It was pretty nice out today...my wife went out the run along the river to train for the upcoming marathon, and I waited with my dog near the river at one little area where they have a few jumps and drops.

After her run, she got a couple of pics near the river but after the second picture, I got my third flat so I said forget it...so no pics at the drops/jumps.

http://members.shaw.ca/johartman/ima...5/P1020486.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/johartman/ima...5/P1020487.JPG


After that, we headed back home and picked up the other bike...near my house there's a spot to do a little jumping...I just wish there was bigger stuff nearby...

http://members.shaw.ca/johartman/ima...5/P1020491.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/johartman/ima...5/P1020499.JPG

http://members.shaw.ca/johartman/ima...5/P1020500.JPG

rode split rock trail at gay city state park in manchester with mostly dry conditions, some mud and scattered snow and streams...if you play your cards right and take the right trails, its a blast. rode about 4miles. would up in a random place maybe the next few towns over so i went backwards which was cool because it was mostly downhill...flew downhill very rocky and rigid and did fine. next weekends gonna be another great one. if anyones ever in connecticut i suggest you check it out, it's in Hebron, CT.

Oh, that's way south-west of me. Not that close. Coincidentally, I recently bought a set of road wheels from a LBS in Geneva, NY on my way to visit family in Buffalo.

Edit: Maybe I'm getting confused with the various Glens in NY. Were you from the Watkins Glen area?

Is that where you learned to crush cones with your Bavarian automobile?

What has this got to do with a ride report?

Now thats what I'm talking about!!! Awesome! All I had to ride was Burnt mtn and Ceader rock....bummer.

Yeah, we are all just big kids playing in the mud. Looks like you had a good time.

Sounds like a tough first 'real' ride though. How did you end up picking a 60 mile race for your 'real' ride?

Man I don't know, I got suckered into it by a real serious mtb racer from around here. He was like 'oh don't worry it's just a tour complete at your leisure'. Little do I know the tour has checkpoints you have to make by certain times or else you get booted! So I was riding faster than I had anticipated.

Let me tell you, it kicked my ass but hard. I had no idea mud made **** so difficult!

It was 70 degrees yesterday:) but the trails were flooded and the skatepark was packed.:mad:

Today...
http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g2...00/Bike052.jpg
30 degrees with a few flurries! I HATE CHICAGO!:mad:
I'm heading over the the skatepark to freeze my nips off.:o

Tamarancho

http://www.almostlame.com/gallery/d/2376-1/IMG_3167.jpg

Is gorgeous right now.

Just got in from a guide trip in Pisgah. Took a couple of boys out on one of the more tech trails there. One was in way over his head, the other was doing OK but needs a little more riding before he hits it again. I saw one kid go over the bars in a steep rooty section......scary! I had to tell him to get off his seat and get back over the bike. If I need to tell someone that, they don't need to be on Bennett Gap. On the plus side they seemed to be really great kids and had a blast......most of the time.

the wife and I went out for a nice 12 mile loop through our beloved stewart buffer zone. Nice, fast moving single track that wasn't all too muddy. Weather was high 40s with a bit of a breeze, great riding weather. I'm so happy we made it today, tomorrow we're expecting snow.

I did a road race when I should have just ridden my mountain bike, it would have been a lot more fun.

The weather was finally nice enough that I could get in a proper ride today. ~70 degrees and sunny all day. This is the first time I've actually gotten my new mountain bike on a real trail. So I decided to take it out to Cooper's Rock...a state park about 15-20 min from my house.

Cooper's has miles and miles of awesome single-track...could literally spend all day out there and not even see 50% of what's available...

I'm really impressed with the Motobecane...it feels amazing...much more comfortable than my old Hardrock Sport, but absolutely not mushy at all...

Through climbs and fast sections it felt like a hardtail...no noticable pedal-bob whatsoever...but the rear shock definitely did a good job of soaking up the bumps that it needed to....The Dart 3 Fork was also nice...I got the chance to dial it in how I liked it, and could not be happier with it...

I was a little apprehensive going out into some technical trails with my clipless pedals...but I got the hang of it very quickly...and didn't really feel a need to unclip for anything. I did have one good fall, but it was your typical "coming to a stop and not being able to unclip" scenario...but it happened in a decent rock garden during a slight uphill...busted my hip and knee on some rocks..but no serious injuries...

Rode for a good 3 - 3 1/2 hours....I'm exhausted...Really feeling the training slump I went through this winter...I'm sure I'll get it back quickly though...

On to the pics....

Found this strange little building by the parking lot...not sure what it's for...not a restroom or anything....neat looking though...

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200008.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200010.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200007.jpg

Taking a break after a somewhat technical trail....

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200006.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200005.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200004.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200003.jpg

Near the Scenic Overlook

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200013.jpg

Hiding behind some bushes

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200015.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200017.jpg

After my ride I went out to the scenic overlook to chill and have a snack..

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200021.jpg

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200024.jpg

Laying back enjoying the view....

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200025.jpg

The view from the overlook

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200022.jpg

Someone was kind enough to take a picture for me..

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3...s/P4200031.jpg

me and my brother at Eno Creek

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../DSC005162.jpg

http://i79.photobucket.com/albums/j1.../DSC005152.jpg

just a few shots of todays ride, sorry for the bad quality and size - they are video stills

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lls540/888.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lls540/777.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lls540/666.jpg

http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lls540/999.jpg
new pike sucking up the drop well
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m...lls540/100.jpg

Got out for my first ride of the season today....and man am i out of shape! :lol:

Went down to Mohican Wilderness with a guy from my LBS who weighs 130lbs....the dude climbs seemingly impossible sections like crazy where i had to walk. I was rewarded with some good decents though, although having changed my brakes to be a little more touchy i didnt ride as aggressivly as i would have liked. Another ride or two and ill get used to it i think.

Saw a few guys pactising on the DH sections and they hit this huge gap. Seriously, these guys looked like something right out of a NWD dvd.

Was a good ride, but man im wrecked.

Sounds like a good time. Me and girlscout got out for a ride on Black Mtn. Good stuff,no pics.

Rode last Sunday with with a good group of guys:

Myself
Josh-from my shop (Cannondale Prophet "The Cut")
Brandon-from the shop (Transition Vagrant)
Scott-powdercoater for Ventana (Ventana El Cuervo)
Kent-buddy (Ellsworth Moment, brought the wrong bike on accident)
Randy Spangler-need I explain? (Santa Cruz V10)

Got in 4 runs, some new trails Randy showed us. Our last run was pitch black, no lights, some SCARY stuff there!

Another beautiful day in southern oregon..


http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...e/IMG_0832.jpg

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f3...e/IMG_0834.jpg

Beautiful looking trails, misterC.

Rode about 20 miles with over 8000 feet of descending today off Devils Knob in VA. Got the first real arm pump/hand cramp of the season out of the way, bedded in some new brake pads, and got my suspension dialed for WFO rock sections.

Montauk NY 4/29/07

3 hour ride. Took my sweet time and enjoyed the day. It was 55-60 degrees and perfect riding weather. My riding buddies went to race today, but I am not in the racing mood just yet this season.

I hit it hard for an hour and a half and then took some time to smell the roses onthe way back and snap a few pics. Just a warning . on a scale of 1-10 on picture taking with highrevs being a 10 and 66 being a four I am a .6.

Pics are all in Hither Hills Park in Montauk NY. A Really diverse section of woods with beaches, dense forest and singletrack and jeep roads connecting it all. After descending the valley from the parking lot you come into a clearing and climb back up into the woods. This is a view back from the top off the hill

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02657.jpg

The next section drops you onto a very fast and smooth 'beach section' with tight swoopy twisting and fast singletrack then a small climb onto the bluffs again and tight twisty singletrack continues...very fun at high speeds

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02660.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02674.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02673.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02672.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02671.jpg

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02665.jpg

Here is a look back up towards the last section coming out of the bluffs again. You can see a small ribbon of singletrack heading back up the bluff in the middle right of the picture

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b3...d/DSC02668.jpg

continued..........