P
Paladin
Guest
Okay, I met Adam at the trailhead around 4pm. About 40degF, heavy humidity, overcast, and it's
trying to snow. But a bad day riding beats just about anything else, so off we went.
This was my *first ride* on the newly rebuilt Z2 Superfly, that I got in the mail from some
long-haired freak in Colorado. My mechanic buddy said it was perfect for the geometry of my bike,
and in great shape. It was also my first ride on the GRBT's, the gay roadie bib tights. They felt
fine, but jimminy that wet cold forced me to put a jacket on.
We roll behind the big hill at Camelsback, and take the tough switchabacks up to Chickadee Ridge.
Ride along the spine, and I like the feel of the travel. Adam takes the lead, and he's whining
about how all his horseback riding has thrashed his legs, (and other parts). Whatever. We come down
the drops, and over to Hulls Gulch, which we decide to climb, rather than take an easier way up,
then descend.
Traction is good, with the moisture in the sand, and the other riders out are all cooperative to us
as uphill riders. Rock our way up, with one obligatory stop at a big-rock carry spot, and continue
to the top. I like the Marzocchi, it keeps good contact with the trail, and I know it's gonna rock
on rails when it comes time to cut the horses loose on the downhill.
But we get to the top, and there's this doof sitting next to an old steel stumpjumper. The guy's
in tennis shoes and jeans. But not being one to judge a book by its cover, I look a little closer,
and he's up there on a Singlespeed! yeehah! my true love. So I interrupt one of Adam's long
stories to go chat with the dude, and he's running vertical drop-outs with no chain tensioner.
Very tricky that is.
Well, now its really cold, so we point the bars down cross the creek onto Crestline, and hit
cruising speed and altitude, maxxing out around 35mph as the trail opens up. I'm loving the plush,
stictionless travel. Damping is better than I ever had on the Girvin Pro-Carbon, or my wife's
Manitou, so I'm a believer.
Back to the truck just as it's now 0-dark 30, visibility sucks, and witches breasts are freezing up,
the monkey's cojones are dropping off. Good timing, and a good time. The fork was all it was cracked
up to be, and the GRBT's served me well. I wore a pink banadanna around my neck just to complete the
GR look. Ha.
Paladin riding up grades, and riding on upgrades. O well
trying to snow. But a bad day riding beats just about anything else, so off we went.
This was my *first ride* on the newly rebuilt Z2 Superfly, that I got in the mail from some
long-haired freak in Colorado. My mechanic buddy said it was perfect for the geometry of my bike,
and in great shape. It was also my first ride on the GRBT's, the gay roadie bib tights. They felt
fine, but jimminy that wet cold forced me to put a jacket on.
We roll behind the big hill at Camelsback, and take the tough switchabacks up to Chickadee Ridge.
Ride along the spine, and I like the feel of the travel. Adam takes the lead, and he's whining
about how all his horseback riding has thrashed his legs, (and other parts). Whatever. We come down
the drops, and over to Hulls Gulch, which we decide to climb, rather than take an easier way up,
then descend.
Traction is good, with the moisture in the sand, and the other riders out are all cooperative to us
as uphill riders. Rock our way up, with one obligatory stop at a big-rock carry spot, and continue
to the top. I like the Marzocchi, it keeps good contact with the trail, and I know it's gonna rock
on rails when it comes time to cut the horses loose on the downhill.
But we get to the top, and there's this doof sitting next to an old steel stumpjumper. The guy's
in tennis shoes and jeans. But not being one to judge a book by its cover, I look a little closer,
and he's up there on a Singlespeed! yeehah! my true love. So I interrupt one of Adam's long
stories to go chat with the dude, and he's running vertical drop-outs with no chain tensioner.
Very tricky that is.
Well, now its really cold, so we point the bars down cross the creek onto Crestline, and hit
cruising speed and altitude, maxxing out around 35mph as the trail opens up. I'm loving the plush,
stictionless travel. Damping is better than I ever had on the Girvin Pro-Carbon, or my wife's
Manitou, so I'm a believer.
Back to the truck just as it's now 0-dark 30, visibility sucks, and witches breasts are freezing up,
the monkey's cojones are dropping off. Good timing, and a good time. The fork was all it was cracked
up to be, and the GRBT's served me well. I wore a pink banadanna around my neck just to complete the
GR look. Ha.
Paladin riding up grades, and riding on upgrades. O well
