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