so much FUN!

While Saturday was about the kids, Sunday was about me!

I headed out to Fisher Farm for a Niner Demo hosted by The Cycle Path.  On the way to the demo I noticed that TheMutt was behind me... what perfect timing!  That was until TheMutt used some local knowledge of the roads that my garmins apparently couldn't figure out, so he beat me there.  He made up for his sneaky driving skills by introducing me to Mike from Niner.  I guess knowing a douchebag pays off... I mean an "industry insider douchebag."

Anyway, this day was about ripping around on way fun (expensive) bikes.  The first bike I took out was the JET9 RDO.  A full suspension carbon bike that will run you $8699.00.  This was my one and only time to ride such a beast.

Can you say a bike is too fun?  I don't think a bike can be too fun, but this one comes damn near close!  Fast?  Why yes, it was so fast.  So fast it had me hitting jumps and catching air all over the place.  Seriously, I was hitting things faster than ever, I had never gotten so much air out at Fisher.  But, I might have got a little too fast out there.  The front tire was a little soft and it burped as I was landing on a turn, causing me to slide out.  Luckily I had my pump with me so I could get things back up and running.

I loved everything about this bike... good thing I'm not in the market for a full suspension bike.  This thing would be the ultimate race bike.  It had the perfect geometry for me, loved the aggressive stance it had me in.  The bike just begged to go faster.  With it being carbon it was so damn light!!  I was flicking it all over the place and it was right there with me.  The suspension had me floating over every rooty mess out there with little effort.  I couldn't find a fault with it at all.  It handled all aspects of the trail with ease... and speed.  Always with speed.

TheMutt caught an action shot of me as I first hit the trail with the JET9 RDO
 - bluriness isn't the camera operators fault, that is just how fast I was on that thing 

Next up I had to try the RIP9 RDO.  Another carbon full suspension bike, but this one had a bit more travel (120-140 up front vs the 100-120 on the JET9 RDO, and 125 in the rear vs. 100 on the JET9 RDO).  The RIP9 RDO comes in at $6499.00.

Honestly, I wasn't into this bike as much.  As soon as I hit the trail something felt off (later TheMutt noticed that my fork was almost locked out... so that might have been the cause of some things...).  I just didn't feel as in control of the bike as I did with the JET9 RDO.  Totally different stance on the bike.

I felt like the bike took the bigger hits better, but for the smaller normal trail stuff I felt more chatter with the RIP9 RDO.  Again, that may have had to do with the suspension set up (which I didn't think to check).

I felt slower on this bike, but when I compared my times on both bikes they were pretty close... so that actually might be saying a lot there.  A bike with a less aggressive stance, more travel, but almost as fast??  I did have to stop and address the front tire on the first ride, so that likely skewed my times a little... but still, this bike was fast.  I could see this one being a TON of fun out in the mountains, but just wouldn't be my cup of tea for the majority of trails it would see time with around here.

Such a fun day.  Big thanks to Mike from Niner for hanging out for the day and letting us play with his toys.  Thanks to The Cycle Path for hosting, and cooking up some hot dogs...

I guess that was the theme for the weekend... bikes and hot dogs - the kids have it right after all!!




 

Ready, Set,

GO!

Yesterday was the last day ay my job.  Yesterday evening was the first "meeting" for my new job.  I'm back in the schools and I'm SUPER PSYCHED!!  I'm trying not to get too excited, but so far everything about this school sounds great!  They are adding onto the school as we speak, which includes a sparkling new office for myself!  You might call it a "rebuilding" year on a lot of fronts for the school, so I'm excited to be able to start fresh there and build a program to best support or students and families.

Enough of that, let's get to the important stuff.  First off, they have a mountain bike club already!  I had planned on seeing if there would be interest in one, but I just found out they already have one, sweet!  Starting a mountain bike club was something I had been thinking about when I was back up in Massachusetts, but with the impending move on the horizon I never did it.  So I'll definitely get involved with that on some level.

There are also some local and VERY local trails to the school.  North Meck is just up the road, and Granja del Pescador (Fisher Farm) is local as well.  But, in the school's backyard is a long forgotten trail that seems to get very little love, Huntersville Athletic Park.  I got up for my meeting with some time to spare so I thought I would poke around a bit since the last review on singletracks.com was in 2011.

Well, they have a sign for them, so there has to be something there!  I went out for a walk to check out what was there and I was immediately surprised.  The trail was well taken care of and included some nice short elevation changes complete with roots!  About halfway through the first trail it dawned on me that I should be tracking the trail with my Strava phone app.  I waited until I got back to the parking lot because I had already bypassed some options and figured I'd have to go back in.  Plus, I didn't want my track to start in the middle of the woods.  Anyway, it was for exploration sake so I guess it didn't really matter, but I wanted a clearer idea of what I was working with.

Ok, from that view you can't see a damn thing.  The right loop is just that, but there was a sort of "sewer" line cut heading to the back of my new school... easy access?  But on the out and back towards 21 the trail just kinda petered out.  Looks like a great opportunity to either bushwhack to find the old trail, or blaze one myself.  Here is a better view of the opportunity using the strava track on the satellite view.

Looks like there would be room to explore between the neighborhoods and 21.  It's not a long trail by any means.  You can see I walked 1.5 miles.  Might be able to squeeze 2 from the existing stuff, and if I can "find" more between 21 and the neighborhoods we might be looking at 3-4?  Just might be a nice easy outing for the mountain bike club with enough in the trail to help kids work on some skills and techniques.

Oh yeah, and I'm on summer vacation now!!

Holla Atcha Boy

things fall apart

I've had so much to say - but haven't been able to say it.  And that's no fault of yours, so I apologize for leaving you all alone the past two days.  Can you ever forgive me?

I wasn't able to be here Monday and Tuesday because of training.  No, not race training, work training. I'd MUCH rather be stuck in the garage on the trainer than at work trainings.  Although, I will say this one thing... at least the trainers were entertaining.  While the work training threw off my schedule and I was unable to find the time to get my posts done a lot of things will be left out or otherwise truncated.

Last week a number of things took the opportunity of riding away from me in a big way - so I made up for it Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  I almost made it out Sunday but my brother had a friend visiting for the weekend and I attended the farewell "brunch" instead of riding solo.

Recap of the rides.

Thursday - Fisher Farm.
I already talked about this a little.  But here goes another recap.  I wore a suit (more on that later).  The rear wheel fell off between laps.  Got to keep checking and tightening my shit up.

Friday - USNWC
(some) Trails were underwater.

The water had receded, but you can see the water line was up over the trail.

PR on Goat Hill, of course riding the Glow Worm.  Maybe I should race the Glow Worm out there on Sunday?  Although, the flats will kill me, but I'll make up for it on the climbs - serious inner arguments (still) going on as to which I'll race: Glow Worm v HiFi.

Swollen river in the background

Saturday - Booty(ish) Loop
Needed a quicker ride as my brother's friend was coming into town.  So after cleaning the house I hit the streets.  I didn't take the time to map out a route, because that can be a time suck for me, so I started on my "normal" "nice side of town" ride and stumbled into the Booty Loop.  I'd always been riding it "backwards" so I jumped on in the right direction and cranked away the miles.  There was a sweet water fountain out there on the route.

This is the second time I've seen citizens put up a water fountain in front of their homes (there is also a sweet water fountain in front of a home on our new street).  People down here rock.

Last night was the social ride.  I got out there early for once and hit up two "fast laps" before the group assembled.  But that wasn't before I found this.

Yup, the front chainring was loose as can be while still remaining on the crank and I was missing a bolt.  Perhaps that was the "gears popping" sound I had heard while out at the whitewater center.  I guess I need to tighten shit up on the regular.  I tightened the remaining bolts and was good to go.  I checked my seat as well since I KNEW that had been creaking and tightened it up.  The Glow Worm was silent and fast for the group ride, just the way I like it.

Lesson Of The Week - Check Your Shit.

Big Biking Lesson - Beer isn't an option when bike building, it's a requirement.  Proper torque can not be achieved without proper beer muscles.
 

Strava angers germans

Media Fridays

We'll post videos or photos that will hopefully inspire trail shredding weekends.

I hit up Fisher Farm yesterday on the Glow Worm.  I was in the area, actually right down the street from North Meck, but figured since I haven't ridden Fisher in a while, and North Meck is already singlespeed approved, I'd give FF a try.

Well, the trail must have sensed the strava engines revving up in the parking lot, because a tree "took one for the team" and went down across the trail, hanging about 3 feet high.

Of course I'm not hitting the trail with the sole mission of getting PRs and reaching for a KOM.  This is all just a transition leading us here: Angry Hitler

But, even with the obstacle present, and the necessary dismounting and walk around, I was still able to pull PRs for the trail.  Maybe my fitness has just been improving since the last time I rode out there in who knows how long... but it seems wherever I ride the Glow Worm I've got a new PR.  Coincidence?
  

Oh, and the bit of random?  After my second lap I stopped back at the pterodactyl and as I was leaning the bike against the bike rack the back wheel fell off!!  On that lap I had noticed a strange modulation and sound coming from the rear brake - but assumed it was just mud in the pads.  Nope, I guess the wheel was loose!!  Tightened up the bolts and the wheel was good.  I guess I need to keep checking everything to make sure it's snug as I break the Glow Worm in.  

Ok, so not super ride inspiring... but if you are local, hit the trails while you can.  Looks like more rain this weekend.  

better late?

Ugh, didn't get to post up early this morning...

I've got a couple items I can choose from to ramble on about here... so I think I'm going to crunch two together for a quick recap here.

The other week I rode a new trail (to me) and it was pretty cool.  Well, the best feature of the ride was the fact that it was randomly 70+ degrees!!  I was talking to one rider at the trailhead and he said he had never seen the trails so busy, outside an organized race.  The trail in question is Fisher Farm.

The trails were well marked, and identified as easy (green circle), intermediate (blue square), and advanced (black diamond).  As with a lot of trails here that use these trail designation, there is always a negligible difference between the green and blue.  Which then, in effect, makes the labeled black diamonds more like blue squares.... hmmm, I have a hankering for Lucky Charms right about now.

Bucket O' Charms

There were two black diamond segments.  One which had a skinny at the "entrance" and was clearly avoided by most riders as evidenced by the piles and piles of leaves covering the trails (= no love for the trail).  I wouldn't say that this stretch was particularly difficult, more so "rough."  It consisted of frequent ravine dips, some with boards down a side and across the bottom (I'm guessing to help when it is wet out?), and of course the treacherous rootiness that some riders shy away from here.  The other black diamond segment provided a nice climb with a challenging boulder decent.  With the leaf cover I opted to walk it rather than take a nasty miscalculated tumble somewhere.  Another rider at the trailhead mentioned that riders had been med-evacuated because they have gotten "in over their head" on that section.  I can see that.

Overall, the blue square was a fun flowy route to follow.  On my first lap there was a blue square split, one going up and one going down, and I unknowingly picked the short cut (up).  On my second lap I found additional mileage I had missed by taking the "up" option - which also led to the "rocky" black diamond option.  It was also on this leg of the blue loop that I wiped out on a fast turn - leaves just slide out from under me.  It was ok, my left leg needed some road rash to match the scabs on the right leg from my last crash.

Overall, nice little trail.  I was clocking the mileage in at about 4 miles (less for that first lap where I accidently took the shortcut) and it was a trail that was easy to do multiple laps on without getting too bored of the terrain.  And, I guess it's part of the Wednesday night summer race series, so I may just be riding it more in the future.  It won't be a trail that is in the regular rotation as it is a little bit of a drive for me, and probably not enough pay off for just a regular ride.

Ok, the other bit of info is less involved.  I think I've put together a decent loop that is mostly bike friendly for the road bike (perfect, since it's "winter" and trainer season... right?).  There should be options to expand the loop section to add mileage on as needed/desired.  The "leg" to get out of town may be further refined to ensure easier navigation surrounding heavier traffic areas and whatnot... but it was an easy enough time.  So, that is exciting.  It's pretty key to have a road option right out your door... I mean that is the point of riding the road, the easy of it... if I'm going to drive to bike, you better bet it's going to be on dirt!!

I did get to wave at the mountain bikers getting ready to hit Sherman Branch as I rode by.