Tuesday, February 15, 2011

"They're baaa-aack" - 2/15/11 - Massasoit State Park - Taunton, MA

- Riders: Bob, Matt, OMMB
- Miles: 9
- Weather: windy, clear
- Temp: 29 (colder windchill)
- Trail Conditions: hardpack snow / ice
- Technical Level: see trail conditions above (then you decide); actually really not too bad
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets:  a Whoops slide out and a Yikes endo by Bob;  also a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee slide across the ice for OMMB.

Notes: Although the wind made the temp feel colder than actual, we had a great ride.  Last Saturday, Matt and company found that the trails were packed down by hikers and snowmobiles; very ride-able.  After riding a few hundred feet, gingerly not knowing how the bike would react on the hardpack, it was indeed found to be very manageable.  Although the single track, trodden down by hikers, made for a shock and vibration test ride.  Kind of tricky because if you happened to drift off the track, you found yourself in 15 inches of snow.  Ask Bob, he buried his front wheel resulting in an endo into the snow!  Unfortunately no one got to see it...all we heard was "ooooooooooooooooooooooooo" then some laughing.  Good times.  The double track packed by the snowmobiles was VERY manageable.  Really almost like riding on tar...but watch out for ice patches!  I tried to ride across a large stretch of ice and ended up sliding into home plate for about 20 feet, bike and all.  Really had a blast...it was good to be outside. Much more fun than the "rides to nowhere" in my shed on the old wind trainer.

Tidbits:  Bikeworks now carries Kona...go check -em out.  You may also want to consider studded tires for this type of ride.

Happy Trails,
OMMB

No comments: