Moles, armadillos, & trail marbles....

mojo deluxe said:

......are the top three trails hazards in these parts. Not
the snakes, wild hogs, or gators.

The moles are crafty little mouse sized creatures, that
are capable of creating invisible ruts, you are
impervious to, until your front tire finds it at the
worst possible time.

The 'dillos, rat [censored] that they are, digs Grand
Canyon size holes in the middle of trails. Mostly in
grassy singletrack, where one will not see it until it's
too late.

Trails marbles, aka gumballs, are loads of fun. Dropped by
the truckloads, by gumball trees, these things can
literally change your intended line on tight singletrack.

Ooh, I hate those sweetgum balls. Our neighbors have a
sweetgum tree right next to the property line and it drops
those spikey little landmines all over my yard. It's like
having a sea urchin factory next door. I don't dare take the
garbage out or walk to the mailbox barefoot for fear of the
little [censored]. A master gardener friend suggested that a
fatal illness could easily be arranged for the trash-bearing
tree and I can't say I haven't been tempted.

I'd have to say that out on the trail black walnuts are much
worse threat. That's a fall thing, though.

Kathleen

"Kathleen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

mojo deluxe said:

......are the top three trails hazards in these parts.
Not the snakes,

wild

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

hogs, or gators.

The moles are crafty little mouse sized creatures, that
are capable of creating invisible ruts, you are
impervious to, until your front tire

finds

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it at the worst possible time.

The 'dillos, rat [censored] that they are, digs Grand
Canyon size holes in

the

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

middle of trails. Mostly in grassy singletrack, where
one will not see

it

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

until it's too late.

Trails marbles, aka gumballs, are loads of fun. Dropped
by the

truckloads,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

by gumball trees, these things can literally change your
intended line

on

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

tight singletrack.

Ooh, I hate those sweetgum balls. Our neighbors have a
sweetgum tree right next to the property line and it drops
those spikey little landmines all over my yard. It's like
having a sea urchin factory next door. I don't dare take
the garbage out or walk to the mailbox barefoot for fear
of the little [censored]. A master gardener friend suggested
that a fatal illness could easily be arranged for the trash-
bearing tree and I can't say I haven't been tempted.

Heh, I have so many of the damn things out here, I'd spend
weeks with a chainsaw getting rid of them. I've just learned
to live with them.

Quoted message said:

I'd have to say that out on the trail black walnuts are
much worse threat. That's a fall thing, though.

No kidding! Much harder, and less rolling resistance.

You should just return those spikey landmines to his yard.

I MTB 2004

Quoted message said:

You should just return those spikey
landmines to his yard.

Nah. They're good people. They just didn't really think
ahead when they did their landscaping. The problem may solve
itself over the next few years anyway. That tree is not only
close to the property line, it's very close to their house.
Once the branches start flailing their siding and roof
whenever the wind blows I bet they'll take it out.

Meanwhile, the sweetgum balls have their uses. Any time my
youngest gets in trouble I make him go outside and clean up
tree balls off the ground. They make good kindling for the
chiminetta.

Kathleen