My New Favorite Place...!

It seems like everytime we ride at a new place it becomes "my new favorite place" to ride. Last weekend was no exception. The Brothers Keller called and invited us riding at one of their favorite places to ride in phoenix. It is called 'hawes", though I don't really know why (it is not really near "hawes" road). It was described as technical in places, but not really too hard, even the youngest Keller brother was going (Ezra is only about 11). I figured why not?, and called Brandon and off we went.

It started out really poorly for me as I fell over, unable to unclip in time, right in the parking lot before we even started to ride. I decided it was just good warm up, even if a little embarassing. I am still getting used to riding in clip ins and don't have the left foot extraction down quite yet - right foot is great, but i fell to the left, oops.

You have to cross a potentially busy road to start the trail, so, carefully, we embarked. Zac, Eric and Brandon immediately outdistanced the rest of us and we didn't see them again for a while. Ezra was doing great riding along with his dad, and Eric's dad Chris and I rode together for a while.

Ezra Shows Great Potential!

The trail is a great single track through the desert. Some cactus made me nervous in places (Brandon had to extract some from his fingers at one point), but the area is beautiful. after climbing up a ways, the trail splits a couple of different directions. I was just following along for the ride and soon found myself a little nervous. Part of the trail (Ian called it the "switchbacks" were very rocky and steep. Visions of the youtube video of the guy careening down the mountainside came to mind, but slow careful going turned fear into fun. We made it and I fell in love with the area. I think more time in the saddle would really help my confidence and ability on the rocky technical stuff.

Here is some video of the trail....

Brandon finally got his new helmet and wore it. He likes the full face type since he likes to ride very fast. It also keeps his ears warm in the winter, but I think it will be hot in the summer. Anyway, he looks cool and safe as he speeds past me!

Hawes is definitely on my favorits list, and I hope to be back regularly. If only I didn't have to work all week!

Get out! Get on! and Get riding!
CycleFreak!

LIfe Goes On...

Havn't blogged in a while, but that doesn't mean we havn't been riding. We have been trying to find a good trail for Lonna to learn gears without having to worry about crashing, and we finally found what turned out to be th e best trail for that purpose in the state of Arizona! It is the Rim Vista trail off of sr260 on the Mogillon Rim above Payson.

We arranged a Friday off work and headed out Thurs. evening looking for a great ride. I don't know what steered us toward Payson... yes I do! The romantic "Majestic Mountain Inn" in Payson was our destination for the night, with a plan to ride on Friday somewhere. The inn has rooms, they call them "luxury rooms", that have a jaccuzzi right in the room! We reserved one and had a great evening.

Friday morning we had breakfast at a cool cafe and headed for the rim. Not exactly sure where we were going, we opened our minds to "explorer mode" and ended up at the rim trail. The area isn't heavily used during the winter since its 6k feet elevation or so, and we had the place to ourselves. It's not often that you really feel alone in a national forest, but we did that day. Entering the parking/lookout for the military sinkhole just off the rim road toward Woods Canyon Lake, we unloaded and started riding.

The first short part of the trail is not paved and was a bit of a challenge for us. You are litterally riding right on the edge of the rim and really could ride off if you lost control. Once the paved part started it was great. It's basically a paved bike path for several miles in the middle of the forest! (check out the short video above). We rode all the way to the lake and only saw 3 other people the whole time. The terrain offers great practice for gear selection and Lonna made great strides, and boosted her confidence. Whoo! Hoo!

Here are some more pix from the ride....Days like these make it all worthwhile!

ON the racing front, Zac raced in the "Dawn to Dusk" race at Mcdowell mtn park this weekend and did great. Placed 4th in his first attempt. I personnally think its an insane race - 15.5 mile loop, all day, whomever does the most/fastes laps wins. Zac rode in 2 man team and they each rode 4 laps (thats 62 miles cross country mtn bike in one day!). I really gotta hand it to them for there perserverance.

In other news, Devins school (Saguaro High) won the state 4a football championship saturday. WE rode the bikes down to ASU to watch the game (but really just to watch Devin march in the Band at halftime). We can ride all the way to ASU from our house (about 10 or 11 miles one way) and only have to negotiate 2 traffic lights! I do love the greenbelt idea. Devin looked great marching, and the band performed well. The final score was 38-0, but any astute observer could see from the first few plays that Saguaro was gonna win. They played great.

Will get out more this month while the weather is so great, and I hope you all do as well!

Get out, Get on, and Get Riding!

CycleFreak!

Amazing Desert Ride...Almost

Some days just don't turn out like you planned them to. We were looking forward all week to riding on saturday at McDowell. Lonna hadn't really ridden on dirt (except for a dirt road for about 30 min.), and we wanted to try some easy trails to warm her up. After consulting all the mountain bikers we know, the Pemberton trail seemed like a good place to start. Going counter clockwise offers a good intro ride and you can turn around at any point (turning around is not really what we go for, but when starting out you have to keep options open!).

Note to self; check event calendars!...

We showed up at 9am to find the parking lot at the trailhead filled with cars and tents for some sort of biathalon race (no water near for swimming!). Not being ones for crowds (our beginner rider was nervous), we opted to try another area. The only close area we really knew was the Competition course, so off we went. We decided that the sport loop was our best option, but were nervous for lonna as it was her first real trail ride. After unloading the bikes and strapping on my new clip in shoes (my first ride on a trail in clip ins!), we headed out. I am real proud of Lonna! She didn't make it all the way around, and did a bit of hike-a-bike up some of the hills (and down one steep one!), but what a trooper! I think that our attitute is always more important than our performance. She felt bad and freed me to ride ahead since i promised her the trail was very well marked. I made one loop and was feeling great. Stopping at the top of the first climb on my next lap to catch up to her, I could see her on the trail a ways out. I rode on figuring that there was no way to miss her.

Well...

I had just topped one hill and was wondering why I hadn't caught up to her yet, when I heard my name called out from below me. Turns out the trail isn't as well marked as I thought (being a guy), and she had found her way down a small access road used only, I think, by park officials and ambulances.

Anyway...

I was pushing her too hard for a first ride, so we decided to head back. The fun (to me) and fast part of the loop was just beginning, and Lonna didn't feel comfortable trying it yet. I didn't blame her. She was tired, and landing in a cactus isn't fun anytime, especially when you are tired.

The competition trails are one way only (some riders are very fast and don't want to run into head on traffic), so we wondered how to get back. The small access road Lonna had found turned out to be our salvation. It took us back to the road and we liesurely rode back to the truck.

As always, the time on the bikes was great, and the day was beautiful. Being outside and away from modern distractions has a great theraputic effect on the soul, and we were glad for it.

Zac raced this day in round 3 of Dust Devil series at White Tank Mtns. We didnt have time to go all the way out there, so didn't attend.

He appears to have wrapped up title in his expert class, so was allowed by his coach to ride the pro class for the first time. He was doing great! Working his heart out and leading quite comfortably until his massive power overcame his equipment and the front chain ring sheard off the cranks! Three of the bolts came with it, so it was hike-a-bike time. Not a great way to end your first pro ride, but his attitude prevailed... "I've got another race ahead to redeem myself, and I will!" (the first round of state series is on the same track). You gotta love the positive attitude that permeates the mountain bike world.

Get out, Get on, and Get riding!

Lonna Gets a new Ride...

There comes a point in every riders life when the ride you currently own does not seem up to the tasks being asked of it. We reached that point in Lonna's life this week. The old beach cuiser just wasn't cutting it on the greenbelt rides we do, and we weren't even going to try it on a trail. So, what to do!? There was no shortage of advice from the seasoned riders we know. Hard Tail or Full Suspension? What size for her 5'4" cuteness? Color choices (she's a girl after all!). Did she need disc brakes? Clip in pedals? And so the choices went.

What it really came down to in the end, after lots of shopping online, was price. How much bike could she get for how much money. It's probably the same for nearly every rider when the shopping starts - you want it all. Then when it really comes down to it, who has $2800 for a new bike? (we didn't). We ended up at PerformanceBike.com. There we found an IronHorse Warrior 4.5 that was 40% (wow!) off and had all the neat goodies we wanted. Full suspension, hydraulic disc brakes, 27 speeds, and the stamp of approval from Zac, our nephew and cyclefreak extraordinair.

Heres a picture of the bike after we got home.

and one of Lonna installing her water bottle holder.

Getting the bike was an interesting adventure. While on Performace bikes website we saw that members get 10% back on every purchase, so we decided to sign up. We could use the 10% back for more gear! Looking on line there was only one left in the size Lonna needed (small). And we also found that you can save the $48 shipping if you order from a red phone at the store (and have it shipped to the store). Zac works there, so we thought saving the money was a good idea, and he could pick it up for us. Lonna went to the Chandler store after work to order the bike (thinking she would be about 15 min.). Turns out they had the exact bike we wanted in stock! It was the correct size and everything. Just needed to figure out the pedals (lonna doesnt want clip ins yet), and did we really want to spend the bux. Its funny how much easier it is to spend money online than in person. Lonna called Zac and he came down (wasn't working at the time) to help. Thanks man! Anyway, (an hour later), the bike got home in the back of the Benz with Lonna driving and all was well. She couldn't wait, so we quickly mounted the lights and rode the neigborhood at night. It happened to be Halloween, so it was fun to be amoungst the goblins and gouls.

I found I needed to adjust my derailure, but didn't have a stand to work on. The girl scout in Lonna, who is always prepared, suggested the bike rack. Mounted the rack to the truck, and backed into the garage and Voila!, instant work stand!

We havn't gotten on any real trails with Lonna's new bike, but we can't wait to get there. If only life didn't always get in the way!

We did ride around the parking lot at McDowell Mtn Park this morning at Zac's race (dust devil series round 2), and Lonna is doing great. I think this mountain bike thing may prove addicting.

Zac did great in his race - First Place in his class! I'll have him write about it soon. Meanwhile, here's a pic and vid from the race...

It Just Doesn't Get any Better!

We decided to ride at McDowell mtn park this week and had a great time. The desert classic race will be there next week, and Brandon and I thought it would be fun to ride the course (or at least some part of it). I, as always, was not too sure as I got up at 5:45 on a Saturday morning, but was, as always, super glad I did when we got there. It was a little chilly, with a slight breeze, but was clear and crisp as the sun rose (the kind of morning that east coasters read about in travel magazines). As I unloaded my bike and waited for Brandon, I had a nice surprise when Zac and Ian rode up to greet me. I didn’t know they were riding here today and it was great to see them ( I cant say we rode with them, ‘cause there’s no way I can keep up). We did visit for a while and I got to meet Zac’s team manager Darren. Go get ‘em next week Zac!
Brandon arrived and we geared up and started out. The sport loop looked good (tech loop has a skull and crossbones on the trailhead in my trail book, so we avoided it!), so we headed that way. I was surprised that we didn’t see more riders on the trail since there were quite a few cars in the lot, but we only saw other riders once or twice. This area is bigger than it seems. Brandon had fixed his chain jumping under power with a new front sprocket, so I struggled to keep up ( I’m 43 and don’t have the thighs I used to!). note to self – get out more! The back side of the sport loop was crazy fun even for an old guy like me. Slightly downhill, carving and winding through tight arroyos in the nearly pristine desert. Wow. We made the short loop twice before it was time to go.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I pity the folks who never get out. To stay in the city all the time, and never get out to clean air and the beauty of nature, seems criminal. Especially when its so close to town! It’s just possible that most of the worlds problems could be solved by putting the parties involved on bikes and saying “race you to the top!”. Just existing together in nature with a common interest has amazing therapeutic effects. We’ll be out there next week cheering for Zac and hope to see you all out there.
Remember, NOW is the time to get out and ride!

...Ryan

Dust Devil series round 1, Estrella

Shock and Awe!! Thats the only thing I can say about today. It all sarterd about a week ago when I decided to actually race this round. For those of you who don't know, Estrella is the rockiest course in the whole valley. Which means tire choice is key. I have raced this race two times before, and still hadn't found a tire combination that I was happy with. Today that changed. The way it happened was an interesting story in its own right. I had an Intense System 4 2.25 on the front, and a Bontrager Jones ACX 2.0 on the back. They worked well in Brianhead 2 months ago in the silt there, and Estrella has a fair share of sand, so I thought the combo might work well here too. And sure enough it did! (trust your instincts!) While the 2.25 was alone over 700 grams, it was worth the extra weight to gain floatation to keep the tire from sinking in the sand. On the downhills, there was a lot of loose gravel and rocks and the larger tire displaced the rocks instead of being displaced by the rocks.

Now to the start of the race. Off the line I was second row, far right, which was not the place to be. My goal in the first mile was to get to second place, which I was able to do. I settled in behind the leader and let him do the work for the first climb. At the beginning of the second climb, I and the 3rd place rider passed the leader and set out on our own. I'll admit that I was hesitant to try and pull a gap over the Pro field (I'm Expert class). But you only live once and I chose to go for it. 2nd place held with me for the next couple of miles, but was unwilling to do some pulling, so I said "see ya", and left him behind (I could tell he was about stretched to his limit already- His desperate gasps for breath were a dead giveaway). Grabbing another gear, I hunkered down and set my own pace for the rest of that first loop. By the time I came through the feed zone, my lead had grown to about 3 min. I was able to hold that pace for the second loop, and extened the lead to 7 min.. At that point, I was feeling very positive about the race and followed coaches advice and put it in "cruise control" and just relaxed. When I came through for the final lap, My feed zone team was at the beach, which cost me a 2 min wait for water. Once I restarted and got over the cramps in my legs, I still could not see the second place rider. Thats when I knew I had it. In the end, I was around 9 min ahead of second place in expert class, and around 4 min ahead of the top pro. What an amazing ride (keep in mind, I'm only 18 yrs old).

I learned to race myself, and not necessarily the other riders today. I have been focusing on my form specifically the last couple of weeks, and it really has paid off. Just the form work, I feel, saved a tremendous amount of energy. Work on your form.

I Love This Weather!

The fall weather looks to be here finally, and I am loving it! Did something unusual for me today and left work exactly on time and headed for some trails. Brandon (thats him headed down the trail in the first pic) and I loaded up and were at the trailhead by 5:25. The light was beginning to fade, but ended in a great Arizona sunset. We get some great ones. It's amazing how each time I get out and ride, I say to myself; "why dont I do this more often?". Now that the weather is reasonable, maybe I'll get out more. The feeling of being out on the trail; just me, the bike, and good friends, is hard to beat. All the stress of work and life just fades away (or maybe gets pushed away by the strain and hard breathing!). We had the place to ourselves most of the time and saw no motorcycles, which was nice. The one other mountain biker we did meet wasn't having a great day. We met Danny on our way back. He had just demolished his new derailier on a knarly granite face (the boulders in the area are pretty cool). Like all the best outdoorsmen, Danny took his misfortune in good spirits. With a positive attitude that well exeplified the mountain biking world, he removed the broken part and his chain, and coasted/carved his way back down the trail. We thought that we'd get back way sooner than him, but his skills brought him back only shortly after us. My taking a wrong turn may have delayed our return to the truck slightly,but I was impressed by Dannys ability.

As the sun set, we loaded up and promised ourselves to get out more, now that the weather is more reasonable.

Welcome to the Blog World!

We are on our way back from Park City where we rode the Crest trail. Wow! Truly an epic ride! The weather got a little cold (couldn't stop shaking and had to stop to rest), but was worth every sacrifice. Will post some pictures and my feelings soon.