Like A Kid Again!

So what do you do when it is too wet outside to go for a ride?







Easy, you go for a ride. It is that simple....and if you pick the right terrain - you will remember that smile you had as a kid after a big rain storm and the sewer drain plugged up. Don't get me wrong....the road bike is a blast. The lessons that the body learns are priceless. Endurance, speed, long term conditioning....ride with the right crew and you will be trying to catch your breath...believe me, I know. The Tues/Thurs Loons - especially Jay and Neil - like to pound the road. BUT - take what you have learned on the road and take it off-road....now it gets interesting.

The last few weeks have been a bit of a liberating experience. I dusted off the Mt Bike - took off all but one gear and hit the dirt....mainly mud and I found some freedom. Elm Creek has way too much to offer - road, trails and skiing. The usual route is really not usual - with all the different trails, you can mix it up. TT, fast, technical, clean and dirty - it is all there. My starting point is easy to find....go up Super Preme and at the T intersection - keep going straight. Start there, or anywhere and soak it all in. The northern horse trails are rough and filled with land mines that smell really bad. The mud holes are many. I love it!

You must not forget that cycling is about your own achievement. Taking what you know and building on the last ride. Beating your last time. You dont need the latest Voodoo bike to make it work - I am riding a 17 year old full ridged, beat up old mt bike and my smiles are many.

Take a ride on the dirt and see a side of the world that many dont ever see. Take that road less traveled...you may find that what waits for you is more than mystery - it's your childhood all over again.

AC

my new favorite picture.....

Outstanding Ride - wow.

this pic is for you Jay

If you have not had a chance to take the road less travled in Elm Creek.... I mean those dirt pathways you catch a glimpse of every now and then while on asphalt. There is a whole new side to the park that you just don't see. As a side note....My neighbor Gary told me that many many years ago you used to be able to go down pineview - and after super preme the road used to go straight through where the park is now. It used to pass by some apple orchards. He has lived here a long time. I thought this was very interesting. If I am not mistaken , there is evidence of this on some of the wide open pea gravel parts of the park trail system. Jay, you probably know of this....

I took the new single speed out for a run. I found out that the 38x19 works pretty good. There are some interesting hills to navigate with one gear. I was wincing up one hill and there were some hikers at the top watching me come up the hill. I had no choice but to get up without getting off the bike - vanity I say. Once I reached the summit - they asked why I didn't shift to make it easy - I was so proud to say, " that would be the normal thing to do but I only have one gear." They asked if that was by choice. " Yup, ( breathing heavy ) that was by choice." I thought it was cool that I did it.....they probably thought I was nuts!

I flushed a few grouse, saw three fawns - spots almost gone. Almost went extremely horizontal on the wet grass at unsafe speeds - slicks were not the best choice. LOL. I then got lost and then caught a glimpse of the path and other people. I careened through the brush and emerged blasting onto the trail - dragging some vine thing wrapped around my rear hub. I am not sure what the people thought of that but I was glad to be heading a direction back towards civilization. I really like that you can loose yourself out there - not really loose as you are always going to find a road. Take a ride anywhere in the park and stop every now and then and just breath deep - God made the small details in life and sometimes you have to slow down to see and enjoy them.

Enjoy the ride. I was glad to get back into the woods - it has been too long since I got in touch with the Thoreau side of things. Addicting. That is how it should be.

AC


ps. got a wonderfully kept bridgeston MB3 with deore group stuff on it....for free! now, my wife is excited about biking as it looks " stylish " and it has shiney things on it. this is one nice bike. finally, my wife likes biking - and all it took was the right color....lol.

the birth of the Rat Bike.....

I created a new blog for my single speed project. I have affectionatley named it...

Rat Bike


Tonight was the first innagural ride through the park to TH Backdoor - Thanks to Justin for showing me the correct method to alligning brake pads....i should have known how to do that.....at least i got the low down on Mosh Pit, Razor Pit physics. The ride back home was very dark - no lights and all I saw was a deer run across the trail. very cool.

click here to see the project


www.mysinglespeed.blogspot.com


ac