Warm Woods, Cold Road

Went down to Mohican for a ride this afternoon.  It has been a while since riding a mountain bike and I chose the Karate Monkey for this ride.  I thought an eight mile out and back would be a good ride and would fit within the family schedule of the afternoon.

The temperature was right around freezing and it was windy, but I figured it wouldn't be too hard to stay comfortable in the woods.  I put on some layers, loaded the bike onto the back of the car, and headed to the trail head.

I was soon rolling out of the parking lot and into the woods.  Oh yes, the first left hand corner to start the ride... wham!  I managed to drastically oversteer myself onto my face and crash within the first 45 seconds of the ride.  Maybe I forgot how nimble the monkey rides.  I jumped back on and pretended nothing happened.

Leaves down but no snow today.

About 3 miles in I stopped and let some air out of my tires.  Ahhh... so much better.  I was getting bounced around and knew I had a few too many pounds of pressure.  About 8 miles in I reached the road and was supposed to turn back.  Instead, I talked myself into a quick descent to the covered bridge and climb up Mount Doom.  Seemed like a good idea at the time.

The downhill to the covered bridge was cold!  With no pedaling and a constant wind in my face I was chilled by the time I reached the bottom.  No worries, the climbing will heat me up.  And it did.  Two times I stalled the singlespeed on uphill corners.  I guess my legs were not ready for it but it was a good workout.

Before long I reached the second trail head and scooted over to SR97 for a ride back to the car.  I then learned what cold really felt like.  Despite zipping up and tightening wrist cuffs and hunkering down, I was frozen by the time I reached the car.  The fast downhills on the road took their toll.

Blasting the heat on the drive home and a hot McD's coffee brought me back to comfortable.  It was a good ride for this time of year, especially on the singlespeed.  I think I will feel this one tomorow.

Gravel & Mud Along the Rail Trail

With cross bike on the car rack I met Ryan in Fredericksburg for a ride.  The forecast for today called for temperatures approaching 60 degrees.  Choosing clothes was a challenge, it just didn't seem right to head out with so few layers in January.

Ellen tests out my clothing choices.

We jumped on the rail trail and headed south.  At a road crossing after Holmesville we left the trail behind in search of some quality Holmes County township roads, from the point of view of a cyclocross tire.

Not so much a gravel road,

it was more so a muddy road.

 

The roads zigged, the roads zagged, and our bikes were getting dirty.  Perfect.  We linked together some previously unknown roads and made our way into Millersburg.  The run into town ended up being on a state route as one of the township roads we intended to use was a road no more.  I guess the map needs updated.

A good road for fenders.

We rode our way back to the rail trail and headed north.  Along the way we had both shed some layers, it was feeling warm.  In Holmesville we once again detoured from the trail trail, but this time to the west instead of east, in search of more unpaved roads.  I think the sloppiest road of the ride was discovered in the final few miles, and this road made a post ride hose-down of the bike necessary.  We found some good ones.

Enjoying the cross bikes.

Motivated or Not?

Hey, I should head out for a ride when the kids take their nap this afternoon.  It looks sunny out there, but I bet it's cold.  What's the temperature? Oh yeah, the thermometer in the back window quit working.  What does Weather.com say?

Sunny, 30 degrees, 11 mph wind, feels like 20.

Aw, that's colder than I thought it would be.  Maybe I'll just pass on a ride, I've been to the gym at lunch the past three days in a row anyhow.

But... if I layered up good I should be able to stay warm.  I've done it before.  I could ride down onto the gravel roads in the swamps again, that would be scenic with the snow on the ground and ice around.  It's really bright out, but I could swap my glasses over to the grey, polarized lenses.

I know it's muzzleloader hunting weekend and there will probably be a bunch of hunters down in the swamps.  Maybe it's better not to go, and it's nice and warm in here.

The kids are in bed for naps.  Quick to the basement, there's no bad weather only bad clothing choices!

Heavy socks, heavy tights, shoes, over boots, base layer t-shirt, base layer long sleeve shirt, wool jersey, wind jacket, heavy hat, heavy gloves, pump the tires, swap the sunglass lenses... I'm getting hot in here.  Water bottle filled, snacks and cell phone packed.  Should I take the camera?  Sure, I will probably only pull it out if something looks interested, don't want frozen fingers.

Roll out!

About 35 pictures later... here are some highlights:

Nice sky.  Get moving to stay warm.

 Snow covered and icy in the swamps.

 It's a bit nippy out, but I'm warm.

 The roads are clear, just full of cinders.

 Heading back into the swamp,

having more fun than I look.

 Slippery fun.  I was never too cold.

Post ride hot chocolate and snack after a

great ride.  Why did I try to talk myself out of it?

Under the Weather, Under the House

Yippee, another cold for me.  The only riding I've been doing is on the trainer in the basement.  The past couple days I have done 45 minute sessions of mild spinning and it seems to have helped my head cold.  The recommendation I frequently read is if your symptoms are above your neck mild exercise is okay.  Below your neck, better not.  I have also read mild exercise can help reduce the duration of a cold as it brings in additional oxygen to promote healing.  Let's see what happens.

Ellen put on my helmet all by herself.

She even buckled the buckle.

Merry Christmas 2012!

And, Happy Birthday to Our Savior Jesus!

New Bike Smell in the Dark

Yesterday Ryan received a Christmas surprise with two wheels and a shiny green frame!  Santa Claus (his wife) delivered early.  Tonight we set out for a night ride to give it a maiden roll.

Ryan's new Raleigh cross bike!

It seemed a little unfair to be out on your first ride of a brand new bike in the dark as you are not able to look down and actually see the new bike.  I guess you could say it adds to the mystery or builds suspense.  This scenario does let you focus on the feel of the bike, which Ryan quickly noted was smoother and more dampened on the chunked up roads we traveled.

Stop sign road crossing in the dark.

We dressed for temperatures just above freezing and rode south then east.  It felt later than it was in the dark country side.  Early in the ride we encountered some unexpected traffic and realized some people were probably still driving home from work.  It was only 6:30 but dark as midnight out.

With no specific route in mind we ended up riding into Mt. Eaton before turning north.  We stopped for some food and found a grassy bank to ride down on our cross bikes.  It looked like this had been done numerous times before by kids in the neighborhood.  We shared in the fun.

Snack stop at the feed mill... seems appropriate.

East out of Mt. Eaton we rode before turning north.  The roads were quiet and temperatures seemed to be holding steady beneath a partially cloudy sky.  We pedaled through Kidron and back to Ryan's house.  We declared it a successful ride and I'd say Ryan enjoyed his new ride.  Now we need to find some gravel roads...

Gravel Hunting

After a too slow morning I saddled up at lunchtime for a ride.  I was craving some gravel so I pulled the cross bike, which has not seen much action since last winter, and pumped up the tires.  Good thing I hung it up ready to ride.

I'm glad the fenders were still mounted too.

I headed across Valley Road and soon left pavement behind.  There were big puddles to be found on the gravel section of Valley.  I was surprised to find ice puddles alongside the road.  It was 40 degrees with a feels like 36 when I left home.

Crunchy.

For the next hour I rode around the gravel roads of the swamps, waving at deer hunters.  There were vehicles at every pulloff and blaze orange figures everywhere.  I never did see anyone dragging out a deer.  I didn't feel too bad about scaring away potential targets as there were trucks and SUVs passing by pretty often anyhow.

Up out of the valley.

As usual, I liked being out on a cool, overcast day.  It's easy to stay comfortable by zipping up or down a wind layer.  I did get sprinkled by some sparse rain but only for a few minutes.  Nice afternoon for a cross bike ride.

A bridge in the swamps.

Test Piloting

Considerations for a new cyclocross bike are underway for Ryan.  I tagged along on a trip to Century Cycles to check out a Raleigh cross bike.

Ryan rides Raleigh.

The overcast day turned to a drizzle just as we headed out on a test ride.  The sales guy at shop asked me if I was going to ride too and I seized the opportunity to spin a Surly Cross Check.  It was a smooth ride on the steel frame and the down tube shifters were a fun throw back.

Surly and Raleigh.

We rode around on the back side of a shopping plaza.  The Raleigh was looking sharp and Ryan was liking it.  Ryan did not buy the bike today, maybe he is going to ask Santa Claus for it.  Forget the sleigh and reindeer... Santa can ride to Ryan's house on a cross bike, dismount, and hop down the chimney.

The Surly Moonlander.

I couldn't resist a lap around the show room floor on the Moonlander.  It's a fat tired freak show but seems like it would be really fun bouncing down a trail.  I asked Daniel if he would get more for Christmas and he said, "sure!"

The other green bike test ridden.

Cold on the Road

Well, it was not really that cold.  Maybe it was the coldest road ride yet this fall for me, 35 and windy when I left the house.  Thankfully my clothing choice was good and I felt fine after a 10 minute warm up on the road.

I was heading out Heyl Rd, with head down to the wind, and passed three cyclists pedaling in the opposite direction.  They were enjoying a tail wind and probably saw me long before I saw them.  An OCC jersey was in the bunch. 

It was a fine afternoon to be out on the road.  Hardly any traffic along my route and the air was crisp and skies sunny and blue.  I do like colder weather riding!

Back to the sun, and wind, on the way home.

Fall Fell at Mohican

It's been a long dry streak of spinning the cranks on a bike.  A stomach flu that came and went and came and went and came and went has had me out of action.  Today's agenda was to get down to Mohican before the deer gun season lights up and blow out some cobwebs.

Where does the trail go?

The leaves were disguising the trail making for interesting riding.  It was not possible to pick through the terrain, just roll and go.  The air was crisp but it was warm for mid November, just above 40 degrees.  It sure felt good to be out in the woods.

Just before turn around.

I rode out about 6 or 7 miles before turning around.  At this point I was content to get some mild exercise and hopeful to not trigger a relapse of illness.  Just before turning around I came upon a squirrel hunter.  It was the first time I had talked to a squirrel hunter out at Mohican.  We talked about how crazy deer gun season is down here and both agreed it was best to avoid the woods.

Dropping fast.

The sun had dropped below the tree tops but not yet below the hillsides.  I knew It was going to get dark quickly in the woods so I rode steady back to the start glad to have been rolling on two wheels again.

It's Falling Around Here

This morning I headed out for a couple and a half hours of road riding and fall gazing.  The trees put on quite a display in their preparation for dormancy.

Changing colors.

It took me several attempts to dress.  The thermometer on the window reported 58 but Weather.com was reporting 41.  Hmmm, strange.  I ended up with knee warmers, a wool jersey, and skull cap after spending a few minutes on the back patio.

Long fingered gloves and toe covers too!

The wind was coming out of the west at 12 to 15mph so I headed into it on the way out.  I rode the Old Lincoln Highway for a good while, out past Reedsburg, before turning north then south.  I crossed the Funk bottoms before sneaking past Shreve.

Stopped by the grandparents gravesite

on the way into Reedsburg.

 

The leaves were changing color all around.  There was still some green to be seen and not too many fallen leaves yet.  The cool air made it seem later in the year than it is.  I was glad for each piece of gear I was wearing.

Lots of raking.

This was the first road ride since they finished paving SR3.  The final part of every ride from home is a short run on the state route.  Fortunately vehicles have always been polite despite the minimal berm for a cyclist to ride on.  It seems there is more space to stay right now.  Or at least the freshly paved road is rideable further right than it was before.  Hopefully this makes the conclusion to a road right that much more enjoyable.

It depends on where the white line lands.

Mid-week at the Knob

Ryan and I made plans to meet up for a Wednesday night right at the Knob.  We were eager to sample the repaired and new trail we worked this past weekend.  Unfortunately it rained in the past couple days and the trails were not prime but still very rideable without undue wear and tear.

The trail work done leading up to the Cradle was very nice, no more ruts to skirt.  The switchbacks were much more rideable, though I continue to botch the first left hander.  The Over Under and Junk Hill were also much more rideable.  I was excited to cleanly ride both in succession on our second lap.

Go left and duck.

The new slalom line on Cheater's Hill will be a fun addition to the course, once it's ridden in and established.  We dropped into it on both laps but the wet conditions and unpacked trail increased the pucker factor.

Go right and drop it.

The days are surely getting shorter as it was getting difficult to see at the tail end of our second lap.  A couple of those woodsy sections felt creepy in the lack of light.  In the final 500 yards of trail a rabbit made it interesting as it darted across the trail right in front of me, contact barely avoided, only to pull a u-turn and dart back in front of me, I think I grazed it.  Back to back panic brakes always kills momentum on the run in to the finish!

A nice gut pile two feet of the trail.  A sure

sign it's fall in deer country.

Trail Work at the Knob

From reading Rody's blog I found out there was a trail day at the Knob this afternoon.  I've always wanted to help out with some donated labor but have not been able to attend in the past.

Rody and Ryan working the dirt.

Many others had the same idea as there were at least 25 or maybe 30 people on scene to get some trail work done.

A crew attacks the Over Under.

We raked, groomed, and even cut some new trail.  On Cheater's Hill we did a reroute which should add some more excitement to this downhill section.  The trail was routed back and forth between the banks to make a kind of half pipe run down to the corner at the bottom.  A berm was built at the bottom as well.

The work gets done in a hurry when an

armed mob descends on the task.

Several guys gave the new section a test ride.  Looks like it will be a bit of a challenge to control speed, find the line, and make it through the final corner in one piece.

Dropping in at the top.  I helped with a lot of

work here, placing and supporting the log

and cutting in the trail.

Hitting the new berm at the bottom.

It was a great afternoon of work, a lot was accomplished.  I look forward to helping out more in the future.  Daniel would probably like to come out and play in the dirt too!

Sunny Sunday Afternoon

How long has it been since I've ridden a road bike?  I know it took multiple pumps to get the tires up to pressure, meaning it's been several weeks.  This afternoon was a superb time to give the Litespeed some playing time.  Sunny and 60 degrees, perfect.

I road over to Silver Road and pedaled up to Mechanicsburg Road.  It was not the first time I stopped by the pond to take a picture of a nice sky to the east.

Clouds and sky abound.

On my way to Flickinger hill I spotted the bicycle road sign near the new park and paved trail that spits out onto Mechanicsburg.

One is about to pass by.

Having never checked out the new path, I spun a lap to say I did.

No potholes, that's for sure.

Another evidence that it's been a while since I've ridden on the road: several weeks ago I bought a new pair of fingerless gloves... this was their first use.  I was tired of my red turned pink gloves that have been in service the past several years.  I figure the worst these will do is fade to gray and that's okay.

Black replaces pink.

Raystown Trip - day 3

Instead of waking up and heading to work on a Monday morning I woke up and peered out the zippered window of a tent.  No blue skies this morning, it was overcast.  Several days ago, the last time I saw a weather forecast, today was supposed to be a thirty percent chance of rain.

Flap jack flippin'.

The trusty Coleman cook stove was put into action right away.  First boiling water for coffee, then cooking eggs and cranberry-almond pancakes.  We tried Starbucks Via instant coffee packets on this trip.  In contrast to the many positive reviews I read online, I was not impressed.  French press and home ground coffee will be along for the next trip.

Seriously... that's a lot of TP.

We decided to pack up camp and drive over to the north trail head parking lot to begin our ride.  Driving to the trail head let us have more time riding the trails on the northern side without repeating the Stony trail out and back like yesterday.

All is packed but bikes.

As we pedaled away from the trail head parking lot we figured a couple hours of riding was going to be the limit.  This would let us make it home before 8pm.  We tore down the now familiar Buck and Doe Trails, headed towards the yet to be ridden by us Hydro Loop.  It was even more exciting to head out knowing how much fun lay ahead.

Now that's a bermed corner.

After plenty of fast and flowing riding we headed north on the Berry Patch Trail to a second visit of the overlook at the northern end of the trails.  The section of trail from down by the water on the Hydro Loop, up Sidewinder, and up the Berry Patch Trail seemed to be the biggest elevation gain in the shortest distance of our riding.  Even so, the uphill was broken up by dips and rollers.

Three days of dusty riding.

After a short stop at the overlook we aimed for the trail head.  The last stretch of our riding this trip did not disappoint.  We had holler-out-loud fun coming south across the Allie Trail!  There were some big dips, berms, and lots of speed in our final section of trail.  It was a sweet finale to our visit.

Halfway home.

On the way home we decided to avoid the toll road and take 22 to Pittsburgh.  There were some slow sections through towns and some four lane divided highway sections as well.  In the end we made it home in the same 5.5 hours it took to drive out but we saved the toll.

Our first trip to the Allegrippis Trails at Raystown Lake was a good one.  The trails were loads of fun and the camping was enjoyable.  The weather was absolutely perfect, quite a blessing with the majority of the trip spent outdoors.  On the next trip it would be fun to check out the Rothrock area as well, reportedly only an hour away.  Hey Ryan, whatcha' doing next weekend?  :-)