RR: Riding in the rain

I should head to the trail more often when it's raining!

I get all the sh*t packed in the sport bag today and hoof the bike down to the car. It's pretty
cloudy but I'm thinking that I can squeeze 10K in before it starts to spit.

Get everything into the car after about 15 minutes, slam out of the garage and get to the trail head
in about 10/15 minutes. Still no rain.

Soon as I turn the car off and take the key out of the ignition out of nowhere drops of water start
pooling on the sunroof. I'm like totally aggravated now. Torn between riding anyway and just driving
to Wendy's for a burger. As I'm sitting there it starts to pour like a faucet. A few riders kick it
into high gear and boogie for shelter. One runner slipped and wiped out. Not funny but I laughed
anyway. He get's up really fast so I figure he's okay and I can laugh.

I decide to kack it and go home, as I start the car and crank first gear, I notice the rain is
starting to ease up almost as fast as it started. I'm so thrilled I stall the car. Now it's the
runner's turn to laugh, ok I deserved that, but don't care, the rain is stopping.

By the time I get the gear on and the bike out of the hatch the rain is down to a fine mist. 5
minutes later I'm across the train tracks and doing a slow warm-up. The trail had just the right
amount of moisture due to the quick sprinkle, but best of all, I now have the entire 10K to myself
because everyone high-tailed it home when it got cloudy.

I don't care what anyone says, these IRC Mythos are damn good tires in any condition! and I'll still
feel that way when I switch to some Kendas as they wear out.

I click off a few gears as my legs start to warm up and loop unto the technical part of the lower
trail. It's been awhile since I was on the trail and a few trees had bit the dust. I climbed over a
couple and hopped the smaller ones.

The linkages on the Jamis are starting to loosen up finally, so the ride is smooth but without any
"bobbing" for a change. I think it just needed some more work-in time. I was gonna check the
bearings when I got a chance to see if the were seized. No need now, it's working fine. I can't feel
it so much as see the shock going through it's stroke when I look down. Hard pressed to find much of
a difference between my four bar and the new SC Blur VPP.

I was hesitating before about switching to FS, but the thing was working so well I started looking
for anything to go over in the trail, two rock gardens, roots, and gouge-out, all handled better
than the hardtail, although not with as much snap!

I get to the end of the lower loop and head up the "lung-buster" that breaks into the upper trail.
It's all off camber and rooty, so I figure with the rain it must be real interesting up there,
especially with the clay base. After sacrificing a lung, I get to the top and the upper trail is
bone dry! smooth, fast riding all the way back to the trail head.

Soon as I get the gear back into the car, wave at a few chicks and drain my Gatorade, it starts to
pour again.

Weird Ontario weather!!!

I'm about ready for that move anytime, the missus says no way to the idea though.....

--
http://members.rogers.com/theblackfoxx/

 

On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 02:56:16 GMT, ..::TBF::.. wrote:

> I decide to kack it and go home

"Kack it"? Is that some Canadian thing?

> I click off a few gears as my legs start to warm up and loop unto the technical part of the lower
> trail. It's been awhile since I was on the trail and a few trees had bit the dust. I climbed over
> a couple and hopped the smaller ones.

I'll have to dig out the pictures from last May's ride in Hood River. Trees strewn everywhere; it
was like a war zone! I'm guessing Ontario trees are like Oregon trees - a lot of time its like
jumping a fence.

> I was hesitating before about switching to FS, but the thing was working so well I started looking
> for anything to go over in the trail, two rock gardens, roots, and gouge-out, all handled better
> than the hardtail, although not with as much snap!

Wet root are just downright scary, especially when they're diagonal to the trail. I did a ride near
the north shore in Oahu once, and it was covered with wet roots. It took me at least an hour to get
used to the back wheel sliding sideways all the time. Its a skill that can come in handy, though.

> I get to the end of the lower loop and head up the "lung-buster" that breaks into the upper trail.
> It's all off camber and rooty, so I figure with the rain it must be real interesting up there,
> especially with the clay base. After sacrificing a lung, I get to the top and the upper trail is
> bone dry! smooth, fast riding all the way back to the trail head.

Sounds like a fun ride!

> Weird Ontario weather!!!
>
> I'm about ready for that move anytime, the missus says no way to the idea though.....

Funny, that's the same reason I'm still in Oregon!

--
-BB- To reply to me, drop the attitude (from my e-mail address, at least)

 

"BB" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> On Sat, 19 Apr 2003 02:56:16 GMT, ..::TBF::.. wrote:
>
> > I decide to kack it and go home
>
> "Kack it"? Is that some Canadian thing?

I think he meant "pack" it.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!