Last night's ride had it all. Climbs, snow, darkness, views, lights,
Godzilla, Jack Bauer, single malt scotch...
Dingo and I arrive at the park around 430, I'm on the singlespeed, he on the
King Kahona, and away we went. Kinda iffy as to whether we were dressed
warm enough. (2 layers up top, one on bottom) It was about 40deg, but with
the sun going down, it would drop another 20 in an hour. So at least we're
out riding, (right??) find the trails very tacky, almost too wet to ride,
but not quite, heheh.
From the main trail, we see a dude far ahead climbing up Chickadee Ridge, a
series of steep switchbacks that empty onto a nice close in ridgeline that
Jim and Carla might remember. I took them on it from the other side, where
they saw a great-horned owl 10feet off the trail.
So we eventually catch the dude at the base of Kestrel, (a mile-long litmus
test or fitness test climb) we visit, and find out he's a major kayaker.
He's been all over the country and other parts of the world, and loves our
whitewater the best. I ask if he knows Penny and Mr. Adventure, and he
thinks so.
In any case, I have to stand the whole mile of the first climb, being back
on the one-trick Gray Lady, and I LOVE IT. All that fancy technology is fun
for the longer rides with rock gardens and stuff, but deep down, I'm just a
simple guy. Give me one gear, a strong, light bike and I'm happy as a hog
in Sh!t.
We regroup at the first summit, and the view down into the valley at sunset
is awesome. Deep blues and dark oranges to take the breath away. Or maybe
it was the riding.
Getting colder, but we're moving fast enough not to feel it... yet.
Get to the top of Hulls Gulch, BS some more, lower the seats, and I let the
full boinger boys go ahead, as there are some tricky parts I don't take very
fast on the rigid SS, especially at night. I'm borrowing one of Dingo's
home made light sets, to help him demo them on their maiden voyage, and as
dusk turns to dark, I hit the landing lights on the handelbar, and I'm
freakin blown away! His homemade set up that cost him about $100 in parts
is easily the equal to a $400+ niterider system. No problems rockin down
this creekbed canyon, except for when the bars went one way, and trail
another. That's where prayer and luck pull you out.
Finally get back to the Sports Utility Beater and its really black out.
Overcast, cold, no longer feeling the toes, but Jimminy Cricket anyway, we
had a great time!
CDB
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