Since the daylight savings change is coming and the light is already going pretty quickly, I decided to take advantage or one more evening ride last night. With the help of the lovely Mrs. B I was able to get out right after work. I hopped on the SS and spun up to the hills just NE of town. This is the closest dirt riding to my house, maybe 3/4 of a Mile away. It's about a 8-900 Ft climb that rolls up along a ridgeline on doubletrack. I made the climb on my SS without stopping for the second time (out of a total of three attempts so far) and this was by far the easiest it's been. I felt strong and even powered through a bad line choice where I got into some baby heads, which can make an already strenuous SS climb even harder. I took my first pause at the top of one last push before the descent begins. I was feeling good and the light was nice. I decided to take a "portrait" of my fun new toy. mattb.netsurly med.jpgOpen ↗ The pointy little peak to the left is Signal Peak, and the trees to the right of that is Signal Mesa. Lots of fun exploration to be done in these parts, and it's a pretty convenient location. After a quick break, I started down the doubletrack for another 1/4 Mile until I could turn down the twisty singletrack of Chicken Gulch. This bike likes the tight, twisty turns through the sage-filled valley. It seemed to be really hooking up on the banked corners, almost finding it's own way through like a horse taking a familiar trail back to the barn. The air was getting chilly as the sun dropped below the horizon and I was glad I put the shell on. I kept hitting very cold and then pretty warm (enough to make me start to sweat again) pockets of air as I lost the altitude that took me 40 Minutes to gain in under 10 Minutes. Another 10 Minutes of spinning the road and I'm back home again as the day's last light is fading away. It's a ride I do frequently, but I still really enjoy it. Too bad the evening opportunities are going away for the season. I'm going to have to start taking break in the middle of the day to keep up with my regular rides.
--
Matt
"Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"
The air was getting chilly as the sun dropped below the horizon and I was glad I put the shell on. I kept hitting very cold and then pretty warm (enough to make me start to sweat again) pockets of air as I lost the altitude that took me 40 Minutes to gain in under 10 Minutes.
You know its a good descent when you sweat! 4:1 is a pretty spiffy ratio; usually its 3:1 for me on those long hills (800+). And considering how dog-slow I climb...
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Another 10 Minutes of spinning the road and I'm back home again as the day's last light is fading away. It's a ride I do frequently, but I still really enjoy it. Too bad the evening opportunities are going away for the season. I'm going to have to start taking break in the middle of the day to keep up with my regular rides.
Nice to have one of those jobs where we can work at home. They have a saying around my office, "no rain, no Blaine". :-)
-- -BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least) "It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars" - Garrison Keillor
"SDC" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]... <snip>
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Nice.. Now would you go fully rigid with your SS? Like you, I want to get
a
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SS to help my riding and know that fully rigid would help it even more.
I still might, but this is how it came so I figured I'd ride it for a while and make adjustments as I go. I have a shoulder that's been giving me some trouble (got an MRI this am), so I kind if like having the shock so it doesn't feel like my arm might come off.
I think the first thing I'll change is to get some little bar ends. Unfortunately I just sold my Cane Creeks a couple of months ago so I'll have to get a fresh pair. All the hammering I have to do out of the saddle makes me want to reach for those bar ends. I think it will be good for this bike.
"Carla A-G" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...
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"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message <snip>
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Too bad the evening opportunities are going away for the season. I'm going to have to start taking break in the middle of >the
day
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to
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keep up with my regular rides.
Night riding. Most of our winter riding around here is done with our
lights,
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unfortunately, its either that or the road bikes and the indoor trainers.
I've done a little, but it gets damn cold here in the winter. -30 is not all that uncommon at night so I usually don't go out much after dark. If I do I'm better equipped for night skiing, which can be as fun if not more that night riding.
"BB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]... <snip>
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Nice to have one of those jobs where we can work at home. They have a saying around my office, "no rain, no Blaine". :-)
Well, I'm actually working in an office in the bustling metropolis of downtown Gunnison. But since that's about two blocks from the house it's still pretty easy to get out if I need to.
Since the daylight savings change is coming and the light is already going pretty quickly, I decided to take advantage or one more evening ride last night. With the help of the lovely Mrs. B I was able to get out right after work. Another 10 Minutes of spinning the road and I'm back home again as the day's last light is fading away. It's a ride I do frequently, but I still really enjoy it. Too bad the evening opportunities are going away for the season. I'm going to have to start taking break in the middle of the day to keep up with my regular rides.
That's what I'm planning too. Extended lunch breaks to get the weekday riding in.
