|   First SS post... New Love | DurtGurl
Sep 15, 2002 6:35 PM | | It all started on my 40th birthday ride last month. Travis from Titus showed up on his Riddler. As everyone was getting ready to ride, I took a little spin on the Riddler in front of my house. Light! Nimble! Simple and sweet. I wanted one! I sat on that thought for several weeks. When the itch hit me again, I went searching on MTBR classifieds. One bike spoke to me... a 16" Surly from Greg in NH. It was a barely used black beauty. I called, we made the deal, and a week later I was in heaven. How fun!!!
Of course, the first ride out (at night, by myself), I am riding this fully rigid machine like my full boinger Switchblade and *poooof* pinch flat. Dang! I had left that nifty little tool to remove the non-quick-release wheels at home in Garagemahall. Thankfully, Travis lives very nearby where I flatted and he came to the rescue at my call. He is, afterall, 100% responsible for me being on one of these strange bikes!
So, here's a pic of a very happy DG with her new Surly.
Kathleen |
| changes after 1st week... | DurtGurl
Sep 15, 2002 6:38 PM | | After a week of riding the fully rigid, my back was complaining. Two problems here... First, I live in Phoenix and ride nothing but rocks, rocks, rocks. Second, the saddle/bar height difference had my rear up to the sky. ouch. So, I have traded out the rigid fork for a WB I had lying around. The front suspension and 1" higher hand position is the ticket! EXCELLENT ride with group today out at Hawes. That place is made for SSing! Ok, for those of you who know the trails, I did hike-a-bike up the steepest long climbs. But everything else was smooth sailing.
Kathleen
p.s. You may have already read this all on Passion. Not sure how much cross-over there is between the two forums. |
| Great! | JRA
Sep 15, 2002 7:34 PM | | Welcome to the fold. Its all downhill from here.
JRA in Seattle |
| location, location, location... | HoSS
Sep 16, 2002 4:57 AM | | I spent the greater part of years 0 through 27 in the Valley of the Sun but just rode the Hawes Loop for the first time last December during a vacation. I was on a gearie, but the in-and-out of washes sections had me wishing I brought my Kaboom. The desert trails, plus every other kind of terrain AZ has to offer, is why I'm desperately trying to get a transfer and leave NorCal (sorry compatriots, but CA sucks for many non-cycling reasons). Nice to know I'll still be seeing some one-speeders if and when I ever get out of here. Keep the DG packed down for me.
Ride on,
HoSS |
| location, location, location... | DurtGurl
Sep 16, 2002 11:10 AM | | I hear ya, HoSS!! I spent 95-97 in Tempe, where I taught myself to mtn bike on South Mountain. A job took me away for 3 years to Ohio, but the whole time I was looking for my ticket back to Arizona. That came in Feb '00 when I hooked up with some AZ gals to be on the only all woman team at the first 24Hr of the Old Pueblo race. I put out the word to old friends that I was looking for a job, and I got a call within a week!! This PhD Geologist is now doing materials science on microelectronics for heart pacemakers. Yea!! I landed my dream job in my dream locale! Life is so grand. Make your dreams happen...
good luck,
Kathleen
p.s. I'll be on the 1x1 tomorrow before work on my backyard trail - Desert Classic to loops 1 and 2 on S. Mtn. This morning I saw a the very rare and endangered sonoran desert tortoise on my hike with the dogs this morning! What an amazing place. |
| the circle has been closed | HoSS
Sep 16, 2002 3:05 PM | | Small world! I'm trying to get back to AZ to work with the "very rare and endangered animals" that I grew up with, including good old Gopherus agasizzii. Ever hear its important to check under your car before driving off when parked in desert tortoise habitat? They like the shade - drive off without checking and you might accidentally kill a shelled friend. And never pick them up - they evacuate when startled, and it might have taken a couple of years to store up that amount of water. So much to think about - no wonder they're not common. Anyway, keep the rubber side down. |
| Happy Belated Birthday, Rock On 1X1 (nm) | KneeHell
Sep 16, 2002 3:52 AM | | |
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