So, it's Thurday (well, nearly Friday), and I'm getting around to writing about the ride on Sunday - must be a record!
I got an email from Ted. He was in town and wanted to go riding. Thunderstorms were for casted, and Friday had been nothing but hard rain, but surprisingly the trails weren't bad at all, and it barely rained all day.
I climbed up the Providence Farm trail and met Ted in the parking lot.
We were a little way along Middle T when Willi came up behind us. We followed him up Skywalker and to the beginning of Field of Dreams, where Ted convinced Willi to ride with us to the top, a decision that I think he soon started to regret.
Willi does a massive chunk of the trail maintenance and trail building up on the mountain. He rides a 45 lb downhill bike faster than most trail riders go on their 25 lb XC bikes, carries a saw, and wheelie-drops off everything. And he's at least 60.
Willi puts everyone to shame.
While we were stopped at the top, four people that Willi knew came along, and we all ended up riding down together.
I got on a bit better with the bike today though. I was able to keep up with Willi on most of Field of Dreams, and I "felt" faster on all the singletrack. The shorter (40mm) stem and short, flat bars helped. I went to flick the ProPedal lever on when I got back on the road, and realized it had been on for the whole ride. Either it needs a lot more air in (though it's only sagged to 20%, and Trek recommends 25%), or I need a hardtail.
What I realized on this ride was how much fun it is to chase someone. Trying to keep up with Willi really pushed me to go faster, and I just rode a lot of stuff without thinking about it. I don't seem to be able to push myself when I ride alone.
Is this why people love racing?
Anyway, thanks for getting me to come out riding Ted. I would have probably sat at home all day waiting for it to rain. It was a really good ride.
Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
A couple of weeks ago was the first XC race of the Island Cup. Since it was in Victoria, I decide to ride down. I rode to Mill Bay and too the ferry to Brentwood Bay, which is less than 10 km from The Dump. The problem with rides brken up by ferries is standing on the deck and freezing your toes off.
I arrived toward the end of the beginner race, and hung around all day. I took my camera and a flash, and set up by a little stream. Despite taking photos of every rider that passed, I only got a handfull of half-decent photos.
It started to rain as I rode down Mt. Work, and continued to do so until I got home. The ferry ride was colder, and the ride home was terrible.
Last weekend was the second race, this time in Port Alberni. I was going to get a ride up with Kurt and Kevin, but felt horrible the night before, sneezing and clogged sinuses, so didn't.
In the morning though, I felt quite a bit better, and thought it would help to go outside, so rode up Touzhalem along the trail from Providence farm. I come down this trail every time, but only twice have I ridden up it before , and that was over a year ago. I ride up that way to get out of the sun on a very hot day, but that was before I'd realized there was a bus that goes up through The Properties.
Mount Tzouhalem is my favourite place to ride, but I don't go regularly because I hate getting there. It's either a slow (on a mountain bike) 40 minute climb on the roads, or a 30 minute bus ride, preceded by 10 mins spent waiting for the bus (that only goes up there twice a day).
But realizing that I can comfortably climb the Providence Farm trail (I walked 2 bits, which I could probably ride when dry, or when more determined) makes Tzouhalem much more appealing. It takes me 10 mins on the road to get to the white church, and 45 from there to get the fireroad that goes from the main road to the cross. It takes me 15 to get down, and ten to get home from there. This means that mountain biking before work is possible! I could probably squeeze in Chicken Runs 2 & 3 and Three Musketeers while I'm up there.
It's rained almost every day since though.
Last Monday (my weekend is now Sunday and Monday), was reasonably clear but windy, with puffy clouds, so I thought I'd get going with my time-lapse project. The plan was to ride up Prevost to the very top, and shoot a time-lapse sequence of the valley with the clouds going by, but I got distracted by some hang gliders floating down from the top (and it started to rain, and my backpack isn't waterproof).
I followed them to their landing field and watched one land. I've often watched the paragliders, but never seen the hang gliders up close. The hang gliders are definitely faster in the air and much more maneuverable and "sporty", but they only seem to stay in the air for 20 mins at a time. The paragliders are often up there for 2 hours or more on good days. Also, the paragliders just fold up their wing and shove it in a bag, and thow it on the backseat of their car, whereas the hang gliders spend quite some time disassembling them, and then need a truck with special racks on the top to transport them.
I asked them if they were planning on doing another run, in hopes that I could get a timlapse of them winding their way down, but they said the wind was too rough.
I rode down the highway a bit and ended up setting up in a ditch at the side of the gold course. I took a few test shots, and when exposed for the sky, the bottom of the frame looked way over exposed, so I cut out the golf course and re-composed for just the sky, which was un-interesting. I should have trusted the histogram though, because the ground, while a little dark, was still usable.
I set up for one frame every five seconds, and sat and waited for about half an hour, and this is what I got (played back at 30 fps, at 15 was too slow):
Why is it all flickery? When I compare the frames, some are darker than others. Why? Everything on the camera was set to manual; aperature, shutter speed, iso, white balance, focus, etc.
What happened?
I arrived toward the end of the beginner race, and hung around all day. I took my camera and a flash, and set up by a little stream. Despite taking photos of every rider that passed, I only got a handfull of half-decent photos.
It started to rain as I rode down Mt. Work, and continued to do so until I got home. The ferry ride was colder, and the ride home was terrible.
Last weekend was the second race, this time in Port Alberni. I was going to get a ride up with Kurt and Kevin, but felt horrible the night before, sneezing and clogged sinuses, so didn't.
In the morning though, I felt quite a bit better, and thought it would help to go outside, so rode up Touzhalem along the trail from Providence farm. I come down this trail every time, but only twice have I ridden up it before , and that was over a year ago. I ride up that way to get out of the sun on a very hot day, but that was before I'd realized there was a bus that goes up through The Properties.
Mount Tzouhalem is my favourite place to ride, but I don't go regularly because I hate getting there. It's either a slow (on a mountain bike) 40 minute climb on the roads, or a 30 minute bus ride, preceded by 10 mins spent waiting for the bus (that only goes up there twice a day).
But realizing that I can comfortably climb the Providence Farm trail (I walked 2 bits, which I could probably ride when dry, or when more determined) makes Tzouhalem much more appealing. It takes me 10 mins on the road to get to the white church, and 45 from there to get the fireroad that goes from the main road to the cross. It takes me 15 to get down, and ten to get home from there. This means that mountain biking before work is possible! I could probably squeeze in Chicken Runs 2 & 3 and Three Musketeers while I'm up there.
It's rained almost every day since though.
Last Monday (my weekend is now Sunday and Monday), was reasonably clear but windy, with puffy clouds, so I thought I'd get going with my time-lapse project. The plan was to ride up Prevost to the very top, and shoot a time-lapse sequence of the valley with the clouds going by, but I got distracted by some hang gliders floating down from the top (and it started to rain, and my backpack isn't waterproof).
I followed them to their landing field and watched one land. I've often watched the paragliders, but never seen the hang gliders up close. The hang gliders are definitely faster in the air and much more maneuverable and "sporty", but they only seem to stay in the air for 20 mins at a time. The paragliders are often up there for 2 hours or more on good days. Also, the paragliders just fold up their wing and shove it in a bag, and thow it on the backseat of their car, whereas the hang gliders spend quite some time disassembling them, and then need a truck with special racks on the top to transport them.
I asked them if they were planning on doing another run, in hopes that I could get a timlapse of them winding their way down, but they said the wind was too rough.
I rode down the highway a bit and ended up setting up in a ditch at the side of the gold course. I took a few test shots, and when exposed for the sky, the bottom of the frame looked way over exposed, so I cut out the golf course and re-composed for just the sky, which was un-interesting. I should have trusted the histogram though, because the ground, while a little dark, was still usable.
I set up for one frame every five seconds, and sat and waited for about half an hour, and this is what I got (played back at 30 fps, at 15 was too slow):
Why is it all flickery? When I compare the frames, some are darker than others. Why? Everything on the camera was set to manual; aperature, shutter speed, iso, white balance, focus, etc.
What happened?
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Riding Updates
I've been meaning to update for over two weeks now.I can't even remember what about. I always have loads of blog posts being written in my head, but don't find the time (ie. am too lazy) to type them up.
On Saturday 15th Aug I went for a ride on Tzouhalem. The weather was grey and cloudy, but warmer than expected. Since I hadn't yet got around to taking any decent bike photos I took my camera and spent several hours climbing into the bush and propping by bike up with sticks.
I also managed to attach my SD770 onto my helmet for some of the ride down:
The first is the bridge on M-One, then a bridge on Skywalker, and the last clip is then end of Fluid, end of Emma's Express, and the beginnning of Resurection:
This camera seems to do really well as a helmet cam. (Quality directly from the camera is a lot better - bighter, higher frame rate, less jaggy), except for the mounting issue (I used elastic bands and my helmet light mount).
This one picks up at the end of Resurection, and the there's a bit of the Providence Farm trail:
You can hear my brake catching at 0:56. I'm fell off on T-Bone and smacked it against a rock. It was VERY bent. The wheel wouldn't spin freely with the backend off the ground at all. It was catching on the pads for 180º.
I went to Cobble Hill the next day. I was going to take the bus, but missed it, so rode there. I messed about on the dirt jump park for a while, then headed up the mountain. The trails up (and even the fireroads) are quite steep. The dragging brake didn't exactly help me get up.
I don't know the trails on Cobble Hill very well, and ended up in someone's front garden, and then had to ride on the road along the bottom of the mountain. Has anyone got a map or suggested route down? I can always find my way up, but can never find a way down that takes me to the bottom.
(that's the wet tip of Shawnigan lake you can see in the photo - I think)On Saturday 22nd, I went around to Carole's house to install her new printer. She made me a tuna melt and we watched some tennis, then I went riding on Tzouhalem (big suprise there...). Having had Adam at the bike shop straighten my rotor ("wow - that really is bent!"), I rode to the top on singletrack and fireroad, and then sat at the top and ate my sandwiches with my legs dangling over Cow Bay.
I rode along the ridge, and I usually turn right immediately before Arbutus Drop, because it used to look really scary, but I haven't even looked at it in the last year, and today it looked completely do-able (not the drop to the right of the tree, but the rock to the left). I didn't ride it (I'm going to have to get some armor, because there's rock everywhere), but I did ride the ride-around, which is a steep rooty drop, and if you don't make the 90º corner immediately after it you'll end up in Cow Bay. I carried on along Boogie Man, which I hadn't been along since my second time on the mountain, when Willy showed me some trails. It all seems ridable - nothing I couldn't do. I walked a lot of things, but I'm confident that after seeing them, that I'd be able to ride them next time (and when I find some leg armor that fits - damn my short, fat legs!). The problem with Boogie Man is that it doesn't fit into a ride very well. It takes you to the trail that goes to the cross. Your options from there are to the cross and then down some steep slick rock that goes straight to the Providence Farm trail (meaning you miss out on a whole load on singletrack), along the the fireroad to Chicken Run 2 which leaves you on the wrong side of the mountain for the nice trails, or along thge fireroad a tiny bit to the top of Danilizer, which I don't really like. I rode it that day. It's very rooty and rocky, steep climbs, up and down, bumpy, NO flow what so ever. Annoying, in a way. It was so much easier on the new bike though - rather than trying to climb over every root and trying to control the deflection, this bike just rolls over them without my momentum being damaged at all.
On Sunday I went for a road ride around Shawnigan Lake. For some reason I thought it was going to be a 100 km ride, so I was a little suprised when I got back two and a half hours after I left! Turns out it's only 60 km. It's a really nice loop around the lake though - smooth(ish) roads, nice rolling hills, well sheltered, lots of trees and green stuff, not a lot of traffic, and because you're riding around a lake there's no temptation to change the route while riding (which I do a lot).
This last weekend I did the same loop again on Saturday (except took the road from Cobble Hill to Rona back to the highway.
It was Cobble Hill Fall Fair. I've been avoiding the thought for the last few weeks - it feels like Autumn already. Summer is ending. I don't want it too. It's gone by so fast. Last year, summer seemed to last forever - probably because I had a lot of time off work. There were loads of things I wanted to do over the summer. I haven't done any of them - not even the island-hopping trip, or a single mountain bike ride somewhere other than the Cowichan Valley. After spending the whole week angry at work (and working 2 12 hour days, and 3 10 hours), I spent the whole ride on Saturday pissed off. Mainly because I'd been invited to ride the North Shore and Whistler with Ted and his friend Ian, and I couldn't go. I had to be on the last ferry on Friday (10:45 pm) to go, and I knew I wouldn't be done work early enought. In fact, I was at work until 10 pm that day.
I really hate my job. It gets in the way of everything. My hours are horrible - 9:30 to 6, but I never leave on time, so no time in the morning to do anything, but no time after wrk to do anything. And no one gets a shouting at. It's all backwards - the more you do, the more work gets dumped on you, whereas the less work the lazy ones do, the less work they get given, because the don't do it properly or don't get it done at all. So I've got three people waiting to talk to me after the one I'm dealing with, and one of the guys passes his customer onto me while he stands around doing nothing, and I've got a whole load of tech work to do and issue that need resolving. I could be employed full time just doing paperwork and shipping and dealing with warranty issues and phone calls and speaking to customers. I don't have time to actually fix computers. I've still got stuff on the bench from seven days ago. We took in three times more money in tech last week than average, which means my work load was three times as much, and I haven't been able to get caught up or get to the non-essential work since March, so I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.
Quit, I guess. Anyone looking for a cheap techie?
Anyway, I was talking about the riding. I didn't go mountain biking at all all weekend. I phoned Hilary to see if she wanted to go riding, but she was doing a craft fair in Ladysmith, so I rode up to see her, then rode back.
Look, it is autumn!:
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Prevost on Monday
...with Ted.
(You can see the outline of Mt. Tzouhalem in the background)
After each watching seasons multiple times and studying Stevie Smith's section, Ted and I wanted to go and find some of the trails in the movie. So, with some directions from Doug in mind, and some muffins from Tim Horton's in backpacks, we headed up Prevost.
After several complaints from Ted ("This is definitely a shuttling mountain."), we decided not to ride to the top, but took the fire road across the mountain. We stopped to peer down Patchworks, and continued on until we came to what must be the DH race course.
As it hadn't rained in a long time, the trail was very dust and loose. There were a couple of steep sketchy bits that I didn't ride that I'm sure I could ride now I've seen them. There was one place where we had the choice of three trails, and we took the right (almost a u-turn) as it looked the least steep. We ended up on the same trail that we usually do if we take Graceland.
The whole trail was pretty ridable. I think there was only one bit Ted didn't ride, and pretty sure we could both ride it next time, especially after a bit of rain.
(skip forward to 5:04)
Total Distance: 24.6 km (from my place back to my place)
Total Time: 4:23
(You can see the outline of Mt. Tzouhalem in the background)After each watching seasons multiple times and studying Stevie Smith's section, Ted and I wanted to go and find some of the trails in the movie. So, with some directions from Doug in mind, and some muffins from Tim Horton's in backpacks, we headed up Prevost.
After several complaints from Ted ("This is definitely a shuttling mountain."), we decided not to ride to the top, but took the fire road across the mountain. We stopped to peer down Patchworks, and continued on until we came to what must be the DH race course.
As it hadn't rained in a long time, the trail was very dust and loose. There were a couple of steep sketchy bits that I didn't ride that I'm sure I could ride now I've seen them. There was one place where we had the choice of three trails, and we took the right (almost a u-turn) as it looked the least steep. We ended up on the same trail that we usually do if we take Graceland.
The whole trail was pretty ridable. I think there was only one bit Ted didn't ride, and pretty sure we could both ride it next time, especially after a bit of rain.
(skip forward to 5:04)
Total Distance: 24.6 km (from my place back to my place)Total Time: 4:23
Riding at the Tzou (again) last Sunday
Katie,
Roland,
Jen,
Dave,
Jamie,
Ted
and I went for a ride on Tzouhalem last Sunday.
Up some fireroad and singletrack to Field of Dreams, up the fireroad to the top where we took a break,
then down Rocky Ridge, Santa Cruz Way, Blueberry Pancakes, along the fireroad to Middle T, Showtime, Luc's Skywalker,
Fluid, and Resurection.
Ted fell off the first bridge on Field of Dreams/Little Dipper, but rode it the second time.
Jen fell off the long flat bridge on Skywalker, but rode it on the second try.
Katie got a pinch flat on Middle T.
Roland fell off multiple times while not moving.
Jamie rode all of Zig Zag.
Roland rode some.
Ted rode some.
Thanks for coming everyone. Great ride!
Roland,
Jen,
Dave,Jamie,Ted and I went for a ride on Tzouhalem last Sunday.Up some fireroad and singletrack to Field of Dreams, up the fireroad to the top where we took a break,
then down Rocky Ridge, Santa Cruz Way, Blueberry Pancakes, along the fireroad to Middle T, Showtime, Luc's Skywalker,
Fluid, and Resurection.Ted fell off the first bridge on Field of Dreams/Little Dipper, but rode it the second time.
Jen fell off the long flat bridge on Skywalker, but rode it on the second try.
Katie got a pinch flat on Middle T.
Roland fell off multiple times while not moving.Jamie rode all of Zig Zag.
Roland rode some.Ted rode some.Thanks for coming everyone. Great ride!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Tzouhalem on Saturday
Long weekend! Yay!
I'm just really dreading work on Tuesday.
Ted was over from Vancouver for the weekend, and wanted to go riding.
I went up the Tzou at about 3 pm, and he came up at about 6.
After admiring each other's new bikes (he bought a Hustler frame to replace the Stiffee), we rode up some singletrack, came down Little Dipper, Luc's Skywalker, Fluid, and Resurrection.
We rode a bit of woodwork. I fell off the same bridge three times, once onto Ted. It's just the up ramps that I can't do. I'm fine once on the ladders. I rode along the top and down, I just couldn't get up.
Here's Ted demonstrating the difficulty of the up ramp:
We ran into Crazy Doug at the top of Showtime/bottom of Cakewalk. I'd met him previously shuttling friends on Prevost. He gave us advise on routes down Prevost - cheers Doug.
I made Ted miss his mum's steak dinner. I don't think he was happy about that.
I took my GPS receiver, but I don't know what's wrong with it - it seems to only work when I turn it on!
Do you think I'm over doing it with the monochrome?
I'm kind of of the opinion that if colour isn't adding anything, then it's detracting.
I find contrast much more interesting. (click to enlarge)
I'm just really dreading work on Tuesday.
Ted was over from Vancouver for the weekend, and wanted to go riding.I went up the Tzou at about 3 pm, and he came up at about 6.
After admiring each other's new bikes (he bought a Hustler frame to replace the Stiffee), we rode up some singletrack, came down Little Dipper, Luc's Skywalker, Fluid, and Resurrection.We rode a bit of woodwork. I fell off the same bridge three times, once onto Ted. It's just the up ramps that I can't do. I'm fine once on the ladders. I rode along the top and down, I just couldn't get up.Here's Ted demonstrating the difficulty of the up ramp:
We ran into Crazy Doug at the top of Showtime/bottom of Cakewalk. I'd met him previously shuttling friends on Prevost. He gave us advise on routes down Prevost - cheers Doug.I made Ted miss his mum's steak dinner. I don't think he was happy about that.
I took my GPS receiver, but I don't know what's wrong with it - it seems to only work when I turn it on!
Do you think I'm over doing it with the monochrome?
I'm kind of of the opinion that if colour isn't adding anything, then it's detracting.
I find contrast much more interesting. (click to enlarge)
Friday, July 31, 2009
Group Ride
Slow ("casual pace") group ride on Mt Tzouhalem on Sunday (August 2nd) at 10 am for anyone that wants to come along. We're meeting at the parking lot at the top of the properties.
The more the merrier.
Please invite to anyone and everyone.
Hope to see some of you there.
The more the merrier.
Please invite to anyone and everyone.
Hope to see some of you there.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Prevost
There was a thunder storm Saturday night. Funny, the forecast didn't mention it when I checked on Saturday (I don't usually look at the forecast at all, only to see what the current temperature is).
I woke up Sunday morning and mirror fell off the wall. I wasn't even anywhere near it! Seven years bad luck? Bugger.
I decided to ride Prevost, but thought it best to wait until later in the day when there would be more shade. So I left at about 4pm, and rode to the top. I got the time right - the fireroad up must have been 70% SHADE.
I didn't go right up to the cairn, as I was worried about it getting dark, so headed into the trees on a trail I hadn't ridden before. I didn't expect to be able to ride it all, as I'd been told it was steep. Hilary said it would come out at the top of Graceland. After about 20 meters of being hit in the head by large branches, the trail disappeared completely, so I pushed back, only to realize that there was an alternate trail that veered right, so I took that one. I was able to ride the first chunk. It was quite technical with lots of BIG roots. Then I came to the steep stuff - basically a long steep rut full of dusty, gravelly, loose soil. I walked (slid down) this chunk. Then the trail became ridable again, and forked. I went right, which led to a big double (the left fork went round it), followed by a massive wall ride (could ride around).
The rest of the trail was very flowy and steep and loose in sections, but I rode all of it from there on. At the bottom was a sign that pointed across the road that said "Lower Patchwork", so I'm guessing I rode Upper Patchwork then.
It didn't come out at the top of Graceland, but much further down the road, so I raised my saddle and rode along the fireroad.
I was happily spinning along, and slowed down as I approached the beginning of the trail. I was about to get off to lower my saddle when I heard a noise from the tree ahead and to my left. I looked up to see a black mass in the leafless tree, which I assumed was an eagle, but it turned to look at me. Definitely a black bear cub. I can't have been 5 meters from the tree it was in, and to ride down the trail I would have to do almost a full circle around it. Knowing all bear cubs have mothers close by, I legged it down the fire road, and didn't hang around to take a photo.
I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to ride the singletrack down - I might as well have gone with Hilary (hehe!).
I woke up Sunday morning and mirror fell off the wall. I wasn't even anywhere near it! Seven years bad luck? Bugger.
I decided to ride Prevost, but thought it best to wait until later in the day when there would be more shade. So I left at about 4pm, and rode to the top. I got the time right - the fireroad up must have been 70% SHADE.
I didn't go right up to the cairn, as I was worried about it getting dark, so headed into the trees on a trail I hadn't ridden before. I didn't expect to be able to ride it all, as I'd been told it was steep. Hilary said it would come out at the top of Graceland. After about 20 meters of being hit in the head by large branches, the trail disappeared completely, so I pushed back, only to realize that there was an alternate trail that veered right, so I took that one. I was able to ride the first chunk. It was quite technical with lots of BIG roots. Then I came to the steep stuff - basically a long steep rut full of dusty, gravelly, loose soil. I walked (slid down) this chunk. Then the trail became ridable again, and forked. I went right, which led to a big double (the left fork went round it), followed by a massive wall ride (could ride around). 
The rest of the trail was very flowy and steep and loose in sections, but I rode all of it from there on. At the bottom was a sign that pointed across the road that said "Lower Patchwork", so I'm guessing I rode Upper Patchwork then.It didn't come out at the top of Graceland, but much further down the road, so I raised my saddle and rode along the fireroad.
I was happily spinning along, and slowed down as I approached the beginning of the trail. I was about to get off to lower my saddle when I heard a noise from the tree ahead and to my left. I looked up to see a black mass in the leafless tree, which I assumed was an eagle, but it turned to look at me. Definitely a black bear cub. I can't have been 5 meters from the tree it was in, and to ride down the trail I would have to do almost a full circle around it. Knowing all bear cubs have mothers close by, I legged it down the fire road, and didn't hang around to take a photo.
I'm a bit disappointed that I didn't get to ride the singletrack down - I might as well have gone with Hilary (hehe!).
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Second Ride
... well, third in total, but first proper.
I went up "The Zoo" yesterday, for over 5 hours.
The bike is awesome. I love it.
The bike pedals great, no bob or anything. I didn't even move the Propedal lever or crank up the compression on the fork for the ride to the trailhead. Riding up the hill through the properties was no trouble in the middle ring.
From the parking lot I took the single track all the way to the top, which I probably won't do again, as it left little time for riding down.
One steep climb I cleared first time, and it was easy. I clear this about 10% of the time on my other bike. It's a tricky climb because there are so many little tricky bits along it, and it's quite steep too. If you clear the first root, corner, double root, small log and steep climb, you're still only half way up. My fork's too stiff on my other bike, as I loose all momentum when I get to the root, and any I manage to recreate gets killed when my back wheel hits it.
I only took my little camera with me. If I thought I would be in the picture-taking mood, I would have taken the D90.
It was a hot day. I love being in the trees though. I can stand the heat in the shade - I just don't like the sun on me.
I took T-Bone down, then all three Chicken Runs, and onto Fluid. I rode a long bridge I'd not ridden before. I then tok Teacup and Blue Balls, then got lost somewhere, but made it on to De-Analyzer (I think), and down the Providence Farm trail.
I can't believe how easily this bike holds speed, because it floats over the bumps. On my other bike I'd really have to pay attention, pick the smoothest line, unweight over roots. It was a handfull to keep planted. Going down the Providence Farm trail (which is mainly an old stream bed, whith lots of loose rocks, off cambre banks, and quite steep in places) at 30 km/hr was scary on the hardtail, as it would be all over the place. According to my GPS track log, I hit 53 km/h, and didn't have one scary moment. Safe as houses.
Total time: 5:42
Total distance: 32.1 km
I went up "The Zoo" yesterday, for over 5 hours.The bike is awesome. I love it.
The bike pedals great, no bob or anything. I didn't even move the Propedal lever or crank up the compression on the fork for the ride to the trailhead. Riding up the hill through the properties was no trouble in the middle ring.
From the parking lot I took the single track all the way to the top, which I probably won't do again, as it left little time for riding down.
One steep climb I cleared first time, and it was easy. I clear this about 10% of the time on my other bike. It's a tricky climb because there are so many little tricky bits along it, and it's quite steep too. If you clear the first root, corner, double root, small log and steep climb, you're still only half way up. My fork's too stiff on my other bike, as I loose all momentum when I get to the root, and any I manage to recreate gets killed when my back wheel hits it.
I only took my little camera with me. If I thought I would be in the picture-taking mood, I would have taken the D90.It was a hot day. I love being in the trees though. I can stand the heat in the shade - I just don't like the sun on me.
I took T-Bone down, then all three Chicken Runs, and onto Fluid. I rode a long bridge I'd not ridden before. I then tok Teacup and Blue Balls, then got lost somewhere, but made it on to De-Analyzer (I think), and down the Providence Farm trail.
I can't believe how easily this bike holds speed, because it floats over the bumps. On my other bike I'd really have to pay attention, pick the smoothest line, unweight over roots. It was a handfull to keep planted. Going down the Providence Farm trail (which is mainly an old stream bed, whith lots of loose rocks, off cambre banks, and quite steep in places) at 30 km/hr was scary on the hardtail, as it would be all over the place. According to my GPS track log, I hit 53 km/h, and didn't have one scary moment. Safe as houses.
Total time: 5:42Total distance: 32.1 km
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