Afternoon Ride up high

A morning email had me riding with two guys I haven't ridden with before - Walt and Fred.  (Actually, Fred and I had done some trail work many moons ago and I had ridden with Walt back at one of the IGSSC's, probably over 10 years ago.) No nicknames for these guys yet...besides, their websites would give their identities away!

I was scrambling trying to get my new frame ready to ride but having started 2 hours before ride time...I realized too late that I had no fork that fit the frame...so I grabbed my singlespeed and rushed to meet these guys in Ned -- both of them on full-suspension Waltworks bikes.  Starting the ride at 4:30pm, I didn't think we'd go too big but we ended up doing a pretty large 3 hour loop. We rode a counter-clockwise loop up to the Flats from town, down Birthday Trail to Triple Secret (aka. FOUND) and then down RBV to Mud Lake finishing on the School singletrack.

On the way out of town to RBV, I literally had a close encounter with a Great-horned owl.  I was heading down into RBV on a side route when I almost ran into something crossing the trail.  I stopped, looked to my left, and saw the big yellow eyes of the owl less than two feet away from me standing on the side of the trail.  Walt rode up and as he approached the owl flew off down the trail corridor, looking no worse for the wear.  Thankfully.  It was a funny ride like that.  I almost took myself out several times trying to keep up with these guys on my rigid single.  I didn't get dropped...but I probably should have - for my sake. (I'm still tired and sore from that ride.)

Great to ride with some new peeps that I've known for awhile but just never ridden with for some reason!

The new Sugar Mag

Got out for a ride today with the Pilot up on the new Sugar Mag trail and beyond.  As the Pilot said (paraphrase), "Wow! This place is all growing up and stuff! You've got new sidewalks, trail signs...what's next?!" Pretty soon we'll have a fat tire fest or something!

Not Sugar Mag but RBV.

I'm pretty impressed at how "in" the new alignment of Sugar Mag already is after not that many work days. It's a bunch of new trail - almost 4 times the length of the old trail - and crosses the old trail a couple of times.  It was really difficult to tell where the old trail was.  WRV did an excellent job of trail obfuscation.  The new trail aligment is a good trail - lots of berms, rock jumps, bench cuts, and even some 'armoring' (think cobblestone road but less developed).  I like the way it's going to turn out once it settles in a bit. It's definitely a nice climbing trail, even on a singlespeed, and it's fun on the downhill whether you're a XC type of rider or more in to jumping around.  It's definitely NOT a downhiller's trail...which is good in my opinion.  It's a solid, sustainable trail, and will be there into eternity.  Even though many more freeride-minded riders will bitch than XC types, it's got a couple of alternate lines that allow some air and they go nicely into bermed turns.  There's only one really noticable turn that is bad - too sharp/bad flow - where you slow down considerably so you don't go off the trail.  The Pilot agreed, he'd have routed it differently at this spot.  But overall, i'd give it an A-/B+ so good work Scott from Contour Designs! As an aside, realize that what is on the ground is not one person's vision but a collaborate effort with the Forest Service (Recreation coordinator, and the Wildlife Biologist and Plant ecologist, etc.), and well as the initial alignment work from Contour Designs.

Spankin new sign in a pretty random location just outside Old Town. Basically, everything's close so you can't get lost...until you get on the trail.

One of the several big bermed turns on the new alignment.  Right in front of the Pilot is a big rock jump and you land into the bermed turn.

Rather large bench cut, but it's that way because of the 'alternate' line (read...kicker) off the right side of the trail when heading down.  It'll grow in nicely. 

Grade changes and bench cuts galore. It's not dialed in yet, but once it rains more and the trail over-winters (and gets ridden more) it'll be pretty sweet in my opinion.

One of the lower bermed turns. This one is pretty dialed and fun!

Go ride a bike

Snoopy goes big

Mrs. Meriwether's new ride!

The newest bike build, this one is for my girl. I pieced the parts together and built the frame and fork to her size. I like how it turned out! Rattlecan Banner Red!

That smile says it all!

And now for a random ranch shot...the mustangs grazing after a rainstorm, double rainbow fading.