Day 6: Getting Lost and Single Track Trails
Awake early yet again, despite staying up and watching Tropic Thunder with the gang.
Started the morning trip a bit later today. About 1o:30 we went about 10 miles out to the Tiger Road area and looked for some less well known single track trails. A single track trail is generally 12-18 inches wide and usually requires a higher skill level to ride (steep inclines/declines, weaving between trees, and a heck of a lot of work to ride).
After a few miscues, we finally found the area. Our first attempt up some single track was aborted when Joe Wooten made it about 15 feet in and fell on a very steep technical incline. I’d guess it was greater then 45 degrees, 12 inches wide in a rut, and filled with loose soil and rocks. The others looked at it and said no way. So we backtrackd and found other trails to the top of the mountain. Once up there we rode around as a group for a while. Eventually the hard core (read that nutjobs in the group) decided to go find the single track again.
We were going to meet upn an hour…but of course got lost. No GPS with us so we just kept riding around on some awesome technical trails. After a few hours we found ourselves being dumped out on a dirt road. In the distance we could see the ski slopes of Breckenridge. So we followed the road back to town and had lunch at the condo. We had driven out to the trails over about 10 miles of straight highway/paved roads in 20 minutes. It had taken us nearly three hours to meander our way back. My rough milage for the trip was about 28 miles total.
Ride 2 started around 4 pm. We were going to go abck to the Crystal Lake area (the back side of peak 10). Unfortunately we were going a different route and our normal guide Seve Harris wasn’t along. We got lost. During that short ride, I killed yet another tire. Yes, my 4th. Since it was close by, I just went back to the condo to prepare for Friday’s 70+ mile ride with Joe Wooten and Drew Marcum.
Of course I killed yet another tube while working on the front end. I switched the low profile tire with a higher profile new Maxxis in an attempt to prevent yet another flat. I’ll have to go buy a bunch of heavy duty inner tubes to replace the supply I am quickly using up. I’ve tried softening up the front end suspension, running 16 psi, etc. But it seems that when I really start going faster I’m causing the impacts on rocks to pinch the inner tube between the rock and the rim and ripping holes. Oh well, I wanted to get better/faster.
And yes, I am the only person in the group with this problem. AHHHHHH!
Working on the helmet camera’s video setup on the new helmet. Should be able to get some video Friday & Saturday.
Riders today:
Joe Wooten
Steve Harris
Drew Marcum
Steve Clark
Rich Sturges
Steve Keener
Mary Seidel
Brian Summers
Adina Rossi
Bernie Conatser
Racing | Steve Keener | 24 July 2009 |
