|   Ever notice that even a bad ride... | kristian
Oct 1, 2001 6:56 AM | | ...is still a great ride? I rode my local favorite downhill on Saturday and had a very mediocre ride. I didn't crash or anything, but the bike and I did NOT feel like one entity floating above the trail. The climb up the fireroad was brutal and I shamefully walked the first bit of very loose singletrack. After the loose stuff, I got into a pretty good climbing groove.
The whole way up, it threatened to rain. There were clouds to the south and lots of thunder. I came to the waterfall bridge and decided to ride across it (there are three 8" logs together, but there is enough space in between two of them to swallow a Nokian 3.0). I made it about half way across and my rear tire went off in the smaller crack. It wasn't wide enough to eat the tire, but it was a reminder that I wasn't in the flow.
On the other side of the bridge, Mother Nature finaly let go and it started to rain. The ferocious storm lasted just long enough for me to remove my shell from my camelbak, put it on and start riding again. Then it stopped. I could almost hear her snicker as I stopped and re-packed my shell.
On the downhill, my rear brake felt like a light switch--it was either off or on. I'm not sure what caused this sharp drop in modulation, but I'm sure I left a few guilty skid marks on the way down. It felt like I was about 2 inches off the line all of the time. I felt like a human pinball going through the really techy boulder part, but despite my horrific lines, I somehow managed to clean it.
On the lower high speed stuff I took it kinda easy. Since stopping wasn't my strong suit, I would hate for an already mediocre ride to really turn sour after hitting a hiker. I got good boosts off some of the little drops and managed to keep my feet glued to the platforms while in the air--it's not as hard as I figured it would be.
Before I knew it, I was back at the car. I briefly lamented the fact that I didn't have the perfect ride until I realized that ANY ride is the perfect ride. I drove home with a smile on my face. |
| I hear ya.... | celly
Oct 1, 2001 7:03 AM | | Yesterday was my first day on the bike since Bend. I felt real good early, all things considered. The climb got pretty intense, and I felt like puking my guts out. Very rusty. Got to the summit and started down the very technical descent and was a bit out of control. Still rusty. Finished the ride and while it wasn't my best ride (you know the ones where all goes in your favour), it felt great to be back in the Rockies.
Can't wait for next weekend. :-)
celly (Mondays suck) |
| Nice post Kristian... | Crazy Bitch
Oct 1, 2001 7:12 AM | | We all have days like that,some worse than others.But even a shitty ride never fails to leave a smile on my face!
-CB(ride hard,ride long!!) |
| Even your worst day on a bike | Ðave in KC
Oct 1, 2001 7:50 AM | | is better than your best day doing something else. Been there, done that, it keeps you humble. You don't realize how good the "highs" are, until you've experienced a "low". It also makes you appreciate those days when you've got flow even more. Days like that just make me hungry to get back to the trail prove to myself that I can ride.
Regards,
Dave in KC |
| Let's not get carried away here. | Pete.
Oct 1, 2001 8:54 AM | | "Even your worst day on a bike is better than your best day doing something else."
Hmmm...where does family and friends fit into this equation?
Pete
p.s. Didn't ride my bike one bit yesterday but had a great day, with more adrenaline rushes than I've ever had in a day of riding. |
| race somewhere? (nm) | Nick
Oct 1, 2001 9:07 AM | | no really, nm. |
| No. | Pete.
Oct 1, 2001 12:28 PM | | At least as far as my insurance is concerned. No timed laps, just lots of head-to-head informal stuff while going around and around and around.
Pete |
| hmm....family and friends.. | Ðave in KC
Oct 1, 2001 9:31 AM | | I'm not a pathetic loser with no life outside of riding my bike. I'm a pathetic loser with a wonderful, loving family, and a circle of life-long friends.
To answer your question, family and friends do constitute an exception to my overgeneralization. Thanks for taking the time to point out the obvious. I'll craft my post more carefully next time. Can I go now?
Dave in KC
p.s. Can't think of anything I've done "off-bike" that would provide more adrenaline rushes than MTB'ing, AND doesn't involve snow. |
| I think that it is the overcast | kendog
Oct 1, 2001 8:49 AM | | I'm always kind of off when it is overcast. Maybe it's just me. I know what you mean though, almost any ride is a good ride. |
| oh ya.... | JimC
Oct 1, 2001 9:49 AM | | yesterday, pinball city. Had to do the trail that humbled me Thursday night. I did better in the dark and wet, than on a bright sunny Sunday. However, when it was over, it was way too soon, and I never biffed, which was an improvement. And I had lots of energy left, I guess I'm getting stronger. I bet if I got that new S-C 10" bike I could...no wait, bad idea.
Jim <-- realizes he's not 19 again. |
| Riding (or sex) is like pizza... | Puzman
Oct 1, 2001 11:56 AM | | ...when its good, its really good. And when its bad, its still pretty good! |
| Riding is just like sex.... When it's great it's great..READ ON | Paul
Oct 1, 2001 12:32 PM | | And when it's bad it's still pretty good. |
| a bad day on the bike.... | GnarlyOne
Oct 1, 2001 1:12 PM | | ...is still better than a day in my stinkin' grey cubicle office! :-) |
| yes, BUT ... | Nick
Oct 1, 2001 1:41 PM | | I was fortunate to have two days of great riding this weekend!
Saturday I met up with some riding buds I hadn't seen in a while (pre-crash) and had a blast. Still overly conscious of every root and rock, but a beautiful day and a blast none the less.
Sunday morning I got out late and missed the early a.m. crowd, but did hook up with a couple of friends that had already been riding for a while. From the time my tires got on dirt I felt like I was in a groove or riding on a rail or on auto pilot or SOMETHING!
At one point I purposely rode without my fingers hanging over my brake levers (as I usually do) just to see how quick I could get through a series of turns. No rocks or roots, just smooth and slalomy (is that a word?!) fast turns through the trees.
note: you CAN go faster than you think you can - let go of your brakes.
Another short fast twisty downhill section, that normally ends at a perpetually wet/muddy creek crossing, was proved to be dry on Saturday's ride so I ripped towards it without so much as touching my brake, lifted my front wheel and manualed through it, touching my front wheel down cleanly on the other side.
I even rolled the stupid $*!@#$* ledge where I crashed and got hurt.
Near the end of the ride I cheesed a steep climb about half way up and stopped, then walked back down a bit to check on my friend Tom who fell off the side of a bench cut trail some seven or eight feet down the slope! Tom was fine, it sounded much worse than it was, and I managed to re-start my climb half sideways on the hill and make it up to the top.
I've had three rides since last Wednesday and each of them has been unusually satisfying. Lucky me? For sure.
Nick |
| I'm glad to hear it Nick! | kristian
Oct 1, 2001 2:00 PM | | After the last few weeks, I'd say you deserve some good rides! |
| word - get your peppers yet ??? (nm) | Nick
Oct 1, 2001 2:06 PM | | don't look here |
| No, I haven't | kristian
Oct 1, 2001 2:34 PM | | When did you send them? Hopefully I'll get them tonight--I've got a roast in the slow cooker and I'm making burritos when I get home! |
| Tues. or Wed. ~ 1st Class USPS ... | Nick
Oct 1, 2001 2:58 PM | | atomic shake + fresh thai hots, habaneros & the WICKED SCOTCH BONNET !!!
Hope it's waiting for you when you get home.
Nick |
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