Got a ruler or other measuring device?

Lower ratios make tuning easier.

Good ride today. First ride on the new bike. Absolutely love it! Everything I wanted it to be and then some. Now I just gotta upgrade my motor so I can push it to its full potential. Bidwell Park is also in full bloom and very green. Gotta love this time of year.

Some footage from today

Yeah I was going to measure when I was cleaning up my bike yesterday but my new shock should be arriving any day now so I'll just wait & find out then.

I will no longer take jabs at 29'ers and their XC weenie pilots.

I rode with two phenomenal riders tonight. I'm slower, fatter, and less able than I was 2-3yrs ago. I'm going to try to steal that back. I've been busy, yo! These two dudes handed me my butt for almost 2hrs straight. I've never felt like such a beginner in my life. They were climbing crap that I didn't know was even possible. Like a freakin' chest high, super steep boulder with a vertical drop at the bottom with a log to fill the gap. I still don't know how they did that crap. They were doing chest high drops to flat.

They were doing this on Stumpy 29'ers with 1500g wheels, man. Rovals. $1700...and they were doing chest high drops to flat. I'd be afraid to destroy them daggum things.

I'm quite humbled and motivated to get out and push harder. Holy crap, man! These dudes devastated me.

At least you weren't sick as a dog like I was the past 48 hours....

I just found out from a local source that I was riding with two of the strongest, most technical riders in this area. Had I known...i may have ridden the Komodo, lol. Hope you get better quick.

Yeah, I'm better.

Good. Could be worse. My friend is on his 2nd failing liver.

Yikes..... That's not good.

Welcome to riding with anyone in boulder. I tried to go watch a race and was told no one watches races here because everyone is racing. A group ride is not fun here it is just a small race. Lame.

I really didn't have a problem hanging with them OTW out b/c it's a slight DH grade. I stayed on their tails with the ol' Porker. I think if it were gravity stuff...group rides would be okay.


I'm just hoping that I can get to the point where I can at least hang on their coat tails. That will push me to be better. I really miss being in the shape I was in a few years ago.

White Ranch was tasty........as in fast & rocky.

That's a bigger problem for me than anything...I'm in better shape than any of my friends. Need to find more experienced riding buddies to push me harder. Any time I bring a tag-along, I get a five minute break every two miles so they can catch their breath.

My only two real classes were cancelled today for an "exam study day", so I went for a mid-morning ride before archery. Got the donated El Camino's bled & installed a few days ago--what a remarkably easy task! Mechanicals were never that easy (granted my mech's were v's too). Anyway, the brakes are wonderful, lots of modulation & plenty of power for my needs. Not quite as much power as the Juicy 3's but it's a worthy trade off for the modulation.

My only complaint is that my new shock STILL hasn't arrived:notamused: It shipped out 15 days ago & the shipping said 6-8 days for international shipping, so I'm going to call the post office tomorrow & see if they might be able to locate it. Other than that it was a short ride, but the weather was a perfect 65* this morning & I was the only one out there so I had the luxury of goofing off & taking features backwards if I felt like it.

Small little creek crossing
http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/a.../GOPR0798a.jpg

Deer Crik was almost as delicious as White Ranch.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mHVnHoxvdu...0/DSC04285.JPG

Nice, dude!

^^Nice shot! Super jealous of that terrain.

come on down to fruita, we'll ride with you, and it will be fun, not all racy...

Hot hot heat, 85* down here today. 11 miles with a buddy of mine that recently started riding. Got my ass handed to me on the climbs (he's an ex-Marine to be fair) but I was whoopin' up on the techy sections, especially the rocky climbs. Then went home & jumped in the pool. Water's still low 70's so it was a perfect cool down:thumb:

Nice on the Dear Creek and White Ranch bits - good stuff!

I <3 Haviland Hollow.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f1...78712998_n.jpg

Did a recovery-ish ride today at Beacon Hill with a couple other guys. Why yes, I *am* going to climb this in my big ring, it's only a 44-tooth... :D We rambled around. Weather was perfect.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v651/TGR/becon2.jpg
Todd and Tim sporting the new BB jersey

Today I went from my house to Wind Hill Open Space Reserve to go mountain biking. It was very challenging going about
1700+ ft up a gravel,sand,hard packed,mud, and deep carved out pot holes the size of the marinas trench path. Some parts of the climb i couldn't get enough traction and was burning out, had to walk up it. So i got up to the top where skyline borders the space reserve with all most no water left,(reminder bring more water).
After a break at the top I followed skyline blvd for about another 3-4 miles south till i came to a dirt trail leading down to alpine rd. I checked the GPS on my iPhone and it don't look to bad, it was very zig-zag, so i thought it wasn't going to be that difficult. as i descended it was very skinny path way with a lot of trees, roots, bumps and hair pins to send you off the mountainside and hikers. there was some parts i was with in inches of skidding off the dirt path. i was hammering on the brakes and trying not to lose control. this hill gets a 11 out of 10, very tricky to maneuver, i lucked out.
Later i got down the hill safely in one piece, i proceeded to alpine rd and rode back to palo alto then to the baylands to take a break, then headed home to rest. i did 36.5 miles total, Now i have 414.3 miles on my mountain bike.

I ride alone:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...9/DSC06910.jpg
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b1...9/DSC06909.jpg

Spent a few hours out at CNF yesterday morning. A couple photos from the Glades.

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/...CSC_0401-1.jpg

http://i1209.photobucket.com/albums/...C_0388-1-1.jpg