SPINERGY WHEELS

I'm recently back from one of those bucket-list rides we cyclists dream about: all 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway over 7 days. Me and my riding buddy expected long hard days in the saddle, trained for months, and completed a few centuries and gran fondos leading up to it. In retrospect, however, we had no idea the epic adventure that would ensue.

The Belgian Waffle Ride is commonly referred to as the Hell of the North (county), among other strong adjectives to describe its brutal nature. It is NOT often, if ever, referred to as a beginner's ride. But scarily enough, for me, that's what it was.