddington Rd) you will travel south connecting eventually to South Rocky River Road. Over to Mineral Springs on Crow Road (no Union County ride is complete unless you take Crow Rd). Into Waxhaw on Potter / Waxhaw Hwy. If you want to avoid downtown Waxhaw and the climb up Rehobeth Road, just use Sims Road. Remember to turn left at the end of Sims. Loop around to 521 then ride back toward Charlotte, through Marvin and Weddington, then finally back toward Matthews on Matthews-Weddington. There are a few rollers but no big climbs.