Transition Day
Today is a day of transition from only mountain bike riding to the dual riding season - road and mountain. I finished working on the road bike this week and as things tend to work out, it's a good thing. I broke my bike on the off-road ride today and went home and took the road bike out for a spin, just to make sure it was ready. 10 miles later, it was the official start of road biking season.
This morning was another day at Chimney Rock, bright and early at 9:30. A little cold but not bad, low 40s. The ride wasn't amazing but it was good. Technically I was ok but the bike was a piece of shit today. The chain kept skipping off the cassette, which gets magnified under stress, or, when going uphill. After about 1:20 of riding, on the big hill that runs next to the quarry, I got to the top and nearly flipped my wig. Aside from the chain constantly skipping on the gear it was on, it kept jumping between gears. So when I got to the top, I un-gently whacked the derailleur into a tree, and succeeded in smacking it back into shape but at the cost of bending my rim. Piece of shit.
So I tooled back to the car with the rear brakes disengaged on the path of least resistance through the park. Incidentally, I managed to find a new trail on the way which should add a nice 10-15 minute loop to the overall ride. I'm thinking this park is good for 2.5-3 hours when all is said and done, if not more. This assumes my bike cooperates, which it usually does if you dump enough money into it. Odd, it's like a woman in that regard, but with a helmet.
When I got home at 11:45 I chowed down a salad and half a scallion pancake and took the road bike out. Before I officially declared the mountain bike in the shop, I needed to be sure the road bike was ready to go. Not only was it ready to go, it felt like the smoothest ride I have ever been on in my life. You have to understand something. After riding all year with a bike that shifts gears when it feels like it, to have a bike respond exactly the way you want it to do is a wonderful thing. It's like riding Roseanne Barr for 10 weeks then suddenly finding Vida Guerra in your bed.
So yes, my Trek Vida Guerra 2200 is ready for the season. And my mountain bike is officially under construction. Regardless of all that, tonight's Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale is some of the best goddamn beer I've tasted all year. Just perfect.
This morning was another day at Chimney Rock, bright and early at 9:30. A little cold but not bad, low 40s. The ride wasn't amazing but it was good. Technically I was ok but the bike was a piece of shit today. The chain kept skipping off the cassette, which gets magnified under stress, or, when going uphill. After about 1:20 of riding, on the big hill that runs next to the quarry, I got to the top and nearly flipped my wig. Aside from the chain constantly skipping on the gear it was on, it kept jumping between gears. So when I got to the top, I un-gently whacked the derailleur into a tree, and succeeded in smacking it back into shape but at the cost of bending my rim. Piece of shit.
So I tooled back to the car with the rear brakes disengaged on the path of least resistance through the park. Incidentally, I managed to find a new trail on the way which should add a nice 10-15 minute loop to the overall ride. I'm thinking this park is good for 2.5-3 hours when all is said and done, if not more. This assumes my bike cooperates, which it usually does if you dump enough money into it. Odd, it's like a woman in that regard, but with a helmet.
When I got home at 11:45 I chowed down a salad and half a scallion pancake and took the road bike out. Before I officially declared the mountain bike in the shop, I needed to be sure the road bike was ready to go. Not only was it ready to go, it felt like the smoothest ride I have ever been on in my life. You have to understand something. After riding all year with a bike that shifts gears when it feels like it, to have a bike respond exactly the way you want it to do is a wonderful thing. It's like riding Roseanne Barr for 10 weeks then suddenly finding Vida Guerra in your bed.
So yes, my Trek Vida Guerra 2200 is ready for the season. And my mountain bike is officially under construction. Regardless of all that, tonight's Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale is some of the best goddamn beer I've tasted all year. Just perfect.
