70 at 7 and 80 at 8...

...are the kind of temperatures I really HATE.

And yeah, yeah, yeah...it's not the heat, it's the humidity. Well whatever the hell it was, I tanked in the heat AGAIN.  So bad, that I felt I should retire my bike for the summer!  I really need to turn down any hot weather rides, I just can't handle it.  We couldn't get to the Carr Pond swimming spot soon enough.  Once I hit the chilly water, I felt human again, re-energized (at least enough for the climb back to the parking lot). 

Riders were Bruce, Paul, and Skip from the Hopkins Hill Lot at Big River.  Although they claimed they were impacted by the conditions, it didn't seem to affect them at all.

Good news is... a great little technical route from "The Maze" to "Down and Out".  I will definitely ride this route again...next Winter.

Happy hot, 87 in the shade, Trails,

OMMB

Jesse and me, a few miles at Village Park...

"Fabulous ride...yes fabulous."

Happy Trails,

OMMB

A Romp Through The Swamp

• Place: Village Park
• Trailhead: Library
• Miles: 7-ish
• Weather: wet
• Trail Conditions: wet

Notes: Went up to Swansea on the way home from work.  Luckily there was a break in the clouds, but of course the remnants of the last 12 hours of rain were apparent.  Made for some plush pictures of Spring.

And in the end... a mud fest...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Route SR = Perfect 10

• Place: Big River
• Trailhead: Burnt Sawmill
• Riders with OMMB: none
• Miles: 10
• Weather:  cloudy with a threat of rain, lucky only a threat
• Trail Conditions: damp, no dust, not slippery
• GPS Track:

Notes: Off on my own today for a pretty enjoyable ride...at my pace of course. I hadn't tracked Shoot the Moon in a long time so I started my loop from Burnt Sawmill, down Shoot The Moon over to Al's Nature Trail, across to Dead Shed and out to the Hopkin's Hill Parking Lot, where I caught Bruce and Tom at the end of their ride.  Left HHPL down Big River Expressway, and over to Out-n-Back to return to Burnt Sawmill.  A good flowing loop...perfect 10 miles.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

And the Pussy Award goes to...

...wait for it...




...wait for it...



...you got it...



...ME!


Royally SUCKED today.  The slowest, whiniest, overcooked rider in the group!  Why?   Oh lessons learned are...

1) don't eat 2 burgers the night before a ride
2) don't forget to hydrate BEFORE the ride
3) if the temp is over 70 at 7am, it's most likely going to be 80+ at ride time
4) if temp is 80+ on a ride planned for Arcadia, don't ride
5) DON'T ride the Breakheart Trail in reverse direction (clockwise), too many climbs

Of course the other riders, Tom, Bruce, John, Skip, Rex, Mark, and Alphonso were gracious enough to put up with Mr. Slowpoke the Baby!  Thanks guys, you are too kind. 


The route...

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Another One

Notes: Another nice loop on the Carr Pond side with Bruce, Richard, John, Paul, and Rex.  Unfortunately John blew out his rear tire, loudly I might add, on Foster's Folly.  Right through the sidewall.  They patched it up with some sort of plastic or rubber.  We assume he made it back to the trailhead, haven't heard from him since.  ;) 

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Dr. John's Loop

Notes: Joined John at Hopkins Hill lot for an enjoyable spin around Carr Pond.  We ran into the NEMBA crew over on Slab Rock Trail, which parallels the "contested" trail where someone has been barricading the entrance.  They were out measuring a route for the upcoming Big River Fun Ride. Well, wouldn't ya know, the Slab Rock Trail was blocked midway by some pretty big trees and branches.  Go figure.  It's not private property, so the mystery continues.  We helped Steve O's crew move the stuff aside. 

Happy Trails,

OMMB

...and then I went over there.

(trails are not very clear "over there")

Happy Trails,

OMMB

I went over here...

...with Jesse, perfect riding weather.

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Big River Double Shot Tens

Shot 1: Burnt Sawmill Road. A 10-ish mile ride on 9 May with Tom and Greg, plagued with thunder, lightening, and downpours. Yay mountain biking!

Shot 2: Hopkins Hill Parking Lot. Another 10-ish miler on 10 May with Bruce, John, Richard, Remi, and 2 others. Perfect conditions. Perfect loop. Perfectly tired.

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Arcadia Rock Gardening 101

Notes: So after a little "loosen up" ride yesterday, I figured I'd try riding with the group again.  I figured Tom, Alphonso, and John would go easy on me, considering my rib aches and pains.  I figured wrong.  What I got was a brutal 12+ miler on the hottest day yet.  Wow was I wiped, but what a great loop.  We started from Rte 165 lot but instead of riding the North side that I'm familiar with, we crossed the road and jumped into some real nice single track.  After some climbing, made our way over to the Browning Mill Pond area, all new to me.  A lot of real technical rock gardens and stream crossings to maneuver.  Especially on the "95 Trail" where Alfonso climbed to the top of one boulder only to endo and header into the next boulder.  Ouch. 

Happy Trails,

OMMB

Shake Test

• Place: Village Park
• Trailhead: Library
• Riders with OMMB: Jesse K9
• Miles: 5+
• Weather: perfect
• Trail Conditions: perfectly dry
• Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: no no no, that would HURT 

Notes: After a week of limited mobility and lack of sleep from that slam down on the ribs, we went for a short, easy ride to see how things would hold together.  Some extra pain when huffing and puffing or when on the bumpy stuff, but not too bad.  The Park trails are in excellent condition, clear and dry.  Get out there before the bugs do!!

Happy Trails,

OMMB

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