If you've never ridden Grandview, picture 3 steep climbs in rapid succession with tree roots and limbs strewn about (or aboot if you're Canadian). Throw in lots o' leaves that are both wet and covering some mud and you get the idea. I've ridden this trail plenty of times, so I knew to expect this.
The whole reason I was on the ride was because Matt Battin was planning on riding on the road around Grandview, but I talked him into riding the trail instead.
Silly me.
On the way out, we were talking and he lamented that he wasn't riding enough such that when he rode, he was going to go hard if he felt good.
Awesome.
I took a little solace that I was rockin my Rush with a triple, so having a 22 would save me.
In a word, no.
I must have about one link too many on the chain because pretty much any gear while using the granny was skipping like a worn out cassette, but fine in my 32t. As a result I was lighting my thighs on fire when climbing. Throw in some really stupid mistakes and I was getting pretty pissed about the situation.
The back half of the trail, while still difficult, does not offer the gradient challenges of the front half. I started to feel and ride better as a result. Once we jumped back on the road, we settled into a good rhythm that was not too hard, and we ended up with a 2:23h ride.
Job done.
In other news, I got my new fork. Hot damn, German engineering. They may have some funky advertising:
This does not make me want to buy a Magura brake product
Superfork?!but they make a fork that's 1470g of uncut steer tube goodness. Just under 3-1/4 lbs, it should be quite plush. It's no Carbon Lefty SL (2.8 lbs), but it should be damn near as stiff. Plus, it's white. So I've got that going for me. All I need now is a super sweet carbon bike. Be on the look out for pics of that in the coming weeks!
Later-
the ATM
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