had a plan

Bucky's Dream Century on tap for Sunday, 100+ fixed road
miles, trying to get my head around that. What to do Sat?
Mtn bike ride from the doorstep, with a road focus; Ridge Rd,
that slog acrossPiney Mtn Ridge....

Scenes from the morning commute,
upper reaches of the LeTort.
Big horse, little horse.Photo shoot along Canyon Trail.Flat Trail/Mtn Creek love.The road home.

Sunday started out with this crew.

It ended early when I bounced off the tarmac.

Nobody's fault really. After such a loooooong

string of excellent adventures, I was due for

a payment at the bank of Karma. shit happens,

accidents happen, it's all part of the game.

Physically, just a few rasberries, lovin' the

extra cool weather layers.

So what to do after that? All dressed up with nowhere

to go. Keep the kit on, drive home & change my dancin'

shoes. Then back out the door in the other direction.

Spruce Run, a 10minute shorter spin than Marsh Run.Spotted some rocks on Saturday, today seemed

like the right time to investigate....

And guess what I found?

A fun looking bouldering wall.

This ledge goooooooes.Couple spots look rollable for an exit.Looking up.Down from the top.Feel like I found a new playground, close to

the doorstep, perfect venue for a 2-3hour

out-n-back or as a Vista/Canyon loop extender.

Lemonade from lemons.....

19years ago

Was my first race.Was at school, got a call from Barry, always a hint of mom and dad thinking he was a 'bad influence'.... anyways.

"Hey man, Glen & I did something really cool. We went up to Coburn and did this mtn bike race thing......"

"Yeah, sounds awesome, I think I saw a flyer down at the record store about some sort of race around here, you guys should come down...."So down 81 they drove, Barry bringing along some tires for me to borrow. The center ridge 1.7's on the Peugeot wouldn't cut it, so racin' on borrowed Farmer John's. I remember the start loop being intense hi speed doubletrack. Three wide into the corners, gonna win it in the first 3 miles, what a rush. Then a looooong climb, definitely not at Lake Redman/Williams anymore. Off the bike hiking with everybody else, a winters worth of running in my legs, hoofing up the mtn. Grade relaxes, back on and pedaling on primitive Meeshow-esque singletrack, course marked with survey tape ribbons (sound familiar?).

Then Crunch. Stick thru the deraileur, ripped it clean. Shit, sit and stare, then start pushing. Fellow racer offers the standard greeting as he rolls by, "You ok? need anything?"

"Well, busted a derailleur...."

"Here," and he tosses me a chain tool.What the hell is this thing?

Then the mind goes to work, remembering some article about being able to shorten the chain and singlespeeding it to get out of the wilderness. Look at the odd metal object again, oooooohh, light bulb flickers. Pick the middle cog of 6, learn to use a chain tool on the fly, wrap up the cables and set back out on what was now my first singlespeed mountain bike.

Made it down off of Price Mtn and bailed at the start/finish. First race, first singlespeed ride, first dnf. Barry and Glen made it around the loop, fourish hours for a 40k. Then the day got longer when Glen had to hike back to the top of Patterson to retrieve the fannypack he left up there when he sat/laid down for a breather/nap. Had to go get it, had his headset wrenches in there. And no that's not a euphamism, he actualy raced with those big 32mm Park wrenches in his 'toolkit.' Those were the days...

Hooked forever, 19years ago, half of my life now.
What an interesting trip it's been.

thinkin'

coming up with a plan.

that's more like it.

Saturday morning snow on the ridges.

Belgium weather, knew it'd get here. This bridge + wet 25c's = extra pucker.
Sun came out for Sunday,

Churtle works the 'race line.Sue gettin' Looney.Lee in a tree.Churtle & Sue roll out the camp chute.Tonight, 15mph wind from the

south was unexpected.

Didn't seek it out,

but didn't avoid it either,

it's that time of year.

day off work?

how every day should start.8:18 rollout from the doorstep.

LeTort morning.first full day of Spring,

bluuuuuuuebird.'shared use' rail trail.

Skinny Chicken representin' for Thorpe.The Old Mule.Rattlesnake rocks.

There's a Churtle.whuuuuut?

Too tired to try the slab.Late afternoon light.lookin' fresh.

for the record:

clocked 8:30 elapsed, including the morning commute,

7:30 to get around a roughly estimated 6hr loop,

didn't dillydally much at all, only one mech issue with Lee

breaking a chain while climbing up Jake's.

fuel for the day:

6 gel packs

1 turkey/bacon/cheese bagel.

100oz water

1 bottle of Gatorade

1 bottle of very good beer, love the Nugget.

oh, and some Jeebus bunny too, thanks Buck:

Nice reminder of what a long day feels like,

thanks everybody.

other pics on the Smug.

ya know?

you'd think that only
riding 100% fixed steel
rigid bicycles would
beat some sense into ya......

but it's just so simple and pure,
that you wonder when, (if?)
everybody else is gonna
catch on?

go faster?
pedal harder.

pedal.
faster.

be smooth.

it's so damn fun.

views

in the door:

from this chair:

other places: