Close Encounters

After several rain delays the night ride was on. Very limited participation, due to work and family commitments among the group, with only Brian and me arranging to meet up (a little later than usual) to hit the trails. Nearly didn't happen though.

I was in fine mood as I approached the launch site - nice weather and the first proper test on my new light (after the previous weeks debacle). Windows down (no A/C in the Boluxmobile) ad radio turned "to eleven" listening to DC 101. Just as life can't get any better "Champagne Supernova" erupts from my car stereo speakers!!

Woo Hoo, I'm in heaven! Bike on my car, dressed in Lycra and Oasis blasting out.

"Slowly walking down the hall,

Faster than a cannonball.
Where were you,
When we were getting high?"

Singing my little heart out and probably not paying enough attention to what's going on around me, cos when I look in my rear view all I can see is a Police Car doing a good impression of the Blackpool Illuminations!! Sirens blaring (though not loud enough to drown out Oasis) and lights a-flashin'! I have absolutely no idea how fast I am going (though a swift peek at the speedo suggests only 35 mph), I signal and pull over and pray!! "Please don't stop!!"

Fortune smiles, as it transpires that I am not the object of this particular policeman's wrath (tonight at least), he blasts past me and off into the distance in a matter of seconds. With that little excitement over I am in no mood for any further encounters with authority tonight!

Brian and I launch shortly after 9:30pm and in a change to our usual routine we eschew Small Intestine and instead head straight to the Belmont Hill, over the road and down the gravelly descent that is made more interesting by the four or so small drops (all less than a foot) that even in daylight can catch an unsuspecting rider off guard. The new light performs admirably and we scoot down this section rather more speedily than I am used to. Over the top and through the water before I know it - I try riding along the log on the left, only managing about two feet of it before I ride off. It's been a long time since I actually tried that trick so it's good that the old confidence (or is it stupidity?) is returning.

At the rooty stoopid steep uphill Brian takes the direct route and I trail further on to take the easier route. I fail to make even this and Brian shows me how mtb riding should be done my crushing the tough line! Over the top and before we know it we are at the "four way" junction - now I have a plan! we take Ridge but half way along we hang a right down the "hike Only" trail - come on it's bloody dark! How many hikers are there likely to be tonight? Fun, Fun, Fun - the trail is all swoopy, rocky, rooty goodness. Bit of leaf litter to keep things interesting and a nice narrow section at the end bordered on the right hand side by a fair old drop!

At the road we head over to BC side and then along the paved path the other side of the river to the "Convent Climb" - my new favorite climb. Thru the tunnel, thru the rocky water and up we go - rocky and relentless. About two thirds the way up I'm slightly startled to come across a small dog in the middle of the trail I call "Hi Dog!" as I pass and the animal seems friendly enough. At the top I wait for Brian to arrive, and when he does he has our new K9 friend in tow. We have a quick chat about what to do with the dog and after concluding (i) it is not thirsty (ii) it looks healthy enough and (iii) it is wearing a collar we guess it is simply a dog from a local house out wandering. So with a swift "goodbye" we head off towards the Community College loop.

DogzBollux and new K9 friend

All is hunky dory until we reach the top of the rocky climb to the maintenance huts! Just as we hit the crest lights come on in a truck inside the compound! BUGGER. Being knackered after the climb I'm a bit slow extinguishing the light, but once it is off we stand still in the darkness. Lights flash through the trees in front of us then a voice over a tanoy announces "we know you are in there.... go back the way you came!" Sounds like a plan to me! We decide discretion is the better part of valor and descend the rocky climb without light, stumbling over roots and logs and swearing quietly. At the bottom we regroup for a little discussion.

Brian - man of mystery (and poor illumination)

Decide best way back is up to Soapstone and a stealthy little ride on the road back to the Water Bar. All goes without a hitch and despite now having two close encounters with authority in the space of three hours, all is good. At the top of the water Bar and Small Intestine beckons - take the trail over the stick laden trail and then as it is 11:55pm decide that right onto the New Trail and it's big logs will take us into tomorrow. Despite Brian trying to kill himself on the last water crossing we get back to the cars at 12:10am tired, but happy and without a ticket. Another 2 hour plus ride and after a couple of friendly beers time to say "goodnight" and head home to bed.

Smashing!

DogzBollux

Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

We all make plans... And too often they come to nought!



For the first time (ever) this year I actually committed myself to a list of races I wanted to do, it looked something like this:

Hat Run (50 km trail run) March 29
12 Hours Lodi Farm (12 hour mtb race) May 3-4
Wilderness 101 (101 mile mtb race) July 26
JFK 50 miler (50 mile trail run) November 22

As luck would have it many of my plans have come to fruition! YIPPEE! Done both Hat (had an absolute stinker) and Lodi (went well) - even managed to throw in a couple of other races not planned!

BUT

Keeping early season momentum up over the summer months is always dodgy. As mentioned in last post MTB fun has been severely restricted of late - though fixie fun has been some compensation (Averaged 18.6 mph to work this am!!). Looks like Wilderness 101 is a no-go! Fitness not where it needs to be and anyway I spent the entry money buying my new helmet light. So the big question was whether the JFK 50 miler would really happen this year. I have spoken confidently about doing this race every spring for the past 4 years, but the resolve has evaporated with the summer heat. 2008 is a different year! With "Running Sean" on the case the entries have gone in - and when I checked the website yesterday there we were as official entrants for this year's episode - GAME ON!!

With the demise of the Widerness 101 attempt my summer mtb activities were in real danger of withering away! But just as all hope appeared lost a new plan has come together - Boys weekend away in the Massanutten Mountains. Two days, 71 miles of single track and a promise of insane trails. Preparations in full swing for a mid-Sept attempt.

With the plans forming the Sunday ride was a bit more focused than usual - just "Biking Sean" and me, but as we are both committed to the Sept jaunt and want to build fitness the ride was planned to test our limits and kick our butts! Four "big" climbs - (i) up to the railway ties on Cascade (ii) The Convent trail (between House of Pain and Vineyard) (iii) Soapstone fire road - overtaken by a girl on a bike! and (iv) the Water bar. Lots of sketchy descents in between and finished with Small Intestine and the New Trail for good measure. Two solid hours riding - hot and thoroughly enjoyable.

Since then two commutes on the Fixie - including the first climb this year of the "Killer Hill" and life is good. If a night ride materializes it will have been an almost magical week - looks like weather may scotch the night ride though!

All in all fun time!

DogzBollux

Best of Times, Worst of Times!

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times"

Some bloke called Charlie wrote that! He was talking about the French revolution (apparently) but may as well have been describing the past two weeks (since my last entry) in the Bolluxsphere!

Mtbing has been at an all time low - just one measly ride in 14 whole F'in days! OK it was a decent enough sojourn around the usual trails on Patapsco (even discovered some illicit renegade trail - but enough of that), but it was still the only action the Monocog has seen, just not good enough that man!!!

On the up side, the fixie is seeing more action than any time in recent history! With the "young'uns" out of school an agreement has been negotiated between MLW and me (aided by the high gas prices - every cloud!) that a cycle commute twice a week was acceptable! So for the past three weeks the fixie has seen the light of day at least twice a week! And the benefit in terms of leg strength is already being felt! Average speed up form a humble 16 mph (10 mile route) to a thoroughly average 18 mph - but hey heading in the right direction.

Meanwhile Mr Running Sean (not to be confused with Mr Biking Sean) is all hot to trot for the JFK 50 this year!! With him getting the "grand permission" from his respective SWMBO, MLW was forced to concede and grant me a day pass to have a go at this little romp. Fan-bloody-tastic! The reality of this commitment however is harder to stomach - long miles throughout the Maryland summer! So for the past two weeks we have been hardening ourselves by getting used to the inevitable "sh*t it's early" runs. Headlamps on, rising at 4:30am to hit the road at 5:00am giving us enough time to saunter round 15 or so miles before the 7:30am roll call at "swim team".

All in all a real dearth of mtb-fun but plenty of other stuff to keep me entertained!

Then this weeks night ride hoved into view Whoo Hoo! Gonna be a classic! I've just caved and purchased a "proper" light - a rather spectacular Light and Motion unit!!!! Got my Monocog back in original condition- rear wheel picked up from LBS with new free hub in place. New hydration pack - bigger pockets to allow multi day rides (more of which in later posts - I hope) and to top it all off a full bloody moon!!!!!!

New launch site and new company (Jon the gatecrasher). So George, Brain, Jon and DB at the new launch site - how much more fun could we have? Brian's bike is playing up from the off, over the first big log and problems are obvious. I turn to see what's up and Brian has already removed his back wheel - never a good sign. After a brief discussion we conclude Brian's free hub is playing up (ring any bells?) and will probably be O.K. but we decide to head back to the cars to get some lube to make it run more smoothly. Two minutes later on a small rooty uphill as I attempt to crank over a large root there is a "pop" and I literally fly over my bars from a standing start!! I assume I have snapped my chain - but no! Bloody F'in freehub (new, just installed, only half a mile on it) is knackered and spinning freely!! Ride over for DB! Push bike back to car swearing loudly and my "magical" nights riding is over! At the car I swear some more, rack my bike, say Goodnight to the guys as they head back out onto the trail and then I head home!

As I am heading for bed at 11 pm I reflect (somewhat sourly) that the guys are probably still riding and having a blast! Oh well there will be other nights with full moons and good vibes.

Cheers

DB

And then there were five!

New technology is messing me about! The guys from the night ride have started using this new fangled texting lark to organize the time/launch point. Yes I get the texts, and can probably even access them and read them, but that is dependent on me actually turning my cell phone on! Not going to happen!



So I didn't find out until midday (when someone kinding emailed me) that the ride was on for that evening! Great and shit at the same time! Always great to be heading out for a night ride, shit cos I'd assumed there was no ride (missedthe frantic text messaging) and so had commuted to work on the fixie! Result i turned up a bit late for the ride and with tired legs! Guys had done a 30 min small loop before heading back to pick me up and......... there is a new face! Excellent! Brian has brought his friend David along! As we head off I notice immediately the ride is different. Looking round I realize everyone else is on a shifty! That together with David's desire to show what he can do and the other guys wanting to show david what they can do means that the pace is red-bloody-hot. I just try and holdon at the back and hope to the gods that the pace will slow at some point!



No Small Intestine tonight, but head down the Belmont Hill and up the steep slope after the water - I am gasping like a stranded fish and so no "extra point obstacles" for me tonight, just try to keep it simple and stay in touch. The group consensus at the four way junction is that the BC-side is a must and George wants to hit House and Pain and Double Drop. It is decided that the best route is along Ridge and down the fire road to the Swing Bridge. All along Ridge the pace remains absolutely sodding relentless - I am miserable and paying for the previous weeks excesses. The only thing that keeps me going is the knowledge that once we hit the bit climbs across the Swing Bridge we will all be pushing! By the time we hit the Fire road I am so far behind Todd has stopped to make sure I am not lost! Oh the embarrassment!



Across the bridge and George opts to go for the climb up Double Drop! We take the road to it's base and I let everyone head off in front in the knowledge that my pedaling time will be very short on this hill. As it turns out it is short for everyone, so within a minute we are all off our bikes and forming a merry little line of bike pushers! As the trail becomes more ridable we remount and soon I am riding in splendid isolation again - legs just don't have the kick needed to attack the combination of grade and obstacles. At the top of Sudden Impact Todd is waiting again to show me the way. I try (I really do) but this descent kicks my butt every time, steep as anything and with wicked drop offs that are just itching to catapult me over my bars. Add to this the knowledge that the trail always ends (for me) in the ignominy of having to walk down the last uber-steep section! I limp down, well last and almost a defeated man! Heading back along the road and as we discuss the next move a mad idea takes shape - up House of Pain and thence to Mission Impossible! Fortunately by the time we hit House of Pain I seem to have recovered my climbing legs, to a degree at least. Todd leads the way but I am able to hold my own in second - even manage the big step up at the base of the climb. At the top we regroup, for the first time tonight not for my benefit, and head for the Superhighway. Now Ladies and Gentlemen, for those who have not tacked this section, it is fun! It is a gradual down slope made fun by the fact that the surface is a mass of fist sized rocks. The effect is of a sadists cobbled street, rigid single speed anyone? Beats the living poop out of you!



As we enter the Superhighway George (who is on point) shouts to me that the new log that was built up isn't now. I didn't even know there was a new log! When it hoves into view it is a doozy. Big and lying over the aforementioned jagged cobblestones. George of course makes it look easy and there does in fact appear to be a reasonable ramp up made of small logs. Riding fast and feeling brave I give it a go - FOOL. Turns out the uphill side is ramped but the downhill side isn't! My front wheel takes a dive for the ground and I sail, not so gracefully, over the bars!Fortunately though the effect is quite spectacular the result is no more significant than a bruised palm on my left hand. David starts to mumble at this point that we may in fact be absolutely bloody mad!



On to Mission Impossible and the going is pretty good - David goes over his bars once as do I but no injuries and after our falls we decide to be more circumspect for the rest of the ride. At the end of Mission Impossible the ridiculous final descent (rocky, rooty and kin steep) is taken at speed by George (who clearly has his "foolish head" on tonight), Brian starts to take it on but aborts half way down when he realizes the enjoyment to imminent death risk ratio for this particular section is too low. After witnessing Georges performance, David is now confident in his earlier prediction concerning out mental state. The rest of us just walk/slide down the trail to the railway bridge!



Then it is time to head back towards beer. Back over the Swing Bridge and up the fire road onto Ridge. Just after the Cascade rock garden we regroup (Brian having some bike issues) to decide on the way forward - down the steep rock, or the "mans' route" up and over the rooty section. George doesn't give it a second though and launches himself bodily at the rooty section. George is on form tonight! Front wheel jams and he is thrown forwards and almost over the side of the trail down the 15 foot drop, fortunately one of his shoes doesn't come unclipped and his bike -snagged in a tree - stops him falling too far. After this little excitement the rest of the ride is fairly innocuous, Cascade, Lewis and Clarke and then New Trail for finishers. another solid 2 hours effort (2.5 hours for those who went before me).

Back at the cars and the party begins! Beers (as usual) but yet again the ante is being raised! Todd produces some cake and not to be outdone George has brought along two loaves of bread (one cheese and one garlic). So now the night ride is catered! Just settling down to our post-ride repast when we are joined by a biker riding home after his own night ride revelry. Jon (member of the SSOFT) is heading home from Columbia on his fixie after a night riding with a different group. Never met, but hey! Night riders and fixie riders are one big happy family - so he joins us for a beer and we spend the usual time chatting and plotting/planning future rides. Soon enough time to go home so we bid each other a weary farewell and head off back to reality!

Till next time

DogzBollux

Vacation and stuff

Riding took a back seat for a week or so as MLW's parents were in town and graciously offered to look after children #2 and #3 whilst MLW and I took a few days away! Lats years sojourn took us to New Hampshire and the time was taken up with treking, canoeing, trail running and biking. This year was to be very different!

Chose to head to the Finger lakes of New York - lovely picturesque area but biking - not so much! Spent the days visiting wineries, microbreweries and eating lots of restaurant food! When we got home I looked like a chipmunk! I had put on 5 pounds and it all appeared to be on my cheeks! Managed a couple of runs on the New York State backroads - very entertaining, I've never run on (or even seen) dirt roads like this before.

After a few days at the Finger Lakes we took a shortist Road Trip to see Niagra Falls - falls themselves are very impressive (though they smelled of seagull poo!), but the surroundings are less so. To the point that we decided against staying the night and chose to head home a day early.

Good to relax, going to pay for it now I suspect!

Cheers

DogzBollux