First Frozen Mohican Ride this Year

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

Something is out of proportion here.

the Manitoc Experience, my first

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.