Hi there! I am new to this "chatting" thing and new to your forum. I have really enjoyed being a voyeur and reading all the great things others have been saying this past year and now I have taken the plunge to talk to you.

I am from southwestern Virginia and I did the metric route at the Blood, Sweat and Gears in Boone last year. It all started out dandy and the scenery was fantastic but the last ten miles or so are all downhill and very curvy. I love taking it fast downhill, but took sharp angle too fast and slid on the old butt about 8 feet and the jeep that was hogging the road slid about 4 feet. I trashed the right side of my bike, slashed a tire and took off about 2 pounds of my right hip (slightly exaggerating!). At the end, my best friend cheered my arrival and asked me if I had witnessed some big wreck back up on the route. Ha.

I'm all better now and have a new bike, but I will be doing the 5-day Bike Virginia ride this year. Next year I'll join you guys in Boone.