Yes, I love my bikes. I haven't done a ride longer than maybe 1 hour 15 mins in quite some time. But, those rides on the 29er hardtail single speed have been fun. Managing momentum vs effort. Sweet talking a bike over technical obstacles that would surely intimidate the average recreational rider. The SS has been sweet.
However, tonight, I got out the Ventana. My sweet, lovely Ventana. Despite not being in shape for it, we logged 30+ miles together tonight. Pure, blissfully, sweet harmony between man, machine, and nature. I am not shitting you. Feeling 100% as one between man, the machine you toil over incessantly to achieve perfection , and the trail.
Despite not being in shape for it, I loved every single second of it...even when I wasn't sure if my legs would fall off or my heart would explode from the effort. It was still pure, blissfull sweet harmony. Everything I asked of that bike, it delivered...and gave it to me with pure joy. Yes, that is right, 5+ inches of the smoothest, most supple travel you will ever feel on a machine....responding to your every input as if it knew what you wanted and where you wanted to go.
If you don't ride a bike passionately, you won't understand. But, man, I love my bikes. Be it the road bike, the Ventana, the SS, the XC bike...I get on one of those, and NOTHING ELSE MATTERS. I love my bikes. And, I love the opportunity to ride them. I'll miss Monterey (when it comes time to leave) and the opportunities I get to connect with my bikes and nature and the feeling the ability to live in that instantaneous moment where success is just as rewarding as playful failure....for the fun is trying something whether you fail or not.
If you don't know what I am talking about, you need to get a bike and remember the freedom that two self propelled wheels in the middle of nowhere can give you. I am serious.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Liking the SS
Got in a quick ride today with some of the guys. Peter, Jason, Darius, and Mike. It was chilly out, but sunny. Maybe 48-50F. I had a lot of fun on the SS while riding with H on Sunday and had been itching to get back on it again. So, today was a good day to do it.
I just recently tried putting my old Juicy 7's from the Ventana onto the SS, but the front one seems to have a sticky piston. So, I picked up a BB7 and threw that on the front. The old BB-5's on the SS absolutely sucked. Brake issues solved and riding this year with a suspension vs rigid fork has made the SS a lot more fun. Sometimes it is cool to grunt out a climb, though not too steep and not too long of a climb! If the grade and distance are just right, it is a nice change from having to sit and spin up climbs.
And, with the 29er wheels on the SS, cornering seems a little more fun...at least a different kind of feel than the cushy 26" wheeled Ventana. Neat also is riding over sections and having to think about maintaining flow while letting your arms and legs act as shock absorbers again...for if you ride over it in the same fashion as on a 5+" travel full suspension bike that rides like a cloud, you have a good chance of ending up on the ground, not on the bike. So, that adds another challenge to liven things up on the same old trails. Jumping too. Man, landing a jump smoothly on a hardtail with only 80mm of travel takes a lot more skill than say on the Ventana with 140mm of travel up front and about the same in back.
So, back to today's ride. Fun. Only felt like I was killing myself on a couple of climbs, but we were on the 8th and G side...and didn't really hit any of the climbs that are challenging. Jason was the only one on a geard bike too.
Hopefully, the rain holds off tomorrow (supposed to rain off and on for the next 5 days or so) long enough to permit us to do the normal Wednesday night ride...and I'll be on the SS again.
I just recently tried putting my old Juicy 7's from the Ventana onto the SS, but the front one seems to have a sticky piston. So, I picked up a BB7 and threw that on the front. The old BB-5's on the SS absolutely sucked. Brake issues solved and riding this year with a suspension vs rigid fork has made the SS a lot more fun. Sometimes it is cool to grunt out a climb, though not too steep and not too long of a climb! If the grade and distance are just right, it is a nice change from having to sit and spin up climbs.
And, with the 29er wheels on the SS, cornering seems a little more fun...at least a different kind of feel than the cushy 26" wheeled Ventana. Neat also is riding over sections and having to think about maintaining flow while letting your arms and legs act as shock absorbers again...for if you ride over it in the same fashion as on a 5+" travel full suspension bike that rides like a cloud, you have a good chance of ending up on the ground, not on the bike. So, that adds another challenge to liven things up on the same old trails. Jumping too. Man, landing a jump smoothly on a hardtail with only 80mm of travel takes a lot more skill than say on the Ventana with 140mm of travel up front and about the same in back.
So, back to today's ride. Fun. Only felt like I was killing myself on a couple of climbs, but we were on the 8th and G side...and didn't really hit any of the climbs that are challenging. Jason was the only one on a geard bike too.
Hopefully, the rain holds off tomorrow (supposed to rain off and on for the next 5 days or so) long enough to permit us to do the normal Wednesday night ride...and I'll be on the SS again.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Sedona
H and I hit up Sedona before Christmas. Overall, it was a good time. I got schooled hard by some locals. There was wet and sometimes ICY off camber sections of sandstone with huge drop offs on the downward slope. Those sections really made me loose confidence on the bike.
The next day, I took H on a ride. It turned out (from my perspective) to be one of her best rides. She did way better than I thought she would. We ended up doing over 15 miles of Sedona riding at 4000 feet of elevation....probably a lot to ask of someone coming from sea level that isn't a passionate rider.
Anyway, some vids from that ride with H.
The next day, I took H on a ride. It turned out (from my perspective) to be one of her best rides. She did way better than I thought she would. We ended up doing over 15 miles of Sedona riding at 4000 feet of elevation....probably a lot to ask of someone coming from sea level that isn't a passionate rider.
Anyway, some vids from that ride with H.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Trip Update...
Did I really do my last post on Christmas Day?
Anyway, the day after christmas, I hit up National Trail at South Mountain. This time, I took each climb much slower and didn't feel the need to push myself. Oh what a difference that made. I think this was the single most fun ride I have had on National Trail. I still was unable to ride the waterfall. Someday, maybe I will if I get a lot of chances to take runs at it on multiple days. Otherwise, there is just too much to risk while traveling...If I bite it on the waterfall, the riding portion of the trip is over. Not good.
Anyway, some vids from SoMo and National trail:
Anyway, the day after christmas, I hit up National Trail at South Mountain. This time, I took each climb much slower and didn't feel the need to push myself. Oh what a difference that made. I think this was the single most fun ride I have had on National Trail. I still was unable to ride the waterfall. Someday, maybe I will if I get a lot of chances to take runs at it on multiple days. Otherwise, there is just too much to risk while traveling...If I bite it on the waterfall, the riding portion of the trip is over. Not good.
Anyway, some vids from SoMo and National trail:
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Traveling Again
Well, H and I hit the road last week. One night and one day in Yosemite. No heat in the camper that night...had a propane leak and it was too late (1am when we pulled in) to mess with. Did a day hike in the snow. There wasn't anything open yet in Yosemite to rent XC skis or snowshoes, so hike it was.
Next, we went to Bakersfield to stop at H's parent's place. Rode with her Dad the next day and picked up her snow shoes too. Then hit the road for Sedona.Lucked out pretty well with Sedona. TrailDoc from MTBR let us park in front of his house...he was even up at 1 am when we rolled into town. He is 3 months post ACL recontruction, so wasn't riding much with us the next day. And, as it turns out, I happened to ride with TrailDoc and his wife in Moab 5 or so years ago, but didn't realize the connection until we had talked a bit in Sedona. His wife was 52 at the time I rode with them in Moab and I was walking stuff she was riding/rolling. Small, small world...at least the MTB world :)
Since he wasn't riding hard (not supposed to ride at all at this point in the recovery), his neighbor Wes took me around the trails and made me feel like a) I wasn't in shape and b) I didn't have a whole lot of skill either. He was riding a much heavier Turner 6 pack and pedaled away from me on every climb. Regardless of my comparitive ineptitude on the bike, Wes was a super nice guy and it was good to ride with a friendly local (who also seemed to know everyone we came across on the trail).
The next day, I took H on the trail. She did really, really well. Rode lots of stuff. We got some good photos too....
We rode again the next day, this time a shorter ride out of West Sedona. I think H burned the candle at both ends the day before as she was really feeling it. After the ride, a little lunch, then to PV to visit my mom. Then Phoenix once again. I rode Desert Classic at South Mountain Christmas Eve...and am left wondering why it is that even the easy XC trails at south mountain always make me feel out of shape. Tomorrow, I'll probably do Morman and National at South Mountain. Then, I may hit the road to do a couple of rides while enroute to meet back up with H in Austin.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
It is good to have more than one bike...
So, Friday I did the standard night ride on the trails and then ride to the bar....have a few beers and then rode home. On the Ventana. Sunday morning, H picked up her new roadbike, so we went for a road ride.
Later today, I got in a SS ride on the formerly fully rigid SS 29er. I put a Reba Race 29er fork on the front of it Friday. SO much better! Had a good time running around the trails at Fort Ord, trying to beat the sunset. 3 different rides...3 different bikes...all good.
Now, can I get past the feeling that I am neglecting the Ventana (my true bike love) and ride the SS more frequently on the trail? Hmmmm. We shall see...though I suspect having to change pedals from commuter pedals to clipless every time I want to hit the trails with the SS will help ensure the Ventana and I maintain a good relationship....but it is always good to throw in some variety!
Later today, I got in a SS ride on the formerly fully rigid SS 29er. I put a Reba Race 29er fork on the front of it Friday. SO much better! Had a good time running around the trails at Fort Ord, trying to beat the sunset. 3 different rides...3 different bikes...all good.
Now, can I get past the feeling that I am neglecting the Ventana (my true bike love) and ride the SS more frequently on the trail? Hmmmm. We shall see...though I suspect having to change pedals from commuter pedals to clipless every time I want to hit the trails with the SS will help ensure the Ventana and I maintain a good relationship....but it is always good to throw in some variety!
Update
Where to begin. Well, I rode National Trail at South Mountain in Phoenix on Thanksgiving day again this year. Only this time I didn't crack any ribs! Pic:
The day after, I rode in Sedona. Good place to ride. I was kicking myself for having never stopped there to ride on my many trips there. My mom only lives an hour away too. Actually, I did try riding there once...and it wasn't very fun, but I had limited info at the time.
Haivng now found the good information, which wasn't that hard to find at all, I'd say the riding is almost on par with Moab.
Pictures kind of suck becasue I forgot the memory card for the camera so had to do the cell phone pics.Scenery is almost on par with Moab as well.
However, the atmosphere in town absolutely BLOWS. Bunch of snobs. The trails were busy...day after Thanksgiving and all. Ran into a few folks from the bay area and a some from San Diego too, so at least as far as I could tell, the attitude from town doesn't invade the trails.
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