RR: Arcadia Lake (Kinda Long... well real long.)
CP1
Sitting at work, 4:30 rolls around, so I call the old lady. "Waz Up?" She
says, "Not much." I told her I was going to the gym after work. She said,
"Forget the gym, take me riding." I thought about it for a minute, and then
it dawned on me. I now have two bikes, I picked up the Marin full
suspension this weekend. "Yeah, let's go riding, I'll see you at the
house." I smiled big time as I hung up the phone, my first trail ride on
the new Rock Springs FS. Rock 'N Roll, doggy.
We loaded up the truck, C'dale hardtail and Marin FS. Checked the weather
channel, 98 degrees, better carry water. Life is good, let's go.
The deal with Arcadia is that it is NOT a hard trail. It is the type of
trail that just about anyone can ride, the only challenging part is the
sand. It is VERY sandy, and the sand tends to pile up. I have become very
adept at riding in sand thanks in part to Lake Arcadia, the rest to the
Florida trails. The good part about that is we got some much needed rain
last night so I knew the sand would be more like cold mashed potatoes than
the usual tire grabbing, chain-eating piles of the soft stuff.
We get to the trail and unload, I still have that same smile on my face, the
one that started when I hung up the phone. Everything secured, time to go.
I told the OL (old lady), I'm gonna hang back with you at first, then I'm
gonna see what this rig is made of, cool? No prob, she said. That being
said, we rolled up to the trailhead and dipped in..... So, what makes this
ride different than the 999+ times I have rode Arcadia??
#1 - This is the first time, the OL and I have loaded up our own two bikes,
and headed out to the trail.
#2 I got the bike (Marin FS) on Saturday, made a ton of adjustments, street
road it Sunday, and today is the first REAL ride for it off road.
That being said, I let the legs fire up, and proceeded to drop the hammer.
I was amazed how well the Marin was soaking up the bumps, I paid little
attention to the line I was in, as there are minimal rocks, and I had
absolutely no problems rolling right over the ruts. Yeah, I think I can
used to a bike like this, stick and move, let the suspension take the bumps.
I let the Marin float through the slowly rolling downhill, now comes the
whoop's. Totally awesome, on my C'dale I usually pop up and down thru the
whoops, they are set apart about 18 feet and come in two's. Six (6) nice
sets of them, formed from water run off. Instead of wheelie dropping them
as I usually would, I found that I was wheelie hopping off of them. The
rear shock was so responsive, that I was doing everything possible to get
MORE air. Yeah, I like this.
I rolled thru that set and broke out of the woods, stopped to wait for the
OL. I had broke a nice sweat at this point in time, it being 95+ degrees
and at least 90% humidity from the damp ground and dense forest growth, yes,
this is why they make hydration packs. The OL shows up, catches her breath
and we proceed along the exposed trail, this time in the sun. Wow, the sun
is beating down, I push the pedals to get some air moving, slight uphill,
and I note how the Marin is climbing well. I always stay in the big ring
for Arcadia and the Marin is not bobbing too much, especially when I dampen
the rear shock. Coolness.
Up a short climb and time for some downhill. I know this part of the trail
well, a nice downhill followed by fairly sharp left curve, I lower down and
hammer for speed on the downhill, the left curve coming is usually sandy,
but the rain should have helped that, it did, but someone before me skidded
all the way through the turn, turning over the sand. I try to pull and
inside line, but I cannot, I am in the skid-groove (new word?) and quickly
floating to the top of the berm. Don't know if I can hold this
line......tree coming..... Barely did it, evergreen tree slaps at my right
side as I fly past it, mashed potato-ey sand flying right along with me.
Dig it. Next curve is a sharp right, just short of a switch back, I
anticipate the skid-groove (s) and cut way inside, dropping in and taking
the extreme inside line, good choice, I clean the drop and avoid the muck,
booyah, back on the pedals, more downhill ahead. The next mile or so is
switch backs, pine trees, and a bridge crossing, aced it, baby. I am in the
Zone with the Marin FS.
I again stop and wait for the OL. She shows up. Her color has changed from
a light crimson to borderline beet red. "How ya doin, champ?" I say.
"Okay..(puff)....(puff).....Otay...." she says. I think we should take a
break, we pull off the trail and ride down to the lake. She turns a lighter
shade of red, I smile and tell her she looks sexy all sweaty and dirt
covered, she smiles and then spits.... Where is she getting these habits
from, huh???
Back to the trail, we ride out a little further and then have to double
back, Arcadia is a two way trail, so you must ride back as far as you ride
out. I hang out with the OL then tell her I'm gonna light 'em up. "No
prob", she says. I shift up, pull down on the bars, and give it all I got.
The Marin surges and happily displays my sudden influx of torque. I am
hammering away, gaining momentum, not even noticing that I am accelerating
UPhill. I approach a rider that I let pass me earlier, he is one of those
14 people left that still ride rigid bikes. I shadow his tire and roll
along with him, letting my momentum wind down. I stay right on with him,
until he decided to get friendly with one of the local Oak trees. Ahh, he's
okay, just grazed it, will probably only leave a mark. I come out of the
trees and wait for the OL. She shows up and is ready to keep rolling so we
do. Only 1.5 miles left, here I go again.
I let it all hang out on this last stretch of trail. I stay as low in the
saddle as possible, and pump the legs like pistons. Stick and move, thread
the trees and let the good times roll. I come close to losing the front
tire on one of the turns, too much speed and some of the sand is breaking
loose. One more turn, and zoom out to the pavement. I buzz in to the
parking lot and roll down the pathway to a pavilion down by the lake. I
coast to a stop and rest against the short brick wall that overlooks the
lake. The first thought that comes to my mind?
If there really is a god, he's gotta ride Full Suspension.
The End.
--
CP
JD
dig how that rear wheel tracks in the loose stuff?
JD
Images in Mountain Biking: http://home.talkcity.com/GasolineAlley/lodij
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Paladin
you put your heart and soul into it. Good writing is worth reading. And yes,
there is a God, He rides with me in the mornings!
Paladin
MattB
> covered, she smiles and then spits.... Where is she getting these habits
> from, huh???
Amen! Few things are more appealing than a dirty, sweaty, spitting wife.
Mmmm mmm good!
Matt (still riding and loving the trusty M2 hardtail)
CP1
demo and was set up for sidewalk riding. Some new parts are on the way, but
so far it is awesome.
--
CP
JD <dij...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:041bc0b6...@usw-ex0105-035.remarq.com...
Cleanbean
Marin eh?
--
~Clean Bean going FS one of these days
Roger Buchanan
CP1 wrote:
> Okay Rog, here's my attempt.
And a good one at that! <grin>
> I smile and tell her she looks sexy all sweaty and dirt
> covered, she smiles and then spits.... Where is she getting these habits
> from, huh???
There's nothing more fun than "corrupting" a nice gal, eh? <grin>
--
Rog,
Agonizingly trying to become a better mountain biker,
but enjoying the continuing *reduced* effort none the less...
http://www.wpcusrgrp.org/~rbuchanan/index.html
MTB Minnesota
___________________
MTB Minnesota
"Never underestimate the stopping power of an oak tree."