Tuesday, January 10, 2012

The world is flat... Part 1


Thursday I got a knobby back on the HiFi and got it back out on the trails, and boy did it feel good.  The HiFi really does fit like a glove.  No adjustment period getting back on that bike, just get up and go!!

As I knew light would be fading fast by the time I hit the trail I decided to hit up Foxboro.  Being that it can be rocky and somewhat technical I had to plan my route well enough so that I wasn't stuck out in something harsh in the dark.  Trails were in great condition.  The ground was frozen so things were FAST!!  But looks like there's been some great trail maintenance out there as trails were clear and looked like they were getting some love.  It was easy to follow a nice loop out there.

I managed to get back to the fire roads with light fading fast and my helmet light on low.  Just having your light on low makes a huge difference as things start fading... plus it made me feel a little safer with the light on knowing a woman was recently shot by a hunter here in Massachusetts.

Riding with a helmet light is certainly the way to go... if you are riding with one light.  But if one were to race, I can't see you racing without both a helmet light and handlebar light... especially on unfamiliar trails.  I was on familiar fire roads when things got real dark, and even there I could see the flattening effects due to the angle of the light coming off the helmet.  Maybe it was more of an issue as I was pushing higher speeds on the fire road than I might on singletrack.... The light washed out the details of the rocks making things looks a lot smoother than I knew reality to be, making the bumpy, loose rock sections of the fire road hard to read in the artificial light.


So, just remember when you are out there in the dark - take it a little easier and be sure to ride safe.  Oh yeah, and temperatures drop quick this time of year, so best be prepared!!




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