Unpacked spot of snow I see or were you attempting the worlds longest nose manual on snow via bike.;)

More like snow hides killer rock, story at 7!

Nope. hardsnowhardsnowhardsnowohcrapsoftsnow.

Well, if there was that much snow the landing couldn't have hurt too much?

It was sorta soft. Did scrape the crap out of my face. Well, better snow than the dirt and rock. It was just good that the bike was okay, you know, having a nice soft landing on top of me and all.

There goes your modelling career...

That was derailed long ago. I've got a great face for radio, though.

I am usually a road rider, but I went off-roading today with a couple of buddies who are more experienced in the discipline. Lovely climbs with great views and great weather today. For any locals, this was the east cuesta ridge ride north of San Luis Obispo, CA. Good ride. On the way down, however, I caught some loose rock on a corner and took a couple tumbles when the wheels flew out from under me. Had to remove some gravel from my flesh - but other than the mild abrasions and cuts (and a bruised wrist) I am alive to ride another day.

Monte Sano. North AL.
 

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=189763

Took a pretty muddy ride up on the mountain today. Great time, even if it was on a borrowed bike.

Another XC ride at the South Hill bluff, 10 miles and 1300ft ascent at a very mellow pace. Due to the substantial rains, we avoided the mud-prone area down at the 14th-avenue end, dropping in at 25th instead. I took the full-rigid utility bike this time.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...es/2-15-11.png

Hammered out another XC training ride on the South Hill bluff tonight. I made the mistake of stopping the Garmin while fixing a flat, so my best guess is about 14 miles and about 2800ft vertical ascent.

I had the heavy wheelset and winter shoes on, and the surface was soft enough to add a lot of rolling resistance, so my efforts to set a PR on my benchmark climb were thwarted three times in a row... the first run was about 10 seconds off, but the second run might've ended up a PR, if it hadn't been interrupted by that flat tire from an enormous thorn :notamused: Third try was about 20 seconds off. Great training, though. For the locals, this climb's about the same altitude gain as climbing Beacon from Ezzy, in 0.7mi of trail.

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...es/2-19-11.jpg

Did my first "real" ride today. Also my first time clipless in the mountains. Learned a lot about descending (I go up well from my crit fitness), trusting the bike, and riding in mud. Nothing to brag about but it was super fun and a nice change from the normal 50 mile Sunday ride.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/69311662

Couple pics:
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._1260775_n.jpg

I'm on the left. You can see the snowy mountains in the back. Never guess it's So Cal!
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._3438684_n.jpg

Flat repair on a hill
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._6480004_n.jpg

That's me in back. The guys I rode with spent a lot of time waiting for me. But, I'll get there.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphot..._7575389_n.jpg

Here's that thorn I mentioned in the last ride report. Unusually big for this area:

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...0-11/thorn.jpg

Today I met up with eight guys and we did XC at the Beacon. I had my digicam along, so I shot a few pics and some (shaky handheld) video. The pace was more stop-&-go but that's par for the course at Beacon. Three of us got separated for a while and had to hunt for the others, too. Said hi to some big-bike riders along the way, and saw some XC riders too.


http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...11/trail_1.jpg

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...1/IMG_0195.jpg
It was muddy at the west end

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...11/Capture.jpg
Texture enlarged to show detail ;)

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...0-11/muddy.jpg
Got some clean-up to do after that one...

Another nighttime XC training ride at near-freezing temps. I tried to keep the pace reasonably high where I could. My legs always rebel at the first hill, which in this case was on the way to the trailhead. Shut up, legs!

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...es/2-21-11.jpg

Took a quick ride down to get some milk from the corner store today: rode the sidewalk mostly despite what those A&S guys go on about... i thought about leaving the helmet at home, but figured... hey u never know.

:D

Good ol' thornapple trees :notamused:

That looks completely terrifying. Was that really you?

:innocent:

...Gotta get home, put the milk in the fridge before it turns! Too bad about the dog at 0:30 - keep your pets on a leash!

Another nighttime XC training ride, this time with a fast all-around rider from the club. We did the Bluff, including the east side of Hatch Road, and it was frozen down fairly well so it was pretty fast. 2600ft climbing, 17 miles, around 2 hours. Now I'm ready for a serious dinner :D

http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...es/2-22-11.jpg

What is this trail? and where is it?

That's the South Hill bluff area in Spokane, WA. The area's a city parkway. I began riding down there in the late '80s and many trails have been added since then (but unfortunately some of the land at the southeastern end got turned into housing, and we lost some good trails over there).

Nowdays it's a little too popular for its own good... in the daytime, many people treat it as a dog park and have their dogs running loose. So if I want to go ride XC hard and fast, I go after dark. Very rare to meet anyone down there at night, and they'd see my lights coming around corners.

BTW I boosted the vertical "gain" on the map significantly to visualize the terrain better, that's not a literal depiction. But newbies still get pretty nervous about riding some of the trails on the exposed face of the bluff, imagining unrealistic endings if they slip off the downhill edge of the trail. Ok, there is a 50-foot drop off a sand cliff in one place...

It's a good ride, John - - and one of the trail networks you can access right off of the downtown core if you know where to find the trailhead. Kicks your butt a bit going up and a fun-fun ride back.

HA, I just noticed that. Poor dog was a victim of a lazy owner.

Awesome! yeah i deffinatly need something that doesnt require a car. I think i may have stumbled around those trails just farting around downtown. Are they next to a massive set of stairs with graffiti all over them?

btw doug, I got a new xc bike. Well sort off... Its a Surly 1x1. Check it out on "post your rig"

Oh that's right, I forgot you're in Spokane visiting, right? Just go up to 14th Avenue from downtown, then west on 14th until it ends at a small park overlooking the train tracks, and then head south from there, and you're on your way. There are also trailheads on High Drive at ~22nd, 25th, 29th, and at Bernard & High Drive. Beyond that, you can also duck in at 57th and High Drive on a gravel road that'll someday be another housing development.

There are plenty of trails suitable for SS, enjoy! :)