"F this" - Big River, RI

Buzzed over to Big River after work only to find raindrops.  Not so bad right?  So about a mile in I see a flash of lightning and hear a whack of thunder...hmmmm... maybe I should have checked the weather before heading out today.  Alright, better late than never...pulled up the weather map on the dingle(crack)berry and sure enough...I was smack in the middle of it.  So down comes the rain.  Well maybe that was just a single freak lightning bolt.  I jumped into one of the hidden trails.  Thing about the hidden trails is that you are supposed to walk your bike across the log and stick covered entrance, you know, to keep the trailhead hidden.  Well it's raining, I'm riding....2 or 3 slippery logsticks took me down pretty fast (I think Gengler set a trap for people like me).  Anyway...that still didn't deter me.  About 2 miles out, my right foot slipped out of clip and of course my left foot cranked back full speed...smacking the right pedal against my knee. Son of a...  Ok that, and 4 more giant thunder cracks, I'm sprinting the last mile back to my truck.  Going to take a week to dry my driver's seat.  Good times.

Crappy Trails,
OMMB

"Slow and Steady" - Big River, RI

- Trailhead: Burnt Sawmill Rd
- Riders: OMMB & FFFL (fur faced four legs)
- Miles: 8
- Weather: Sunny and Summer like
- Temp: 75
- Trail Conditions: some mud puddles, the usual

Notes: Nice day today.  Poor dog had to run for 8 miles in pretty warm conditions for this time of year.  He still hasn't taken off his winter coat, so plopped in every mud puddle and stream he could find.  A lot of heavy breathing today...from the dog and me!  Felt a bit sluggish, mostly due to recent time off and maybe the warm temps (I haven't shed my winter coat either).

Tidbits: Jesse invited some other dog to join him in my truck cab.  Luckily that dog wasn't muddy too. What's he thinking, Big River is some kind of dog pick up joint???

Happy Trails,
OMMB

"Just a preview..."

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Speechless...

ya mon...click on

"I'll never give up, never give up...no way!" - Village Park - Swansea, MA

Just a rock climbing squirrel chasing dog!

- Trailhead: Case Jr High
- Miles: 5.6
- Weather: rain
- Temp: 50

Notes: Wanted to get a ride in before the heavy rain showed up.  So took Coyote Jesse out in the light rain.  Aside from a stop at every mud and water hole, we had a great run/ride.  Although, I don't know how many squirrels it's going to take before Jesse realizes no matter how hard he tries, he's not going to catch them (kind of like me riding with Team Bikeworks, I just ain't gonna catch those guys no matter how many times I try!).

Tidbits:  There are birthdays among us... 



NINE!

 


FIVE!

ONE!

...ZOINKS!

Happy Trails,
OMMB

"Official start of SMGR" - 4/10/11 - Big River, RI

- Trailhead: Burnt Sawmill Rd

- Riders: T, OMMB, and a dog

- Miles: 7

- Weather: nice enough

- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: well there was a whoops that nobody saw...involving a branch in the spokes and a sudden stop to a flop by OMMB 

Notes: Yep.  I say it qualifies for a Sunday Morning Group Ride.  So feel free to join in...whenever.  Teri's very first ride this year featured too many miles thanks to OMMB.  She did well, sprained ankle and all.  I do believe that, in the end, she enjoyed the ride.

Tidbits: We found "Coaster" and Teri liked it so much...who rode it twice!  Also found a cemetery previously unbeknownst to me.

[Route Map]

Happy Trails,
OMMB

"Just a ride" - 4/08/11 - Swansea, MA

Had a good strong ride with Jesse Dog today, very little rest time (his endurance seems to be growing)!

"Troll without a bridge" - 4/7/11 - Mt Hope Farm - Bristol, RI

- Trailhead: Public access to Mt Hope Farm off Metacom Ave
- Walkers: Teri, Jesse, OMMB
- Miles: almost 3

Notes: Great place to walk and enjoy the scenery. Just beware of the old troll near the top of Mt Hope. He lives in a huge mansion-like house and even though there are no signs indicating "private property" when entering from Mt Hope Farm, he will use choice words to convince you that there are signs! The troll has a foul mouth and a mean disposition.  When you yell back at him with your own choice words, he yells "WHAT?" so you get to repeat your choice words even louder.  Apparently his hearing is diminished, most likely due to the shit in his head!



Google's Mountain Troll...perfect!



Tidbits: We found where King Philip was killed in Miery Swamp (betrayed by an Indian named John Alderman).  Yeah, you ask...what the hell kind of Indian name is that?  A white-man influenced back stabbing Indian name is the answer.  We were attempting to cross the summit of Mt Hope to see King Philip's Chair, a place he would meet with his tribe, now on the Brown University's Haffenreffer Museum property, but the shit headed troll put an end to that. 

Click on for more...

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Philip's_War]

[The Route]

Happy Trails,
OMMB

"Magic Carpet Ride" - Big River - RI



Here's the "Ken" trail, and yes I rode "Barbie" too (the trail)

- Trailhead: Burnt Sawmill Rd
- Riders: OMMB
- Miles: 8
- Temp: 40-ish
- Trail Conditions: real nice newly cleaned single track

Notes: Looks like Gengler the Trail Yoda and/or NEMBA have been cleaning up some of the "hidden trails"...they were in excellent condition (like riding on a newly vacuumed carpet)!  I can see why they keep the trailheads hidden, there was a big difference between these trails and the "not so hidden" trails due to an apparent motorcycle race.  Just a mess.  Many thanks to whoever maintains the hiddens! 

Tidbits: OH BOY (or GIRL) do I have a Tidbit!!! 

Happy Trails,
OMMB



Cool snake like bridges!  Didn't try them (yet)



"Still no Spring green" - Swansea, MA

- Trailhead: Colt Jr High
- Riders: OMMB and his fearless four legged friend
- Miles: 5.5
- Weather: clear
- Temp: all the way up to my age
- Trail Conditions: sloppy soft, not as much mud and water as last year, but wet from snow and rain
- Wildlife: Just Jack.  (Lucky is a Jack Russell Terror-er that bites rider's ankles and larger dogs...she may not be around long if she bites the wrong dog...just sayin).  Jesse was indifferent about the harassment, Lucky eventually calmed down.
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: one whoops...

• Situation: on a slight incline, rode too close to a stump
• Issue: left foot is stuck between crank-arm and stump
• Synopsis: slow long flop over to the left onto branch infested log that was once joined to stump
• Result: two very choice swears, as a branch jams into left side
• Corrective Action: clamber off log and bike, yell some more swears, straighten seat
• Lessons Learned: increase situational awareness, don't ride too close to stumps

Notes: Slipped slopped looped half the outer loop on the other side of the power lines.  Seemed pretty sloppy on the bike today, maybe due to the soft trail or just trying to push the pace.  I keep thinking that Spring is here and all the drab foliage will soon be green again...but no sign of it. humph.

Tidbits: The outdoor shower is now OPEN and ready for business...now all we need is some muddy riders!  HELLLLOOO????

Happy Trails,

OMMB

PS - Jesse seems fine after breaking his leg yesterday...funny how that stuff always happens on April Fool's Day!