Royal Moistureness

After a tornado watch and nasty thunderstorms passed through after Tuesdays ride it was looking questionable what was going to happen for Wednesdays ride outlook. The skies opened up in the late morning and out poppped the sun and what felt like a rising humidity. I began to realize today could be a go day to ride and kept it in the back of my mind as I knew LuAnn probably preferred me to be home to help pack for our expedition. As it got nicer out the bike whore in me started to hint I was interested in a ride, and sure enough she eventually told me to beat it so I did so. I decided to ride Hale since driving was going to kill time I did not have. I popped into the woods knowing I was going to sweat my face off and proceeded to do so shortly. My trail has grown in nicely, hard to believe there is even a track considering I ride it once a week lately. As I entered the main trail system I was pleased to find no soft spots and this ride was a go! Set off on a fast loop since I had 90 minutes to shred. Rocks and roots were just plain sketchy as it usually is after rain and humidity, I must have popped off the bike 6-7 times in these ICY conditions. None the less it was nice to be out although the sun rays were now gone and I was watching a storm cell NW of me on the Doppler on my phone. I decided to end my pedaling by completing my favorite section known as Al's trail. Almost halfway in, I came across tape which the loggers had put up to close the trail. I got so bummed out, as you might have seen from last Thursdays ride the loggers had saved the trail and coming just feet from ripping it to shreds so I was in hope they might leave it for the recreation peoples, but I just don't know. I guess when I get back from vacation I will find it gone or re routed or help do the re route who knows. It's sad to see them clear huge areas like that and whether they really benefit the forest I don't know but it's pretty sad to see a thriving forest turned into wood chips but I know they recently did a big survey of the health of the forest and it needed some work removing invasive species and restoration. Either way I am sure they know what they are doing. So three rides completed this week and I can end on that note. Well that's it, no more riding for the next 11 days so enjoy the woods suckas! I'm out

Hot mess hale

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Beat Old Dog

Oh boy, Tuesday another ride! With a last minute ride location with crosshairs on a Gay City State park start to Case and back and only itinerary was to hit ribbon trail on the way back. Loaded up the dog and I was pedaling wide highways of dirt until I crossed into Case. Looks like humidity is here to stay, this morning was exceptionally warm and humid and it sucks I hate it but whats a homie to do.... carry on. Riding SS I felt capable of today's duties, I took blue and made my way to Dragons back or Lions back whatever it is, it was nice to ride down it for a change, most the time I walk it while going in other diorecton up since I have no one to impress right. Tried to put together a certain loop but fell flat on my face in the middle of case since I have yet to figure out the spaghetti trails completely. None the less after missing a turn which for the better I missed I made my way back to Gay City in no fancy order. This is when Bentley started to fade quick, I noticed he has been not very quick on rides this year, I hate to think he is getting slower at only 4 years of age but it could be possible. He is not a high energy dog really, a very happy energetic dog when you come in the door but other than that he is a door mat. I felt pretty bad as he really started to fade on the ribbon trail. I stopped at every stream crossing to allow him to quench his thirst but he seemed uninterested, he really isn't a thirsty dog even in the hottest of weather. So with nothing left to do but truck on. It was pretty uneventful from ribbon to the car, soaked in sweat and trying to keep my dog within eye seeing distance. Great ride, was expecting 15 miles but 14 will do just fine :) Hope the weather holds for tomorrow, I would love to do a double feature but one would be more than great! Keep holding strong weather give me one more day to squeeze!

Gay to case

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Monday Ride

Mansfield Hollow to School House Brook 1st attempt was made yesterday. I have never set tire in Schoolhouse Brook so I was hoping for a smooth pass through. I set off at my standard start point at the Mansfield Hollow park and did my favorite and best to my knowledge trails leaving out just a short piece which I cut to add some extra time for. I was on gears and feeling super slow but was happy to have it on the hills. I made my way to the top of the highest climb and set off on new to me trail until I hit the road and crossed. I had seen a few maps that looked like I could pickup the trail again on spring hill and luckily I did so. I was still on Blue and looking to get off it quick since I think the Nipmuck trail is off limits to us but not sure. Not long into my new trails I was hopping me and my bike over massive blow downs. I got off blue and got on a beaten down grown in trail which I wondered was the right choice but kept trucking on after more blow downs. Soon I came to a post that had a named trail on it, so I got on it pronto! Kept finding more named trails and was kind of lost but in a small area but sooner or later would reach the ideal goal. I took a few trails that went to backyards which always sucks when your short on time, I wish people would not build super wide trails right to their yards, I understand clearing and making it great 90% of the way but as soon as its within view of the main trail just leave nature as it left it so I don't end up in your back yard. After more roaming I hit a road and I knew where I was and it was close enough to shoot down to the pavement and make my way to the car. Next trip out I will make this a lot smoother through the new section since I can better navigate. Schoolhouse Brook could use a few trail gnomes, there were so many trees down and so many spots that need trail maintenance, the place looked like someone once cared and then moved out of town and things went to turd. Considering how many trails markers and parking locations I am surprised the town and users have not gone in with chain saws and khakis. From here on out, every trip I plan to clear or improve what I can to revive this place. I had to use stupid ass Strava yesterday cause everytrail app was bugging out, it worked but whats up with not being able to zoom all the way out. I refuse to use it other than in this case an emergency.

Breathtaking video, how amazing the scenery and riding

I want to ride

I guess I was expecting to ride my bike Saturday, I was healing very nicely but read up on recommended down time and decided not to risk the progress I had made so I was sidelined. Stinks after expecting 5 rides this week but ended with three, I am still extremely happy with three rides. Wet week coming hopefully it lets up to provide a morning ride tomorrow. Leaving for vacation on the 25th for a week with my family, that entails brother and his girlfriend, my friend/brothers girlfriends brother, and my mom and dad. Should be real interesting since it's the first vacation with our newest family member. I want to get a new go pro for shooting underwater stuff on vacation but not sure if I can come up with 200$ to make it happen. Once we get back on the 1st of June, LuAnn goes back to school so major bummer. Time to ride my face off this week!

Thursday night turbo ride

As I write this post after a dentist visit with 3 less teeth and a dose of codeine I can still remember all to well last nights ride. I set off on a 30 minute pre ride since the more the merrier right, met with the fellas at 6pm. We started off in quick fashion and asserted my dominance in the last position in the back which is where I am the coziest. Little did I know how much crap was going to be kicked up into my eyeballs, it was torture the entire ride, even after I found some poor strangers sunglasses on the trail which was a gift from tha trail gods I am sure, but not enough since the damage had already been done. Despite blurred itchy sneezy vision that had nothing to do with loosing the riders in my sight. Things were smoking fast last night leaving me with a good workout and realizing all the more I will never be a super fast rider, which I am perfectly fine with. On the last stretch of the ride I stopped caring about keeping up as the sun was setting in the distance and put a romantic glow on the trees around me that was inspiring. Shortly after admiring the beauty, I got buzzed by a pair c-130's aka "hercules" a large military transport,assault, etc..... right over my head. They were flying extremely low pretty much 100 feet above tree line which was cool but scary. Finally caught up with the group as they rested and then split off from the pack on my trail to my house. Good ride, well spent after just 2 hours, I was shocked when I saw my watch with the calories burned, nearly 1800 which was a record for calories burned in two hours since I got a heart rate monitor in October. I am not sure I will do group Thursday rides anymore, I debated on going in the first place as I usually do, I like group rides, but when I feel like I am racing to keep up with the group I would rather just be doing my own thing. No ride today, wanted to this morning but I was super duper tired last night, looks like Saturday morning somewhere. Enjoy the weather and enjoy the riding.

Crazy fast @ hale at EveryTrail
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Meeting with Bob the builder

I got a email from Bob letting me know he was ready and wanted to meet with me and go over my frame details. I was filled with excitement and was set to meet with him the next day at noon. Rolling into his property I was greeted by a tree full of bikes, really cool. I have come across him on the trails behind his house once before but this was a my first formal meeting with the fella, and as expected a really nice bike nut like most of us. He showed me to his rigid geared ride to give me an idea of what he went for in his own build. Just hopping on my first Belltown filled me with excitement and made me pumped. We went over what I was looking for, and honestly I really have no damn clue, He knows far more about bikes and geometry than I ever will so with my little knowledge and his massive knowledge we put something together. The most noticeable thing this frame will receive will be shorter chain stays, a full 2" shorter. From what I am told, this will liven up the bike and give it some feel good. We decided to go with black cat swinging dropouts for chain tension which look really neat and will be structurally stronger than any other options. He is currently stalled on a demanding project so he said it won't take long to build but still could be late summer.He was very pleased how simple and straight forward I was with what I was looking for, he was very relieved as well. I have always purchased bikes and rode them, never tinkered much with fit and function, this has left me with little knowledge on form and fit so I know he has put me in good hands. So cool seeing all his hand made bikes laying around, they all have something that screams authentic and stands apart from any frams made over seas. So excited, I hope to have another frame made down the road.
Arriving, click image

black cat swinging drop outs

Ideal frame design