riding along

I have been getting in heaps of riding and the legs are feeling worked. I have been plagued with some sort of minor lung ailment for weeks. Coughing up fun stuff daily. Hopefully it clears out some day and I can feel like I have full lung capacity. I am not big on structured training so I always question myself or feel a bit off before doing an event. I took too many days off before firecracker50 and tapered off big rides too early. For Laramie I did the opposite so we will see how it works out. Looks like it could be a hot one out there next Saturday at the Enduro so hopefully they will be handing out some cold beverages. Still trying to decide on a gear...

Drove up the canyon tuesday and put together a nice ride. I was feeling much better than I was Sunday and it was pleasant and mellow up in the hills. Followed a couple trails I had never ridden before and had fun exploring. I finished fairly quick compared to some past times even with the extra trail and got back to the car to find I had left my Ipod cord plugged in and killed the battery. I was able to pop the clutch and get home before dark though.



Some hippies left everything and the kitchen sink out in the mtns. I always wondered who drove this thing up here and when? There is a little shack behind it too. I guess these people were living the simple life off the land away from the man and his taxes when suddenly, they just up and left all their crap to rust on the mountain when they heard cable TV was only $29.99 month.





I was spinning down that road off in the distance a 1/2 hr ago and now I'm breathing like I took a bayonet to my lung.

Hit the road for a couple rides later in the week. I was able to get in a nice slow flat road ride Friday and it was feeling really good. Roadkill observed: 7 birds of various varieties, 1 rattlesnake, 1 rabbit, 1 prairie dog, and something with spots that I could not identify.

Saturday saw us make plans to get high and avoid the heat that was cooking the front range all weekend. Chris suggested some trails that we had not ridden in a couple years and we quickly jumped on board. It payed off with some pleasant cool uncrowded trails and beautiful views.





We stopped for a little break at the top of this climb and took in the views. SS trifecta





While the front range cooked in the easy bake oven, we rode in the clean mtn air and gazed upon views like this.



Represent! Blackeyed Susan, the MD state flower.



You're not in Easton anymore! Chris enjoying the GF and fun trails.



Opportunist.

It was really fun rolling at a mellow pace and just enjoying the mountains with my special lady and homie Chris. So many trails and such a short summer.

After years of riding rigid, I have really been enjoying the Fox 29. The lockout is superb and the adjustments make it easy to customize the ride. The combination of 29er wheels and front suspension was really noticeable on some of the more tech downhills that I last descended on a 26in rigid SS. I still love the rigid ride but there is no denying that fork is damn fun!

Sam Hill knows what I mean. A superb ride indeed despite the final outcome.

A great last climb in the TDF stage today with lot's of action. It was like amateur fight night at the bar. People were just stepping to one another taking swings and it looks like we may have a race after all. The arial view of the crash in the roundabout was crazy, both sides of the peloton sliding out in unison like the road was covered in bacon grease. It was one of the most elegant mass spills I have have ever witnessed.

Cheers my good friends