This photograph was taken just after the inaugural ride of the Niner Air 9 at Rabbit Mountain. The image was on my cell phone. I just realized how simple it is to send photos directly to my photobucket account.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Rabbit Mountain Update
This photograph was taken just after the inaugural ride of the Niner Air 9 at Rabbit Mountain. The image was on my cell phone. I just realized how simple it is to send photos directly to my photobucket account.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
SuperWalker
On Saturday I rode the Niner from the Chautauqua area in Boulder to Walker Ranch. Calling this ride "SuperWalker" designates that it started in Boulder rather than on the other side of Flagstaff Mountain at the trailhead. Flagstaff road isn't long but it gets up in a hurry. I managed to climb from the park sign at the bottom to the mailboxes at the top (not the amphitheater "false" summit) only 2 1/2 minutes slower than I did it on my road bike early in the week.
The day was beautiful, somewhere in the upper 70's at least. The wind was gusty at the trailhead but fine everywhere else. The trail had a few sections of melting snow and ice, but was otherwise in great shape. I rode fairly well, though some of the loose climbs put me on a foot since I lost traction. This is a great trail; some of those windy switchbacks are a blast. I got a big sluggish about halfway into it (probably after the hike-a-bike section) but picked the pace back up toward the end (and especially on the road back to Boulder). My ride time was 2:40.
The day was beautiful, somewhere in the upper 70's at least. The wind was gusty at the trailhead but fine everywhere else. The trail had a few sections of melting snow and ice, but was otherwise in great shape. I rode fairly well, though some of the loose climbs put me on a foot since I lost traction. This is a great trail; some of those windy switchbacks are a blast. I got a big sluggish about halfway into it (probably after the hike-a-bike section) but picked the pace back up toward the end (and especially on the road back to Boulder). My ride time was 2:40.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Hall Ranch
Today I rode Hall Ranch for the second time this season. It is nice and dry minus one melting section of snow and a few puddles, so the trail can finally get a break from riders slogging it in the mud.
I started at the main trail head and rode Bitterbrush and the rock garden up to the Nelson Loop. I rode the loop once each direction, first clockwise (my preferred direction and a bit longer to ride) and then counter-clockwise (which most everyone else was doing). There were a fair amount of other riders up there since the day was so nice. Almost everyone rode sensibly and paused on their descents as I was coming up (common rider etiquette) save for one bonehead who was coming down the roller section a little hot and aired it out right in front of me on one of the jumps. I didn't say anything because he wouldn't have heard me anyway, but these are the kind of riders who make mountain bikers look like...boneheads, by taking unnecessary risks on the part of other riders around them.
After the loop section I rode down Bitterbrush to the Antelope trail out and back. At the bottom of Antelope I noticed more of the front end looseness I mentioned about the last ride. I looked at the disk brake in front and tightened it at the mount. I also worked on tightening the front wheel axle (the WTB hub operates differently than I've seen before: it doesn't look like there are cones in there or that the axle is a through-axle.) I also made sure the quick release wasn't loose. Still, the creaking sounds and back and forth rocking are still evident. Maybe it is the fork at the point where the stanchions meet the lower legs. I'd like to get it under control, because after a season of riding it like this something is going to be trashed.
After Antelope I descended the rock garden. That is always a fun one. At one point I was off the saddle, clipped in by my right foot only, and barely hanging on to the bar with my left hand with whatever part of my thumb happened to get caught up on it (I still had a hold on the right end of the bar). I thought I was going to dump it, but for whatever reason I managed to keep it under control while continuing down the trail and got back on to keep going.
In all I felt like I was riding fairly well technically (not flawless on the rock garden though) and my speed was decent both climbing and descending. There is still some twinge of pain behind my right knee on this bike. With the major adjustments to my cleat placement and all the other changes that came from being properly fit on this machine, I am still unsure if this is part of getting used to it or if I need to adjust the fore/aft cleat position. I can't remember which way to go when the back of the knee hurts. I guess I'll just wait until my knee blows and then I'll know what to do. Or I could investigate it further, that might even be better.
The thing that is still so fantastic about riding a mountain bike after seventeen or eighteen years is how big my stupid grin gets afterward. Sitting in a parking lot after a hard effort, it is great to reflect on the day's ride. Everything that went wrong usually disappears and overall elation takes over. It seems like I rediscover this sport after every ride.
I started at the main trail head and rode Bitterbrush and the rock garden up to the Nelson Loop. I rode the loop once each direction, first clockwise (my preferred direction and a bit longer to ride) and then counter-clockwise (which most everyone else was doing). There were a fair amount of other riders up there since the day was so nice. Almost everyone rode sensibly and paused on their descents as I was coming up (common rider etiquette) save for one bonehead who was coming down the roller section a little hot and aired it out right in front of me on one of the jumps. I didn't say anything because he wouldn't have heard me anyway, but these are the kind of riders who make mountain bikers look like...boneheads, by taking unnecessary risks on the part of other riders around them.
After the loop section I rode down Bitterbrush to the Antelope trail out and back. At the bottom of Antelope I noticed more of the front end looseness I mentioned about the last ride. I looked at the disk brake in front and tightened it at the mount. I also worked on tightening the front wheel axle (the WTB hub operates differently than I've seen before: it doesn't look like there are cones in there or that the axle is a through-axle.) I also made sure the quick release wasn't loose. Still, the creaking sounds and back and forth rocking are still evident. Maybe it is the fork at the point where the stanchions meet the lower legs. I'd like to get it under control, because after a season of riding it like this something is going to be trashed.
After Antelope I descended the rock garden. That is always a fun one. At one point I was off the saddle, clipped in by my right foot only, and barely hanging on to the bar with my left hand with whatever part of my thumb happened to get caught up on it (I still had a hold on the right end of the bar). I thought I was going to dump it, but for whatever reason I managed to keep it under control while continuing down the trail and got back on to keep going.
In all I felt like I was riding fairly well technically (not flawless on the rock garden though) and my speed was decent both climbing and descending. There is still some twinge of pain behind my right knee on this bike. With the major adjustments to my cleat placement and all the other changes that came from being properly fit on this machine, I am still unsure if this is part of getting used to it or if I need to adjust the fore/aft cleat position. I can't remember which way to go when the back of the knee hurts. I guess I'll just wait until my knee blows and then I'll know what to do. Or I could investigate it further, that might even be better.
The thing that is still so fantastic about riding a mountain bike after seventeen or eighteen years is how big my stupid grin gets afterward. Sitting in a parking lot after a hard effort, it is great to reflect on the day's ride. Everything that went wrong usually disappears and overall elation takes over. It seems like I rediscover this sport after every ride.
Heil Valley Ranch
On Sunday, April 6 I rode Heil Valley Ranch, this time starting at the trail head instead of riding from home. It was deceptively nice looking that day; by the time I started riding there was a chill wind. I underestimated how many layers to bring with me and started a bit cold, but luckily it was nice in the trees so I was warm enough most of the way through. The ride took a litle longer than it might have because I stopped to take pictures for this post and to fiddle with my front shifting. I think the front shifter cable stretched out a bit more since its last adjustment causing the front derailleur to rub the chain in the big ring. I've also found there to be
some sort of front end rocking going on. Initially I tried tightening the headset but it still seems problematic. It is difficult to find where noises come from when you hear them most clearly on the trail.For this ride I took the usual trip up Wapiti from the trail head and a right turn on Ponderosa. Shortly after this turnoff comes the Wild Turkey Trail, which is really turning out to be a nice section. There is maybe only one small part that is poorly planned. When traveling southbound there is a fast section that leads up to a hard right turn with a rocky incl
ine to navigate. Because there isn't much warning it looks like most riders are going off the trail and widening it out since they can't slow down in time for the rocky section. It isn't a hard enough turn to be dangerous, it just isn't conducive to putting riders in a position to ride the technical portion.At the end of Wild Turkey I turned a hard left onto Ponderosa and rode it clockwise past the Wapiti connection and back to Wild Turkey. I like riding the Ponderosa loop after taking Wild Turkey because it allows a nice transition to WT southbound without having to go out and back. If I had more time I would have made these trails into some sort of figure-eight. I am thinking Wild Turkey northbound, Ponderosa clockwise, Wild Turkey southbound, Ponderosa counter-clockwise. Maybe I'll try it next time.
To finish up I returned on Wapiti, which in itself provides a fun downhill. It isn't too steep to ride in control, (especially with the big wheels) but it is fast and rocky enough to m
ake it interesting. For a ride fairly close to Longmont, Heil is turning out to be a favorite.The photos here were taken at the trail head in the parking lot, the homestead near Wapiti, Wild Turkey overlooking Hall Ranch at Highway 7 and Wild Turkey overlooking Longmont in the distance.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)