Yeah Right!! So like no night ridin' you mean? Gotta catch me first!
Showing posts with label Mountain Bike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mountain Bike. Show all posts
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Friday, September 19, 2008
Massanutten Mountain Madness
Where to start?
I guess the beginning is as good as anywhere.
Sloped off work a tad early to avoid Friday rush hour misery, quick visit to liquor store to grab a six pack and then load Sean's stuff into the Bolluxmobile. Off we head to Va and a weekend of mountain bike madness. Using Sean's Garmin makes the trip easy and even with a stop for dinner at Winchester we are at the Elizabeth Furnace campground by 9:20pm. Smashing! Except they lock the bloody gates at 9pm. Sean and I have a short discussion of the options, we are pretty chilled cos we know we can camp "illegally" at the picnic ground down the road and be off before the Ranger's come calling. Just then a flashlight interrupts our chat and the old guy would is the volunteer camp warden has come out to see what we are up to. We ask if there is anywhere we can dump the car and walk into the camp ground with our stuff - old guy just says "don't tell anyone I did this, and be quite setting up" as he unlocks the gate and lets us in - What a GENT!
WE quickly select a pitch as far away from other people as possible and while Sean heads off to complete our campsite registration I put the tent up. Fifteen minutes later and we are in the tent (sheltering from light drizzle) with beers in hand contemplating the fun to come. Our conversation is interrupted (for the second time tonight) by the elderly camp warden who has come to check we have registered. He politely ignores the fact that we are drinking beer in contravention of the clearly posted NO ALCOHOL signs (I do like this bloke) but warns us that we don't want to leave our cooler outside as it may attract the "site bear", nuff said! The possibility that he is overstating the bear risk is quickly negated by the loud banging (in the not too far distance) of the aforesaid bear raiding the campsite trash cans! Somewhat nervously then we turn out the lights, stow the cooler in the Bolluxmobile and drift to sleep to the sounds of "Yogi" doing his best Keith Moon impression in the darkness.
Next morning and we are non-too quick getting our arses in gear so it is 9am before we are breakfasted, gears up and hitting the trail.
Navigation is fool proof, blazes are clear and the trails are good! First couple of miles are pretty benign a gentle break in before Signal Knob. Then the Massanutten Trail "proper" starts and all hell breaks loose! Seriously rock but rideable trails (on which we pass two other mtbers, the only bikers we see all weekend) to start with then just too bloody steep and rocky for words! We push!
I guess the beginning is as good as anywhere.
Sloped off work a tad early to avoid Friday rush hour misery, quick visit to liquor store to grab a six pack and then load Sean's stuff into the Bolluxmobile. Off we head to Va and a weekend of mountain bike madness. Using Sean's Garmin makes the trip easy and even with a stop for dinner at Winchester we are at the Elizabeth Furnace campground by 9:20pm. Smashing! Except they lock the bloody gates at 9pm. Sean and I have a short discussion of the options, we are pretty chilled cos we know we can camp "illegally" at the picnic ground down the road and be off before the Ranger's come calling. Just then a flashlight interrupts our chat and the old guy would is the volunteer camp warden has come out to see what we are up to. We ask if there is anywhere we can dump the car and walk into the camp ground with our stuff - old guy just says "don't tell anyone I did this, and be quite setting up" as he unlocks the gate and lets us in - What a GENT!
WE quickly select a pitch as far away from other people as possible and while Sean heads off to complete our campsite registration I put the tent up. Fifteen minutes later and we are in the tent (sheltering from light drizzle) with beers in hand contemplating the fun to come. Our conversation is interrupted (for the second time tonight) by the elderly camp warden who has come to check we have registered. He politely ignores the fact that we are drinking beer in contravention of the clearly posted NO ALCOHOL signs (I do like this bloke) but warns us that we don't want to leave our cooler outside as it may attract the "site bear", nuff said! The possibility that he is overstating the bear risk is quickly negated by the loud banging (in the not too far distance) of the aforesaid bear raiding the campsite trash cans! Somewhat nervously then we turn out the lights, stow the cooler in the Bolluxmobile and drift to sleep to the sounds of "Yogi" doing his best Keith Moon impression in the darkness.
Next morning and we are non-too quick getting our arses in gear so it is 9am before we are breakfasted, gears up and hitting the trail.
Ready to go - day one
Navigation is fool proof, blazes are clear and the trails are good! First couple of miles are pretty benign a gentle break in before Signal Knob. Then the Massanutten Trail "proper" starts and all hell breaks loose! Seriously rock but rideable trails (on which we pass two other mtbers, the only bikers we see all weekend) to start with then just too bloody steep and rocky for words! We push!
Mountain biking at its best!!
The we push some more! We are overtaken by some walkers who (i) look very bloody fit and well equipped and (ii) are taking two days to hike the 11 mile loop up and over Signal Knob! Alarm bells start ringing in the distant recesses of my subconscious. How much fun is it possible to have pushing your bike up a rocky scree laden mountain for over two hours? Bugger all. We slog away in the heat, sweat is dripping off us in buckets before we are even half way to the top, but eventually we reach flat ground and even manage to ride our bikes a bit (passing the walking group) until we hit the milestones of (i) the TV tower and then (i) Signal Knob overlook. I am quietly excited as I vaguely remember from the Bike magazine article that precipitated this adventure that the descent from Signal Knob is reported to be a blistering, rocky funhouse of an experience! Bit of an anticlimax when I realize that the descent reported is what we have just spent the past 2 hours pushing or F'in bikes up and that our route takes us down the mountain on a fireroad! Still too knackered to worry too much, just nice to be sitting on my bike for a change.
At the lake at the base of the mountain we hang a right and enjoy some pretty ridable trail until disaster strikes. Sean is dog tired and misjudges a rooty section with the result he hits the ground pretty hard on his right wrist. Nothing broken but the wrist hampers him for the rest of the day and the bruising to his thumb is enough to be painful even now. After a too short trail and then fireroad section we have to climb back to the ridge. Another 30 minute hike-a-bike up Patapscoesque mud and rock trail and by the time we are at the ridge line we are both exhausted! I honestly think that (at this point) if Sean had the energy he would have beat me to death with his bike pump for dragging him out on this "adventure". And things only got better! The ridge riding was rocky, twisting and had enough sudden short steep climbs to keep us walking, in our exhausted state, for a good deal of the time. Progress was painfully slow and the original target of New Market was looking decidedly dodgy. By 2 pm (5 hours in) we were nowhere near our projected lunchtime destination (and water fill up spot). Water was running short and things looked bad. By 3pm and things were seriously in danger of getting ugly. Out of water and we were both basically beat up. At this point all thoughts of finishing our original route were abandoned and my only objective was to get off the mountain and get some water. As luck would have it at this point the trail began to get a lot more groomed - clearly we were approaching civilization. Oh what bliss a road can b, as we stumbled out onto a "chip and tar" road that the map quickly confirmed lead down to Woodstock. From the road the valley looked like a map laid out before us and the true extent of the days elevation gain hit home. As we flew down the road at breakneck speed over corrugated sections and round several switchbacks the realization that we will have to climb back up this hill vaguely occurs, but is driven away by a primal need for water and rest.
Sat outside Woodstock Food Lion and the prospect of advancing any further is quickly quashed. We fill out bottles with water, we drink Gatorade and beer (feels good!) and eat potato chips. Then we book into the Holiday Inn Express where the nice lady behind the reception desk does not even blink as we wheel our bikes pass her and into our room. 4:30pm and our riding day is over, 6:30 (when MLW calls to see how we are) and we are both asleep. Major "boys' night out" is a non-starter and is replaced by a carry out pizza, a six pack and watching "Erin Brockovich" on the hotel room TV. I fall asleep long before the end and wake up the next day fully clothed.
Outside Holiday Inn -Woodstock -day two
Day two and it is somewhat gingerly that we head out of Woodstock, knowing that the day's first business is with the climb to Woodstock Tower (at an elevation close to 2000 ft).
Savoring the view of what's to come - over 1000 ft climb to Woodstock Tower
Over the bridge by the dam and immediately the road tilts upwards - I start my stopwatch to document the climb! On paper this looks a dream of a climb, chip and tar surface, switchbacks the kind of climb that people would pay to climb. But that's probably on a road bike, not a single speed Mtb and with a 20 lb pack on your back. The fist time I look at my stopwatch it says 5 min (and I'm already gasping). But I get a second wind and some kind of rhythm, stand for a while till the quads and back start to hurt, then sit till the calves start to complain. Then 12 min have passed, cars driving down and coming up contain spectators that all grin and give either a wave or thumbs up - and for a while I feel like a real cyclist. By 18 min I am beginning to drag - and it's time to start making deals with myself. I will pedal for 40 min then get off and rest (even if I am not at the top). At 20 min I start the counting down, but then in no time I turn a corner and recognize the trail head we emerged from yesterday! This means only about another 200 ft to the top! With renewed vigor I stomp the pedals and with the watch reading 24 min and change I have reached Woodstock Tower. I dump the bike and stagger around a bit, a big sweaty blob. Every flying insect in 100 miles is attracted to me and soon I am sat in the midst of a gently buzzing cloud waiting for Sean. As he "summits' I take the required photo to record his misery and then we head down the mountain to Woodstock Gap.
After Saturday's snails paced progress Sunday has been a blur of speed and by 1am (only 2 hours in) we are on the road at Detrick only 12 or so miles from the campsite at Elizabeth Furnace. Here I shamelessly play on Sean's exultation at conquering the Woodstock Tower climb and persuade him (against all the promises he had made to himself) to head back onto the Massanutten Trail at Verch Gap. Initially the trail is great, an overgrown fire road with a few washed out stream crossings for added excitement. Soon we are back on the "Orange" Massanutten Trail and for a while the going is pretty good. Rocky as hell but the elevation gain is manageable. But I know what is ahead. The trail takes a sudden right and it's hike-a-bike time again as we crawl to the top of the ridge. Another hour and a half or so to the summit and a great view over the valley to the east - complete with eagles soaring!
DogzBollux at peak of elevation gain (day two)
At the top Sean is about wiped and for both of us progress has again slowed to a crawl. A look at the map allows us to plan a bale out route at Sherman Gap if needed and we agree that if we are not at this trail head by 2pm this is the route we will take. Progress along the ridge is as slow as Saturday - bits are rideable but long sections are not, push/ride/push repeat. At 1;40pm we hit the trail head at Sherman Gap but we are both done in again so we opt for this route and head down a seriously steep rocky trail. After the first half mile it flattens out enough to ride and we make sketchy progress down into the valley. Then sections of the trail become more Patapscoesque again and we have some fun hopping logs and even muscling up some short rocky climbs. The last 2.5 miles seem to go on forever but our wussiness is then exposed as we find a trail marker noting that the section we have just suffered on for seemingly hours is part of the Old Dominion 100 mile Trail Run! At the marker we head right toward the campsite and soon we can hear voices of children playing - civilization!! Past a swimming hole with families enjoying the late summer heat that we could to be honest done without today and then we hit paved road at the picnic area. A short hop along the road and we are back at the campground where we collapse next to the water pump, fill our bottles and drink!! Cold water has never tasted so good!! Two days of getting our asses kicked by the Massanutten Mountain Trail are complete. Old Camp Ground Guy comes out to see how we have fared and we have to admit we failed miserably in our original quest. "Well you boys have more gumption than me getting over them mountains on a bike" are his kind words and we head back to the tent and Bolluxmobile. 30 min later and the tent is in the van and we are heading out! Beers are opened as we hit the road and we listen to good old fashioned rock music all the way home! magic weekend, tough as old boots but worth every miserable second - I am already planning a second attempt at the Massanutten Mountain Trail for 2009.
In the wise words of Alanis Morissette "I recommend biting off more than you can chew to anyone, I certainly do". Yes the Massanutten Mountain Trail was a "Jagged Little Pill" but worth the experience! And "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" as Homer Simpson once said (though I think Nietzsche may have said it first).
Monday, July 7, 2008
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
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
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Sunday and an early start
With the weather being less than compliant of late and with some traveling for work, the hours with my bum on the bike have been limited. So Sunday needed to be worthwhile. Only one way to go - get out there early!
So the alarm rang at 6:15 on Sunday morning and I was at Landing Road by 7:00 - first car there - oh yeah! Soon as it was light enough I hit the trails. I did what is now the usual Sunday route but in reverse (clockwise) which somehow appears to have more uphill than the anticlockwise route (how that work?). I didn't rush myself and spent time trying out different obstacle variations. So Cascade, Ridge then back through Rockburn branch and Belmont. Did the new piece of trail in reverse for first time and it was ace! Even spent a bit of time just riding (and falling off) the log at the bottom of the Belmont hill. Back at the trail head for 8:00 and met up with the "Sunday Group", MLW, Dan "the decider" and this week Eileen and Richmond. As a happy quintet we retraced my previous tire tracks but anticlockwise this time. Richmond is an infrequent mtber - but you'd never guess - the guy knows no fear and launched his bike at every obstacle going. Fantastic ride, usual minor irritations MLW struggling with new shoes/pedals and Dan had a flat - but hell, no one died! Crowded trails this weekend, bikers in large groups for some reason, even one lady with no helmet! In-freakin-sanity!
Second lap much slower than first but 2 and 1/2 hours of fun and approx 14 miles covered, many logs ridden over ridden along and fallen off of. Loving wearing my pads, look like a complete git (especially on the rigid SS), but it's nice not to be bleeding when I get back to the car.
Feeling the need to wander and find new trails - maybe that is a resolution for 2008. Maybe if the weather gets cold enough to dissuade MLW then a trip to Frederrick will occur one of these Sundays.
No night ride this week cos I was away - and with Thanksgiving hitting this week another week sans noctural tomfoolery looks on the cards. I've ordered a new headlight (Princeton Tech), if it ever arrives (been two weeks now - that's what you get ordering from Dick's) I'll review it for anyone who stumbles across this blog. Feels lonely writing this sometimes - let me know if anyone is actually reading, not that I will stop isf noone is - but if people are actually reading this I might start using the spell check more often (but probably not).
Cheers, Happy Thanksgiving
DogzBollux
P.S - H.R. at University of Northampton really SUCK!!!
So the alarm rang at 6:15 on Sunday morning and I was at Landing Road by 7:00 - first car there - oh yeah! Soon as it was light enough I hit the trails. I did what is now the usual Sunday route but in reverse (clockwise) which somehow appears to have more uphill than the anticlockwise route (how that work?). I didn't rush myself and spent time trying out different obstacle variations. So Cascade, Ridge then back through Rockburn branch and Belmont. Did the new piece of trail in reverse for first time and it was ace! Even spent a bit of time just riding (and falling off) the log at the bottom of the Belmont hill. Back at the trail head for 8:00 and met up with the "Sunday Group", MLW, Dan "the decider" and this week Eileen and Richmond. As a happy quintet we retraced my previous tire tracks but anticlockwise this time. Richmond is an infrequent mtber - but you'd never guess - the guy knows no fear and launched his bike at every obstacle going. Fantastic ride, usual minor irritations MLW struggling with new shoes/pedals and Dan had a flat - but hell, no one died! Crowded trails this weekend, bikers in large groups for some reason, even one lady with no helmet! In-freakin-sanity!
Second lap much slower than first but 2 and 1/2 hours of fun and approx 14 miles covered, many logs ridden over ridden along and fallen off of. Loving wearing my pads, look like a complete git (especially on the rigid SS), but it's nice not to be bleeding when I get back to the car.
Feeling the need to wander and find new trails - maybe that is a resolution for 2008. Maybe if the weather gets cold enough to dissuade MLW then a trip to Frederrick will occur one of these Sundays.
No night ride this week cos I was away - and with Thanksgiving hitting this week another week sans noctural tomfoolery looks on the cards. I've ordered a new headlight (Princeton Tech), if it ever arrives (been two weeks now - that's what you get ordering from Dick's) I'll review it for anyone who stumbles across this blog. Feels lonely writing this sometimes - let me know if anyone is actually reading, not that I will stop isf noone is - but if people are actually reading this I might start using the spell check more often (but probably not).
Cheers, Happy Thanksgiving
DogzBollux
P.S - H.R. at University of Northampton really SUCK!!!
Monday, June 11, 2007
MTB fun with MLW
Having returned from California - aren't those "red eye" flights fun and managed to survive Saturday entertaining the children and acting as "Mein Host" for some friends leaving party (they are heading off to Boulder CO) Sunday was looking a bit dicey in terms of MTB action. MLW was planning to head out to Rockburn on Sunday morning and we had a babysitter organized but my physical condition was going to be suspect. Around 8 pm on Saturday I got a call from Greg to announce his brother-in-law and friend of mine (Emil) has bought himself a MTB and did I fancy going along for the "maiden voyage" - well it would be rude to say no! Plans were made to meet up at 7:45 am and I even talked MLW into skipping Rockburn and heading out to Avalon with us.
Party on Saturday is a bit too much fun and so when the alarm rouses me at 7:00 am it is a "not very happy camper" that drags himself downstairs and packs the Dogzbollux-mobile for the forthcoming ride (MLW's hardtail and my SS). Pack some beer to toast Emil's newest arrival and we are set. Phone rings and it's Greg - Emil has cried off, due to some prior commitments! Nuts to him - we got beer and bikes.... LETS GO!
Ride from Landing - take MLW to see the jumps section (Lewis and Clark) and then we hit the trails in ernest. At the first major fork we meet up with Dan and Joe (see previous) and join forces. As a group of five we ride like little kids, grinning and laughing for best part of an hour. Head up to Belmont and down the rocky downhill. I'm leading and from somewhere behind I hear "F**K - where did the ground go?" Sorry Joe I forgot to warn you about that bit.
Everyone survives andwe end up doing a pretty reasonable ride - Dan and Joe have to bag it around 3/4 the way round due to time commitments but MLW, Greg and me do the "long circuit" that takes in the Ridge and Cascade trails back to Landing. MLW is a fully fledged MTBer and taking on stuff I never thought she would - Excellent!
Back at the car we drink our beers and toast Emils new bike in absentia. Then it's back to the real world for a while!
Well nice weather has finally hit the trails and it's good to see more bikers out there doing their thing. In the winter the riding is fun and I quite enjoy the solitude but the social aspect to MTB in the summer is a bit special. Of course every good thisng has it's cost and I notice a good deal of "trail widening" and the origination of alternative (mainly easier) routes as a consequence of the increased rider numbers - and possibly the use of the trails by more neophyte riders. Now I don't want to start soundiong like someones grandad but this does make me a little sad. New trails cut round obstacles is just plain bad news, similarly highway straight cuts through previously twisty sections. I know people of all abilities use the trails (and applaud this) but if an obstacle is above your level just get off and step over it - don't cut detours round it. God knows I have sections of the Ridge/Cascade that I never manage to ride, that's why I keep going back - once a section is easy it's boring and time to move on. Let's not widen the trails, tough technical single track is what we want - otherwise I would be riding my road bike.
O.K. rant over - shoulder's a lot better by the way1
Cheers (Emil get your arse out on that new bike of yours)
Dogzbollux
Party on Saturday is a bit too much fun and so when the alarm rouses me at 7:00 am it is a "not very happy camper" that drags himself downstairs and packs the Dogzbollux-mobile for the forthcoming ride (MLW's hardtail and my SS). Pack some beer to toast Emil's newest arrival and we are set. Phone rings and it's Greg - Emil has cried off, due to some prior commitments! Nuts to him - we got beer and bikes.... LETS GO!
Ride from Landing - take MLW to see the jumps section (Lewis and Clark) and then we hit the trails in ernest. At the first major fork we meet up with Dan and Joe (see previous) and join forces. As a group of five we ride like little kids, grinning and laughing for best part of an hour. Head up to Belmont and down the rocky downhill. I'm leading and from somewhere behind I hear "F**K - where did the ground go?" Sorry Joe I forgot to warn you about that bit.
Everyone survives andwe end up doing a pretty reasonable ride - Dan and Joe have to bag it around 3/4 the way round due to time commitments but MLW, Greg and me do the "long circuit" that takes in the Ridge and Cascade trails back to Landing. MLW is a fully fledged MTBer and taking on stuff I never thought she would - Excellent!
Back at the car we drink our beers and toast Emils new bike in absentia. Then it's back to the real world for a while!
Well nice weather has finally hit the trails and it's good to see more bikers out there doing their thing. In the winter the riding is fun and I quite enjoy the solitude but the social aspect to MTB in the summer is a bit special. Of course every good thisng has it's cost and I notice a good deal of "trail widening" and the origination of alternative (mainly easier) routes as a consequence of the increased rider numbers - and possibly the use of the trails by more neophyte riders. Now I don't want to start soundiong like someones grandad but this does make me a little sad. New trails cut round obstacles is just plain bad news, similarly highway straight cuts through previously twisty sections. I know people of all abilities use the trails (and applaud this) but if an obstacle is above your level just get off and step over it - don't cut detours round it. God knows I have sections of the Ridge/Cascade that I never manage to ride, that's why I keep going back - once a section is easy it's boring and time to move on. Let's not widen the trails, tough technical single track is what we want - otherwise I would be riding my road bike.
O.K. rant over - shoulder's a lot better by the way1
Cheers (Emil get your arse out on that new bike of yours)
Dogzbollux
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