The Dirt..............

Mountain Bike Time

An unpredictable work schedule has thrown a wrench into the great plan.  Improvisation, again, the order of the day (or week).

The old reliable X2; my mountain bike from about 18 years ago, still a great bike.  Perhaps a little dated, but some excellent components.  True, it's still a 26" (wheel), but for an all aluminum full suspension, it rides pretty good.  Lately the front shock seals have started to leak, but I don't have the time to re-build them.  They still work, just get dirty fast.  I've had that bike more places than most anybody else's bike will ever go.

Tonight I got home a little later than planned, so I waited for the sun to drop behind Willard peak, cooling things off a bit.  Right out of the garage, I zoom down to the middle gate at North Fork Park and took a good 15 minute warm-up ride to a nice single-track trail head.  Usually this late, there aren't many, if any other riders on the trail, so I can benchmark my progress and time.  Conditions were good for an assessment ride.

The trail starts pretty easy, with some minor, fairly short climbs.  Out of the first section and onto a hill to the first set of switchbacks, I default to my bailout gear, with pedals rolled-over (un-clipped). A couple of the turns are pretty sharp, along with a steep grade, the rocks can stop you dead in your tracks.  29er's (29" wheels) can make the rocks a little easier, but this is for training.  All the way up, there are short bursts of intense strain, with heart rates getting into the near 90% range.  Then you have nice little recoveries, spinning along easier grades before the next turn.  The last two switch backs have a couple key places that require a little skill to stay on the bike.  If you're tired, they'll toss you every time.  At the top of the last switchback, there's a little stretch of a constant grade before coming around the face.  There are still a few rocks that can toss you if not careful, but there are also three pretty good spots to get over before the top.  The first is a stretch of rocks on blind turn that you need to hit with some momentum.  Another blind turn and there is a bigger rock.  This takes timing and speed to get over.  Up to this point, I was on the bike all the way.  Tonight I hopped a little to the left side, with the front wheel clearing the rock, but the back wheel right in the wrong place. Trying to keep moving, I rode through the edge of the Gamble Oak, getting a pretty good beating.  The last little rise is much easier than the rock, but still pretty steep, enough that it again will stop the average person.  At the top with only the one interruption, I didn't feel too bad - other than a bunch of scratches down my left forearm.

The ride down is great, assuming you don't have a run-in with a moose.  Tonight was perfect.  Still light enough to see, chased a couple deer and an easy decent.  By the time I was back on the service road, I hadn't seen another person and only a few deer.  The ride was still short of a full hour at rate, so not a good endurance ride.  By the time I hang up the bike in the garage, it's only about an hour and 20 minutes.  It's a pretty good way to work the leg strength with the heart rate, but not much for endurance.  This means another 45 minutes on the spin bike, with some additional conditioning.  Still worth the time.

These are the kinds of rides that can quickly do damage, but the change is good.  I need more road miles and more endurance rides.

Riding with Bob...........Like a Rock.

Ride Hard!