RoadSkater.Net - Comments for "Tour to Tanglewood (t2t ttt)"

Hope to be!

In reply to Tour to Tanglewood Training Bike Ride Inline Skate July 24 2010 Cycle Therapy Lewisville NC:

The Clemmons Training Ride is one of our favorites, due in part to a mile or so long downhill with smooth pavement and lovely scenery! So far the weather forecast looks good...a cool 90 for the high :-D. If it's going to be 75 at the start line I'll have to bring my armwarmers...

We hope to skate this one, barring any unforeseen problems.

Sorry I missed it.

In reply to Tour to Tanglewood Training Bike Ride Inline Skate July 24 2010 Cycle Therapy Lewisville NC:

Are you guys planning to skate the training ride this weekend sponsored by Clemmons Bike Shop? I am planning on it.

Terrific Photos of 2009 TTT

In reply to Photos and Maps for Tour to Tanglewood 2009 Bike Ride & Inline Skate for MS Greensboro to Clemmons NC:

Thank you for such a comprehensive photo log. Perhaps an 8gb memory card s/b on your birthday wish list??

Some of the finish line gallery mentioned they got good pics of 5 triumphant Roadskaters coming across the line on Day 2. Hopefully those photos will make their way to you for a later posting.

What he said

In reply to 2009 Inline Skate Calendar of Events for the Roadskater.net Community will be helpful:

Thanks for the link to the clip.

very cool news clip

In reply to 2009 Inline Skate Calendar of Events for the Roadskater.net Community will be helpful:

Thanks for that clip GustavoAMH. This event looks like a ton of fun.

2009 Northshore Inline Skating Marathon

In reply to 2009 Inline Skate Calendar of Events for the Roadskater.net Community will be helpful:

2009 Northshore Inline Skating Marathon. The sounds of polyurethane rolling across pavements filled the crisp northland air this morning. It was the 14th annual Northshore Inline Marathon that rolled its way along scenic highway 61 today. Northland's NewsCenter NBC 6, CBS 3, My 9, and Northland CW covered the event.
http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/local/59862952.html?video=YHI&t=a

Come on down if you can

In reply to Paul's Cycling & Fitness, Winston Salem NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: August 22, 2009:

I think I'll be there but weather could have an effect and if I were to skate too hard the day before that might zap me too, ha. But it's great stuff and free too, so I'll try to be there to see the team at the start and the tour folk afterward.

hmmm - let me think about it - may want to try it

In reply to Paul's Cycling & Fitness, Winston Salem NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: August 22, 2009:

Sounds like it could be a skatey-good time. I sure would like to partake, but always the driving time and possible weather issues play in the back of my mind.

Can I leave it as a "we'll see?"

But man, 6+ skaters would be really cool, and I owe JonathanS a ton of pulling for bringing me in at Tour de Lions. He pulled the last 7 since I was gassed.

I plan to be there

In reply to Paul's Cycling & Fitness, Winston Salem NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: August 22, 2009:

I think at least 2 of us should be there, but it's possible the 4 who were there at Clemmons may show up too. That'd be 8 skaters at least. This one's a good one once you get away from the shop a bit. In the old days there were some tricky road surfaces, but last year we went out with a police escort and that was cool (for those who started on time at least). Coming back in it was a busy road yes but better to be on that road than coming down a hill into it. Everything went fine. I remember there was a really sweet roll going out of town too...a nice long smooth fast safe one. Of course we got to climb later, but OK.

any one going

In reply to Paul's Cycling & Fitness, Winston Salem NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: August 22, 2009:

Any guess on the distance for this one? Or maybe last years distance? Also, who all is planning on going? I should be there. Hope to see any and all there.

4 Roadskaters Planning to Be at Paceline GSO Free Skride

In reply to Paceline Bicycles, Greensboro NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: August 8, 2009:

It looks like eebee will be here, plus two escapees from indoor will be starting their roadskating season in earnest. One of our roadskater.net t2t team members has recently won age group gold in the nationals in the five lap and ten lap races, I believe, setting an age group record for the fiver methinks. We'll have to see what we can hear about it all this weekend. Paceline uses a good route and has had good police support even to the end when coming back onto Battleground for a brief sprint stint at the end of the ride. Come on out! It's free and support is always awesome.

this year's jersey color...

In reply to Photos and Maps for Paceline Bicycles Winston-Salem Tour to Tanglewood Training Ride Inline Skate 2009:

So far, we have:

Blue, Green, Violet, Orange...

If we consider the ROYGBV rainbow colors, that leaves red and yellow.

Some variation of red is probably a good contender. (Maroon perhaps?) Yellow might be tricky just because it's not a very high-contrast color when paired with white (like the previous jerseys.)

Or maybe we'll get something completely different? You just never know! :-)

- SM -

There's Roadskater. Hmm. What Color Will This Year's Jersey Be?

In reply to Photos and Maps for Paceline Bicycles Winston-Salem Tour to Tanglewood Training Ride Inline Skate 2009:

I think he's thinking "Hmm, roadskater looks fine in that Tangerine/Pyrocantha sleevless and eebee's pretty in sleeveless Iris, but why didn't she wait instead of going up that hill without roadskater? And by the way, what bright color from nature will this year's jersey be? It's bound to be so late he'll do it in a mad hurry again, ha! Stupid human! I used to be like that, but now I can sit and watch it all go by. All I have to do is get a haircut, wing trim, and pedicure and I'm supergood to go."

Caption fun

In reply to Photos and Maps for Paceline Bicycles Winston-Salem Tour to Tanglewood Training Ride Inline Skate 2009:

Ha ha! Although that's a pretty bad wing-to-concrete ratio!

Maybe this is how rest-stop volunteers feel, waiting on me & Roadskater to finally show up.

Stupid hooves! Won't stay

In reply to Photos and Maps for Paceline Bicycles Winston-Salem Tour to Tanglewood Training Ride Inline Skate 2009:

Stupid hooves! Won't stay on those...blasted...pedals! And these thighs were so born for the open road!

What a picture!

In reply to Photos and Maps for Paceline Bicycles Winston-Salem Tour to Tanglewood Training Ride Inline Skate 2009:

Can anybody think of a great caption here...?

Paceline Winston MS Training Ride

In reply to Paceline Bicycles, Winston Salem NC Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: July 25, 2009:

It's been seven years since I took part in the Winston-Salem Paceline Tour to Tanglewood training ride. My first ever training ride back in 2002, I remember Northinsouth pushing me the last 4 miles or so back to town. I wasn't used to 35 mile roadskates at the time and wasn't sure how to pace myself, or of my own limitations and capabilities.

This time the weather wasn't humid, the pavement was mostly smooth and physically I felt great! We were able to keep above 12mph moving average but finished 35 miles in something like 3 hrs 10 mins after factoring in a couple of stops.

The mileage on the cue sheet was somewhat iffy, but I believe the mileage options ended up as 22 and 35 miles. Elaine & Valerie's rest stop was about 17 miles out, with the route splitting shortly afterwards. We took the extended loop, which passes a stunning, refurbished historic mill house on the edge of a reservoir somewhere on the outskirts of Clemmons. This property is at the bottom of a hill, right at a blind 90 degree turn in the road, which then leads straight upwards around the rest of the property. We experienced nothing but patient, friendly motorists on this ride and had a few of them on our tail on the way down this hill. We hopped off the road right after the 90 degree bend to let them pass and to go back and get some photos. Not having yet seen the picturesque setting on the way down a few minutes beforehand, I was reluctant to go back. But I'm glad we did because it is beautiful, and peaceful looking. A quick Google search shows this property up for sale for $2 mil, with monthly payments over $9,000.

The loop rollercoastered up and down into a lake resort-style residential community, where we encountered more friendly, relaxed citizens walking or cycling.

It was a pleasant, relaxing morning for me in clear weather with friendly company. This was the first training ride of 2009 for Roadskater and myself. It was nice to see familiar faces from the Tour.

Looks Like No NC Skate for Me This Weekend

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Well after all the researching options, it looks like I won't be out there in NC this weekend. I hope those who do part or all of Mock Orange will have a great time and fill us in. Same for any other skates and rides of course! Have a great weekend y'all and skateylove.

A few more Country Park details

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

I'll keep it brief this time, but wanted to add a few details to timv's comments. We seem to find 7pm to be a peak time for people to be walking at the park. Like us, they do the 1.6 mile loop or portions of it. With extra friendliness, you can still have a great time even when it's crowded.

Start out with a slow lap that's a bit talkative to folks and I believe the rest of the laps will go better. Usually people know if they were spread 4-wide across the road, or they had let their kid get too far away from them to be safe, and being nice just seems to work best. We don't do a whole lot of braking, but instead let people know where we plan to be, while being ready to change the plan or brake as needed.

There used to be a definite bike lane marking but it was not that effective. In general, we tend toward the middle of the road when passing unless it is clearly better for some reason to take one side. The exceptions are the sharper of the turns, the "180" and the "flag pole" (where we take the long way home around the triangle of grass at the bottom of the longest hill down.

To keep the park an official city street and to keep funding for that, it has to be open to traffic during the day and currently that means until about 4:30pm or so. I don't know what time it opens. Before the bark park was there, we had very little car traffic and it stayed near the lower playground and paddleboats area. Now there's likely to be more, and to be cars parked along the road near the bark park.

Again, it's important for us to share the park well with walkers and motorists, of course, so anything you can do to help we'll appreciate. We try to let people know we're there (nicely) and we usually keep our speed about the same or just slightly slower, but we also make an effort to be informative in a very nice way every time we can. We tend to get in front of cars before downhills so they won't brake in front of us, but then communicate to them with a wave and by moving over when it is a good time for them to pass.

Other than the first warm days of the year, some great times to be at the park are the very hot days. Also good is Friday evening, as lots of people are out at bars and restaurants.

We also tend to be out there on Tuesday nights at about 6pm, sometimes earlier, some later. Then we go eat at Elizabeth's Pizza (they have healthy stuff too) afterward. Sometimes slow bike riders join us (E-group, say 10-12 mph).

Sorry for the repetitions!

Yes to Bur-Mil Pool Start/Finish

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

I made a route and put it into an article. This is our regular route for social skates with Eddy Matzger or for the prologue to Tour to Tanglewood or Carolina Century (well, if we want to skate the night before 102 miles!).

http://roadskater.net/roadskaternet-cloverleaf-inline-skating-and-bike-r...

Two comments on Greensboro trails

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

First, I'll agree that the Country Park loop is usually the best choice for knocking out a lot of miles, especially if you're like me and don't mind the repetition. There are times when it gets somewhat crowded, but if you choose the day and time well and you can mentally go to another place then you can get some really good mileage in there without having to worry about car traffic or intersections or having to decide where to go next. It's a good natural environment and the staffers there have gone out of their way to let us know that they welcome skaters.

Another plus for that park is that it's easy to meet up at the parking lot if some folks show up early or late, or to take a lap off from the group and jump back on next time they come around.

Also, the whole Bur-Mil Park complex that you mention--from the apartment complex to the Lake Brandt trail to Owls Roost Rd and Steepleton Way and including the Strawberry Rd spur--has turned into quite a nice skating destination, even leaving out the idea of connecting it with Country Park. I've gone there, parked next to the Bur-Mil Aquatic Center, and skated for a good two hours just doing each stretch of pavement once in each direction. There's some nice scenery and a lot of good asphalt out that way.

Thanks!

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Thanks!

Greensboro Skating Trails

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

In my opinion, the 1.6 mile loop around Country Park is the best option for skating now. We are not welcome at the Guilford Battleground loop next to Country Park. There is an exit from Country Park near the baseball field that leads up to Spencer Love tennis center, then a right turn past Lewis Recreation Center leads to a left onto part of the greenway. This has some sections with roots that haven't been repaired so be careful. When you get to the Battleground Park go left then right onto Old Battleground. When you get to Lake Brandt Rd turn right and take a quick left down onto the trail again, which goes through an apartment complex. Careful with the speed bumps, but use the road. The trail goes off to the right at the bottom. There are some exciting curves on the trail (be careful to announce yourself, but this is fun). Up and over the hill will lead down a stright section that goes through a concrete dip we call the culvert. Then you'll go across a steel bridge at the lake and back up and over Owl's Roost Rd. There's another exciting section of curves down to a pond (announce yourself and watch for the section that is often damp and a bit slick). After the pond there's a trial up that goes into Bur-Mil Park, or you can do a right left double 90-degree section that gets you across another bridge and up to Strawberry Rd. Beyond Strawberry Rd. you can continue up to the current end of this trail. I don't have distances but am wanting to do the Country Park to end of trail again soon, perhaps with the camera, to document the state of the trail. There's a new section being built from Markham (I think it is, near Golded Corral) up to Pisgah Church (I believe) and this should connect to the rest of the trail when this section is complete. Eventually it will go down by Performance Bicycle to Cycles de Oro bike shop at the cement plant. Once the cement plant gives up and moves out, this line can be used all the way into Greensboro, years from now.

The loop around Lake Brandt is not paved. There are mountain bike and hiking trails.

There's a section of greenway with access at Piedmont Parkway on the edge of Greensboro and High Point. This greenway is good enough for skating but has some technical challeges in the Gibson Park area, and is often muddy north of Piedmont Parkway, at least when I was there. It connects on the north to sidewalks (tricky ones) at Gallimore Diary Rd. if I recall correctly. At the south end it connects with Piedmont Environmental Center trails but I don't know the status of paving there. Any recon reports are very welcome here and if you have a gps and get data (or a Forerunner 305 or similar) let me know and I can make some maps and such (or you can, using gpsvisualizer.com).

Thanks for the questions. Anyone else have info?

Greensboro Trails

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

What is the best skating trail in Greensboro in your opinion? I was told that there is a paved trail near my office off of Old Oak Ridge Rd. Do you know where that goes? The Guilford County Parks website is not very informative. Is the trail around Lake Brandt paved?

And chances to win sunglasses and other prizes BEFORE the skride

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Yes that was cool stuff and also they have some stuff to give away before the ride so the slower among us don't lose out. The free ride has a free raffle, which is a cool way for the bike shop to make a donation and to get some good will and participation. If we're here we might have to try this one even with the braking spots. Got some word on the charity ride in Greensboro but no route sheet yet. It'll be at Country Park to start. Maybe more tomorrow, though a minor disaster at the skate hovel may take lots of my time tomorrow (oops, today).

Donuts!

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Uh-oh:

"...free coffee and doughnuts will be available in the morning"

This was on my "Greetings from Bike MS HQ" email message about this weekend's training ride. It's hard to turn that down but I think I'd better give them a miss!

I think it's not I-40 where you're describing

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Hey and thanks for your comments and they're right in gist if not in detail. The venerable under I-40 route was dropped from another shop's ride. On this ride, I think it's Patterson where going out it's a moderately tricky section and coming back it's almost an expert item (or at least requiring a slow walking in grass or other tricky or timed descent). The description below (after your post) sounds like they're using some of the Ken's route for Mock Orange. I may have GPS info from previous Ken's routes (speed maps and thumbnail maps) that may help us figure it out. In any case thanks both of you for your efforts on this. If I'm here it'll be a hard choice between the Mock Orange training ride or the charity ride in Greensboro (more later on this one). Or maybe just the 20 miles these guys are doing! Hmm. Hard choices. Might not even be here!

I think that's the same intersection eebee is talking about

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

I think this is the same intersection as that on the Ken's ride. Ken's goes out to a loop and it uses Motor Road to get out there I believe. The loop uses Kiger Road or something like that, then a left on an NC highway, then a left onto Red Bank Road. If you're able to upload or copy the turn sheet into a post that'd be cool. If not OK of course. There's a charity skride in Greensboro the same day. I'm checking some details on that. I may not even be up here. Tomorrow I should know. Glad you guys are skating part of it at least. We might see you at that school but not sure yet. I called the MS tour but didn't get a reply yet, too. Thanks for the info on this.

The Hills

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

There are two hills I am referring to. The worst is the intersection of Patterson and Motor Rd. Coming back from Baux Mtn Rd down Motor Rd. is pretty steep and the stop light is at the toe of the hill. There is a bail out lot provided there is no traffic there. It just looks really spooky. There is also a 4 way stop 1/2 way down the same hill. The other hill is not as steep coming down Reynolda Rd to the busy intersection at the WFU stop light. Jack taught me how to stop rolling my ankles out into a snow plow which works well as long as I'm not going too fast when I start the slow down process. Steve bought some new Bont's which have no brake so he is pretty nervous about it.

Sounds like Ken's

In reply to Mock Orange Bikes, Winston Salem NC, Tour To Tanglewood for MS Free Bike Training Ride Inline Skate: June 27, 2009:

Hmm...steep downhills into stoplights...Baux Mtn. Rd...sounds like part of that Ken's route, which we have skated probably 5 times at least. That downhill into the stoplight under I-40 is a real shin-burner (break leverage, not roadrash!), and we usually end up controlling our speed also with the aid of somebody's lawn. On the way out from Winston towards Baux Mtn. Rd. on the Ken's ride, stopping before the stoplight and busy crossroad just beyond the I-40 underpass is not a problem for us - using our heelbrakes from the top of the hill. On the way back into Winston that downhill intersection is trickier but there is a last-minute bail out sidestreet to the right if you don't time the greenlight just right.

But I'm not even sure this is the same road you were talking about since I haven't seen the map.

OK scratch that...it must be different stop signs & lights, since Mock Orange Bikes is on the same side of I-40 as Baux Mtn. Still, looks like there are lots of little city streets nearby.