November 30, 2008

  • Bobcat Ridge

    It's the 1st cold Sunday ride and it's definitely time to get off the road bikes.  I haven't been to Bobcat ridge in quite a while and it's a good chance to get back there before the snow's come.    I got a call from Barb the night before and it was a possibility that she and Tim and their posse would show up on their SS's and what not. but it was not to be.  

    Kent and I do the short loop for a warm-up.  It's only 4 miles and if I can believe the park brochure it's 1000 feet of ascent for that little loop.   I'd be guessing more like 500 but it goes up and down so much that it's possible.    The winds were blowing pretty hard out of the North and  we were glad when we turn South back toward the Ginny Trail head.

    Up Up and away and Kent leads this one.   He's not pushing a silly fast pace like last time but it's brisk enough that I wouldn't want to be going any faster.    I keep thinking that my rear disc brake is dragging, which it was, but I am not sure it would have done anything to realistically remove that feeling of working really hard.   It's kinda cold and for some reason we were not cleaning as much stuff 1st go.  We did do a bunch of do-overs and got some of the technical challenges.

    We stop 3/4 of the way up for some food in the shelter and that made a big difference.  It was still a grunt to the top and  I was using lower gears than I would have liked, but it's the off season.   Truth is that I have been gaining weight, so that's probably what was the real deal.  Along the way, Kent smacked his pedal pretty hard against a rock and it wasn't working very well.  It was hard to turn and he could only clip in on one side.   Finally we make the top and we head towards the service road.  That trails flows so well in that direction and we were having a good-old-time workin-it.

    We grab another bite to  eat at the service road and head back.  The way back is a slog, but at least there was some tail wind to help with this chore.   Something happened to my front derailleur and it starting rubbing the chanring.   A little bit of pushing took care of this.

    Finally it's time for the big descent.  I let Kent lead so I could follow some of his lines on the technical stuff.   For some reason I am bit faster than Kent on the  flowy stuff but he rules on the technical switches and drops.  Yeah I can hold my own, but I am not as fluid.
     
    On the way down we run into Sean from the Cycologist and his crew.  They were playing on the new technical logs and ramps that were recently constructed.  We watched them for a while. One of his posse made it look easy !

    After a bit we took off following Sean and crew down the hill.  I was in concact with then when my front tire pushed out and I went down.      Oh well.     I  regroup with Kent and we enjoy the rest of the descent.    Kent was having trouble with his pedal and couldn't clip in very easily.

    Finally we are back at the cars.  A good time was had by all.  Not sure why more folks are coming out to play?