Mountain Biking - The battle of the XC sleds...

I went for a group ride yesterday at a trail with very little climbing. Just winding fast trails. I taco'd my wheel on my Fisher hardtail two days ago, so I had to ride my Jamis Dakar XLT 5" dually. One of my riding buddies was on his Cannondale f1000 or f2000...not sure which. It's an XTR/XT bike with the Cannondale 4-bolt discs. He runs bar ends with a flatty, I run an Easton EA70 riser.

He and I get to horsing around now and then. He built up some momentum and tried to rocket past me on my left side on part of the trail that veers left. He kinda took me out...we ended up flailing across the ground for about 15 feet until our flesh skidded to a stop.

It sucked for him, b/c his little race bike took a whollup from my Jamis. It has a dented top tube, broken bar end, and broken thumb button on his front shifter. The weird part about it is that my Jamis didn't even get a scratch.

I guess there's a bit more to be said about the capabilities of a tougher trailbike besides its ability to smoothly roll over rougher terrain.

I still feel bad and partially responsible b/c I could have reacted quicker and veered to the right instead of holding my line.

I guess we know who pushes harder!!

Hold your line! Thats a great story.

Hold your line! Thats a great story.

Actually, when I sent out an email to my group...I labeled it "Saving Private Ryan" and it went a little something like this:

Well, if you haven't seen Ryan P's new "Do"...I believe he has enlisted in the Marine Corps. His tennis crew did very well last weekend, so he promised them he'd snip-snip the curly locks.

We all went up to the Lawrence River Trails yesterday for a "war in the woods". My front wheel on my hardtail looks like a "Pringle", so I rode the Jamis. (a bit of overkill for these trails) We sent everyone off to the trenches behind enemy lines to do some 'recon' while Private Ryan and Pringle Boy (myself) held the line. Private Ryan was adding a little air to the rear tire on his Cannondale HumVee, while I waited on my M1 Jamis Tank.

When Private Ryan was ready for battle, we attacked the trail with our big guns blazing...his Humvee bobbed and weaved through enemy fire while my Tank rolled over anything in its path. We caught up with the recon team and decided to take point. As we approached the clearing, I kicked on the M1's Turbo and passed Sargeant Sam so I could draw enemy fire. Private Ryan followed as my wing man. Enemy missles were heavy. Private Ryan wanted to take the point so he could run a decoy and I could drop the Big One on the enemy. As he rocketed past me to my left, the enemy trenches veered to the left.

Private Ryan and Pringle Boy collided with so much energy that we were both ejected from our vehicles. I was able to get off my last shot and defeat the enemy, but not without a casualty. The little Cannondale Hummer was quite a fighter, but it was no match for the M1 Jamis Tank. It came out with a dented top tube, broken front shifter, and broken right bar end. Private Ryan was scathed but in good spirits with a little bit of visceral layer protruding from his shin. Pringle Boy lost a little bit of air in his gut and limped around for a while, but was able to complete the mission and do two loops around the enemy trenches looking for other survivors.

Uncle Sam wants YOU!

Save Private Ryan! If any able bodied man has a spare set of bar ends, or a front trigger shifter that is just lying around, Private Ryan could use the help. I can install 'em...that's no prob.

Sincerely,
Pringle Boy

I'm into drama, I guess.

thats prety good

wish I had THAT good of an imagination!!!