Whammer Jammer Slammer...or...Shoulda Woulda Coulda

• Place: Big River
• Trailhead: Hopkins Hill
• Riders with OMMB: Bruce, Alphonso, John, Richard
• Miles: 9
• Weather: perfect riding weather
• Trail Conditions: perfect riding conditions
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: here's where things were not so perfect

Notes:  We were on a real nice counterclockwise loop around Carr Pond, when on the very first mile, OMMB found his own version of J. Geils Band's,  Whammer Jammer.  It's where the front tire "whams" into a stick, and the stick "jams" into your front spokes...now my version of the song adds a "slam" down to the ground via endo, driving my left arm into my side.  Whammer, Jammer, Slammer people... also known as ...awe that f*in hurts!  And now two days later I'm still sayin, this mother f*in hurts!!  What is it with rib slams?  Is that much pain really required to let me know that endos are not what a 50-something year old gran-dude is supposed to be doing?  I get it.  But gees I wasn't even doing anything close to what these guys usually do, I was just riding, no tricks involved!  Just when you least expect it... Whammer, Jammer, Slammer!   

 
Tidbits: Of course all this pain could have been avoided if I had only taken Bob's offer to ride Swansea on Monday versus Tuesday.  Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

They Route the Routes - Big River

Notes:   Another great route with the group.  They always seem to find new ways to get around Big River on each ride.  Only one "Oh Sheet" by Alfonso.  He was walking his bike over a very large tree that fell on a trail, and somehow flopped over the other side of the log without his bike.  The bike proceeded to endo on it's own, right on top of him! A tangled mess.  It was reminiscent of the time Mark did his very best Wile-E Coyote imitation.  Priceless.  Glad to be out again, since we had some soggy weather this week.  Forecast ahead is for 10 days of perfect riding weather!   

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Old Guys on Crack

• Place: Big River
• Trailhead: Hopkins Hill
• Riders with OMMB: 4 other old dudes
• Miles: 9, 10-ish
• Weather: CHILLY
• Trail Conditions: perfect
• Technical Level: technical as technical gets
• GPS Track:

Notes:  Nice gentle old men, right?  Wrong.  If you ever want to improve or brush-up on your technical skills, ride a few times with these guys!!!  They seem to thrive off the most difficult trails to "ride".  Each trail wears me out, but what a great time and a great workout, egging each other on for every challenging ob-stacle.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Four For Five

Notes: Yes, 4 great rides this week. Given the events in Boston, starting with the senseless bombing at the Boston Marathon by a couple of maggots, I haven't been inclined to write any trail reports.  Will this be the last of terrorist attacks in America? Sadly no. But I can say, I am happy that...  1) Most people do not let religious or political extremism drive them to hurt innocent people.  2) Most people know that evil will always be defeated. 3) We live in a country where we're allowed freedom of thought and religion, without persecution. And 4) we have the police, military, and security forces to defend our freedom and bring extremists to justice (as disheartened as I felt about the bombings, I was just as proud that we had the means, provided by our city, state, and federal governments, to track down the cowards)

 
As for my trail activity...

1) Monday, perfect riding weather, 9 miles with the "Old Guys" and the "Thunder From Down Under" Chris W, at Big River Hopkins Hill...

2) Tuesday, perfect riding weather, 7.5 miles with Jesse K9, Bob, and Al at Village Park...

3) Thursday, perfect riding weather, 8.5 miles with the "Old Guys", at Big River Greasy Joe's...

4) Friday, perfect riding weather, 12 miles with the "Old Guys" at Big River Hopkins Hill...

Happy Freedom Trails,

OMMB

Hot Tuesday Ride

• Place: Village Park
• Riders with OMMB: Bob and Brandon
• Miles: 5+
• Weather: cloudy, drizzle
• Temp: 60 and rising
• Trail Conditions: a bit wet, a bit slippery

Tidbits:  Temps went over 70 today...Spring is busting through...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

More Old Dudes

• Place: Big River
• Trailhead: Hopkins Hill
• Riders with OMMB: 7 or 8, mostly grandads
• Miles: 11-12 eeesh
• Weather: perfect
• Temp: 55
• Trail Conditions: perfect
• Technical Level: intermediate
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Yay... clean ride. But I did refresh my memory of how much it hurts to kick the handlebars with the top of you knee...add that bruise to the list
• GPS Track:
  

Notes: Back with part of the group that beat me up the other day!  This time a kinder, gentler mob.  A good long route, with some climbs and technical areas. I was kicked, in a good way, after the ride.  Added some new tracks to openstreet map. This place keeps growing!  Search "big river ri" on http://www.openstreetmap.org/. 

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Grandad's Punishment

• Place: Big River
• Trailhead: Greasy Joe's
• Riders with OMMB: Tom, Bruce, a guy with his cool dog, another guy, and a first time MTB rider guy (who had to bail out early, lucky shit)
• Miles: 8-ish
• Weather: perfect riding weather
• Temp: 55-60
• Trail Conditions: perfect
• Technical Level: Yeah technical
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Too many flops to mention, all me
• GPS Track:
  

Notes: So once in a while I join the "old guys". Not really an old guy ride, but the leaders are old guys.  Half the group were grandfathers.  That didn't prevent them from beating up this grandad.  I honestly believe that someone in the group must have found out that I ditched my wife today, leaving her at home with the nasty sore throat, cough, watery eyes, head cold that I passed along to her.  My punishment?  To get beat to shit by old guys riding the most technically challenging route I could imagine at Big River!  Most of the trails I had been on many times, but these guys like to take the less ridden line...over rocks, climbs, log crossings, etc.  And if they "liked" the line the first time, they would go back and do it again!!!  SO if I didn't crash on the first try, I DID crash on the second.  I landed on boulders several times and took out a small tree, roots and all. Rode a few "new to me" trails...very cool.  Granted, I was a bit under powered due to the recent plague, but I was a train wreck!  Bruises, scratches, and damaged ego to show for it.  Punishment accomplished.

Tidbits: I'll be back with those old bastards soon enough (with body armor).

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Meanwhile, at the Park...

...about 8 miles with Bob at Village Park this morning...temp in the mid 30's, trails are in great shape.  Still some large trees across some trails...I'm sure the trail elves will get to them soon.

Tidbits: It's April... temps in the 20's tomorrow morning... shoot the groundhog!

Happy Trails,

OMMB