November 27, 2012

• Hall Ranch

  So it's a good day to ride and I am finally going to make it out to Hall Ranch.  I have heard a lot about the place but never had the impetus to make it out there.  I must say I was a bit nervous going to ride there, as I heard it was quite technical and that's not my strong suite yet.   I have done some Technical rides with the likes of the 450 club, and I know my limits and even though I enjoy working on some tech, I don't like to ride over my head, so Let's see how this goes.

  Yeah, so you are probably wondering what got me out here.  Well, if your read my last 40 in the Fort Blog,  I was lucky enough to connect with Marie (Zils friend), the woman in the green socks with the amazing down hill skills.  I figured I could hold my own on the climbs and with the help of the Yeti 575 would at least not embarrass myself too much.  So the plan was set for me to ride with Marie, Clyde and Matt.

  I met Marie in Loveland and we carpooled down to meet Clyde and Matt at the Trail head.  The drive down was uneventful and it seemed a bit odd to be driving those roads, since most of the time I get down there on bike when doing one of Gale Berhnhardt's Sunday rides. In any case it was good to get to talk to Marie, since I only got to exchange the small words mentioned in the last blog when we passed each other.

  At last we are at the trail head and it isn't long before we are joined by Clyde and Matt.  Clyde, Marie's boyfriend drove up from Denver and Matt also came from Fort Collins.  Probably should have carpooled with Matt, but it just didn't work out that way..  At the Trail head everyone is pretty friendly.  Good vibes from the hikers and all, and this is a good start to the adventure.

  We are all off and ready and Marie heads up the trail 1st.  Oh my, I had forgotten how fast she was and I am putting more effort in getting the 575 to move compared to what my YSL would have required.   At this point I am starting to rethink my choice of steeds cause at this rate, I'll be toast in 40 minutes.   In any case this only lasts for a minute until Clyde takes over and sets a much more civil pace.  Yeah, that's more like it and life is wonderful again!  Not that it wasn't anyhow, but my legs aren't going to explode any time soon.

  It's after a mile or so the technical stuff begins.  I was holding my own more or less, but since it was my 1st time being there, I didn't know any of the lines and with so many rocks etc. my eyes were darting around trying to find something I could handle.   after a 1/4 mile or so we come to some Sessionable sections where I watch Marie, Clyde and Matt work the terrain.  For some reason I didn't have a ton of confidence in my rear tire which I was planning on replacing and with the dust on some of the rocks I didn't feel like "going for it" and risking injury so early in the ride, so I am content to enjoy the show.

  At this point in the ride I am happy with my choice of bikes, but I couldn't help wondering how the YSL would have held up with it's 130mm pushed fork.  I am sure it probably would have been OK, but it's bottom bracket is kinda high and descending may have been an issue... but I digress.... 

  As we are climbing we come to a few other sections of trail that are worth some do overs and I watch the Marie/Clyde and Matt show.   I was thinking that I should jump in there and do some more sessioning, but for some reason I just wasn't feeling that go-for-it spirit.  I could be cause I was a bit hungry but whatever, I was content to observe.  There were some really good opportunities to take some sweet pics, but that phone camera wasn't cutting it.  Mental note,  Next time bring a real(tm) camera...

  Finally we are done with the technical stuff and it's time to relax and just ride. I must say, the trails here are really sweet and I am wishing I had taken  Barb/Tim/Chad/Darrens suggestions to ride this one before now.  In any case I am here now and life is good.   As we reach one of the clearings  Marie spots a Bobcat!.  We hang out and watch them, and once again, my camera is inadequate, but I take some pics anyway in hopes I can crop and zoom my way into something decent.

  Once again riding I get a chance to chat more with my new found companions and they are pretty cool.  I like a ride where it's not too deep and relaxed, with not too much technical bike talk, just good conversation, which is important to me when riding with folks for the 1st time.  While we are talking we run into one of the friendly Hikers (Liza) and she is kind enough to snap a pic of us and email it to me.  It's good when hikers and MTBr's can get along so well and it's real....  Anyway Thanks Liza.

  So, anyway, we talk and ride and get to the summit where there is a view of Longs Peak and Meeker.  I need not say it, but I need to get back to bringing a real camera....  OK time to descend and life is sweet again.   Marie and Clyde just about checkout on the descent and I do my best to keep pace and follow their lines.  The terrain up here is a bit grainy and that 575 seems to want to "push" a lot.  I've gotta figure that out some day, as at times there are lesser riders that I hookup with and even they are able to walk away from me but when following skilled folks it's such a noticeable shortcoming on my part. Maybe it's the front tire, I just don't know.  Maybe some day I will Strava some of these sections for comparison between some of my bikes and see if I have that problem on all of them...   Anyway, besides that getting dropped feeling I am really happy to be out and riding.  Hmm Maybe I can get the Push folks to help me out with some of their fancy gadgets... probably not, but that would be cool...

  Now onto the Descending part of the Technical Section!  Ok, I drop my saddle and I can handle most of this stuff.  I try and see the lines that Marie, Clyde and Matt are taking and that is taking the guess work out of some of it. I am still not really comfortable doing this and I think I would do better if that 130m was at least a 160, but the 130 is more that adequate if one has skills.  In any case I felt more and more comfy as time went on and I am sure if I took the time to practice I would be much much better...  While I am checking out some lines some riders came by that were "Amazingly" fast.  Wow, Ok, so I am so far from the limit of how fast this can be ridden it's ridiculous.

  Finally we are back in the parking lot and it's time for Matt to checkout as he has places to be.  So Marie, Clyde and I are chatting and we decide to ride over to the Picnic Trail which is a couple of miles down the road.   Well, my legs feel good so this sounds like a plan and the way it was described it sounded like some sweet riding.  Clyde leads the way to the trail head at a good clip.  I am not sure that Clyde knows how strong he really is, and considering that he only rides off-road, it's more impressive.  I suppose he's got to be strong to keep up with Marie all the time!

  This trail is some of the sweetest Single trak I have ridden in quite a while. It's got some East coast feel with some trees and nice flowing switches.  Yeah, baby, this is the life.  Clyde's pace is excellent and right in the zone of exactly what I would have set if I was riding point.  I gotta love it when I am not being push and I can just enjoy the ride. 

  The Sun is starting to set, but we are making good time.  While we are climbing, I see a familiar face sitting astride a bike,  and it's Darren.   We stop and exchange greetings.  Looked like Darren wanted to join us for the rest of the ascent, but the Sun was setting and it looked like he'd rather not get caught in the darkness.  We say our goodbyes and off we go.

  At some point a woman had passed us and Marie decided to go chase her down. Clyde and I just let them go and we had a nice chat while enjoying the trail.  It's not too long before we are at the top where Marie and the other woman are chatting.  She had some sweet Carbon bike and from what Marie learn, she's a racer.    We don't chat very long and we are descending.

  This is one sweet descent.  Marie checked out and I am following Clyde.  This part of the trail is hard and the Yeti is lovin it!  This was probably the only part of the ride where it was pretty comfortable following Clyde.   We are moving pretty well and just flowing the trail.  The only thing I could have wished for was a GoPro Camera to capture all of this splendor.  That footage would be some good to roll into something to watch if I was ever forced to ride the trainer in the winter or to just watch when I am old and can't ride and can relive the good-old-daz!

  After a bit we find Marie resting and it's time to rock and roll again.  For this section I find myself behind Marie and we are flying pretty good.  The hard pack is good for the Yeti and event though I am riding pretty hard I am not stupid-crazy.  As the soil loosens up and gets a bit more Twisty, Marie starts to checkout.  I know better than to try and stay with her as "A man's got to know his Limits".   It's a bit harder to ride without her lines to follow.  I must admit I was enjoying the Marie show, especially when she did those little stylish mini-whips into the corners... Mental note, gotta get a Go-Pro....   So now I back off a bit but am still cruising pretty well and I am not sure why, but my front end washes out and "crap" I can't save this one and down I go! Ouch.  I get up check out the bike and body, and with the exception of some dirt-rash I am OK.

  Clyde passes me at this point and I get back on the bike and slowly take off.  I see that the handle bars are a bit askew, so I stop and fix them.   As I ride along I see that Clyde and Marie in the distance and with enough daylight left I don't need to chase to hard. I am still doing self and bike assessments and I am good-to-go and before long am not feeling any of that initial crash impact soreness.

  We regroup and take the road back and we are back at the cars before long!  Excellent day, except for my crash, but a good time was had by all.  Gotta hit Hall again sometime.  It's definitely worth the drive!

  • 9:47 pm
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