As of now, usual service is restored!
O.K. as you already know I have the tendency to be a bit of a lazy Bastard - but things have really gotten on top of me. You know work, family stuff (in-laws here from homeland) etc., not enough hours in the day.
Pity really cos the night ride last week was something close to epic! Now epic, as an adjective, is a little overused these days in the mountain bike fraternity. Personally epic describes a ride that is measured not in miles, but tens of miles and elevation gain in thousands rather than hundreds of feet. Against this background the last night ride wasn't epic - but it was damn close! Todd was a "no show" so George, Brain and DB made up the "three Musketeers" that assembled, in remarkably timely fashion, and launched onto the trails just after 9:30pm. Small Intestine for starters - got to love that! Now, it occurs to me that as the trail naming scheme I use is somewhat abstract (in that it doesn't coincide with any designation found on any map) I should perhaps describe the trails ridden in greater detail. To do this for an entire ride would be tedious in the extreme, so I'll parcel out the descriptions amongst future posts. For now a description of Small Intestine will suffice.
As the mane suggests it is fairly short (probably less than a mile in length) very narrow and bloody twisty. Although there is very little in elevation gain or loss the feature that makes the trail so much fun is the logs! Not big but loads of them!! Every ten feet or so there is a log to negotiate. Combined with the tight twisty nature of the trail this means there is almost no way to maintain flow or momentum. As a result it is a workout from start to finish, working the shoulders lifting that front wheel as well as the legs. Fun is enhanced mid-way by a section of small logs over a boggy patch and then a rickety bridge of small logs. All in all a joy to behold!
After SI we take the usual route down Belmont Hill and up the recently re-opened climb that formed part of the "6 hr of Patapsco" course. At the four way junction we decided BC-side was "a-callin" so we set off down the Water Break. Just across the river as we were about to emerge from the short riverside trail section car lights stopped us in our tracks - the dreaded DNR? The car slowed and parked at the exit to the trail we were on, not a good sign! Lights were extinguished, no panic though - soon as the Ranger gets out the car and heads into the trail we will simply "hightail" it out the other direction (sounds like a plan). Then to make matters interesting a second car pulls up! Could be in trouble now as our "friends" the Ranger's could potentially block both ends of the trail - HUM! At this point with minimum lights we retrace our steps (whilst Mr Ranger is planning their strategy) and then ride "sans Lights" back to the Water Break. Up we go! Always fun.
At the top I take lead duty and lead up Morning Choice, past the derelict houses thence on to Old Loop Trail and back to Cascade (via the decimated Lewis and Clarke). Head down Cascade, up the left fork "rocky climb" to the old railway ties. Brian becomes the "Decider" at the top of the climb and opts to head left down the sketchy downhill to the road. At the road nerves return - in case of a second close encounter with DNR. Lights off and we ride stealth to the swing bridge and over to BC-side.
George is in true fighting mood tonight and takes the lead up House of Pain - woo whoo! By the top we are all pretty spent but having a blast. We pause for breath and to plan the next installment, Community College loop to Soapstone meets with universal approval. Sweet riding tonight, we all look like we know what we are doing for a change! No technicals no falls and soon we are scooting down Soapstone - George takes on the big log at the top of Soapstone two or three times but hell - tonight it's not happening! Brian and I just ride the chicken run round it and spent our time laughing at George's antics!
At the base of Soapstone and it it time for stealth number 3 - ride in blissful darkness under the bridge and as no car lights are visible we light up and head for the site of our earlier sighting of the DNR. As we enter the trail we ride past 9and almost into) a group of young guys apparently night swimming in the river! We are just about to shout out warnings about our earlier DNR sighting when we realize these guys were probably in the cars we saw an hour or so earlier! DOH!
Back to HC-side another heart pumping, leg burning climb up the Water Break and it is time to think about heading back to the cars and beer. Rockburn Branch, up the Belmont Hill and it's time for Small Intestine in reverse! Big fun in either direction. At the end of Small Intestine we regroup and "synchronize watches" turns out it is five minutes to midnight! What to do? Only one sensible call - lets head left onto the New Trail and make sure we ride into tomorrow. New Trail with all it's big logs still fails to induce a fall - tonight we can do no wrong! and before we know it we are back at the cars - 15 miles and 2 and a half hours - as I said "almost an epic".
Beer and chat before heading home tired and wearing big grins! Tomorrow will be tough at work. Next week I miss out as I'm on vacation but hopefully the 20 mile night ride is only weeks away! Top F'in Notch
Cheers
DogzBollouz
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
FULL HOUSE!
With the weather still seemingly in schizophrenic mood opportunities to ride have been few and far between of late. Despite this the regular(ish) night ride was convened and as luck would have it, for the first time in many months it turned out to be a "Full House". Todd, George, Brain and yours truly DB all present and correct. Launch site was PNR for a change and George announced early there were "trails out there that needed riding". So we were on a mission!
Todd took the lead early and lead us down one of the many Soapstone options. Despite me having freshly installed batteries to maximize my lighting there were a couple of dicey moments early on when lines that would probably been either avoided or walked in daylight were taken on at full speed because I didn't see then in time! With each avoidance of disaster my confidence grew and by the time we hit the bottom of the opening descent I was in gung ho mode!!
Up the fire road climb to the road and thence to the water tower where a quick regrouping was called for before the descent to the Community College loop - we were crushing! Big surprise was the removal of the big log just before the wall gap! whoa those chain saws are hungry at the moment! Although my early form was good by the time we hit the rocky climb to the road atop House of Pain I was "out of my zone" and the others had to wait for me at the top! Todd was having a few seat post issues again! So waiting for me was not completely lost time.
Here began George's mission! Super Highway and then a funky little left turn onto Pig's Run. Never done this so another inaugural ride in the dark. i knew by reputation that this would be challenging but as it turned out with the exception of a couple of sections most of the trail was navigable. Course George considers any trail 100% navigable and throws himself bodily (several times on occasion) at all sections, even though tonight he is sporting the 29er SS rather than the Nomad. Indeed Brian is the only "shifty-demon" tonight as the other three of us eschew the "new fangled trappings of multiple ratios". Having survived a virgin ride down Pig's Run there is only one option - UP the ANTI! Or rather up Mission Impossible! MF this is a tough trail! Much pushing - the sign at the bottom announcing it is "Hike Only" is redundant as I can't foresee anyone actually riding their bikes up the first section - vertical bloody rooty climb! Once we gather on a trail that has some semblance of ridability we mount up and push on. First log and George hops over - me? Not so much! Make complete dogz breakfast of it and complete a rather spectacular endo, just about managing to stay on the trail rather than disappear headlong down into the stream far below. There is silence for a couple of seconds as I gingerly extricate myself from both my bike and the vegetation I end up in - then Brian asks "can I laugh now?" I'm fine! Grins all round - no harm no foul. We pick our way to the Eatough log crossing then George announces he need to change his left crank! Yep he just happens to be carrying a spare. He removes a very nice - but clearly knackered White Industries crank and replaces it with his spare. What to do? Decide that this piece of used/abused but still beautiful biking flotsam deserves a special resting place. At the base of Patarini Hill I install it in the Log Shrine that overlooks the stream.
Up the hill and I take the lead deciding on Double Drop as a way down rather than Sudden Impact. Just as we hit the final sketchy downhill we meet two female walkers (with very inadequate flashlights) ascending! Fortunately they see/hear us before we see then and we pass in the night without incident and no more than a quick "hi there".
Along the road - quick jaunt up Vineyard and then Brian takes over, instead of back to the Water Tower we skip left down the hill and up what possibly forms part of Bull Run. Some pushing, some riding, fun downhill along the ridge and we are back at the base of the Mile Smile. Over two hours riding under our belts and close to 10 very challenging miles covered with no real damage. At the top of the Mile Smile the third "mechanical" of the evening occurs as Brian snaps his chain - resulting in us pushing him along the road back to the PNR.
Back at the cars, beers and much discussion of the power of the text message! This may well end up the dominant route of communication betwixt us night riders - HUM! All I can say is "Spr?"
BB4N
DogzBollux
Todd took the lead early and lead us down one of the many Soapstone options. Despite me having freshly installed batteries to maximize my lighting there were a couple of dicey moments early on when lines that would probably been either avoided or walked in daylight were taken on at full speed because I didn't see then in time! With each avoidance of disaster my confidence grew and by the time we hit the bottom of the opening descent I was in gung ho mode!!
Up the fire road climb to the road and thence to the water tower where a quick regrouping was called for before the descent to the Community College loop - we were crushing! Big surprise was the removal of the big log just before the wall gap! whoa those chain saws are hungry at the moment! Although my early form was good by the time we hit the rocky climb to the road atop House of Pain I was "out of my zone" and the others had to wait for me at the top! Todd was having a few seat post issues again! So waiting for me was not completely lost time.
Here began George's mission! Super Highway and then a funky little left turn onto Pig's Run. Never done this so another inaugural ride in the dark. i knew by reputation that this would be challenging but as it turned out with the exception of a couple of sections most of the trail was navigable. Course George considers any trail 100% navigable and throws himself bodily (several times on occasion) at all sections, even though tonight he is sporting the 29er SS rather than the Nomad. Indeed Brian is the only "shifty-demon" tonight as the other three of us eschew the "new fangled trappings of multiple ratios". Having survived a virgin ride down Pig's Run there is only one option - UP the ANTI! Or rather up Mission Impossible! MF this is a tough trail! Much pushing - the sign at the bottom announcing it is "Hike Only" is redundant as I can't foresee anyone actually riding their bikes up the first section - vertical bloody rooty climb! Once we gather on a trail that has some semblance of ridability we mount up and push on. First log and George hops over - me? Not so much! Make complete dogz breakfast of it and complete a rather spectacular endo, just about managing to stay on the trail rather than disappear headlong down into the stream far below. There is silence for a couple of seconds as I gingerly extricate myself from both my bike and the vegetation I end up in - then Brian asks "can I laugh now?" I'm fine! Grins all round - no harm no foul. We pick our way to the Eatough log crossing then George announces he need to change his left crank! Yep he just happens to be carrying a spare. He removes a very nice - but clearly knackered White Industries crank and replaces it with his spare. What to do? Decide that this piece of used/abused but still beautiful biking flotsam deserves a special resting place. At the base of Patarini Hill I install it in the Log Shrine that overlooks the stream.
Up the hill and I take the lead deciding on Double Drop as a way down rather than Sudden Impact. Just as we hit the final sketchy downhill we meet two female walkers (with very inadequate flashlights) ascending! Fortunately they see/hear us before we see then and we pass in the night without incident and no more than a quick "hi there".
Along the road - quick jaunt up Vineyard and then Brian takes over, instead of back to the Water Tower we skip left down the hill and up what possibly forms part of Bull Run. Some pushing, some riding, fun downhill along the ridge and we are back at the base of the Mile Smile. Over two hours riding under our belts and close to 10 very challenging miles covered with no real damage. At the top of the Mile Smile the third "mechanical" of the evening occurs as Brian snaps his chain - resulting in us pushing him along the road back to the PNR.
Back at the cars, beers and much discussion of the power of the text message! This may well end up the dominant route of communication betwixt us night riders - HUM! All I can say is "Spr?"
BB4N
DogzBollux
Monday, June 9, 2008
Six Hours of Patapsco Mountain Bike Challenge 2008 (race report)
Well the morning of Saturday 7 June arrived and it was not looking good - rain the previous evening, and the view from the bedroom window was limited due to the thick fog outside. Mixture of disappointment and relief that the race would almost certainly be cancelled.
Rewind twelve hours.
My LBS had (despite promises and heroic efforts) failed to repair the rear wheel of the "faithful 29er monocog". So I am in the Bollux-garage sweating and swearing trying to build up a wheel George had kindly loaned to me - a wheel for a shifty with QR so some efforts to add spacers to get a good chain line and playing with the chain tensioners to make sure the wheel wouldn't move (in the absence of sturdy bolts to hold the wheel true). Long story short, by the time the monocog and MLW's mtbs are dialed in, washed, lubed and the other pre-race preparations are finished (i) I am knackered (ii) I am as cranky as a monkey and (iii) it's bloody raining again!!!!
Fast forward
A call to the "race-hot line" brings the very unexpected revelation that all is good and race is a go!! So headless chicken time - MLW has to hightail it to the eye doctors to get contact lenses and I am loading bikes and arranging child care! Tempers flare and are extinguished as we arrive at the race start with 25 min let to the "gun". Sean and MLW are racing coed duo and "Yours Truly" solo - register, pin on numbers arrange Bollux-mobile as food station/pit and time to toe the line for the "Le Mans" start. After much deliberation MLW is assign ed the first lap so she is there right by my side.
It is HOT, real HOT! How hot? Think Nicole Kidman in "Dead Calm" - oh yes! Sweat is beading on my arms and running into my eyes just standing at the start. Together with a potentially slick course (after all the recent rain) this looks like it could be a doozy of a race! I look to my left and spot Chris "eat off" Eatough lining up - woah so the "big boys" are out to play!
At just after 11 am the start is signaled, rather undramatically, with a whistle - and then all hell breaks loose. Hot as hell and six hours of riding to go and everyone heads off like hares! Along River Road and left up what I now know to be called the "water break" - I've always just called it "that bloody great hill on the Howard County side". Within 5 min of the start riders are becoming walkers as a combination of the hills grade and the mud bring wheels to a halt. Some step aside to let riders behind pass, some don't - chaos - it's wonderful! MLW very sensibly starts off gently leaving the stupidity to the stupid. I grind up the hill making it to 10 yards from the top when the guy two bikes in front stalls and stops us all in our tracks. Nevermind, moral victory over the hill on lap one (the only victory for me over this hill all day) and short run to top and back on the bike. Onto Ridge and after the next sharp uphill I realize I am almost cooked (HR is close to max and my legs are screaming at me)! Settle down there boy! I try and take things easy but with lots of other bikers around it is not easy, the pace is far too fast to be sustained but I go with it. Knowing the course is a huge help and so I know that once on the Cascade trail things get easier and I can recoup on the second half of the lap.
First lap is pretty crowded and there is always someone to talk to, couple of times the bottle-neck caused by a rider stopping ahead means sections that should be ridden are walked but on the whole its pretty smooth till the "Old Trail Loop" when some dodgy lap marking and an inconsistency between the course on the website and the course on the ground leads the six or so riders in front of me to go straight on off the course!! I stop and shout for them to come back but they reply that they know the course! I am conflicted! The guy behind me (being more decisive) makes the decision for me, "hey I'm following the course markers" wise words! The meadow sections are "hotter'n'hell" - "like riding into a furnace" one guy tells me! After the rooty and greasy Morning Choice section and the right turn onto Rockburn Branch, the only surprise of the first lap - instead of hanging a left at the trail junction at the top of the slight climb we went straight on (over lots of very newly cleared tree litter) and thence on to the rooty steep downhill before heading left up the (newly reinstated) Rockburn Branch climb and back to the top of the water break - after a slightly adrenaline releasing ride down the water break lap one was complete. Through transition, shout a few words to Sean who is all "kitted" up waiting for MLW and head straight back out for lap two - I was intending to use the Lodi "two-lap" strategy again.
Start of lap two and BIG surprise!! Instead of heading straight up the water break we carry on along the road then left onto a short piece of "hike only trail" this leads over a short bridge to a set of five log steps leading back to the water break. No choice but to dismount and carry the bike up the steps! So then we have a standing start to the steep sections of the water break! I am a broken man! With neither the legs nor the heart to make the climb from this position I make a feeble (token) effort and then walk the majority of the hill. By the middle of lap two I am toast!! It is all i can do to keep moving. Any idea that I would push myself is forgotten and it is survival that takes priority. When the going gets tough - I get off - and walk! Slow painful progress but by the time I hit Morning Choice I am beginning to recoup. and finish lap two feeling O.K. At some point on lap two Chris "Eat off" laps me for the first of several times, flowing over terrain that rattles me around enough to make my teeth loose!
Back at the Bollux-mobile I see MLW's bike but no sign of her! Not sure what to make of this, but just get myself restocked with Gatorade and grab a couple of handfuls of Pringles and Oreos and it is "back into the fray". Lap three and my right pedal starts to play up - I can only clip in one side, I ignore it, and with the exception of a rather embarrassing fall in front of the trail marshals at the junction of Morning Choice and Rockburn Branch lap three passes much like lap two - lots of pain and heat! All ideas of doubling up laps is forgotten. At the car after lap three and I meat Sean - his first lap has taken it's toll. He has a headache and is feeling dizzy, turns out he went out on his first lap with only a small amount of water and ran out half way round!! Still he is at least vertical and tells me MLW is safely out on her second lap. Before the race MLW was adamant that two laps was her limit, so the fact that only three hours into the race she is 40 min into her second lap is fantastic! For me quick refuel - check my pedal - turns out I have sheared off one side. I tighten the remaining side and hit the trail for lap four.
Pedal damage - Patapsco stylee!
That bloody hill is miserable!!! I am quietly resigned to the fat that this is my last lap - despite having 2.5 hours left on the clock (the organizers decided to have a drop dead cut off at 5 pm so any laps completed after this time did not count). I'm hot, nauseous and sodding bad tempered!I test the legs attacking some of the climbs on Ridge and in all honesty they are holding up! Even the climb to the Cascade rock garden goes O.K. until I hit a root about 3/4 of the way up. My newly tightened right pedal refuses to relinquish my cleat so I collapse in an exhausted sweaty, swearing heap on the trail. Fortunately, no-one there to see my pathetic performance as I am (for a few seconds) too tired to even push my bike off me and just lie there like an up-ended turtle. But, the knowledge that the climbing for the lap is essentially over spurs me on and I even clear the rock garden to lift my spirits even more. Lap four done and despite my half decision to call it a day I refuel at the car and decide to go out for one more!
More pain, more heat, more swearing! Finally I am back on the Purple Trail and the end is in sight, one last hurtle down the hill that has been my Nemesis for the past five hours and I am back on River Road, thanking the Park Ranger who has stood at the junction of River Road and the water break all day!! It's all over - for me! When I get back to the start there is only 43 min let till the course is closed! Not a prayer of another lap. Just behind me Chris Eatough finishes his 8th (count them 8) lap and calls it a day when it is clear the guy in second place will not have time to complete another lap.
"Everybody Hurts" - Even Eatough!!Of more importance to me however is the news from Sean that MLW has gone out for a 3rd lap (5th for the team)! This is above and beyond! She had just under 90 min to do the lap so it will be tight! We join the group of Eatough et al. under the tree just by the finish and scan the road for MLW. At two minutes to five she appears and enters the finish area in tears! She has left EVERYTHING out there on the course today. Absolutely fantastic effort. It is minutes before she can even talk.
MLW - speeding to third place!!
The results are posted and Sean and MLW have third in mixed team, all three teams having done 5 laps!! Podium finish - certificate and $40 gift card, all smiles! I am somewhat off the podium, 16th in solo men , but I rode as hard as I could and with the competition looking pretty strong I was happy. Good day! Excellent race! Bloody HOT!
Sean and MLW at awards!! Congratulations!
Monday, June 2, 2008
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Guess what! The DB blogsite is one year old!! Yes twelve whole months of tedious and pointless wittering on about biking/running and generally arsing about! And what a twelve months it has been, ushered in with me stuffing my shoulder falling off my fixie on the way home from work and encompassing both (Irish biker) Sean and Doug following my lead (shoulder wise), Sean on "Mission Impossible" and Doug snowboarding - jeese we're clumsey buggers! I've raced against both Chris Eutough and Floyd Landis, beat CE (by virtue of his bike breaking) but Landis I have to admit was a bit too strong for me on the day.
Blog-wise it's been a crazy old time! Over 50 entries (out-numbering the people who have actually read any of the entries by at least 10 fold I suspect) and even 6 comments - yes 6 comments on only 50+ entries!! (I'm trying not to let the fame and popularity go to my head). O.K. so two of the comments were from the same Brasilian (I think) guy who I suspect runs a porn site and wanted me to add a link from my blog - cos that was going to increase traffic to his site SO MUCH!! The other four were from people who I had made comments to on their blogs - FANTASTIC!
Well enough of the self congratulation!
Week started with great potential - night ride from Park'N'Ride for a change! George and Brian as able companions - lights, bikes, action! Brian leads us on a "Magical Mystery Tour" down an alternative run to the bottom of Soapstone/Mile Smile then retracks steps up Bull Run - well he rides and George and I push! No trail for SSer's this way. Once elevation gained - have fun on trail that is new (at least in this direction) for me and bloody hard to follow! Just as we are hitting trails I know the "Faithful-ish" monocog starts playing up again!!! Starting to feel like this bike is built like a replicant in Blade Runner with an "incept-date" which has now been reached. I assume the chain is loose and skipping cogs, inspection suggests otherwise, then two minutes later I am merrily spinning my pedals and my back wheel is ignoring my efforts completely! felt a bit of a burke really - bloody freehub is shagged! So having ridden my trusty bike in rain, sun, snow and over countless trouble free miles (oh the maintenance free joy of the SSer life style) in the past 6 weeks I've (i) cracked the frame (ii) snapped the seatpost and (iii) broken the freehub!! Ooooo I can't wait to see what breaks next!
I suggested the guys just leave me (I am really turning into the guy who should just stay at bloody home) and continue with their ride but being the consumate Gentlemen they are they refuse - Brian gets the freehub working enough to get me back to the car (along the road) by squirting the contents of his water bottle into the hub to shift some of the gunge clogging it and we head back to the cars and beer after only 40 min riding. We make up for our lack of riding with a longer than usual chat and beer session which results in me getting home no earlier than normal - but in me being less tired and sore the next day at work.
So Monocog back out of action and the old Yellow Rockhopper is called up from the Bullpen! I decide against the dropped bars for "proper" riding so reinstall the flat bars. MLW is in a big panic about the upcoming "6Hrs Patapsco" - now that our entries have been confirmed - so Sunday is the day to check out the route - Sean joins in as usual and it would have been great except for the rain on Saturday. I had hoped that the sun before and after the rain may have meant the trails would be in good shape. The reality was they were really too slick to be riding - so although we did the entire 10 mile loop in 1 hr 20 min it was not the most fun riding, the slippy roots and impossibly slick climbs taking most of the fun out of the ride (especially with the nagging guilt in the back of my mind that we shouldn't really be out on the trails when they are like this).
Here's hoping the sun will come out and allow the race to take place next Saturday - hopefully if the mtb fairy is in good humor we might even get another ride on the course before then.
Let you know how the race goes - if it does!
Till next time
DB
Blog-wise it's been a crazy old time! Over 50 entries (out-numbering the people who have actually read any of the entries by at least 10 fold I suspect) and even 6 comments - yes 6 comments on only 50+ entries!! (I'm trying not to let the fame and popularity go to my head). O.K. so two of the comments were from the same Brasilian (I think) guy who I suspect runs a porn site and wanted me to add a link from my blog - cos that was going to increase traffic to his site SO MUCH!! The other four were from people who I had made comments to on their blogs - FANTASTIC!
Well enough of the self congratulation!
Week started with great potential - night ride from Park'N'Ride for a change! George and Brian as able companions - lights, bikes, action! Brian leads us on a "Magical Mystery Tour" down an alternative run to the bottom of Soapstone/Mile Smile then retracks steps up Bull Run - well he rides and George and I push! No trail for SSer's this way. Once elevation gained - have fun on trail that is new (at least in this direction) for me and bloody hard to follow! Just as we are hitting trails I know the "Faithful-ish" monocog starts playing up again!!! Starting to feel like this bike is built like a replicant in Blade Runner with an "incept-date" which has now been reached. I assume the chain is loose and skipping cogs, inspection suggests otherwise, then two minutes later I am merrily spinning my pedals and my back wheel is ignoring my efforts completely! felt a bit of a burke really - bloody freehub is shagged! So having ridden my trusty bike in rain, sun, snow and over countless trouble free miles (oh the maintenance free joy of the SSer life style) in the past 6 weeks I've (i) cracked the frame (ii) snapped the seatpost and (iii) broken the freehub!! Ooooo I can't wait to see what breaks next!
I suggested the guys just leave me (I am really turning into the guy who should just stay at bloody home) and continue with their ride but being the consumate Gentlemen they are they refuse - Brian gets the freehub working enough to get me back to the car (along the road) by squirting the contents of his water bottle into the hub to shift some of the gunge clogging it and we head back to the cars and beer after only 40 min riding. We make up for our lack of riding with a longer than usual chat and beer session which results in me getting home no earlier than normal - but in me being less tired and sore the next day at work.
So Monocog back out of action and the old Yellow Rockhopper is called up from the Bullpen! I decide against the dropped bars for "proper" riding so reinstall the flat bars. MLW is in a big panic about the upcoming "6Hrs Patapsco" - now that our entries have been confirmed - so Sunday is the day to check out the route - Sean joins in as usual and it would have been great except for the rain on Saturday. I had hoped that the sun before and after the rain may have meant the trails would be in good shape. The reality was they were really too slick to be riding - so although we did the entire 10 mile loop in 1 hr 20 min it was not the most fun riding, the slippy roots and impossibly slick climbs taking most of the fun out of the ride (especially with the nagging guilt in the back of my mind that we shouldn't really be out on the trails when they are like this).
Here's hoping the sun will come out and allow the race to take place next Saturday - hopefully if the mtb fairy is in good humor we might even get another ride on the course before then.
Let you know how the race goes - if it does!
Till next time
DB
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