Return of Snow Bob!

Notes: Bob and Jesse MADE me go riding this morning in the 26 degree windy snow covered Village Park!  Bob said we NEEDED to get out for the last day of the year.   Sooo, I managed to delay the ride for 30 minutes in the hopes that the mercury would rise just a little. After we got out there, I was glad we did.  Although the snow was tough to pedal through, it was definitely ride-able. We got a few miles in before Bob unfortunately flatted.  He was able to get by with a couple of CO2 fills. 

Tidbits: It's going to stay cold this week, so more riders and hikers will make the trails much easier.

Jesse...the "other" bike shop dog!

Happy New Year Trails,

OMMB

Big River Flipper Out

• Trailhead: Exit 7 Pickle me Elmo Parking Lot
• Riders with OMMB: Matt, Bob, Jeremy, Erik, Shawn?, Al, Dave
• Miles: my app said 10, J's said 11
• Weather: overcast, damp cold
• Temp: 30
• Trail Conditions: excellent
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: none that I saw
• GPS Track: 

Notes:  Matt and I collaborated on a nice brisk loop around Carr Pond starting out going up Foster's Folly (and THAT warmed me up good), then out around Flipper, down to the east end of Tarbox Pond, then up to Dead Shed, etc, and out by Lego.  Great route.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Doggone It

• Place:Village Park
• Riders with OMMB: Jesse
• Miles: 5.3
• Weather: Breezy and Brrrr
• Trail Conditions: frozen hard pack

Notes: Took the dog out for a run in the woods...since he didn't get out much due to the holiday and rainy weather.  Even though the mud was frozen, of course he managed to find enough open water to run through. Damn...in the cellar to dry off he goes! 

Tidbits: Crazy Jesse look-alike.  I imagine this is what he would have looked like as a pup (below).

This pup was found at...  Fanny the Husky mix

Here's the Jesse Dog...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Big River Mix

• Place: Hopkins Hill Parking Lot
• Trailhead: West across the road
• Riders with OMMB: Tom, Taco, Jeff
• Miles: 10-ish
• Weather: cold
• Temp: 26-34
• Trail Conditions: great... frozen solid and fast.  negligible bits of snow and ice puddles
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets:  from what I saw, there was a Whoops and a Yikes by Tom
• GPS Track:

Notes: Tom lead us on a great variety of trails from the Hopkins Hill lot. A mixed bag of tight technical single track (I See Dead People), flat out trails (Big River Expressway), winding whoop-dees (along the Cardi Rd), some blacktop (the Cardi Rd), stream crossings (near Tarbox Pond), some climbs (Elephant, etc), and great descents (as that is a given ;) ).  The ride was quite entertaining, with Tom showing us some unique ways to endo over a few different rock-overs...and NOT get hurt!   I think he may have had some circus clown experience in his past (or maybe some strange desire to become a rodeo clown).  And Taco demonstrated how a stick in the rear derailleur can become a puzzle of fun when it snaps the hanger and twists the derailleur in a manner that takes over 30 minutes to piece back together.  I know we had at least two engineers in the group, but that didn't help us, requiring a "cheat" to finish the job (had to pop a chain link and feed the chain back through the derailleur, I'm still puzzled).  Taco made up for this setback with a great story about Mama Bear and the Three Cubs...have him tell you sometime.

Tidbits: Lessons learned...carry a spare derailleur hanger (and a chain tool)!  Be careful when riding with Taco (hence his nickname, it's not the food), I see a pattern.  :)  

Oh... and those bears...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Time Trial to benefit Toys for Tots

Notes:  Bikeworks sponsored a benefit time trial to collect toys for tots.  Entrance fee was to provide a new toy for charity.  After arriving at 0630 to mark the course as part of a team of four, the race started on time at 0800 with a good turn out of riders.  There was even a pretty girl helping Bob run the race...quite a benefit since all the riders were men!  She even brought a camera to catch some of the fun.  Plenty of good cheer, generosity, and mud to go around (yes, mud...the trails were ridiculously slippery from the previous day's storm).  Clocked my typical time of 37 minutes plus and captured tenth place.   Good fun, good cause.

Jesse after helping the morning crew mark the course...not too happy about having to "watch" the race.

Bob setting up the lineup with a car full of toys...great cause!

On your mark...

 

Plenty of good cheer...and MUD!

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Getting ready for TT for TT

Out with Bob...getting the Time Trial course ready for the Toy's for Tots ride coming up on Saturday.

The course... (although actually a 5.5 mile route)



...and a little extra.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

tiiiiiimmme...to plug in your headphones...

:

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Not Your Average Mud (Sycamore CYN)

• Place: Sycamore CYN
• Trailhead: Campground out to and up Backbone, down Guadalasca
• Riders with OMMB: Hector
• Miles:12.5
• Trail Conditions:Rain the night before, slick mud (if you can call it that) most of the way up Backbone.  The "mud" was more like modeling clay, and stuck like shit to tires, derailleurs, shoes, pedals, etc.  Bitch of a time to clean it up!  No traction, shift failures, clip in problems...now I know why riders freak out when it rains out here.
• Technical Level:  very difficult to balance while climbing, due to the rear wheel constantly sliding in grooves of slickness
• GPS Track:

 

Before pottery class...

 After pottery class...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Hand Over the Cheese, Bro (Chesebro, CA)

• Place: Cheeseboro (aka Chesebro)
• Trailhead: Cheeseboro Canyon Trail - nice out and back ride, with some short climbs
• Riders with OMMB: Hector
• Miles:10.5
• Weather:Nice and cool... contrary to the last time I rode here!
• Trail Conditions: perfect
• Wildlife: ground squirrels (for lack of trees???)
• GPS Track:

 

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Toad the Bobcat (Sycamore CYN, CA)

• Place: Sycamore
• Trailhead: Out from the campground to Two Foxes then lower Hidden Pond loop, back down Two Foxes
• Riders with OMMB: Scott
• Miles:13
• Weather: dark
• Trail Conditions: very good... it's the "wet" season so trails are packed and not dusty
• Wildlife: Toads, big ones, scary big toads...and a Bobcat who jumped into my light ahead.
• GPS Track:

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Shoeless Joe? Noooo...Shoeless Steve! (Big River)

• Place: Big Shoe River
• Trailhead: Burnt Shoemill Rd
• Riders with OMMB: Jeremy and his shoes
• Miles: Size 9
• Weather: Clear, but colder than a witch's sole
• Trail Conditions: good...but still lots of carnage from Sandy
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Yeah...whoops alright (more like Oh Sheet)
• GPS Track:  http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/111864478

Notes: In case it's not obvious, I reached into my bike bag for my biking shoes...hmmm not there...because they are still in the shoe rack at home.  Oh wait, I keep an old pair in the truck...ya know the truck I cleaned out the other day...putting my old shoes back in the shed. doh!   THANKFULLY I was wearing my steel toe work shoes and we were able to kick off a night ride. Had to ride old school, slow as hell up hill, and feet flapping in the wind while I bounced over rough stuff.    All in all... Jeremy lead a great ride on a virtually non-stop good flowing loop.  

Tidbits:  Lessons learned...  1) no matter how cold out, shoes should stay in the bag in the truck.  2) don't clean out truck.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Wow FOG!

Notes: Probably the foggiest ride I've ever been on.  AND the fog was COLD!   Gees, where's the zombies?

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Monday morning...it's Spring again!

Crazy mild weather today...could have worn a short sleeve shirt. Bob and I rode from the shop to Village Park. Although, the trails were a bit slippery from a thin layer of moisture. Hard to believe I was riding through snow just a few days ago.

Tidbits:  Remember to support your local bike shop during this holiday shopping season!!


Happy Trails,

OMMB