RR: First snow ride

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

Quoted message said:

The Boise valley had it's first snow fall last Saturday, however since
I had a cyclocross race to put on Sunday and was way too busy I did not
get
out. The snow was gone from the valley by Saturday afternoon; Bummer! As
luck would have it we were blessed with another snow shower yesterday
(Tuesday) and this snow is going to stick around for a few days. My riding
partner Brad and I have been doing Tuesday night rides since early
November,
so the snow was an added bonus/challenge for last night. We met at
Camelsback Park at 5:30pm, the temperature was in the upper 20's. The
parking lot had a thin layer of ice and I nearly fell on my butt while
getting the bike ready so I was feeling a little paranoid
about what to expect on the trails. It only took 10 minutes to get
started,
but both of us had really cold hands already and we were thinking that
this
might be a stupid idea, so we decided to just ride a short loop.

A most exciting adventure begins.

Quoted message said:

We headed around Camelsback and over to Chickadee ridge, Brad spinning
and me mashing
to try and generate enough heat to warm the hands but not over heat the
body. We have both endured fast descents in the cold after sweating a
little
too much on other rides and it is not real fun. The traction is really
good
so far and it is starting to lightly snow again.

I like Chickadee from either direction. I've seen owls, foxes, (2-legged
and 4-legged) up there.

From Chickadee we decide to

Quoted message said:

head up Hulls Gulch just to extend the warm up period. No one else is out
so
we cruise along enjoying the scenery and I decide this was not a stupid
idea
after all. Traction is still really good except on the larger rocks and
the
wood water bars. They are slick and force us to walk one short section or
risk a fall into the creek.

Hulls at night is a tricky hoot. But my helmet's off to you that you got
out there and did it.

Quoted message said:

About 2/3 of the way up Hulls and my hands are toasty but my feet are
getting real cold. This however is a common occurrence that we suffer
through and we both keep trying new ways to insulate our toes without
having
to spend a bundle of money. Maybe Santa will bring us those Lake winter
mtb
boots... When we get to the intersection of Hulls, the Freeway and Trail
#1,
we are both jazzed. Brad suggests that we head up #1 to the motorcycle
parking lot and decide where to go from there. Due to the snow and ruts,
it
takes a couple of tries to cleanly ride the beginning of trail #1, but
from
there it is smooth sailing and great traction. Boise looks pretty cool
through the snowfall which is getting a little heavier.

That approach can be a little dicey. I rememer the first time I cleaned it
on the singlespeed, there was a group sitting there cheering me on. After
about 3 tries, I finally made it. Wrestling my riser bar on that rocky
ascent felt like trying to take a mad bull down by the horns. But the rest
of that piece is a tough climb, too. Sandy, rocky, steep.

Quoted message said:

When we get to the top we turn right around and head back down because
we want to ride up Trail #4 and get on Sidewinder. Just after we get to
the
bottom and cross the foot bridge across Hulls Gulch we see lights coming
up
Hulls Gulch. We continue on down the Freeway heading for Trail 4 giving
salutations to the 3 riders coming up Hulls across from us. It is good to
know that there are other nuts out here.

An idiots convention? Good stuff. I met another rider going up the face of
Tablerock the other day, and we shared a laugh about being the only fools
out on a miserably cold evening.

Quoted message said:

Trail 4, like Trail 1 is open to motorcycle traffic and can get big
ruts
right down the middle. It is a challenge to ride this trail up or down
even
when the ground is dry, so the snow is going to be tough. You
have to keep your line as straight as possible to keep from slipping into
the ruts or from falling off the downhill side of the trail. I have lucked
out and have the right tire pressure to ride all but one short steep
section
near the top. Brad is having traction and shifting problems but still
rides
most of it. When I get to the top I am roasting, well except for my toes
which feel like rocks. Also, my beard has frozen from all the moisture;
yeah
winter is fun.

That settles it. That ride up the "V" is a buttkick under any conditions.
Good job! I don't like going up it, and I don't like going down it. The
only time I rode up it, passed a guy walking his bike. He was [censored]
with tears running down his face. "What's up?" says we. "Need anything?"
"NO!" yells he. "I just dislocated my damn shoulder!" cries he. o well.

Quoted message said:

The snow is really coming down now and since neither of us were smart
enough to wear our glasses, the ride down Sidewinder is both pleasure and
pain. We zip down this trail as fast as visibility will allow. Snow is
stinging our faces and eyes. Face muscles are tired of squinting. Traction
is not a problem and we never slide out, this is great!

Love it. I can see you leaning into turns, railing the S-turns and catching
air on the water bars. I'm jealous!

We pop out onto the

Quoted message said:

Freeway sooner than I had expected, it seemed like we missed a whole
section
of trail, but it was only the lack of visibility that caused the
confusion.
As we head down the Freeway Brad suggests doing the Redcliffs trail,
but I think that we might be pushing our traction luck too far so we ride
down the Connector and back over to Chickadee and Camelsback. That had to
be
one of the best rides I have done all year. Just under 2 hours riding time
which is also about how long it took for my toes to thaw once I got home,
but it was worth it.

Mike

Good stuff. Keep up the riding, er, I mean writing, no I guess I mean
riding, too.

Paladin

Quoted message said:

Mike Kennedy said:

The Boise valley had it's first snow fall last Saturday, however since
I had a cyclocross race to put on Sunday and was way too busy I did not get
out. The snow was gone from the valley by Saturday afternoon; Bummer! As
luck would have it we were blessed with another snow shower yesterday
(Tuesday) and this snow is going to stick around for a few days. My riding
partner Brad and I have been doing Tuesday night rides since early November,
so the snow was an added bonus/challenge for last night. We met at
Camelsback Park at 5:30pm, the temperature was in the upper 20's. The
parking lot had a thin layer of ice and I nearly fell on my butt while
getting the bike ready so I was feeling a little paranoid
about what to expect on the trails. It only took 10 minutes to get started,
but both of us had really cold hands already and we were thinking that this
might be a stupid idea, so we decided to just ride a short loop.
We headed around Camelsback and over to Chickadee ridge, Brad spinning
and me mashing
to try and generate enough heat to warm the hands but not over heat the
body. We have both endured fast descents in the cold after sweating a little
too much on other rides and it is not real fun. The traction is really good
so far and it is starting to lightly snow again. From Chickadee we decide to
head up Hulls Gulch just to extend the warm up period. No one else is out so
we cruise along enjoying the scenery and I decide this was not a stupid idea
after all. Traction is still really good except on the larger rocks and the
wood water bars. They are slick and force us to walk one short section or
risk a fall into the creek.
About 2/3 of the way up Hulls and my hands are toasty but my feet are
getting real cold. This however is a common occurrence that we suffer
through and we both keep trying new ways to insulate our toes without having
to spend a bundle of money. Maybe Santa will bring us those Lake winter mtb
boots... When we get to the intersection of Hulls, the Freeway and Trail #1,
we are both jazzed. Brad suggests that we head up #1 to the motorcycle
parking lot and decide where to go from there. Due to the snow and ruts, it
takes a couple of tries to cleanly ride the beginning of trail #1, but from
there it is smooth sailing and great traction. Boise looks pretty cool
through the snowfall which is getting a little heavier.
When we get to the top we turn right around and head back down because
we want to ride up Trail #4 and get on Sidewinder. Just after we get to the
bottom and cross the foot bridge across Hulls Gulch we see lights coming up
Hulls Gulch. We continue on down the Freeway heading for Trail 4 giving
salutations to the 3 riders coming up Hulls across from us. It is good to
know that there are other nuts out here.
Trail 4, like Trail 1 is open to motorcycle traffic and can get big ruts
right down the middle. It is a challenge to ride this trail up or down even
when the ground is dry, so the snow is going to be tough. You
have to keep your line as straight as possible to keep from slipping into
the ruts or from falling off the downhill side of the trail. I have lucked
out and have the right tire pressure to ride all but one short steep section
near the top. Brad is having traction and shifting problems but still rides
most of it. When I get to the top I am roasting, well except for my toes
which feel like rocks. Also, my beard has frozen from all the moisture; yeah
winter is fun.
The snow is really coming down now and since neither of us were smart
enough to wear our glasses, the ride down Sidewinder is both pleasure and
pain. We zip down this trail as fast as visibility will allow. Snow is
stinging our faces and eyes. Face muscles are tired of squinting. Traction
is not a problem and we never slide out, this is great! We pop out onto the
Freeway sooner than I had expected, it seemed like we missed a whole section
of trail, but it was only the lack of visibility that caused the confusion.
As we head down the Freeway Brad suggests doing the Redcliffs trail,
but I think that we might be pushing our traction luck too far so we ride
down the Connector and back over to Chickadee and Camelsback. That had to be
one of the best rides I have done all year. Just under 2 hours riding time
which is also about how long it took for my toes to thaw once I got home,
but it was worth it.

Mike

Nice!
Bill
The First law, Inertia: Unless acted upon by an outside force,
a body at rest tends to stay at rest,
and a body in motion tends to stay in motion.
Sir Isaac Newton

Bill Wheeler said:

Mike Kennedy said:

The Boise valley had it's first snow fall last Saturday, however since
I had a cyclocross race to put on Sunday and was way too busy I did not get
out. The snow was gone from the valley by Saturday afternoon; Bummer! As
luck would have it we were blessed with another snow shower yesterday
(Tuesday) and this snow is going to stick around for a few days. My riding
partner Brad and I have been doing Tuesday night rides since early November,
so the snow was an added bonus/challenge for last night. We met at
Camelsback Park at 5:30pm, the temperature was in the upper 20's. The
parking lot had a thin layer of ice and I nearly fell on my butt while
getting the bike ready so I was feeling a little paranoid
about what to expect on the trails. It only took 10 minutes to get started,
but both of us had really cold hands already and we were thinking that this
might be a stupid idea, so we decided to just ride a short loop.
We headed around Camelsback and over to Chickadee ridge, Brad spinning
and me mashing
to try and generate enough heat to warm the hands but not over heat the
body. We have both endured fast descents in the cold after sweating a little
too much on other rides and it is not real fun. The traction is really good
so far and it is starting to lightly snow again. From Chickadee we decide to
head up Hulls Gulch just to extend the warm up period. No one else is out so
we cruise along enjoying the scenery and I decide this was not a stupid idea
after all. Traction is still really good except on the larger rocks and the
wood water bars. They are slick and force us to walk one short section or
risk a fall into the creek.
About 2/3 of the way up Hulls and my hands are toasty but my feet are
getting real cold. This however is a common occurrence that we suffer
through and we both keep trying new ways to insulate our toes without having
to spend a bundle of money. Maybe Santa will bring us those Lake winter mtb
boots... When we get to the intersection of Hulls, the Freeway and Trail #1,
we are both jazzed. Brad suggests that we head up #1 to the motorcycle
parking lot and decide where to go from there. Due to the snow and ruts, it
takes a couple of tries to cleanly ride the beginning of trail #1, but from
there it is smooth sailing and great traction. Boise looks pretty cool
through the snowfall which is getting a little heavier.
When we get to the top we turn right around and head back down because
we want to ride up Trail #4 and get on Sidewinder. Just after we get to the
bottom and cross the foot bridge across Hulls Gulch we see lights coming up
Hulls Gulch. We continue on down the Freeway heading for Trail 4 giving
salutations to the 3 riders coming up Hulls across from us. It is good to
know that there are other nuts out here.
Trail 4, like Trail 1 is open to motorcycle traffic and can get big ruts
right down the middle. It is a challenge to ride this trail up or down even
when the ground is dry, so the snow is going to be tough. You
have to keep your line as straight as possible to keep from slipping into
the ruts or from falling off the downhill side of the trail. I have lucked
out and have the right tire pressure to ride all but one short steep section
near the top. Brad is having traction and shifting problems but still rides
most of it. When I get to the top I am roasting, well except for my toes
which feel like rocks. Also, my beard has frozen from all the moisture; yeah
winter is fun.
The snow is really coming down now and since neither of us were smart
enough to wear our glasses, the ride down Sidewinder is both pleasure and
pain. We zip down this trail as fast as visibility will allow. Snow is
stinging our faces and eyes. Face muscles are tired of squinting. Traction
is not a problem and we never slide out, this is great! We pop out onto the
Freeway sooner than I had expected, it seemed like we missed a whole section
of trail, but it was only the lack of visibility that caused the confusion.
As we head down the Freeway Brad suggests doing the Redcliffs trail,
but I think that we might be pushing our traction luck too far so we ride
down the Connector and back over to Chickadee and Camelsback. That had to be
one of the best rides I have done all year. Just under 2 hours riding time
which is also about how long it took for my toes to thaw once I got home,
but it was worth it.

Mike

Nice!
Bill
The First law, Inertia: Unless acted upon by an outside force,
a body at rest tends to stay at rest,
and a body in motion tends to stay in motion.
Sir Isaac Newton

Nope, Galileo! 🙂

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

Quoted message said:

The Boise valley had it's first snow fall last Saturday, however

since

Quoted message said:

I had a cyclocross race to put on Sunday and was way too busy I did not

get

Quoted message said:

out. The snow was gone from the valley by Saturday afternoon; Bummer! As
luck would have it we were blessed with another snow shower yesterday
(Tuesday) and this snow is going to stick around for a few days. My riding
partner Brad and I have been doing Tuesday night rides since early

November,

Quoted message said:

so the snow was an added bonus/challenge for last night. We met at
Camelsback Park at 5:30pm, the temperature was in the upper 20's. The
parking lot had a thin layer of ice and I nearly fell on my butt while
getting the bike ready so I was feeling a little paranoid
about what to expect on the trails. It only took 10 minutes to get

started,

Quoted message said:

but both of us had really cold hands already and we were thinking that

this

Quoted message said:

might be a stupid idea, so we decided to just ride a short loop.
We headed around Camelsback and over to Chickadee ridge, Brad

spinning

Quoted message said:

and me mashing
to try and generate enough heat to warm the hands but not over heat the
body. We have both endured fast descents in the cold after sweating a

little

Quoted message said:

too much on other rides and it is not real fun. The traction is really

good

Quoted message said:

so far and it is starting to lightly snow again. From Chickadee we decide

to

Quoted message said:

head up Hulls Gulch just to extend the warm up period. No one else is out

so

Quoted message said:

we cruise along enjoying the scenery and I decide this was not a stupid

idea

Quoted message said:

after all. Traction is still really good except on the larger rocks and

the

Quoted message said:

wood water bars. They are slick and force us to walk one short section or
risk a fall into the creek.
About 2/3 of the way up Hulls and my hands are toasty but my feet are
getting real cold. This however is a common occurrence that we suffer
through and we both keep trying new ways to insulate our toes without

having

Quoted message said:

to spend a bundle of money. Maybe Santa will bring us those Lake winter

mtb

Quoted message said:

boots... When we get to the intersection of Hulls, the Freeway and Trail

#1,

Quoted message said:

we are both jazzed. Brad suggests that we head up #1 to the motorcycle
parking lot and decide where to go from there. Due to the snow and ruts,

it

Quoted message said:

takes a couple of tries to cleanly ride the beginning of trail #1, but

from

Quoted message said:

there it is smooth sailing and great traction. Boise looks pretty cool
through the snowfall which is getting a little heavier.
When we get to the top we turn right around and head back down

because

Quoted message said:

we want to ride up Trail #4 and get on Sidewinder. Just after we get to

the

Quoted message said:

bottom and cross the foot bridge across Hulls Gulch we see lights coming

up

Quoted message said:

Hulls Gulch. We continue on down the Freeway heading for Trail 4 giving
salutations to the 3 riders coming up Hulls across from us. It is good to
know that there are other nuts out here.
Trail 4, like Trail 1 is open to motorcycle traffic and can get big

ruts

Quoted message said:

right down the middle. It is a challenge to ride this trail up or down

even

Quoted message said:

when the ground is dry, so the snow is going to be tough. You
have to keep your line as straight as possible to keep from slipping into
the ruts or from falling off the downhill side of the trail. I have lucked
out and have the right tire pressure to ride all but one short steep

section

Quoted message said:

near the top. Brad is having traction and shifting problems but still

rides

Quoted message said:

most of it. When I get to the top I am roasting, well except for my toes
which feel like rocks. Also, my beard has frozen from all the moisture;

yeah

Quoted message said:

winter is fun.
The snow is really coming down now and since neither of us were smart
enough to wear our glasses, the ride down Sidewinder is both pleasure and
pain. We zip down this trail as fast as visibility will allow. Snow is
stinging our faces and eyes. Face muscles are tired of squinting. Traction
is not a problem and we never slide out, this is great! We pop out onto

the

Quoted message said:

Freeway sooner than I had expected, it seemed like we missed a whole

section

Quoted message said:

of trail, but it was only the lack of visibility that caused the

confusion.

Quoted message said:

As we head down the Freeway Brad suggests doing the Redcliffs trail,
but I think that we might be pushing our traction luck too far so we ride
down the Connector and back over to Chickadee and Camelsback. That had to

be

Quoted message said:

one of the best rides I have done all year. Just under 2 hours riding time
which is also about how long it took for my toes to thaw once I got home,
but it was worth it.

Mike

Nice. Would be nice to see some piccies of that too...

Steve.

I do plan to start taking the camera on these types of trips because it
would have made for some great shots.

"spademan o---[) *"
<[email hidden]> wrote in
message news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

The Boise valley had it's first snow fall last Saturday, however

since

Quoted message said:

I had a cyclocross race to put on Sunday and was way too busy I did not

get

Quoted message said:

out. The snow was gone from the valley by Saturday afternoon; Bummer! As
luck would have it we were blessed with another snow shower yesterday
(Tuesday) and this snow is going to stick around for a few days. My

riding

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

partner Brad and I have been doing Tuesday night rides since early

November,

Quoted message said:

so the snow was an added bonus/challenge for last night. We met at
Camelsback Park at 5:30pm, the temperature was in the upper 20's. The
parking lot had a thin layer of ice and I nearly fell on my butt while
getting the bike ready so I was feeling a little paranoid
about what to expect on the trails. It only took 10 minutes to get

started,

Quoted message said:

but both of us had really cold hands already and we were thinking that

this

Quoted message said:

might be a stupid idea, so we decided to just ride a short loop.
We headed around Camelsback and over to Chickadee ridge, Brad

spinning

Quoted message said:

and me mashing
to try and generate enough heat to warm the hands but not over heat the
body. We have both endured fast descents in the cold after sweating a

little

Quoted message said:

too much on other rides and it is not real fun. The traction is really

good

Quoted message said:

so far and it is starting to lightly snow again. From Chickadee we

decide

Quoted message said:

to

Quoted message said:

head up Hulls Gulch just to extend the warm up period. No one else is

out

Quoted message said:

so

Quoted message said:

we cruise along enjoying the scenery and I decide this was not a stupid

idea

Quoted message said:

after all. Traction is still really good except on the larger rocks and

the

Quoted message said:

wood water bars. They are slick and force us to walk one short section

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

risk a fall into the creek.
About 2/3 of the way up Hulls and my hands are toasty but my feet

are

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

getting real cold. This however is a common occurrence that we suffer
through and we both keep trying new ways to insulate our toes without

having

Quoted message said:

to spend a bundle of money. Maybe Santa will bring us those Lake winter

mtb

Quoted message said:

boots... When we get to the intersection of Hulls, the Freeway and Trail

#1,

Quoted message said:

we are both jazzed. Brad suggests that we head up #1 to the motorcycle
parking lot and decide where to go from there. Due to the snow and ruts,

it

Quoted message said:

takes a couple of tries to cleanly ride the beginning of trail #1, but

from

Quoted message said:

there it is smooth sailing and great traction. Boise looks pretty cool
through the snowfall which is getting a little heavier.
When we get to the top we turn right around and head back down

because

Quoted message said:

we want to ride up Trail #4 and get on Sidewinder. Just after we get to

the

Quoted message said:

bottom and cross the foot bridge across Hulls Gulch we see lights coming

up

Quoted message said:

Hulls Gulch. We continue on down the Freeway heading for Trail 4 giving
salutations to the 3 riders coming up Hulls across from us. It is good

to

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

know that there are other nuts out here.
Trail 4, like Trail 1 is open to motorcycle traffic and can get big

ruts

Quoted message said:

right down the middle. It is a challenge to ride this trail up or down

even

Quoted message said:

when the ground is dry, so the snow is going to be tough. You
have to keep your line as straight as possible to keep from slipping

into

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the ruts or from falling off the downhill side of the trail. I have

lucked

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

out and have the right tire pressure to ride all but one short steep

section

Quoted message said:

near the top. Brad is having traction and shifting problems but still

rides

Quoted message said:

most of it. When I get to the top I am roasting, well except for my toes
which feel like rocks. Also, my beard has frozen from all the moisture;

yeah

Quoted message said:

winter is fun.
The snow is really coming down now and since neither of us were

smart

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

enough to wear our glasses, the ride down Sidewinder is both pleasure

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

pain. We zip down this trail as fast as visibility will allow. Snow is
stinging our faces and eyes. Face muscles are tired of squinting.

Traction

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

is not a problem and we never slide out, this is great! We pop out onto

the

Quoted message said:

Freeway sooner than I had expected, it seemed like we missed a whole

section

Quoted message said:

of trail, but it was only the lack of visibility that caused the

confusion.

Quoted message said:

As we head down the Freeway Brad suggests doing the Redcliffs

trail,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but I think that we might be pushing our traction luck too far so we

ride

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down the Connector and back over to Chickadee and Camelsback. That had

to

Quoted message said:

be

Quoted message said:

one of the best rides I have done all year. Just under 2 hours riding

time

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

which is also about how long it took for my toes to thaw once I got

home,

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

but it was worth it.

Mike

Nice. Would be nice to see some piccies of that too...

Steve.