Big Bikes

A Heart Full of The Good Thing

My last race was pretty much total crap, but otherwise things are pretty much quite alright. The day after the Pat's Peak race I convinced nephew Noah to upgrade from the 12er to the 16er, he bought into the whole "decreased angle of attack, larger contact patch, yadda, yadda, yadda" argument. After his win in the Single Speed, Coaster Brake, 1-5 Age Group category at Pat's Peak International Bicycle Center decided to pick him up, knowing a hot prospect when they see one. Here he makes his first attempt at the Jump of Death on the new ride:

He went off the side but rode it out like the sick bike handler he is.

Here he is again sticking it, rocking his new IBC jersey.

Wish I had my camera earlier in the day when he was rolling over the Teeter Totter of Death at Gramma's house. That was nuts.

Later that day I went and dropped the car up in Concord for Miriam who had ridden to work after her first Ski area single speed race the day before. Usually my recovery ride involves hammering belligerently through traffic on the way to work tuesday morning, this was different. I cruised down route 27 through the 85° air with a ripping tailwind, spinning my
39 X 19 at 20MPH. Belligerence did get the better of me as Miriam passed me in traffic. I passed her back at a light, then determined to beat her back to my sister's house I jumped in the draft of a DHL truck and moto-paced at 33MPH for the last couple miles, winning by a pug-nose.

Fast forward a week to the following monday, plenty of juice left in the legs after the truncated race sunday. Got out of Mannying at 4PM and B-lined for Noanet Woodlands in Dover, my old stomping grounds, the place where I struggled to learn the art of mountain biking. It was close to 100° out but I felt great, just went out and started hammering in the 33 X 18. 33 seems to be the magic number for me, as far as I know Surly is the only outfit to produce a 33t chainring. Somebody's been out there cutting new singletrack and it gets my stamp of approval, I like it a lot.

There are spots in Noanet and Hale that used to literally bring me to tears ( I was an emotional teenager with girl problems). Now I whup up on them like a grown man who's gone back in time to face the schoolyard bully who gave hime wedgies in fourth grade. It's a good feeling. The stream crossing with large rocks on either side which I used to be afraid to jump downhill I can now bunny hop uphill. Uphill scrambles that I couldn't clean with a granny gear and a 34t cog, I now nail with a 53" gear.

Good thing I got better at riding a bike because if I went back in time to face that schoolyard bully from fourth grade he would still wedgie this grown man's ass with no trouble at all.