Got an invite to ride up/down Mt Spokane from a really nice gal ( not single) that I met at NORBA.
She's in the K2 developmental racer program, expert, and we've been doing "fun" rides together. I
round up Kamikaze #2 who would be having her first ride since she dislocated her shoulder 3 weeks
ago, and Mr. Adventure ( my hubby) who it turned out did not have to work on a proposal today. (sat)
Looks like another hot one but no big deal, it's cooler up there. The air is better but still not
great. Mary wants to ride up one of the trails and not the road like I did the last time I was
there. Ok, fine... We start up trail 130 which is an old road, straight pitch and steep. We're all
grunting and pedaling up this thing, and it finally mellows out for a while.
Then it gets steep again ( the wailing wall Mary informs me) and I am just dying.... not usual for
me, but my chest hurts, my lungs hurt, and then I start to tense up which makes it worse. I haven't
had asthma problems in 25 years. I"m a little freaked ( a lot freaked). My hubby and Mary are
waiting for me, I sit just unwind a lot before continuing the walk this steep pitch. I am convinced
it was an air quality thing; when I have tried to ride earlier this week I've just gotten nauseous.
OK, after the grade mellows I am much better. When we get to the XC ski area, I opt to continue up
the pavement instead of the trail, mainly due to the amount of dust we are kicking up on the single
track and the level of work required for the trail. So ladida, the hubby joins me for the four mile
pedal to the summit, where we are greeted at the Vista House by a group preparing for a wedding.
Mary, Kathleen, and the two guys make up the trail about 20 minutes after us... we all take a nice
snack break and enjoy the hazy view. The, time to head down! This time I brought my pads... there
are enough trees close to the trail that I feel better that way. Mary is a "bike camp" graduate
also, and we have a joke together about being Merkins showing up a bike camp with out pads. One of
our riders, Josh is a really newbie to mountain biking. He's got a nice Kona, perfect for what we're
doing, but has never done anything technical before. So we give him the 30 second clinic... seat
down, attack position, easy on the brakes and off we go.
Whee.... as always. Having done this trail 2 weeks ago I feel more confident, faster. The only times
I hesitate are in the really deep dust pits, or the two "V" shaped switchbacks. We allow a lot of
space between riders just for the dust factor. I am really glad I bring my clear safety glasses.
Although they have a high dork factor, they are perfect for high speed dusty shady conditions. For
some reason, I am second down the mountain... Kathleen is taking it easy due to her shoulder, and
Josh the newbie is being a real trooper trying something new. Mr. adventure is bombing it, and
napping when we hit the first junction.
Mary offers me a turn on her freeride bike, and I decline, silly me. I will wait until we can go to
Beacon together and mess around. She and I are the same size, first time I've met a gal who's got
something that would fit me.
I have a great run, not slow and handling just about everything on the trail. then we get down to
the cars, ( it's 7 up, 3.5 down) and see the temperature ratings are in the 90's!! Hmm, good thing
we started early. And no wonder that by 6 pm I am just wiped out. That was fixed by a nice helping
of ribeyes and baked potatoes, with garden fresh tomatoes.
Penny