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FUTURE MTB SERIES
There are plans for a fall series. As you might be aware, the September 24th race got cancelled due to lack of interest. That race will be rescheduled. Don't know when exactly but keep checking back. I'll post details as soon as I get them.
An impromptu race/ride was held for those who did show up. These are the results in the order that they finished.
- DON LEWIS
- BRIAN RAEDER
- CRAIG FORTNER
- PHILIP SMITH
The Flyers would like to thank Craig Fortner for supplying the above information.
TRAILSIDE MEAL
(What to do with those extra innertubes)
You're riding buddy has rousted you out of bed on a Sunday morning for what he describes as some "sweet singletrack" riding. Mumbling something to your SO about being back in a couple of hours, you grab your gear, hop on your bike and groggily follow your buddy into the hills. [Fast Forward] It's now 6:00 in the evening and your buddy [Let's call him Clifton but feel free to insert the name of your riding partner] shows no sign of knowing where the hell he is. The sun is sinking fast (otherwise known as PITCH BLACK DARK!) and it looks like you'll be spending the night out. Rummaging through your gear, you start looking for some grub ... Which you forgot to pack. (As Clifton got you up to go riding, you were still dreaming about that new Cannondale Raven that the LBS just got in) Nothing, nada, zip. Not one darn thing to eat. Don't despair though, here's what you do.
You'll be making a nice stew for you're meal tonight. First, put some water on to boil. Didn't bring any matches? Don't worry. Get your kindling together and arrange it in a Smokey Bear approved fire pit. Using your knife, scrape some shavings off the fork legs of Clifton's MAG 21 (after all he's the one who took you on this bleeping epic ride) into a pile under the kindling and strike a spark off the tubes of Clifton's bike to start the magnesium shavings burning (don't worry about the dents that seem to appear as if by magic on Clifton's bike frame. The dents add to the character of his bike).
Now for the ingredients of your meal (I bet you thought I'd never get to inner tubes). Take your dead inner tube (the one you punctured when Clifton led you through that patch of thorns 20 miles back) and cut it into thin strips no more than 1/4" wide. Don't waste the Slime from the tube! You'll need that later. Toss the strips in the boiling water along with the pound of flesh that you took out of Clifton's hide for getting you both lost (Remember to tenderize the flesh first). Since you need to make enough stew for two, be sure to use both of Clifton's tubes as well. For flavoring, add some local flora (heck - fauna too if you can catch it) and the bottom of one sock. [TIP: Only use one sock bottom. Using two bottoms seems to overpower the delicate flavor of the inner tube strips.] Don't worry if you can't tell what kind of flora exactly you're tossing into the stew. You'll test it out on Clifton first. Top the stew with the Slime that you saved, garnish with a sprig of whatever's closest, and serve using Clifton's helmet that you line with a piece from his new Gore-Tex jacket.
Bon Appetite!
MTB TIP OF THE WEEK
A slight departure from what I hope will be the norm for this section. I'm hoping to post DIY tips here for the most part. This time though, instead of regaling you with yet another homemade Camelback tip, I thought I'd share a few goodies from a recent issue of Mountain Bike magazine.
- All things being equal, kiddo, ride the middle of the trail instead of the edges. Sure, life is thrilling (and usually drier) on the fringe, but if our singletrack keeps widening at the current pace, by the year 2010 everyone in the U.S. will be riding on the same incredibly wide trail.
[NOTE: This may seem in direct contradiction to the some of the advice given for Dry Trails Riding. It really isn't. The dry trails tips are the exception, not the rule. Ride the edges (without getting OFF the trail) to get around a bad moondust section but the rest of the time, ride the middle.] - Write to companies and ask for stickers. If you address your letter to the PR or marketing departments, and include a self-addressed, stamped envelope, you'll get plenty of logos to stick on your garage or basement walls.
- You can become a minister over the Internet at the Universal Life Church. Handy for performing healing ceremonies on the trail and praying for strength at the edge of a hellish abyss.
- Riding Ruts: Stop, get out, watch your friends smash themselves up.
- Always pick up trash (like energy gel packs) on the trail -- even if they aren't yours.
TRAILWORK DAY
(Mr. Dan's Wild Ride)
Saturday, August 23rd, dawned bright and clear. The sun was shining and it promised to get much warmer before the day was through. Wiping the cobwebs out of my mind with a good hot cup of JavaMotion, I prepared to meet an undetermined group of people up at the State Patrol Hill Trail for some needed trail maintenance. The network of trails up at the State Patrol Hill, as you're no doubt aware, sees the most biking traffic of any trail around the Tri-Cities. During the summer months this can put quite a bit of stress on the trail. [NOTE: See Dry Trails Riding for some great tips on how to enjoy the summer riding and leave the trail in the best possible shape.]
I hopped on my bike and rode on up to the meeting place. I was greeted there by several other people. Our group swelled to a total of 11 riders (and 1 dog) by the time we loaded up the tools and started riding at about 6:30am. Craig Fortner took first duty pulling the Cannondale baby trailer, behind a GT full-suspension bike, that we used to transport our implements of construction. Many of our group had commitments that they had to meet by 8:00am, so we concentrated on the "Woody" portion of the trail since it gets a lot of rider pressure.
Riding up to the first bad section, we dropped off several riders and tools to keep them busy. What we tried to do was patch up the worst moondust portions of the trail. First we carefully scraped off the moondust then cut plugs of soil, with all the roots and grasses attached, and carefully tamped those soil plugs into place. The hope was that the grasses and roots would help to hold the soil together until we get some rain.
It was kinda fun following the trailer as it bumped and crashed it's way down the trail. It performed surprisingly well considering that the trailer wheelbase was wider than the trail. We worked out way down the trail until about 7:50am when we decided that we'd better get back to the vehicles so people could get to work (almost on time).
Up to this time, Craig had been doing all the pulling. He'd taken it pretty easy since he wasn't sure just how well the trailer would make it on the trail. On our way back though, he pulled over and had Dan Tolley take over. (The trailer was kinda heavy with all those tools in it.) Once Dan got going was when the real fun began. Dan decided that since he had a full suspension bike that he might as well let it hang out a bit. Put all that suspension travel to good use.
Dan started cranking up the speed and the trailer tried to keep up. Tools were crashing all over the place although they surprisingly stayed inside the trailer. Dan hit a couple of sagebrush and rocks pretty good in an apparent effort to overturn the trailer but it tracked true, although it made it about halfway up on one wheel. Finally, after one final crash, the two machetes that we were carrying flew out of the trailer. Dan continued on as if nothing had happened. We stopped to pick up the errant blades and I whistled for Dan to hold up. I didn't know how far down the trail Dan had gone so I stuck a machete (in its sheath) between my Camelback and my back a.l.a Mountain Bike Samurai Warrior. Catching up with the tool trailer (and the attached rocket sled up front), we dropped off the wayward tools and continued on back to the vehicles.
Next time I'll bring a camera along to document the activities. It would have been great to have a helmet mounted video to recorded the fun for all to see.
We hope to continue the trail maintenance activities in the future. Stay tuned for more details.
CONVERSATIONS WITH ROOSTER
Lovelorn in Longview writes:
"I'm planning on asking my girlfriend to marry me. I'm going to give her a chainring as an engagement ring (we're nontraditional). Should I use anodized aluminum or titanium?"
Well, Mr. Lovelorn (or should I call you Donald), the main consideration when purchasing an object to symbolize your love and life long commitment is the cost. The sum of your investment for love needs to equal or exceed the equivalent of two months gross salary. After researching the current prices for titanium and aluminum chainrings and then applying them to the largest after market rings available (60 tooth), and then assuming this equals and or exceeds your gross monthly salary X 2, I would suggest that you reconsider your love at this time. YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO GET MARRIED!!!
Sincerely,
Rooster
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