___ing for people who feel too much

Dude comes into the shop the other day, sniffs the air and decides to open with "1st ride of the season!" That settles and mechanic Y decides to bite, "Oh yeah? I guess you live in the snow." That had no time to settle, Dude was waiting for it,"Oh yeah. Moab. You been there? You should really think about going." I just laughed when I heard that. It was nobody I knew, but he was quite the local.

Other folks really from Moab came into town with the go ahead for some Fort Ord loops. Lots of surprise and dismay at the fresh to them devastation. Mollified somewhat by those sweet singletrack loops that used to be ridden only by Old T____, and which are now our staples. Rolling through some Coast Live Oaks (Quercus agrifola)*, some blue skies and some 62 degrees can make you look on the bright side.

I cut through that one hillside and rode out to meet them, cuz to me, at this stage, I'm real tired of Ord. To be honest, the dirt was the stuff of legend. Winter over here is good to you. That bottomless sand tacks up so nice. I'm still tired of it. Dragging around some new eyes did help me see some more options for project riding out there. It was fun showing off  the shrine to folks who really appreciate it. I think I'll make some more. Moab could certainly use one(s).

Tomorrow we will poke around over to the dried out creek bed side of things. They've never been there, and it should be in their bag of options. Woulda coulda shoulda Coe, but there are buts.

If you like the old cycling photos, then you will like the Il Dolore.


*wiki says: In the 18th and 19th centuries shipbuilders sought out the odd angular branches to make special joints. Pioneers moving west would harvest small amounts for making farm implements and wagon wheels, but the greatest impact was the wholesale clearing of oak woodlands to erect sprawling cities such as San Diego and San Francisco. The irregular shape often let the tree escape widespread harvest for building timbers, and also led the early settlers to endow the Coast Live Oak with mystical qualities. Its stateliness has made it a subject of historical landscape painters throughout California modern history since the mid-19th century.

no me vengas con chismes

I think your organized gravel events are a little bit silly.

I see it if it's in your backyard. I get the suffering for extended periods- I'm into that. It's traveling for something so...tame...that raises my hair. You are gonna do what you want, but I feel it should be pointed out: if you are bothering to plan and travel for a bike ride, it should be something more worthwhile. And yes, I am the arbiter of such things. So stop fucking around and plan a kickass back country adventure already.

Along those lines, who wants to ride Kokopelli Trail in 2-3 days July 19-21? I've yet to ride it, and how hard could it be? The Heat Index will really be something, you say? Whatevs, we can ride in the cooler nighttime hours jes fine with our sweet generator lights. Some good folks is getting hitched in Moab, and I think I'll take the train (no driving? observation deck? bar car?!) from Cali to GJ with my bike and roll over all super fun style.

Anyhow. Think about it.

how simple

Hold on.




IF, say, there were a revisitation of the White Rim Overnight scheduled for October 22 and the Full Hunter Moon...well then, would anyone show?


This may or may not be in the works. The White Rim Trail Overnight has been a function of the July Full Thunder Moon, historically speaking. Started in 1998, this ridiculous ~110 mile bit of trailwork under the moon is the ride that caused this very congregation to rise from the trailside dust and begin it's fine tenure of shyster laden hucksterism. It has broken better riders than you and brought them so very, very low. Since the beginning, it has had a long and sordid tradition of bailouts and false starts. Every time it is attempted, it invariably becomes much more than at least one participant wanted.

If this goes forward, it will be (as per usual) supported with water caches at each campground and one fully stocked aid station at Murphy's Hogback. Last time I attended, the aid staion had thermarests, coolers full, food, whatever gear folks had arranged to have sagged, etc. We're talking luxe as you like. I wonder if we couldn't work out some kind of chef's meat catering action...

Cali people may want to carpool. I have a party van.



Anyhow, it's a thought.

gimme that old time religion

This is in rotation today.





image from here

Preferably one with some dolls and pins and wax&blood effigies. Definitely one wherein we ride the bicycles and there is Suffering.

I drove down to an undisclosed location in Big Sur to meet J__ and P______ for a singlespeed jaunt up the coastal range.





Pave up up up , and dirt down.



P______ ended up no showing as he was sick, so it was down to 2. J__ observed that the light is now Autumn Light, and she is right. There was a nice coolness all day, though the bugs were still after some time in your orifices.


We stopped for a short hike to check on the albino Redwood. We weren't sure what damage the fire last year had done. Yay! The albino is still there. It is shrubby now (like it's siblings) but seems well. The color is much more yellow now as opposed to the pale milk it was before.




The fire has changed the landscape quite a bit. Sheer creek walls now are blown out and full; the beds are wider and flat, the result of many BIG downed logs making retaining walls of sorts. Look at the Redwoods in the above picture; it was crazy to see how furry the new growth is. On some trees, the fur extended out along the horizontal branches as well. All in all, I like the new landscape. Especially next Spring, when it really starts to recover.





Topped out over-looking the Pacific. Rode every bit of the up, which was nice. Note to self: remember to take the trail at that one flat point, and then head down/right.

It was fun to ride the zippy Black Cat singlespeed (which needs a re-wrap) after 2 solid weeks of hefty/long Karate Monkey kludged singlespeed action. I could maneuver much better, and the climbing position was waaaaay better. I did miss the suspension fork on the top rattly section, but this bike is rigid only and everthing is a trade-off somewhere.

I am tired.


************************************************************************************

When G__ and I awoke on Monday in Moab, we went directly to the Love Muffin cafe for a rushed breakfast on the way to meet the shuttle for Burro to Town, which is now called "The Whole Enchilada". If you are in Moab and want some excellent Chef's Meat (it can be vegan), I recommendo the Love Muffin 100%. Even though the cook looks real shady and all. I'd post pictures, but I didn't take any- and the crazy lady who has some up on the interwebs will track me down and beleaguer me like a pesty gnat if I co-opt hers.

The shuttle was not the private affair I'd been led to believe. Softy! You owe me a bike ride! It was the commercial 9:30 ride up to the La Sals. We had to ride up with a party of unknowns. The driver ignored our repeated request to stop for beer. Requests which were seconded by the 2 fellows sitting in front of us, whom G__ referred to as Curly and Moe. You know it's bad when we can refer to some other crew as "the drunk guys".





Top of Burro. 11,000+



Moe. Who owes me some pictures! We drank some of their beer, and they drank some of our whiskey and we all rode bikes down a lot.





Pointing out at Castle Valley and Porcupine Rim. We're headed there and then some.






Looking back up the rim toward what we came down.



We even took naps.


Again if you are ever in Moab (and sometime everone who rides should go) I recommendo this ride over any other. Ridiculous amounts of singletrack with solid foundation Moab riding style finish. The upper singletrack section(s) of Porcupine are game changingly awesome.

Finally, allow me also to (again) point you at a local business: Poison Spider Bikes. Well stocked and equipped. High end rentals, parts and repairs. Top notch staff. TJ, I know you may be a little sour about having had so much of your combustibles combusted, but you made my Burro ride with the help that morning. Thank you. The Pivot Mach (!) 429 I demoed did not wow me, but the service backing it up did.