AAron at AAKT

Rolling Nowhere

2012-03-04T20:57:00.000-05:00

Sunday afternoon arrived and I thought about going for a quick ride around the block. I looked out the back window and it looked decent enough, the thermometer stuck to the window displayed "39". I thought for a minute about where I might go as I ate a pre-ride apple.

Five minutes later I did a double take out the same back window that was convincing me to ride; a flurry of wind blown snowflakes was in progress. Okay... I guess I'll head to the basement. I watched the final hour of the 2010 Leadville 100 video from aboard the rollers.

Levi won the Leadville while I won the

battle of motivation and rode indoors.

Riding Home via Moreland

2012-02-28T21:39:00.000-05:00

This morning I drove to work with my bike and gear in the car. I spent the rest of the day thinking about what route I would ride home. Thinking about the setting sun and good vantage points I decided I would ride home via Moreland Hill.

I changed clothes in my car after work and jumped on the bike. The sunset was setting up nicely with partially cloudy skies. As I rode south I began to wonder if the sun on my right would set before I made it to the hill. Thankfully I arrived in time to see a rather dramatic sunset.

Nice view and ride home from here,

watching the sun drop out of view ahead.

Church then Ride

2012-02-26T20:32:00.000-05:00

After making plans with Ryan last night I packed my bike and gear for church. We had a non-typical Sunday service with a number of people sharing their stories of faith, God's presence in their lives, and baptisms. It was a very meaningful service to see people expressing their relationship with God.

Sunday morning bike.

We had some Chipotle for lunch before heading to Ryan's in-laws' house. From there we rode west to the Overton Valley. We climbed Pleasant Home Road out of the valley, dropped back into the valley and climbed Jentes coming back east. We enjoyed clear, blue skies the whole way.

Turning east.

Ellen Likes Ergon

2012-02-22T19:23:00.000-05:00

Picked up a pair of Ergon grips at the shop on a lunchtime trip today. I will use them on the Karate Monkey, hopefully giving a little more surface area to distribute the solid front end. Maybe, just maybe the KM will make it out to a trail if the weather and schedule cooperates. Though it has been fun chasing Daniel around the basement on it.

Ellen displays handlebar technique.

More Swamp Pics

2012-02-21T19:51:00.003-05:00

A few more pictures from last night's ride...

First pic of the ride on the way out.

Light at the ready, prepared for sunset.

Watching the sunset.

Sun down view from Hoy Road.

Gravel Swamp Ride

2012-02-20T21:28:00.000-05:00

The forecast for the week changed and suddenly today, Monday, was the only day calling for sun. In the middle of the afternoon I thought about getting out for an afternoon ride and realized I had not made the most of the cross tires much this winter. Gravel... I need to find some gravel...

Heading down Valley Rd.

I mapped out a ride through the Shreve swamps on the gravel roads. It was not a long route but was entertaining. It was 38 degrees as I drove home. I dressed for post-sunset freezing temperatures and headed out in the sunshine.

It looks like it's been there a while, but I do not

remember seeing this oil pump in previous swamp rides.

The air was crisp and the light was soft as I pedaled over gravel and dirt. It was quiet in the swamps, with the exception of some kids in a jacked up truck. The sun was setting when I found a "pond" I didn't know existed. The setting sun and reflections on the stagnant water was a picture waiting to happen.

Darkness coming.

I climbed up Clarke and got my lungs and legs burning before looping back through Moreland to once again cross the gravel on Valley Road. It was a bumpier ride through the dirt potholes on Valley coming back than going out. The dips and bumps were more difficult to see in the dark, even with the headlight powered on. My tinted sunglass lenses were not helping.

Passing by Moreland Fruit Farm on the way home.

It was another nice ride past sunset. The temperature sure drops fast when the sun goes down. I look forward to the next one.

Back on Campus

2012-02-17T20:19:00.000-05:00

Ten years later I made it back to campus. Noah and I went to represent the company at a career fair. We arrived the night before and had some time to walk around campus in the dark. After the career fair the next day, where we met some solid students, we had another walk including a visit to the ol' engineering building.

Found some bikes in the dark.

The meeting and proposing place for KT and I.

It was nice to see the campus and meetup with some of the faculty again. I realized how much I under-appreciated the courtesy, cleanliness, and professionalism of Northern when I was a student. The efforts of the faculty and staff really showed in the students we met, plus the students are a notch above your typical college student.

I remember an engineering professor who rode to work

everyday. I'm 99% certain this is his new ride. Nice!

At some point in our visit we drove down Main Street to find the houses me and the guys lived in our last two years. Well, we must have been hard on them...

The former location of 911 & 915 S. Main. Lots of fun

was had where these empty lots now stand.

Black Ops Library Roll

2012-02-04T13:22:00.013-05:00

Pump it up.

"I feel like we are getting ready for a mission" Ryan said as we layered on clothes, prepped our gear, and buckled helmets. I aired up the front tire on my cross bike and we switched our headlights on. It was probably 7pm when we pedaled away from our cars in the dark.

Gettin' ready to roll.

Knowing our weekend schedules would not allow a ride together we made plans to meetup for a Friday night ride. I wanted to experience some different terrain than I've been riding around my place, so I proposed riding from Ryan's house. As we discussed our plan we stumbled upon the idea of riding a portion of the Fredericksburg Library Roll, an annual benefit ride co-sponsored by our cycling club.

The map was printed on green paper which was pretty

easy to see in the dark when held near our head lights.

The Library Roll is known for some good hills. They were not any easier in the dark and it was ambitious for this time of year. We made it down to Charm and stopped for some food and drink. It was about 40 degrees when we began the ride and we were staying pretty comfortable. After the stop I was feeling a bit cold but the climb out of Charm fixed that problem.

Ryan jousting. (Slow sync flash mode.)

From Charm to Millersburg was a collection of climbs that one after another put a beat down on my legs. At one point Ryan and I were nearly laughing at the faintly lit sight in the distance of more hills. We enjoyed a long, fast downhill that left me smiling but chilled. Ryan said it felt like a mountain descent and it did.

We conquered the last hills of the ride on the way into Millersburg and stopped at the rail-trail depot. I gave KT a call to let her know we were still alive. "Do you realize it's 9:30? Are you even having fun?" Oh yes, time flies when you're riding in the dark, trying to stay warm, and having fun.

I stopped at a gas station for a coffee and walked

out with peppered beef jerky too. Frosty roof.

The flat ride on the trail-trail back to our cars was cold. The temperature was certainly lower here than it had been anywhere else on the ride. We promptly started our cars to get the heat going and the thermometer in the car showed 33. There was frost on the roofs of our vehicles. We agreed on the epic quality of the ride and parted ways. It was a good one.

58 and the wind was my friend

2012-01-31T21:20:00.002-05:00

It was 58 degrees when I promptly left work to get home and jump on my cross bike. Not too bad for the final January day of 2012. For the first time in several rides I paid attention to the wind direction and ended up doing it right; I ate the gusts on the way out but enjoyed a tail wind on the way back.

I tried racing my shadow on the way out.

We won.

Setting sun, headlight at the ready.

A favorite gravel road of mine, only

ridden once the cross tires come out.

Sunset over the Funk bottoms.

Photo Intervals?

2012-01-22T20:58:00.001-05:00

Headed out for a ride on snow free but wet and dirty roads, perfect for those cross tires I installed yesterday. It was 42 degrees when I left the house under sunny skies. I rode out to one of my favorite areas, west of Shreve.

Sunny skies on the way out.

The deer also like one of my favorite areas.

I rode for almost two hours and enjoyed every minute. Well, I was getting some headwind towards the end and my legs were getting buttery but it was all part of the fun. I made a handful of stops for pictures. Maybe it's a new kind of interval technique, ride hard until the next photo stop?

There's a tree on the roof, let's move out.

The sun was getting sparse on the way back.

Tire Change

2012-01-21T19:25:00.000-05:00

I guess it's that time of year, time to change from road tires to cross tires on the cross bike. I've had good luck the last couple years running cross tires in the winter. They have been tolerant of of the cinders and salt on the road, with no flats yet. It's definitely later than normal to make the switch, but the roads have not been cinder strewn until now.

My winter riding recipe: cross bike, fenders, & cross tires.

Meanwhile Daniel was asking,

"Do you have winter tires for my bike?"

2012 Karate Monkey Build

2012-01-15T20:49:00.000-05:00

In September last year two thoughts came together. First, I read a MTB Action article about singlspeed mountain biking and began to think it might be fun to have a second mountain bike. Second, I realized the corporate health and wellness reward from my employer would be credited to me in the coming weeks. About this time I began shopping for bike parts.

Three months later my Surly Karate Monkey is complete!

I've only had it out on one shakedown ride so far. My first observation was the quick handling of the bike. This is likely due to the 2.5" shorter wheelbase compared to my Paragon. The Monkey turns on a dime.

It's going to be interesting to see how the single speed and rigid front end work for me on the trail. The 2.4" Maxxis Ardent up front will hopefully add enough squish to keep me from cracking. I look forward to spending some time on this bike!

Snow Tires Activate

2012-01-14T19:01:00.002-05:00

When we bought the Mazda3 back in June I also bought a set of snow tires mounted on steelies. As fall passed by and the calendar said winter was here, I was not sure when to put the snow tires on. I decided to wait until the first real snow so I could see how the car handled with the regular tires and then how it would handle with the snow tires.

Salty car, snow tires stacked and ready to go.

Our first real snow was Friday. The car did okay but I definitely had to be cautious while accelerating not to break the tires free, same with braking. So today, Daniel helped me put on the snow tires.

Daniel really did help, spinning the

lug nuts off after I broke them free.

Daniel was very interested in this job. He helped move the four way and jack from wheel to wheel, helped me roll the tires around, and kept calling the lug nuts "walnuts". Oh well, I knew what he meant.

Job done. I kind of like the looks

of the blacked out wheels.

Riding Indoors

2012-01-08T20:38:00.000-05:00

I have yet to hop on the indoor trainer. The day is probably coming but I've avoided it so far. Today we went for a hike at Wooster Memorial Park with the Falks.

Rylen got in an indoor ride.

Friday Night Riding

2012-01-06T21:36:00.001-05:00

It's been too long since getting out on a ride. Today I promptly left work and headed home to get out on the road. It was strangely warm for December, in the mid 40's during the day, but I dressed for lower temperatures knowing I'd ride past sunset.

Still sunny on my first pass through the swamps.

The roads were dry but crunchy with all the salt left behind thanks to weather forecasts including the threat of ice and snow. No accumulated snow yet this year and it has not been consistently cold. I'm sure the mountain bike trails could benefit from some sub-freezing temperatures to prevent getting muddy.

I typically reject the urge to take pictures of road kill,

but I couldn't pass this one up. A big snapping

turtle along the road in the swamps.

As the sun sank in the sky I fired up the head light and enjoyed watching the sunset from aboard a bike. It was dark when I rolled up the driveway, satisfied from having been out on the back roads.

Sunset on my second pass through the swamps.

New Steel Steed

2012-01-01T17:32:00.000-05:00

Let's call this a teaser... a new machine is in the works... all parts are here... more to come...

Daniel's Toolbox Project

2011-12-31T19:08:00.000-05:00

Daniel went down the shop to work on a toolbox with Grampy. Good thing he received a new "construction set" complete with suspenders for Christmas.

Ready to work.

Daniel drove about two dozen nails, never hitting

his fingers or Grampy's. He also painted his toolbox.

The completed project! A better tool box for

his new tools than the plastic bag

previously in use.

Merry Christmas 2012!

2011-12-25T17:45:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas from the North Pole!

Christmas Wheel Truing

2011-12-20T17:30:00.000-05:00

Here's a project in the works, a wheel truing stand for Chris. I found and purchased Roger Musson's wheelbuilding ebook (http://www.wheelpro.co.uk/) a while back for the build it yourself wheel truing stand plans as well as wheel building info. It's a worthwhile book and the plans for the stand are good, but I had to add my own tweaks to the stand.

The lateral truing gage is shown in this picture.

I added a solid wood edge band to the base plate, curly maple on this one, and used a single knob in a slot for width adjustment. A pin on the underside of each upright engages the slot to keep the uprights in alignment as they are slid side to side. I also routed a pocket for the "jaws" to better attach and locate them.

The radial truing gage is shown in this picture.

Hopefully Chris gets some use out of this stand. I will building a couple more in the near future.

Santa Claus is coming...

2011-12-18T16:23:00.001-05:00

Went out for a short, around the block ride. 39 when I left the house but the sun was going down and so was the temperature as I rode. First ride of the year on crusty, salt covered roads so the cross bike came out to play.

Santa is coming on a cross bike?

Or a reindeer powered sleigh?

I've been working on a couple small Christmas projects. No pictures to be posted until after they are given away. Not as much time anymore to make gifts, but I found time to make a couple items.

Sun going down.

First Frozen Mohican Ride this Year

2011-12-11T20:47:00.002-05:00

Went down to Mohican for a little ride. It was 37 in the car as I was driving, out in the woods the temperature varied depending on which side of the hills you were on. There was still a dusting of snow on the north side of the hills.

One of two stops today for a self-timer picture.

It was wetter than I thought it would be. My back tire filled with mud quickly and left me with reduced traction. I'm really think a different back tire could make the upcoming winter rides more fun.

A dirty bike and dirty car.

I did the short loop twice, seeing several guys on each lap. The parking lot had more cars in it than I expected. It was a nice, sunny day that brought out the mountain bikers.

Second picture stop.

After a stop at mom and dad's for dinner and some work in the shop I pulled up the driveway. I thought it was kind of neat seeing a bike on the rack behind the car lit up by the brake light. After a picture, I unloaded my muddy bike to be washed tomorrow.

Grainy but I like it.

Slight Miscalculation

2011-12-03T18:45:00.000-05:00

Finally made it out for a ride. It was 53 and sunny when I left the house, not bad for December. I didn't pay too much attention to the wind direction and just started riding. SR539 is a seldom traveled state route with nice pavement and, as I road north, I kept thinking my effort and speed were not matching up. Yeah, a tail wind was pushing me along.

Someone planned ahead with silage for the winter.

After riding west and then turning back south my effort and speed were not matching up again. This time the wind was hurting and not helping. Somewhere about this time the sun started to get low in the sky and was obscured by clouds. It felt like the temperature dropped ten degrees.

My intention of 1.5 to 2 hour ride turned into 2.5 hours and I was pretty chilled when I made it home. Still, as always, it was good to be out.

Pinhole

2011-11-15T22:09:00.004-05:00

I found the leaky spots in my two flat tubes from Saturday's ride at the Knob. A pinhole in the same place on both tubes. Hmmm... something pokey must be hiding in the tire, though I cannot find it even with the tire turned inside out. Maybe it came out in the process of dismounting the tire.

Tube triage central.

Tonight Ryan and I went out for a night ride but it did not go as expected. We rode through some standing water on Messner Road and were startled in the dark by Ryan's front tire exploding. It sounded like a .22 pistol bark, and yes, the tire exploded, not just the tube. The wire bead was protruding from the rubber.

Of course neither of us had anything to use as a tire boot and it seemed like a call home was in order. Searching the side of the road in the dark I found a McDonalds bag. Inside I found the remnants of someone's breakfast including a packet of picante salsa. Tear corner, squirt out salsa, and boot tire with the foil, plastic packet. Perfect. It worked surprisingly well and we didn't even take the shortest route home. Thanks to someone for littering?

Knob by night and day

2011-11-12T19:37:00.000-05:00

Tuesday this past week Noah and I went for a night hike at the Knob. There were no bikes involved but it was a fun adventure in the dark. Well, it was not as dark as it could have been due to the nearly full moon. At times we turned our light off because the moonlight was sufficient to see.

Noah had a new Fenix flashlight that put out some very usable light. I had my Cygolite bike light strapped to my helmet, which I've never done before, and a smaller Fenix flashlight. It took us 2 hours to hike the trail from start to the top of the Furnace. It made me realize a night ride on a mountain bike, with the right light, would not be as deathly as I had thought. I'd want to know the trail for sure, but a bright night and bright head mounted light made riding look fun.

All that hiking in the dark made me want to ride, a not-so-suprising result of walking a mountain bike trail I suppose. This afternoon I went to the knob again, this time with bike. Yet another Saturday of perfect weather. It was 54 degrees when I was driving, very nice for mid November.

I had a very enjoyable ride, taking my time, scanning the scenery, and breathing the fresh air. Towards the end of the first lap I thought the bike was handling funny. Is that wind pushing me around? (It was gusty, especially outside the protection of the woods.) No, that would be a front tire with about 0.75 psi in it. I stopped to change out the tube. I really did not spend much time trying to identify what kind of flat it was.

I really do not do this often enough to

think about tubeless, but I'm thinking

about tubeless.

Back to the car after the first lap I pumped so more air into the front tire. A single 12g CO2 cartridge lets you inflate and ride but it leaves you babying it until you can get more air. Hmmm... ride more? I'd like to, but no spare tube to carry. Note to self: I should keep a couple spare tubes in the car.

I started a second lap hoping to not experience a second flat or I'd be walking or using a patch kit trailside. The day was getting late and I still wanted to do yard work at home, so I figured I'd bail out at an access road crossing. Well, I was having too much fun so I kept riding.

The Cradle.

About 25 pedal strokes before emerging from the wood onto the furnace I once again wondered why the bike was handling funny. Wow, the front tire is really noisy on the trail. Yeah, it was flat again. At the last tire change I had swept the inside of the tire looking for debris but never found it.

So, I finished my ride the same way Noah and I finished our night hike, with a walk up the Furnace and back to the car.

Wilmot Ride in Perfect Light

2011-11-05T18:19:00.000-04:00

32 degrees, frosted grass, and full-on sunshine... Ryan and I rolled out of Apple Creek headed towards Wilmot. Sometimes it just feels good to be bundled up, breathing cold air, and pedaling through the country side. That was the case this morning.

We saw some cool looking clouds on the ride.

We rode a gravel road around the back side of the Wilderness Center. Then we road past the building at the Wilderness Center and into Wilmot. The sun had been in our face our on our left so far. Coming out of Wilmot it would be at our back or right side the rest of the way.

Gravel riding into the sun.

The Wilderness Center.

The air was crisp and the colors of fall were on display beneath a vivid, blue sky. The low light of the morning was perfect for pictures.

Ryan had the camera out too.

Coming out of Wilmot, and heading west, we were on a state route with a big buggy lane. I looked ahead and saw a couple Amish riders. I had to get a picture of Ryan latching on to the Amish peloton. While I nearly bit it riding through a pot hole one handed, I got the picture.

We only wheel sucked a little bit

after catching on.

We huffed and puffed on a couple short hills while heading north on Apple Creek Road and soon were back to Ryan's house. It was a great morning on the bike.

Self portrait.

Daylight Leak

2011-11-02T21:39:00.000-04:00

Made it out to the knob after work for a ride. I had hoped to be riding by 4:30, knowing sunset was at 6:22 tonight. It was after 5:00 by the time I unloaded my bike and was ready to roll. Oh well, maybe just one lap. Plus, I was not sure how I'd be feeling with the incessant cough still hanging on.

This was the sun status as I drove the dirt road

to the Knob about 5pm. It was gettin' down.

It was warm, I think the car display said 63 when I pulled in. Shorts and short sleeves were just right. The course was in good shape too. They added some pallets in the typical puddles of Mazeville and they seem to be making a difference.

After finishing the first lap the sun was getting low, but I figured a partial second lap was in order. At the first opportunity to short cut back I kept riding. At the second opportunity, top of the Furnace, I could see my car and knew the sun was nearly done for the day. Too much fun, I kept riding.

It was 6:35 when I made it back to the car after lap number two. The sun had set but there was plenty of light remaining. Good times.

Riding with Monkey Boy

2011-10-29T20:22:00.000-04:00

After a leisurely start to the morning I asked Daniel if he wanted to go for a bike ride at the high school. “Yes! Let’s go for bike ride at high school.”

“Or… would you rather get out the bike trailer and go for a ride on the trail?”

“Let’s get the trailer and go for a ride on the trail!”

The decision was made. We loaded up the trailer, my bike, and our gear into “daddy’s brand new car”, as Daniel calls it. It was a sunny drive to Fredericksburg, although a bit cold with the car’s thermometer only showing 46 degrees. We pulled into the parking lot at the trailhead and were the only car there.

Heading south. This was the first time we had to close

the plastic front cover due to temperature.

Daniel rode his Strider bike around in the parking lot while I put together the trailer and loaded us up. It was chilly as we began our ride to the south. We did the usual, rode to the depot in Millersburg and stopped at the playset. Daniel bought his usual Vitamin water from the vending machine, and we ate some lunch at the playset.

Heading north. Chasing down a couple Amish buggies.

It warmed up a little bit as the ride back was not so chilly. Back at the car we broke down the trailer and loaded everything in to the car before spending some time at the elementary school playground. Daniel put on a good exhibition on the little monkey bar set, making it four bars out on his own, and then we headed home.

Daniel had fun on the monkey bars at the Depot too.

Racing Red in the Fall

2011-10-25T21:30:00.003-04:00

Made it out for a short ride "around the block". The distance didn't matter, I was just glad to be riding after being stuck with an incessant cough for the past week. I made a point to bring the camera, as I figured there may be a nice fall scene to capture. Shortly into the ride I found such a scene and, with the setting sun at my back, stopped for a picture. I wondered if my Rudy glasses with their Racing Red lenses were inflating the colors of the scene, so I snapped a pic through the glasses. It kinda came out cool.

It was a tight squeeze to fit the camera

between my face and the sunglasses... right. :-)

Stacked with Wood

2011-10-23T12:58:00.000-04:00

We stacked all the wood split last year and had to add two more 8' lengths to the row alongside the house. It looks like a lot of wood, but is it enough for the winter?

Two chords by my estimate.

Daniel looking for wooly bears.

Sound Upgrade

2011-10-17T20:20:00.006-04:00

When I sold the truck I pulled my nice component speakers out of the doors and replaced them with some cheapies. Ever since buying the car I wanted to install the good ones. Well, I found the time and did the install. Okay, truth be told, I drove around with the passenger side inner door panel removed for about two weeks while trying to complete the install. :-) But, it's done now and they sound good!

New woofer mounted and wired.

I made a custom baffle to adapt the 5x7

opening to my 6.5 woofers.

Small blocks glued to sail panels with JB Weld.

Tweeters attached with a metal strap.

Working Outside

2011-10-16T20:43:00.001-04:00

Borrowed a log splitter and got to work. The wood collection for this winter is looking good.

Daniel was liking the log splitter.

Dad bought a new zero turn mower, so Daniel had to get in a ride on it.

Ready to mow.

Friday Night Riding

2011-10-14T21:38:00.000-04:00

Friday afternoon I was sitting at my desk and had the sudden thought “it would be a good evening for a night ride!”. My next thought was “oh man, I haven’t charged my light since the spring.” I called home and asked KT to plug in my light.

About 7:30 I headed out into the dark and wind. Daniel was in the bathtub when I left. After his bath he was asking KT where I was. She told him I was out on a bike ride. He wanted to know how I could see where I was going. KT explained I had a bike light. Next he wanted to know how it hooked onto my bike. Nice, I like his inquisitive and specific questions.

Turn now.

I only planned to be out for an hour or so, but a couple hours later I rolled up the driveway. The wind seemed to lessen and I enjoyed being out in the dark, riding through the swamp a couple times.

Nightime cockpit.

This morning I was talking to Daniel and he asked me how my bike light hooks onto my bike. I told him there was a clamp and I would show him next time we were in the basement. Good follow up on the light attachment question.

A Road Ride - chasing the sun

2011-10-05T22:03:00.001-04:00

With KT's help, I came home from work and immediately headed out on a road ride. The weather was perfect and sunset was around 7:30. I made the most of it.

Just about ready to roll out.

I was rode north into the wind, out through the Overton Valley. Then I chased the sun for a while before turning south. Even after all the bike rides I've done I found some un-ridden roads within a couple hours of home.

Nice front yard decorations.

I realized the sun was setting fast as I rode across Elyria Road. No more wandering, it was time to take the direct route home.

Nice light as the sun was setting.

In the last mile of my ride I swung through Triway Estates to avoid riding on SR3. Looking off to the side I saw about 11 deer watching me ride by. I stopped and they didn't run, so I took a picture. Nice way to end a ride.

Deer at dusk.

Monday vacation day = Mohican ride

2011-09-26T21:35:00.000-04:00

I took the day off work while Katie and the kids were out of town. The plan was to head down to Mohican to ride the loop.

The past three days in a row I got in rides while the family was gone: a short road ride after work on Friday, a longer road ride on Saturday with Ryan, and a partial loop at Mohican Sunday.

Unfortunately the forecast was not looking good at all for today with a chance of rain. It didn’t help when I left the house a little later than expected in the morning and was greeted by rain drops on the windshield while driving south. Oh well, it’s my day off and I would rather ride in a drizzle than not at all.

Damp in the woods.

I parked at the Discovery Forest parking lot and started the loop from there. I rode about 15 miles beneath dry but threatening clouds. The trail was damp but not too wet to ride. It felt good to be out in the woods instead of at a desk on a Monday morning.

A slight but steady rain started about a mile before reaching the campground. I had a slippery encounter with some rocks in a corner but no harm done. As much as I wanted to ride the full loop I made the call to skip the first 4 miles and take the short loop connector backwards.

Hitch-hikin' leaf.

The final five or so miles were wet but I was still having fun. I made it a point to walk the bridge at about mile 5. Good thing too, it was slick as I walked across it.

Back to the car I was wet but not drenched. A wet day in the woods was better than a dry day in the office!

Firewood Helper

2011-09-18T20:32:00.000-04:00

Daniel and I went down to the woods to bring home some firewood. He was a hard worker and didn’t seem to mind that Grampy’s gloves were a little big on his hands.

Little big hands.

After filling the trailer with firewood we kicked around in the woods and found a snake beneath some old firewood. Of course we poked it with a stick, it became perturbed and snapped at the stick, and Daniel said “that snake is mean!”

Little big attitude.

Daniel and the Makeup Bag

2011-09-17T20:53:00.000-04:00

So here's a good story...

KT and I were sitting at the kitchen table when Daniel disappeared back the hallway. Mommy instincts kicked in a short time later and she went to investigate. "Daniel what are you doing!? You know to stay out of my makeup bag!"

I head some small feet running in my direction. Daniel came up to me at the table and showed me his painted toes. Nice. I explained that boys don't paint their toes, and KT also explained that makeup is for girls. Okay, ha-ha, he painted his toes, no big deal.

Of course he picked blue. And why is

he wearing Santa PJs in September?

A short time later, after we all went about our business, KT went back to Ellen's room where she had been left laying on the bed. "DANIEL! What did you do to your sister!?"

Ellen's first makeup, courtesy big brother Daniel.

I came running back to find that Daniel had learned and applied the lesson. "Mommy, you said makeup is for girls so I put some on Ellen." We laughed hard.

Fair Time!

2011-09-17T19:43:00.000-04:00

Daniel was absolutely loving the fair this year...

We "drove" quite a few tractors this year. Daniel

insisted upon buckling the seat belt on each one.

Scooping up mommy.

637 pounds? I can't believe my eyes!

Jeepin' on a carnie ride.

KT learned some new chicken care techniques. I don't expect

to find her brushing our chicken's teeth anytime soon.

Old versus New

2011-09-12T20:27:00.000-04:00

Twice in the past week, as I’ve been enjoying my new car, I’ve found scenes of the old versus new…

An old school station wagon.

A Mazda Protege5 in red. The predecessor to the Mazda3

I currently drive, and the same car I owned before the truck.

Daniel Big Boots

2011-09-10T19:40:00.000-04:00

Something is out of proportion here.

the Manitoc Experience, my first

2011-09-03T19:18:00.001-04:00

Once a year Camp Manitoc, up in the Cuyahoga Valley, is open to the public. It's a Boy Scout with quite some acreage of wooded, varied terrain. On the big weekend for mountain bikers, the trails are open for riding on Saturday and races take place on Sunday. There is also a trail run and cyclocross race on Saturday.

Ready to roll out.

Ryan and I arrived about 10 am to ride. It's the biggest mountain bike crowd I've been a part of and was a pretty fun scene. We parked in a field and geared up for our ride. It was hot, like in the 90's hot. The trail was fun. I remember some good rooty sections, some twisty fun, and a punchy climb or two. Nothing too crazy and just a fun ride.

Mid ride photo op.

We returned to the car for some fluid and food replenishment before heading up to the "expo". There were tents setup with vendors and bike demos. We waited our turn and both took a spin on full suspension Specialized 29ers. Ryan was on a $10k carbon fiber ride and I was on the cheap, $5k bike. The demo loop packed in good trail variations and we got a feel for the full squish bikes. Yes, you could blast over roots or rocks without much consideration for choosing a line. And yes, it did not feel as efficient as my hardtail climbing or pedaling hard. Unfortunately I didn't get pictures of our test rides. I'm going to blame it on not feeling well, I had been sick the previous week and was not feeling my best.

After hanging around a bit we headed out for another lap. While zig-zagging through some trees I looked ahead to see Ryan stalled out. Oh yes, his crankarm had once again dislocated from his bike. A trailside repair had us going again in short order.

Dislocated crank arm.

Somewhere past the halfway point of the lap my body protested in the heat. I took a short cut back while Ryan finished the lap. Oh well, I was glad to have ridden the first lap with energy given how I felt earlier in the week. When we got back in the car to leave the temperature display said 96F. On the way up we stopped at a gas station and I bought a gallon jug of water. It was nearly gone by the end of the trip.

We'll have to put the Manitoc Experience on the calendar again for next year! Good times.

Michigan Vacation #2

2011-08-28T13:33:00.000-04:00

It's a nice routine. Head out on the boat after breakfast with Daniel, play around the water in the morning, mountain bike ride while kids sleep, back to lake after dinner.

We drove a little south to a unique coffee and doughnut shop called Cops & Doughnuts. Yes, it was amusing and they were all about the merchandise. Cops & Doughnuts hats, t-shirts, and more. We stuck with the doughnuts.

The boy likes blue.

That's right, bacon covered creamsticks.

One of the highlights of the week was getting Daniel out on his first mountain bike ride! The trail was mellow enough I figured this was the perfect opportunity for our first father and son trail ride. Daniel was pretty excited to "go mountain bikin' with daddy". Good times, good times.

Daniel happy to roll off road.

Through a fern section.

After Daniel and I finished our ride I hit the loop on my own. Daniel continued on his bike too, riding on one of the hiking trails with mommy and Ellen.

The powerline "climb".

Riding towards a blinking camera on self timer.

Ellen looking very... munchkin?

It was a very nice week on the lake. I think we will be back.

Sunset by the dock.

Michigan Vacation

2011-08-22T21:27:00.000-04:00

We are staying in a cottage at Budd Lake in Michigan for a week. Should be an enjoyable time.

Daniel enjoyed cruising the lake in the boat.

Mr. Serious on the dock.

Fake fishing, but having fun.

There's a twisty mountain bike trail about 5 miles down the road.

It's a fun trail. What it lacks in elevation changes it makes

up for in twists and turns.

It's a good place for me to work on less braking and more flow.

Ellen having a good nap.

Dry Wallin'

2011-08-08T21:36:00.001-04:00

Who do I call when it's time for drywall? Same guy I call when it's time to go for a bike ride: Ryan. I was glad to have his help while finishing the garage.

Slingin' some mud.

Kids

2011-08-03T19:29:00.001-04:00

Riding? Yes, been riding but have not been taking too many pictures and a blog post has to have pictures. So... how about some more kids pictures...

How can that possibly be a comfortable way to watch cartoons?

Ellen knows comfortable.

Extending Ryan's Driveway

2011-07-30T19:24:00.000-04:00

Hey, now we don't have to ride through gravel when leaving the driveway on road bikes!

"Driving" Ryan's tractor.

Fish Fingers

2011-07-25T19:22:00.000-04:00

Smell my fingers!

Three to Mohican

2011-07-24T23:15:00.000-04:00

With Uncle Chris in town, we made plans with Ryan for a ride at Mohican. Hot and humid describes the conditions. We parked at the main trail head and pedaled some pavement to the second trail head. It was a sweaty, and fun ride back to car.

Chris on the road.

Ryan on the road.

I packed raisins.

3 Years Old

2011-07-23T22:13:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Daniel!

Cruisin around the school

2011-07-16T20:48:00.001-04:00

It's been overdue for Daniel and I to head over to the high school for some riding. We loaded our bikes into and onto the new car and drove around the corner for some bikin' fun in the sun.

Ready to shred on the Strider bike.

We rode around the school grounds, going over curbs and down sidewalks. The sprinkler was setup at one of the practice football fields and Daniel made it a priority to stop and see the sprinkler.

He didn't want to get wet, just see it up close.

After some more riding about we stopped for a snack. Daniel said we needed "to get some energy back." Proper fueling is important while riding.

Daniel getting his energy back.

Having fun in the sun, riding bikes.

After some more riding we packed up and headed home. It's fun to be out riding bikes with Daniel!

Our bikes.

Elmo Trail Crew

2011-07-15T20:45:00.001-04:00

Daniel looks ready to do some trail work.

Man Down

2011-07-14T21:43:00.000-04:00

For the last several weeks I've been taking my mountain bike to work with me in the back of the car. Beginning on Tuesday I have bike and gear with me in hopes of getting out at a decent time and making it to the Knob. I'm not sure that I ever made it over there on Tuesday, but I kept my stuff in the car and was able to ride either Wednesday or Thursday as my work schedule allowed.

After riding the Knob several weeks in a row I was starting to feel better connected with the course and felt like I was riding pretty good today. As the lap went on I felt progressively faster. After the Furnace and before getting back into the heavier woods I looked ahead and saw a banked corner. I thought to myself "oh, I'm gonna rip that corner". Problem is there was a little turn just before getting to the banker and I leaned too hard and lost the front wheel on some dusty trail. Wham! I was skidding down the trail head first in the ol' superman position. I jumped up and looked at myself to find a bloody elbow, no ripped clothing, and not much else. But, the elbow was leaking pretty good and was full of dirt.

Without much more than a pause I jumped back on the bike and followed the course, a bit slower, to get back to my car. Oh man, brand new car and I'm dripping dirty blood. I asked a guy in the parking lot if he had any first aid supplies, but all he had was a roll of paper towels. After packing my bike up I was about to mummify my arm with paper towels when I looked in my front seat and remembered the stop I had made on the way to the Knob. KT had asked me to pick up diapers for Ellen... perfect! I strapped on an infant size 0 diaper on my elbow and drove home without concern over staining my new interior.

In addition to a first aid kit, I'm going to keep several diapers

in the car for such situations. It worked well!

Ouch.

Gross.

On the Road Again

2011-07-09T20:35:00.000-04:00

Another hot, hot day. Met Ryan on the road for a loop down around Fredericksburg. Between the heat, humidity, and not riding tons lately we were both beat when we parted ways to head back home. I ran out of water coming through the swamps on Messner Road, so I slowed down and took some pictures while cruising.

I don't call it "the swamps" for nothin'.

It's a long, flat road.

Babies in Helmets

2011-07-04T20:30:00.002-04:00

Daniel, a couple weeks old.

Ellen, a couple weeks old.

the Wilderness

2011-07-03T20:18:00.000-04:00

Today we drove past the campgrounds and people tubing down the river on Wally Road to the Mohican Wilderness area trailhead. It was unbelievably hot in the sun as we geared up for a ride.

Pointed towards the climb.

It was the first time this year we've ridden the Wilderness course. The opening mile of the ride is uphill, supposedly the longest mountain bike climb in Ohio. After the climb it's curvy singletrack with a couple rocky sections. The loop is not too long, maybe 7 miles? At the end of the day, in my opinion, it's not different enough from riding at the state park to make it worth the extra drive. Once or twice a year is all the more often I can see visiting the Wilderness Course.

New four wheeler

2011-06-30T21:09:00.000-04:00

In the week previous to Ellen's arrival we were test driving cars and planning a swap of the truck for something more fuel efficient and fun to drive. Of course a prerequisite for the vehicle was the ability to fit a bike inside and the ability to add a hitch for a bike rack.

The first pick, and the car that started the whole idea, was the Honda Fit. The cargo versatility in this small car is the selling point but unfortunately the tiny, underpowered engine offsets the cargo carrying prowess. If this car had another 30 horsepower under the hood it would be in my garage right now.

At KT's suggestion we went to see our friend at Park Mazda and test drove the Mazda3 hatchback. Now this is a fun car to drive with nimble handling and adequate power without sacrificing too much fuel economy. Plus the styling, interior and out, trumps the Fit in our eyes. The cockpit of the Mazda3 is exciting and useful. The cockpit of the Fit... not so much.

Mazda3 hatchback.

The first project with the car was a hitch for use with the bike rack. The install went very smooth and I'm happy with how sturdy the attachment is on this car. I've installed hitches on five different vehicles now and this is the most solid mounting I've seen on a car.

My helper with the instructions.

Not having the truck is going to be a disadvantage at times, but I know I'm always welcome to borrow dad's truck. When it comes down to it, I only used the truck as truck about once a month and probably not every month. Most of the time it was hauling bikes, which the car can do. When it comes time to buy lumber or transport firewood I'll take dad up on his offer to borrow the truck.

I like hatchbacks.

Side view. My large Paragon 29er uses up the

whole hatch area lengthwise.

Riding Daniel to Sleep

2011-06-27T21:40:00.000-04:00

We packed up the guys (Daniel, Ryan, and I) and headed down to the Fredericksburg for a ride on the trail. Having a new sister must be taking its toll on Daniel, because he fell asleep just south of Holmesville. We continued past Millersburg and turned around at some point when he woke up and asked "Are we at the playground yet?" Of course we had blown by the playground taking advantage that he was still asleep.

Sleeping in the trailer.

Always a highlight, the vending machine.

Taking a break with Ryan at the playground.

Ellen's Homecoming

2011-06-25T21:00:00.000-04:00

At home in her crib.

Sleeping like a baby.

While we were in the hospital a life flight chopper

landed and Grandpa arranged for a picture

of Daniel with the pilot.

Welcome Ellen!

2011-06-24T20:49:00.001-04:00

Baby Ellen has arrived! We are blessed to have a healthy baby and KT is doing well too.

Ellen Esther Holmes, about 5 minutes old.

Daniel meets Ellen for the first time.

He is saying, "this is my baby sister!"

My little girl.

First Flat

2011-06-19T20:40:00.002-04:00

Went for a ride at Mohican today. Not enough time for a full loop, so I parked at the main trail head and rode the road to the second trail head.

It was logging time at the second trail head.

I knew I was running low pressure (with tubes) and after a sharp impact on the rear wheel I flatted. My first on the trail flat in a year and a half of mountain biking, can't complain I guess.

Shaky cell phone picture because I was trying

to stay in constant motion to deter the hungry mosquitos!

MTB Maintenance

2011-06-14T22:48:00.000-04:00

Tonight I was cleaning my mountain bike to take to the shop for its complimentary tune-up. As I walked past my bike in the workstand I reached out and spun a pedal... it screeched at me. Wow, that sounds dry. Come to think of it I had never disassembled and greased this pair of pedals before.

Image I posted on the mtbr.com forum on the topic of Carve pedals.

The pedals are an inexpensive pair of Performance brand SPD compatible pedals, the Forte Carve. They have been pretty solid for the past couple years on my mountain bikes and the previous three or four years on my cross bike. Upon disassemble I realized they only have one bearing, with a bushing taking up the main load bearing duty. Note to self: grease more often.

After cleaning and greasing they seem ready to have some more pedaling fun!

Solo Knob

2011-06-02T21:42:00.000-04:00

Rode at the knob after work today. Given the warm and finally dry weather of the past week or more I was surprised how wet the course was. Maizeville was a mess and I bypassed it on the second lap.

Another sun setting vulture picture.

It was within 20 or 30 minutes of sunset when I got back to the car. I took a couple pictures of what I have to believe is an often photographed sign and packed my stuff back into the car. About this time a couple "kids" showed up in a truck and jumped on their Mongoose bikes. I was trying to figure out how they were going to get in a ride before dark. I hope they had fun.

Ride complete, ready to head home.

Road Ride - crisscrossing Overton

2011-05-28T20:54:00.000-04:00

This morning Ryan and I set out on a somewhat unplanned ride towards Overton. We road up 539 from 302 and dropped down to Overton Road via McAfee. The next left took us up the Smithville Western climb to the west and then we were on 539 again, riding north. Down Cedar Valley and then up Rice Hill. Pleasant Home back into the Valley and then the Armstrong Climb east.

Heading back into the valley.

We went over to Friendsville and then took Jentes back to the Valley. This time we climbed Cedar Valley and then took some pulls south on the fresh pavement of 539. Smyser was the last little climb on the way home. It was a good ride with some good climbs and nice weather.

Daniel's first ride with the guys

2011-05-21T21:52:00.021-04:00

This morning I was trying to think of something for Daniel and I to do while KT went out to lunch with girls. "Hey bud, you wanna go for a bike ride in your bike trailer?" Daniel's answer was full of excitement "Yeah!"

We went to the basement and setup the bike trailer. We bought the trailer as part of the deal when I sold my Wahoo mountain bike and had not used it yet. Daniel was excited to set it up in the basement and was ready to go. I called Ryan and was glad to hear he would join us for the ride after KT and Helena were back from their lunch.

Loaded up and ready to go, thumbs up!

For several hours Daniel kept asking if we were ready to go for a bike ride. Ryan and I continued telling him we had to wait for Mommy and "Hena" to get home before we could leave. Several times he thought they were home when they were not and he would yell "Mommy is home, let's go for a bike ride!"

Eventually KT and Helena arrived back home and Rylen was handed off. I told Daniel he had to pack up his stuff so we could go. He disappeared for a few minutes and showed up with backpack, filled with toys, and said "I'm ready, let's go!"

Rolling south on the rails to trails.

We drove to the rails to trails in Fredericksburg and the excited little boy fell asleep on the way there. Ryan and I set up the trailer and had it all ready to go when I woke him up. He wiped the sleep away and was excited to climb into the trailer and get going.

We rode south to Millersburg with only one stop along the way to break out a PB&J for Daniel. During this stop he told us "it's a beautiful day out!" We agreed. Daniel rode well in the trailer but was eager to get out at the playground in Millersburg. After a bathroom break and a cold drink from a vending machine, Daniel hoped back into the trailer for the ride north.

The guys.

It's a gentle grade for the ride back and I felt the presence of the trailer more so than on the ride out. The trailer worked great and Daniel enjoyed it. There were a couple complaints of his back hurting, but the kid certainly isn't used to sitting still. Maybe we'll throw in a foam pad for him the next time.

The return trip.

Back at the car we loaded everything up and drove Ryan to his house. As we were leaving Ryan said "good ride Daniel, see you later!" Daniel promptly replied, "good ride, see ya later!" He was excited to get home and tell mommy about his first ride with the guys.

The end.

Muddy Knob

2011-05-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

Friday is a good day of the week, and knowing all day long my bike and gear were in truck and I was meeting Ryan for a ride at the Knob after work made it even better. There were a handful of vehicles there when I pulled. I guess we were not the only ones glad to get out after another week of wet weather. We hoped the last couple days of no rain had been enough to dry the course.

We talked to the Soupcan guys before rolling out. The first portion of the course was in good shape, a few puddles but nothing too wet. Later in the ride we encountered some really wet sections with lots of standing water.

Ryan coming up the access rode at the end of our ride.

After finishing a lap we decided to head out for another half lap. I enjoyed riding the Cradle for the first time but didn't fair so well on the switchbacks. Once again we squished our way through the wet sections and bailed at the top of the Furnace to get back to our vehicles.

It was a great way to spend a Friday evening! And I'll be spending tomorrow morning washing this filthy bike.

Dried on mud.

Mohican with Patrick and Ryan

2011-05-15T08:35:00.003-04:00

Friday night Patrick, a friend from work, sent me a text proposing an early Saturday morning MTB ride. It had rained Thursday, it rained Friday, and the forecast predicted rain Saturday. But, the chance of rain was only 10% from 7am to noon for Saturday. I called Ryan and signed him up for the ride; meet at my house at 7am, head to Mohican.

We were hoping for a dry night to give the course a chance to drain the water of the past couple days, but I woke up several times during the night to the sound of rain. All three of us were standing in my driveway Saturday morning ready to ride, and questioning the course conditions. We made it this far, no sense in bailing out now. The truck carried three bikes and three riders south.

In the first mile of trail the excellent drainage of Mohican was evident and we had no worries about blazing the course, save the last mile which has been puddle ridden all spring.

Around mile 8, before heading through the Discovey Forest.

Riding with Patrick was fun and all three of us enjoyed taking turns leading the way. The weather ended up perfect, never a rain drop. We made several stop along the way to drink, eat, and chat. It was a good time.

A short stop under the covered bridge.

I was happy to ride the course pretty clean and was feeling connected with the trail the whole way. Ryan cranked the singlespeed up Mount Doom and rode really strong all the way to the finish. Patrick said it was his longest ride of the year and he did a good job pacing himself as needed. I enjoyed riding behind Patrick to watch his lines and methods. He's been riding a mountain bike for a long time.

Patrick's eBay find.

It was kind of nice to ride the last mile through the campground road and let the legs cool down. We talked with some guys in the parking lot and headed home. After visiting with Rylen for a couple hours, Ryan and Rylen headed home just as a down pour started. The weather worked well for us today. It was one to remember.

Post ride in the parking lot.

Playing with the Camera at Mohican

2011-05-08T21:06:00.002-04:00

30 sec self timer, 10 shot burst, and I didn't run over the camera!

Sunny Skies... for a couple days

2011-05-05T19:20:00.007-04:00

Wow, there has been a long stretch of rainy days of late. I guess it didn't bother me too much as I was under the weather myself with a mild cold for the past week.

Typical scene this April.

Finally the weather broke yesterday and I was able to mow the yard with plans of riding today. Nothing serious for today, just an easy spin to make sure my cold was in remission. It was nice to see blue skies and everyone else out mowing.

Now this is more like it.

Unfortunately the forecast is back to rain and scattered storms for the near future. Oh well, it makes the nice days better appreciated.

Mohican Sunset

2011-04-21T22:33:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow is Good Friday and, amongst other things, that means a three day weekend for me. Unfortunately the weather forecast for all three days is looking wet. It was nice all day today so I decided to book it home after work and head down to Mohican.

At 5:30 I was on my way to Loudonville having already stopped at home to grab my bike and gear up. I parked at the Discovery Forest parking lot with a new plan in mind.

Gettin' ready in the Disco Forest parking lot.

A short distance down the road from the parking lot I jumped on the trail between mile markers 8 and 9. I felt cool in the 50 degree air but warmed up soon on the way to the downhill stretch that begins before mile 11. Before long I was at the covered bridge and ready for some climbing.

Near the top of Mount Doom I caught a rider, the only other rider I would see today, and rode with him to mountain bike trail head 2. I immediately noticed his Luv Bars and Groovy Cycles frame made by Rody Walters, a local frame builder. Turns out Mike, the Groovey pilot, is a good friend of Rody. Mike mentioned his other Groovy frame is the “rattlesnake frame”, which I immediately remembered from reading Rody’s blog.

Without too much delay I headed out on my own from the trailhead, Mike was back to his truck and done for the day. I knew it was going to be cutting it close on making it back to my truck before sunset.

As planned, I detoured at mile 23.5 and took the short loop connector up to mile 4. I was feeling pretty decent, if not a little hungry, and continued to mile 8. The sun was quickly dropping and it was getting dark in the woods. If there had been leaves on the trees I’m sure it would’ve been darker.

From mile 8 to my road crossing is the only substantial section of non-singletrack on the course. I guess it’s a former logging or well access road. It felt like I was going 25 mph as I blasted along this section and I was back to my truck in short order.

It’s going to be much easier to tolerate three days of rainy weather with 20 miles of mountain biking in my legs!

Happy 0th Birthday Rylen!!

2011-04-19T22:40:00.001-04:00

Ryan and Helena welcomed a healthy baby girl into the world today!

Baby Rylen, so cute.

Welcome to fatherhood Ryan!

Daniel helped me install a welcome home sign.

Organized Pegboard

2011-04-16T17:37:00.001-04:00

A long overdue pegboard organization in the basement:

Just added the shelf in the middle.

Too nice to pass up

2011-04-10T21:07:00.029-04:00

The legs felt pretty good this morning after yesterday’s longer ride. Eating well and stretching must have done the trick. Even so, I really did not plan on a ride today.

KT took Daniel for a picture session in Ashland late this afternoon, and I made a spontaneous decision to head to Mohican for a short ride. Within minutes of KT leaving I was loaded up and out the driveway.

Grape eatin' on the run.

I rode the first four miles and was going to take the short loop back, but I decided to backtrack for a little more riding time. Once again the new bike felt great. I have made several modifications to the bike and will have to post some specifics later.

Sneak peak at drivetrain modification.

On today’s ride I tried to spin a little more than usual to prevent over doing it after yesterday’s ride, and I was feeling good. It was just a nice, short mountain bike ride and the first time in short sleeves this year.

What a difference a day makes in Ohio’s weather! (I’m stating the obvious here.) Yesterday it was in the 40’s and overcast. Today it was 82 when I left for the ride and sunny as could be. Tomorrow’s forecast: high in the low 50’s and rain. Oh well, at least it’s not supposed to snow.

Shauck Metric Century

2011-04-10T08:07:00.001-04:00

My Saturday started the same way a work day begins, with a 6:30AM alarm. It sure is easier to get up for a bike ride than it is for work. After getting dressed in cycling gear, brewing some coffee, and making a peanut butter and egg sandwich I was standing in the driveway waiting for Ryan to show up.

We were on the road by 7:15 and heading for Shauck, south of Lexington, for a metric century to benefit the Johnsville volunteer fire department. We figured it would be a good way to get 62 miles in the legs and see some new roads while doing so. At the fire station we signed in for the road and headed out.

Arriving on scene.

It was a damp 40 degree start to the ride, not so much rain as a misty fog. We stopped within a handful of miles to take off our glasses as they were too wet to see out of. For the beginning of the ride I began to feel underdressed and was not staying warm. The sun never came out but it must have warmed a few degrees and I became more comfortable.

A quick stop to dig out some food... and take a picture.

We rode to Fredericktown and then up to Butler. In Butler the route took us onto the rails to trails and we rode the former railway bed all the way to Lexington. The route was mostly flat or mildly rolling but we did enjoy a good uphill grade riding south out of Lexington.

Gas station stop in Butler to refill bottles.

It was a good ride, though the route was somewhat non-distinctive. I guess that makes sense for a flat ride, it’s usually the hills that make an impression on me. For this time of year it was a good ride to get the legs up to speed.

Pedaling along the rail trail.

Grandpa Franks Visit

2011-04-02T19:19:00.010-04:00

It's been a long time since I've been to my grandfather's grave. This morning, while KT and Daniel were stuck in the house under the weather, I headed out on a ride without much of a plan as to where I would go. As it turned out I ended up riding by Reedsburg and saw the cemetery from a distance. Remembering my grandfather I stopped in to visit his grave.

This is how it ends for everyone. No matter how many
miles we ride or how many good intentions we have.

But Christ represents us, if we ask, and makes
this the beginning instead of the end.

I continued on my ride, thinking of my grandfather, a short while later I spotted no less than eight deer out in a field. Fitting because my grandfather was an avid outdoors-man and hunter. I stopped to snap a picture and captured about half the herd crossing the road.

A deer paceline.

2011-03-30T21:01:00.000-04:00

I've worn through my first pair of Look cleats. I was not having any issues with the worn cleats but figured I'd replace them before beginning to have issues. Fortunately I had a spare pair on the shelf, thanks to a Christmas gift from mom and dad a couple years ago.

The new 3 cleat system.

The first ride of the year on the Litespeed had me feeling like I was pedaling with my toes. I'm guessing it's from riding an indoor exercise bike so much over the winter, so I've shifted my pedals rear ward a touch. Actually they are shifted rear ward as far as possible with these shoes.

The wear dots on the old cleats were about gone.

2011-03-28T20:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday Ryan and I went for a ride around the block. The thermo told us it was in the upper 30's and we dressed warm as we intended to ride a mild pace.

Washed out on Carr Road.

We rode north on Carr Road from Ryan's house and felt the 10 to 15mph wind directly in our face on the way out. After a right hand turn we rode east to the county line and turned south. Eventually we returned to Carr Road and enjoyed a tail wind on the way back to Apple Creek.

Washed out on Deerfield Road.

It felt good to be out for a couple hours!

Windy on the way to Flickinger

2011-03-24T20:44:00.000-04:00

I came home from work and headed out for short ride, destination Flickinger Hill. I knew it was windy... but it was really windy. Headwind all the way to Flickinger, climb the hill, then cross winds, and finally some tailwind on the way back. It felt like more of a ride than what it was.

The flags are proof, it was windy.

First Paragon Ride

2011-03-20T18:25:00.003-04:00

What a perfect day for a mountain bike ride at Mohican State Park. The weather was very nice for a mid March day, it was 45 and sunny, and the trail was in great condition. The water of the past couple weeks had drained away and left behind a grippy runway.

Two Gary Fisher 29ers ready to roll.

It was mid afternoon when Ryan and I pulled into the parking lot. I unloaded my new Paragon from Ryan's trunk rack, ready for the first ride on my 29er.

About half a mile into the ride we stopped and I shed a layer. The warmth of the sun through the leafless trees felt good. In the opening, mostly uphill, section of the trail I was feeling benefit from the larger wheels. The bike was rolling over roots with more ease than my previous 26" wheeled GF Wahoo. I figure the plusher front fork on the Paragon also contributed to the better feel.

Nothing like the first ride on a new bike.

As we continued through first five miles I was really liking several aspects of the new bike. The hydraulic brakes are much better than on my Wahoo. The new stoppers provided a solid feel with an ability to modulate braking force. The larger front rotor and 29" tire patch certainly contributed to better braking as well. I also noticed gear changes were less drastic than on my previous bike. The Wahoo was 8 speed while the Paragon is 10 speed, and I could feel the smaller change in gear ratio between shifts on the Paragon.

Ryan enjoying the warm sunshine.

At mile 8 we turned around to retrace our route. Somewhere along the ride back I was noticing traction benefits with the Paragon. I was happy with my tire choice and I think the new tires were certainly contributing to the traction combined with the larger contact patch of the 29" wheels. On an uphill corner I stood up to pedal as I turned sharply. On this same corner I often lost traction and had to put a foot down while riding the Wahoo. On the Paragon I stood, felt a tiny amount of rear wheel slip, but then it connected up and pushed me through the corner. Nice.

Hey, my support vehicle showed up.

I'm sure there are plenty more things to discover about the new bike. In spite of a dream the night before where I didn't notice a difference between the Wahoo and Paragon, there's a big difference. And I like it.

Another New Ride

2011-03-20T17:08:00.001-04:00

No, I didn't get another new bike... but we did go to the zoo today.

Giddy up.

Jellyfish tank.

Wet Left Foot

2011-03-13T21:08:00.003-04:00

Despite the gloomy and overcast weather I gathered up some ambition and headed out for a ride. It was breezy and cool with temperatures in the upper 30’s as I rolled out. With camera in my pocket I was hoping to come across some picture worthy scenes. I was in luck.

Doing my best to keep the wind in my face for the first half of the ride I rode west on Angling Road. I stopped near the base of a cell tower looming over US30 and thought the perspective of the tower and guy wires looked interesting. Picture #1 acquired.

A short distance later I turned north on Firestone Road and came across a pothole collection that caught my eye. Picture #2 acquired.

An even short distance later, still on Firestone Road, I saw something familiar alongside the road. I squeezed hard on the brake levers and pulled a u-turn. It was a cell phone along the edge of the road and looked like it had been there for a while. The phone was waterlogged and looked like it had been through a few freeze / thaw cycles. Picture #3 acquired.

After a few jig jogs I pedaled west out of Reedsburg and turned south on Funk Road. I wondered if this low lying section of road would be open after all the recent flooding. The road was open but there were many fresh ponds throughout the valley. Glancing over my shoulder at one such pond I spotted several large birds blending in with the scenery. I thought they were blue herons at first but later realized they were sand hill cranes. The quality of the digital zoom on the camera surprised me. Picture #4 acquired.

A short time later I was back to Angling Road. The “road closed” signs were up for Angling Road east of Funk but I thought it may be passable on bike so I turned left. Water was across the road at the road’s lowest point, yep that’s the way water works. There was a current moving left to right across the road but I decided it was worth the risk to pedal across slowly. Before crossing I pulled the camera out, took a picture, and securely sealed in a ziploc bag in case of a splashdown. Picture #5 acquired.

Crossing the water was mostly okay except it was deep enough in the middle that I was dunking my left foot with each pedal revolution. I had unclipped my right foot and held it up in the air when I realized the water was getting deep. Thank God for Thorlo socks, they kept my feet warm the rest of the ride home despite the left one being water logged.

To get back home I took Uhl Road to connect Jefferson to Smyser. Upon turning north onto Uhl I encountered an even better photo op of a ruinous pothole. Photo #6 acquired.

There’s nothing like a wandering, picture filled bike ride to help forget your body and mind’s confusion over setting the clocks forward an hour!

New Horse in the Stable

2011-03-05T21:15:00.004-05:00

Here it is, my new 2011 Trek / Gary Fisher Paragon!

25.1 pounds out of the box.

Given the flooding and generally wet conditions of late, it may be a little while before I take her out on the maiden voyage. But that's okay, I have a project or two in mind before hitting the trail. More to come later...

No Train

2011-02-17T20:50:00.000-05:00

The weather forecast for today prompted me to mount the light on my cross bike and commute to and from work. This would be the first commute of the year and it was a nice way to start off.

It was 37 degrees when I left the house this morning. I rode through town but took a slightly different route than normal. As I crossed the tracks that run through town I heard a train rumble and whistle. I thought it would be a neat picture to with my bike propped up alongside the tracks and a train passing by in the background, at least I figured Daniel would like the train pic. After waiting for several minutes I realized the train was on a different set of tracks. Oh well, I'll have to try this picture idea later.

Sitting alongside the rail waiting for a train.

The ride home was even warmer, it was 57 degrees when I left the office. The wind was supposed to be out of the south at 15 to 20mph but it sure didn't feel like it as I rode mostly due south. The skies were overcast but it was a nice first commute of the year. Spring is near!

A Mid-February Ride

2011-02-14T20:53:00.001-05:00

With the thermometer reading 47 degrees in the sun and the wind blowing at 15mph from the SW I headed west towards Apple Creek on Messner Road. The plan was to meet-up with Ryan on the road and then ride south together.

We road south on Cutter Road and the climb to the top of Moreland hill felt like an accomplishment. After a couple of turns in downtown Fredericksburg, the zero stoplight burg that it is, we road west on Harrison Road. Reaching the high ground once again felt like an accomplishment.

Plenty of dirty snow lining the roads on this ride.

The wind was in our faces until we turned north. Via a diversion taking us down and then up James Road we made it to our splitting point. Ryan headed east on Messner while I headed west.

Through the swamp on Messner Road.

With the sun setting lower in the sky and a head wind I was feeling cooler. I rode through the swamps and looked to my left thinking a scene for a picture was developing. When a large tree came into the frame I was imagining, I abruptly braked and held the camera down low for a shot.

I arrived home thinking about food and a hot shower, knowing my legs were going to feel this one tomorrow. It was a nice mid-February ride indeed.

Tire Cleaning in the Snow

2011-01-30T21:21:00.000-05:00

I've been doing some annual cleaning and maintenance on several of our bikes. Today I took a pair of tires/wheels outside to scrub in the snow. Warm water kept my hands warm and the snow made it easy to prop up the wheels!

No More Sick

2011-01-29T21:02:00.004-05:00

What a fun past couple weeks. Two weeks ago I came home after work on Friday thinking about what movie to watch during a long trainer ride the next day. My plans changed when I woke up in the middle of the night with a fever and severe body aches. A week later the flu was gone but I was tired and weak.

The past couple days I've felt some energy back but have held off on doing anything. Today I had enough and thought it was time for a ride. The roads were clear although littered with cinders so I put on the cross tires and fenders. I've never used my fenders with cross tires but a quick adjustment of the fenders allowed ample clearance.

Planet Bike fenders over a Ritchey Speedium cross tire.

I had planned to ride a short loop but was feeling okay and I added on distance a couple times. I ended up out past Moreland and riding on James Road. Eventually I turned towards home and was met with a cold headwind. For some reason I never even thought about wind direction as I chose my route. Oh well, I stayed mostly warm.

Riding through the swamp on a snow covered road.

All the other roads on the ride were clear pavement.

There nothing like being down and out for a couple weeks to make you really appreciate getting out on a ride!

Hydrapak = Excellent Customer Service

2011-01-20T20:49:00.004-05:00

Recently I noticed a small issue developing with my Hydrapak hydration pack. The small loop inside the pack from which the hydration bladder hangs was beginning to detach. I've figured that one of these days I would open the pack after a ride and find the loop had given way.

I sent the folks at Hydrapak an email with an image of the frayed loop attached. Within 24 hours I had a reply stating the loop must not have been sewed properly. They asked for my address to send a new pack. Wow, prompt and very fair service.

My replacement Hydrapak Flume.

About 7 to 10 days later a package was sitting on the front porch. I had wondered if they would send just the pack itself or a complete pack, bladder and drinking tube. After opening the mailing envelope I was excited to find the whole deal, including what appears to be a newer version 45 degree bite valve than my 90 degree bite valve. Nice!

I give Hydrapak customer service very high marks. Nobody wants to have a problem with a product but we all know mistakes happen and the important thing is the service you receive if the problem happens to you. Very well done Hydrapak!

Also, I should point out the Hydrapak system is best in its category in my opinion. Check out their web site (www.hydrapak.com) and study up on the ease of use and cleaning of their bladder.

2011's First Ride

2011-01-02T18:59:00.002-05:00

Having not been able to do a New Year’s Day ride, Ryan and I set our sights on a second-day-of-the-year ride. We debated the pros/cons of a road ride versus an off road ride. It was warm enough on Saturday to melt all the snow and it was cold enough last night to refreeze the ground. Today’s forecast called for sunny but windy conditions.

We decided to avoid the wind on the open roads and head to the woods. The Knob or Mohican? We figured the drainage at Mohican better handled yesterday’s thaw so we drove south.

There were several cars in the mountain bike parking lot but only one with a bike rack. We bundled up with multiple layers, heavy gloves and over boots. Gotta love the warming effect of the first uphill mile. We crunched along on frozen ground for 8 miles before turning around. I’m still amused by how the trail feels different in the opposite direction. It’s more than just downhills becoming uphills and vice-versa. There is some good flow to be found in the first couple miles after the turnaround.

At mile marker 4 we chose the short loop return to the start. The section along the campground is good fun and we had not ridden this section last time. I always like the last 500 yards of the trail. It’s slightly downhill with some rocks to drop over and then you come blasting out in the grass alongside the parking lot.

I stayed pretty toasty despite the sub freezing temperatures. The bite valve on my Hydrapak was constantly freezing up. Fortunately I could chew the bite valve and suck to get my Gatoraide flowing again. Ryan enjoyed a slushy bottle of sports drink.

It was invigorating to get outside on a ride, a good start to the year for cycling!

First project of the year

2011-01-01T22:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! I had hoped for a New Years Day ride but the weather was not cooperative. Although warm it rained the entire day. Instead I spent some time in the basement on a long over due project... bike storage.

I screwed bike hooks to a 2x4 and hung it from the

floor joists with some perforated angle iron pieces.

The bikes are hung by the furnace with care,

in hopes that a rider would soon be there.

The hooks are 16" on center. I wouldn't go any closer

else the bikes may interfere with each other. As it is,

they must be hung in alternating directions.

Final ride of the year... flats!

2010-12-31T09:32:00.000-05:00

Ryan and I originally planned to do a night ride last night but he left work earlier than expected and we headed out in the afternoon. We both left from our houses and rode towards each other on Messner Rd. Just east of Fredericksburg Rd. I came upon Ryan stopped alongside the road, he was checking in with another cyclist who appeared to be changing a flat tire. As I rolled up to the scene I realized it was Jeremy Grimm.

Back on the bike Jeremy joined us as we rode over to Honeytown and south to Fredericksburg. It was good to chat with Jeremy and hear how he and his family have been. We rode into Fredericksburg and climbed Harrison to the west. Jeremy headed north on Nonpariel as we continued across 83 and onto County Line Road.

Aaron heading downhill on Force Road.

The day was overcast but warm for the season, the thermometer in the back yard showed 41 when I left the house. Road conditions were wet from melted snow and the roads were covered with cinders. It felt great to be outside on the bike.

We rode down Force Rd. to connect up with Cemetery Rd. and here began our problems. Apparently the pre-ride adjustments I made to my front derailleur were not so good. In a 500 yard section of road I managed to drop my chain to the outside and then inside. Wow, that's a new one. Stopped in the road and with Ryan holding my bike up I managed to get the chain back on and start rolling again.

About five minutes later we were on Cemetary Rd. and Ryan announced his rear tire was going flat. No big deal, we stopped along side the road and got to work on a tube swap out. Ryan searched for a foreign object in the tire and found none. With a new tube, this one full of air, on the rear wheel we started rolling again... again.

Flat tire change #1 for the day.

"I've got some bad news..." Ryan stated a few minutes later. His rear tire was flat again. We pulled into a gravel parking area along side the road near the Killbuck marsh. Ryan flipped his bike over and we both looked down to see bubbles puttering out of a hole in his wet tire. I reached down and picked a pointy cinder out of the hole. Wheel off, tube changed, tube inflated, wheel back on. We started rolling again... again... again.

The culprit!

With our spare tubes exhausted another flat tire would result in a call for vehicular pickup alongside the road. We rode up the old 226 bypass and turned west on Willow. Just before reaching the Kister Mill Ryan called out, "my front tire is flat!" I reached for my cell phone.

KT was glad to hear we were only a few miles from home and she picked us up in the truck. Ryan announced we had set a new record, it was the first time the two of us had ever required a pick up on the road to get back home. Oh well, it had some comic relief to it.

Ryan is now shopping for new tires.

It was not the cleanest day on the road.

Christmas!

2010-12-26T08:42:00.000-05:00

Daniel was up bright and early on Christmas morning.

I made a little guitar for Daniel. He was excited to find out

what I had been working on in the basement that denied him from coming down.

Daniel and KT taking a gift to the neighbor on Christmas morning.

I also made a guitar for my nephew Sam. He was

even more excited than Daniel to play his own guitar.

Playin' Dead

2010-12-23T11:17:00.001-05:00

Not much "real" cycling to post about but I haven't been playing dead. This month I signed up to use our corporate fitness room and have been riding the stationary bike, rowing, and doing core work at lunch. It's made for a nice break in the middle of the day and helps me sleep better at night. Hopefully it also translates into some fitness advances come spring.

One less road kill to swerve around in the spring.

Speaking of playing dead... this strategy did not work so will for the possum Rock found in the back yard last night. After playing with the possum for a while Rocky went in for the kill as Katie, Daniel and I watched from the porch window. Katie made me brush his teeth after letting him back in the house.

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2010-12-15T10:57:00.002-05:00

We hiked out into the Christmas tree field and found

the perfect tree for our house.

I helped Daddy cut it down with a saw.

Mommy and I stood it up in the house

and decorated it!

Staying Warm on a Mountain Bike

2010-12-05T12:16:00.003-05:00

The temperature was 30 and there was skim coat of snow on the ground as Ryan and I pulled our bikes from the truck and geared up. Two other vehicles were parked in the Mohican MTB parking lot. The bike rack on the back told us one vehicle belonged to a mountain biker but the second vehicle, a truck, may have been a hunter.

Getting ready to roll out.

In the previous two weekend rides I had done at Mohican I never saw a hunter, but we donned neon colors just to be sure we were not mistaken for venison on the bone. The extra layer couldn't hurt either, given the temperature.

Self timer pic from the truck's tailgate.

A good thing about riding at Mohican when it's cold is the first uphill mile activates your body heat right away. Despite the snow dusting throughout the woods, the trail itself was clear other than leaves. Snow must not stick as easily to the compressed trail, maybe the ground temp of the trail is higher?

The trail was obvious amongst the snow.

As we rode out to mile 8 we passed about 4 to 5 hunters. Some were sitting close enough to the trail that I could have thrown and hit them with a water bottle. They were obviously in violation of the law prohibiting hunters from being within 500 yards of the trail. At least these guys were facing away from the trail. I wondered what they thought of us as we came crashing through the woods.

At the 8 mile mark, where bi-directional riding ends, we turned around. It's a different trail in the opposite direction, culminating in a mostly downhill final mile. There were some cold moments along the way but I think we stayed comfortable most of the ride. Ryan made two evaluations of the ride: "Hey, we didn't get shot" and "it was invigorating." I agree.

Back at the parking lot a few more vehicles had showed up and we had passed four riders on our way back to the start. One of the vehicles caught our attention as it looked like a sweet setup for bike road trips. Check out the extra locks on rear and side door. I'd never seen these type of locks before but quickly found them on the web, it's a guarded hasp with a hockey puck lock: http://www.lockitt.com/TrailerDoorLocks.htm

This vehicle says "ready for adventure".

Bike Work Stand for Ryan

2010-12-03T22:21:00.008-05:00

Some time ago I began work on making a bike stand for Ryan. I had some ideas for improvement over the bike stand I made for myself several years back and was eager to see if they would prove out. Of course a work stand can be purchased, but what fun would that be? Plus, there's certainly a cost advantage to making your own stand if you can scrounge up some pipe. Total out of pocket cost for this project was about $20.

The project was delayed for quite a few weeks as I searched for a steel plate for the base. After having no luck, and after seeing that Ryan had been working on his bike on his basement floor, I compromised and built a wooden base.

As it turns out the stand and base seem to work pretty well. I hope it performs as expected and elevates Ryan's bike work to a new level. Ha!

Ryan's new work stand holding my bike and

my stand on the left.

The stand adjusts up and down for height with

telescoping pipes and a locking bolt with handle.

The bike is clamped into the stand via a

pipe clamp and padded wooden jaws.

The bike can be rotated and locked in place

with another bolt and handle.

Overdue Update in Pictures

2010-12-02T18:16:00.001-05:00

Wow, I guess it's been awhile since I last updated the blog. Rather than attempting to recap in text, here are some pictures...

Chris' tie at the wedding in New Hampshire.

A clock I made as a wedding gift

for Jessica and Chris.

Daniel dressed up for the wedding,

with matching blue tongue.

Nice fall day for a ride.

Daniel's pumpkin hauling service.

Soupcan cyclocross.

The result of chain suck at Soupcan cyclocross.

Post ride cleanup. Ryan and I rode at the Knob.

White Mountain NF Loop

2010-10-20T20:52:00.001-04:00

This morning I set off for a White Mountain National Forest mountain bike ride.

Welcome to the National Forest.

Jim dropped me off on a forest service road just west of Bartlett, NH and I set out with map in pocket. The first 4.0 miles on Sawyer River road, a forest service road, were a constant uphill that got my blood flowing quickly despite a temperature in the 30's.

Steady uphill on a gravel forest service road.

At the end of the forest service road was a gate, blocking vehicular traffic, and a sign board. From here on the riding would be on double track.

End of the forest service road.

Still going up, there were some steep and continuous grades.

Along the way I was greeted by some nice views of surrounding mountains. By this time I had been riding about 45 minutes, all of it uphill.

A view to the west.

About an hour into the ride I reached a "high point", just short of the infamous Kancamangus highway. I was making frequent map checks to ensure I was on track. With no cell phone service and a lack of familiarity with the land, it was important to keep up with my progress on the map.

Map: $7 well spent.

After turning and riding east I joined up with another forest service road for a short distance and then had a decision to make. Continue on with a good chance of being back by the time I had planned or do the "Owl's Head Climb" trail. I figured I wouldn't be back here soon, so I headed up the climb.

Coming down from the Owl's Head climb.

The climb was all good, with no shortage of steepness and some rocks thrown in for fun. Coming down was equally exciting with rocks spotting the way. I came to a small bridge and decided it was a good place for the PB&J I had packed for lunch.

Sitting on the edge of the bridge and eating my sandwich I had the idea to set the camera for a self timer shot. I placed the camera on the opposite edge of the bridge, pressed the button to start the 10 second timer and attempted to walk back to my lunch perch. Unfortunately my foot slipped in between slats in the bridge and one of the slats broke. I fell knee deep through the bridge and violently wrenched my left knee. My right foot also dropped into a space between slats and I ended up with both feet in the stream below. As I groaned over the pain in my left knee I heard the camera take a picture. Nice.

Fallen through a bridge.

This was supposed to be the picture.

With a bum knee I had to modify the rest of the route. I made my way to the nearest forest service road and road out to Bear Notch Road. My leg was scraped up from busting through the bridge but I was thankful to be moving under my own power, praying for healing all the way.

An overlook on Bear Notch Rd, snow

covered Mt. Washington in the background.

When I reached Bear Notch Rd. it was a left hand turn, north, and a steady grade up to the notch. I was pedaling along okay on the smooth road. Over the notch it was all down hill to get back to Bartlett. Passing by a scenic pull off I caught a glimpse of Mt. Washington, so I pulled off at the next one for a picture. Further down I stopped at a pull off and asked another gawker to take my picture.

Sporting the OCC wool.

Despite the unfortunate bridge crash incident, it was good ~4 hour ride and the weather was perfect. This will be a loop to repeat on future visits.

First MTB Ride in New Hampshire

2010-10-19T19:53:00.002-04:00

Here's a post submitted from up north. We are here in the northeast visiting with KT's parents, staying in their nearly finished new home. The house is very nice with a great view and there is plenty of mountain biking nearby. Yesterday Chris, who will officially become my brother-in-law this weekend, took me for an off road ride near North Conway.

The leaves have turned and the trails were covered.

We headed out for several hours of riding west of North Conway, NH. The trails we started out on are called Sticks & Stones and for good reason. There were plenty of rocks and roots to roll around and over. Everywhere you look up here there are rocks and more rocks.

We stopped at an abandoned quarry for a look around.

A lathe was used to turn large, granite columns.

After connecting up with some other trails we went up and over a shoulder of a mountain before heading back to the start. There were some fun, twisty sections and some good climbing on the way up. At one point we popped out onto a rocky bald before turning back into the woods. Once over the ridge, we rode some pretty steep downhills that were testing my counter-gravity bike handling skills. It was a good ride.

The final uphill to get over the ridge was a
hike-a-bike as it was unrideably steep.
(Of course the picture does not do it justice.)

I hope to get out a couple more times during this trip, and I will try to get some "big view" pictures to show off the mountain terrain. Tomorrow morning will hopefully result in a ride. My map is ready to go.

It was the perfect fall day for a ride!

Camping with Daniel!

2010-10-09T09:59:00.001-04:00

On the way home from work I called KT to confirm the plan... Daniel and I were going on our first camping trip tonight! Daniel was excited when I walked in the door and we began gathering up our gear. It was going to be a truck camping trip as I figured this would be easier should it be necessary to come home in the middle of the night, but there was no early bail out on this trip.

Campin' in a truck bed.

We drove down to Grandma and Grandpa's woods and found a spot to park the truck. Daniel always likes to play in the back of the truck and he really liked the idea of "sleep all night in truck!" (his description for our adventure).The first order of business was to "setup camp". We inflated our camp mats and laid our sleeping bags. I issued Daniel his very own flashlight.

Ready for bed, the first time.

After peein' on a tree in the woods, with the aid of his flashlight, Daniel and I read some books. I turned off the lantern and told Daniel it was time for bed. As he waived his flashlight across the inside of the truck cap I fell asleep. Apparently Daniel did not...

I woke up to the realization that a flashlight was pointed at the right side of my head. Without stirring too much I squinted to my side and saw Daniel down on all fours, flashlight in hand, staring at my head. He slowly whispered to himself with great enthusiasm, "Daniel looking in Daddy's ear!"

After some laughing I told Daniel it was really time for bed and I confiscated his flash light. We zipped him in his little sleeping bag and Daniel slept all the way through the night.

In the morning we awoke with the sunrise to a 40 degree temperature. After a walk and pee in the woods we drove home. Daniel was excited to tell mommy about his big campin' trip. We'll have to do it again soon but I'm not sure how many more nights will be warm enough this year.

Checking out the woods first thing in the morning.

Dillon State Park w/ the Falks

2010-09-26T21:44:00.002-04:00

Last year KT, Daniel and I stayed in a cabin at Dillon State Park and thought it was a fun getaway not too far from home, so we made plans to do it again this year with Ryan and Helena. From our house it’s only an hour and twenty minutes of driving to get to the park which is located near Zanesville, OH. In addition to a large lake (actually it’s a reservoir), a well kept beach, and numerous hiking trails, 12 to 15 miles of mountain bike trails wind through the woods.

Lake views from the trail.

Friday night we moved into the cabin and made ourselves comfortable. Saturday morning we had a good breakfast before Helena, KT and Daniel set off on a hike while Ryan and I jumped on the mountain bike trail just up the way from our cabin.

Aaron skirting a ravine.

The trail was immediately twisty as we followed it towards the lake. There were plenty of tight corners and ditches/ravines to make things interesting. I found a couple good spots to fall, once catching myself on a 2x4 guard rail to save falling into a ravine. The trail took us along the edge of the lake for a good distance, making it an interesting choice between gawking at the lake or riding off the trail that was cut into the hill side.

Ryan dodging rocks on one of the advanced trails.

Most of the trail is ranked “intermediate” but there are a couple section of “advanced” trail. The advanced trails contain some fun rock gardens, much rockier than the Mohican rock gardens. Ryan put on a good demonstration through this section, he could have made a sweet 29er commercial as he rolled it over some boulders!

Aaron crossing some rocky obstacles.

On the trail back to the cabin there were some surprises in store: plank crossings, ramps, a steep uphill and more rocks and roots. I’d have to say the trails were more entertaining and challenging than I expected, which is a good thing. Prior to our trip I found the following trail reviews:

http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/dillon-state-park.html

http://trails.mtbr.com/cat/united-states-trails/trails-ohio/trail/PRD_169624_4569crx.aspx

http://www.spokejunkies.com/reviews/ohio/index.php?get_page=dillon

And here’s a link to the trail map:

http://www.joinomba.org/aoa/trails/dillonmap.pdf

After returning from our ride Katie and Helena headed out for some pedal time as well. There is a beginner section they rode, including a road transit to and from this area. After their ride, Katie and I rode a loop around our cabin that had some good flow. Maybe we would have ridden more if it were not for the crying sounds of Daniel we heard through the woods as he woke up from his nap.

KT and Helena back from some pedaling.

The rest of the evening was Daniel’s time to ride. Before and after dinner he was out on his Strider bike riding on the park road and grass around our cabin. We were amazed at how well he did on his little bike. We’ve never seen him get so into the striding motion on it. He was right on the brink of picking his feet up to coast on down hills, especially as he chased after Ryan laughing the whole way. Daniel was doing good for a two year old!

Daniel and his Strider bike tearing it up.

We had to head back out after dinner as the sun was

setting, so out came the improvised flashlight headlight.

Sunday morning we had another good breakfast before packing up. Ryan and I hit the trail again while Daniel and the girls set off for the beach and playground. This time we rode the final section of yesterday’s ride in the opposite direction. Once again, very entertaining trails. Early in the ride we were crossing planks over ravines and wooden bridges that had me feeling twitchy, but I was able to keep the bike going where I wanted.

Check out the old school MTB picture

on the Dew machine!

At the playground area we had lunch and played on the slides and swings. Then, we headed for home thankful for such nice weather and a fun weekend with friends.

Helena, on the Brontosaurus, chasing

Daniel, on the Triceratops.

Mohican Fording

2010-09-19T21:46:00.002-04:00

The uncertain weather had Ryan and I move our ride to later in the afternoon today, so it was probably 3pm before we made it to Mohican. We rode through mile 15 before doing a time check and realizing we needed to be home for dinner KT had made us.

The new hike and wade section of the loop.

The trail was really dry in most areas, despite the rain of last night. In particular, the downhill corners were dry and rutted. But the biggest surprise of the ride was at the covered bridge. It was closed for construction, which was not the biggest part of the suprise, but they left no way for mountain bikers to get from one side to the other, at least not without breaking through orange snow fence. Oh well, a river crossing added to the excitement of our ride.

Croft State Natural Area

2010-09-02T21:16:00.003-04:00

Today after work I headed the opposite direction as I did on Tuesday, east towards Spartanburg, SC. I rode at Southside Park in Croft State Natural Area. Croft is a former Army training base, last in use during the WWII era. The local rumors say not to stray from the trails as there is unexploded ordinance throughout the park. While this is sort of hard to believe, I stuck to the trails as usual.

A bridge crossing early in the ride.

I had a map of the trails but had never found a recommendation on a specific route. There is a trail called the Southside Loop that encircles the entire Southside Park, I figured it would be a straight forward way to tour the park. There were no other bikers in the parking area to talk to, so I headed off.

The route was all single track. There was not much elevation change throughout the whole ride. The trail wove through forested areas and was rooty, very much so in some places, with some rockiness.. Markers nailed to trails confirmed I was staying on the Southside Trail as opposed to riding one of the trails that cut through the center of the park.

Much of the trail was sandy.

The whole way around the 10 mile loop I only saw one other mountain biker. Actually, he was the only other person I saw the whole time at the park. It seemed pretty abandoned on a Thursday evening. At an information kiosk I read the park contains ~7,500 acres. So maybe there were other land users out there and we just didn't cross paths.

The sections by the river were interesting,

twisty trail through lush vegetation.

It was a good ride in the 94 degree heat. Once again, I wouldn't come down from up north just to ride here, but it's a good stop if in the area. I think if I had only one day to ride and had to choose between Croft and Paris Mountain, I would choose Paris. It seemed more interesting due to the elevation changes and rockiness.

Plenty of fungus at Croft too.