- Trailhead: library- Distance: 3.5 miles
- Temp: six to the oh degrees
- Weather: really? the picture says it all
- Trail Conditions: again... really?
- Technical Level: really? oh it was just a piece of cake
- Wildlife: all hiding from the weather, all smarter than OMMB
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: one yikes, many whoops
Notes: It felt like it had been raining for a week...it was three days. I felt like I needed to go for a ride...I did. It seemed okay to head out at night in the rain...it wasn't. A rainy, foggy, windy, dark night...just typical Fall conditions in New England, seemed feasible to go for a trail ride, right? Well here's a few things I neglected to consider...
1) wet roots - I haven't ridden in wet conditions since....ah....hell I don't remember! Damn roots are slippery. Especially when riding a front tire on the rear (ask me why sometime),
2) it's Fall - leaves have already managed to cover what was once clearly seen single track,
3) it IS raining - the leaves are also wet (soaked),
4) wet rocks - hidden under the wet leaves,
5) it IS dark at 7:30pm in Oct - difficult to see the wet rocks and wet roots under the wet leaves at night (even with 2 sets of light gear on high),
6) momentum - you can't move along through the rough stuff like you would on a dry sunny day,
7) balance - equilibrium is a little off when following your light beam through winding trails with darkness all around.
Neglections number 5, 6, and 7 were my down "fall"...with emphasis on #6. I made it through most of the course with some scary rear slides outs and missed turns. I followed the freakishly bright orange trail markers with thoughts of the haunted path we used to set up in a patch of woods for the kids on Halloween. Thankfully the path I was on didn't have spooky music, lanterns, ghosts in trees, ghouls, nor a grand finale featuring a chainsaw massacre (with real, fired up chainsaw wielded by Freaky Jason in a mask). Spotting the orange marks in the lights with darkness all around was spooky enough. Things got really nerve racking after the climb on loop 2. Once on top, there's a slight downhill. Go to the right and it's a 4 foot drop off. To the left is manageable, unless of course you combine with #4, #5, and #6. And let's add #8, stay off the BACK of your seat when riding in these conditions. Half way down the decent, feeling like I may survive, something takes my bike out from under me! Does Superman fly in the woods at night? Yep, until he hits the ground head first and somersaults to a dizzying stop! Luckily ended up with only a gnarly lump on my right hand and a sore neck...after all I played it safe by wearing my full helmet (ya, so smart). So I had to wonder, what the hell did I hit? Protruding out of the leaves was a four inch high, two inch wide, foot long sliver of a rock that chances would lead to 1 out of 100 direct hits. Of all nights, my front wheel gets lucky on these 1% odds.
Tidbits: Bikeworks Facebook page suggests letting air out of your tires when riding in wet conditions. Thanks...#9.
Happy Trails,
OMMB
No comments:
Post a Comment