January 25, 2004

  • Well  looks like most of you missed a pretty good MTB ride. 
    When I awoke in the morning I was shocked to see a blanket of white
    covering the ground.  Upon closer examination it didn’t look too
    bad about 5/16 of an inch so I planned to ride. Heck I would have
    ridden no matter what the depth was! 

    I figured that since it was snowing I wouldn’t drive down to the
    park.  I haven’t driven the car in about 1 ½ months or so and
    figured it should get out, but alas a rear wheel drive car with
    questionable tires has no place on the roads with any kind of snow.
     

    I depart at about 7:50 AM and make my way to Horsetooth.  It’s
    quite cold and there is a fog over the area.  For this reason I
    decided to leave my lights and blinker on the bike.   It
    seems like the snow was localized and by the time got to Stover road
    the snow was gone!  While heading down Horsetooth and  while
    crossing College Ave, the bike seem like the pedaling was way too
    easy.  I saw the chain on the little ring and Shifted up, but
    still nothing.  Another look told me I had snapped the chain.
    Arggggh!.   I pulled over to the sidewalk and took al look
    at the chain.  Seems that the quick release link had
    broken!   I got out the chain tool and make a hasty
    repair.  The link was tight but I figured I could fix it at the
    dog park since I didn’t want to be too late.

    The chain was skipping all the way to the dog park, but to my surprise,
    well not really, I was the only one there. Oh well, I figured I would
    wait a few minutes and at least warm up the hands so that I could work
    on the chain again.   A few minutes later a lone form appears
    on the horizon, on MTB of course.  Turns out to be Kent. 
    Together we take a look at my chain and make it right again. Since it
    looks like no one else is gonna show we take off.

    We make the 1st left on to the single trak. Life is good.  We made
    our way through the twisties and rocks etc.  We were taking it at
    a moderate pace and this was a welcome change from being on the
    road.  We make it to the end of the  pineridge area and cross
    the street behind the stadium.  Life is still good until we get to
    the climbs.  I had forgotten how hard climbing on the MTB can
    be!  It was bad enough to have to climb the ~18% grade but with
    rocks and switchbacks made it all the more challenging.  We stop
    at that “difficult section” and try to “clean” it. We don’t quite get
    it so it’s back to riding.

    At the top I need to put some more air in my tires.  I think I had
    about 25 lbs in each of them and although it was comfortable,  it
    was also slow.  I fill the tires and we are off again.  What
    a difference!   We head down the single trak next to the
    reservoir.   It’s really pretty here, but I am too focused to
    really be able to take it all in.  The trail is sweet.  It
    flows nicely, and my only complaint is all of those rocks.  We
    complete that section and head for the continuation, but we must take
    some road to get there.  

    Kent is keeping a good pace, faster than I would be going, but then
    again I am a pretty lazy cyclist.   The road is an
    unwelcome change but what’cha’gonna do. We find the single trak and
    life is good once again.  At least I thought it was good. 
    Kent makes some remarks about “Come to papa,, Oh yeah!” as he makes his
    way down some fairly gnarly rocky drops!  One look at that 1st one
    and decide to dismount.  I look up the trail to hear more of
    Kent’s crys of joy! as he works the switchback up ahead.  Dam he
    is smooth!    I remount the bike and pick a
    questionable line over some rocks  Ahhhhhh!  I can’t get back
    over the wheel cause my tights snagged the saddle and I  am
    heading over the bars!!!  Thump!,  bike on top of me and all.
    Good thing no-one was there to see it!  I pick the bike
    and myself up and we are OK.  I continue on and find Kent waiting
    for me a bit up the trail.  He was wondering what happened to me.

    We continue on towards Michaud lane.  The single trak has some
    nice switchbacks if you like that sort of thing.  Kent loves
    em,  I can take em or leave um!  This trail is littered with
    rocks and I dread having to climb back up this one.  We make it to
    the trail head with out incident and take a break there.  We down
    some food and Kent says that we aren’t gonna take that same route back
    and that there is another easier trail that will take up. Excellent or
    at least so I thought.

    We take off up the trail and it isn’t easy.  We come to the
    “easier” section and well it ain’t that much easier.  Rocky Rocky
    Rocky and fairly steep.  I was kinda hoping to do some walking but
    Kent is “Cleaning everything” and I can’t loose face and must continue
    on.  Again I find myself on a technical section and I can’t unclip
    fast enough, Bam! I am on the ground again.   Now I don’t
    mind a fall or two but I just wish all of these rocks weren’t my
    landing bed.   We continue climbing and my heart is just
    about jumping out of my chest and I would rather be trying to follow
    Peter up Pineridge but I am here and I have to deal with it.!
      Finally we make it too the top and begin the journey back.

    We take some road and trail on the way back.  It’s fun taking that
    trail from the reservoir down to the back of the stadium.  Much
    more fun than climbing.   I didn’t bring the HR monitor so I
    don’t have any clue about elevation gain etc.  When we make it
    back to the pineridge area the trails are a bit muddy and my bike is
    beginning to pack up with mud/clay.  This stuff is slick and we
    are cautious.  We stop a few times to pick lines and we head for
    the high ground as soon as possible.  

    We make the final climb of the day, stop and wait for a runner and head
    for the “Hard Deck”.    We take the roads back
    chatting etc.  A good time was had by all.  Now I just need to clean the bike