2022 Mountain Biking

[Tom K.]

But lager?

Beats an IPA, every day of the week!

Taste. It's a matter of, well, taste!

 

[Doug Briggs]

Beats an IPA, every day of the week!

Taste. It's a matter of, well, taste!

I believe that's just an opinion.

I've been enjoying the Stone green gargoyle IPA along with their Delicious IPA. The fruits of tuning skis for friends.

I like to progress from lagers to ales. I try to maintain a nice progression of increasing flavor during a session but sometimes you just have to take what you find in the bottom of the cooler. But I'd drink cooler water before I drink 'lights'

 

[Wilhelmson]

A sour beer can be pretty good on a hot day or after exercise.

 

[Doug Briggs]

A sour beer can be pretty good on a hot day or after exercise.

 

[luliski]

Beats an IPA, every day of the week!

Taste. It's a matter of, well, taste!

For sure! I didn’t even like beer until I tasted an IPA.

 

[luliski]

I believe that's just an opinion.

I've been enjoying the Stone green gargoyle IP
A along with their Delicious IPA. The fruits of tuning skis for friends.

I like to progress from lagers to ales. I try to maintain a nice progression of increasing flavor during a session but sometimes you just have to take what you find in the bottom of the cooler. But I'd drink cooler water before I drink 'lights'

The first IPA I ever tried was a Stone Enjoy By IPA. So good, but too high in alcohol for me now. If I’m having more than one beer I try to have pale ales. Have discovered a couple of hazy pale ales recently with ABVs around 5%. Or I switch to Spindrift grapefruit flavor after a beer. I guess I enjoy bitter flavors. I dońt know what´s in lager that makes it taste bad to me, but I just wońt drink it.

 

[Tom K.]

But I'd drink cooler water before I drink 'lights'

While you will undoubtedly find wide-ranging opinions on favorite beers, I believe this is something any true beer lover could get behind!

So.....back to actual mtb-ing, wanted to let @AmyPJ know that I put the VR back into the rear rock shox on my Top Fuel (stock is 2, I went to 1, now back to 2). Some plushness is lost, but only a little, and the pedaling is transformed back to what it was. Such a snappy pedaler!

I'm hoping the Fox shock will give me the best of both worlds, with its 3-position lever. The Rockshox is kind of too much or not enough, with its 2-position fitment. Fox should arrive via Brown Santa today or tomorrow, but installation will be delayed by an inconsiderate niece that insists on getting married.

 

[splitter]

Had my first real fall on Sunday. I was riding the TRT to Marlette to Chimney Beach DH. Came around a technical section and fell down the stairs.
Ended up with a bad sprain, a dislocation, and a break.

I have an appt tomorrow morning to go over CT results but I’m hoping surgery isn’t necessary and I’ll be ready for ski season.

I ended up riding 6-7 miles on it to get to a spot my wife could pick me up.

 

[luliski]

Had my first real fall on Sunday. I was riding the TRT to Marlette to Chimney Beach DH. Came around a technical section and fell down the stairs.
Ended up with a bad sprain, a dislocation, and a break.

I have an appt tomorrow morning to go over CT results but I’m hoping surgery isn’t necessary and I’ll be ready for ski season.

I ended up riding 6-7 miles on it to get to a spot my wife could pick me up.

Ouch. Upper or lower body injuries or both? Hope you’re good to go for ski season!

Were the stairs part of the trail or did you fall off the trail (something I have done one too many times)?

 

[4ster]

Ended up with a bad sprain, a dislocation, and a break.

Oh no! Hope you heal well & quickly

 

[Doug Briggs]

@splitter, I hope you heal up quickly and comfortably

 

[AmyPJ]

While you will undoubtedly find wide-ranging opinions on favorite beers, I believe this is something any true beer lover could get behind!

So.....back to actual mtb-ing, wanted to let @AmyPJ know that I put the VR back into the rear rock shox on my Top Fuel (stock is 2, I went to 1, now back to 2). Some plushness is lost, but only a little, and the pedaling is transformed back to what it was. Such a snappy pedaler!

I'm hoping the Fox shock will give me the best of both worlds, with its 3-position lever. The Rockshox is kind of too much or not enough, with its 2-position fitment. Fox should arrive via Brown Santa today or tomorrow, but installation will be delayed by an inconsiderate niece that insists on getting married.

So, did it pedal a little softer while closed with the spacer out? You are spot-on that it's all or none with the two settings. It pedals really well open and feels planted and smooth on descents but closed on any climbs that aren't pavement smooth makes it really bouncy. I still need to put a 2.4 on the back vs. the 2.6 which might help with some of the bounce.

Had my first real fall on Sunday. I was riding the TRT to Marlette to Chimney Beach DH. Came around a technical section and fell down the stairs.
Ended up with a bad sprain, a dislocation, and a break.

I have an appt tomorrow morning to go over CT results but I’m hoping surgery isn’t necessary and I’ll be ready for ski season.

I ended up riding 6-7 miles on it to get to a spot my wife could pick me up.

Oh no! Heal well. That's no fun!

 

[AmyPJ]

So it finally cooled off, and the smoke moved in. Most of it’s coming from a fire in the Sawtooth mountains in Idaho. No riding until this clears out!

 

[nay]

So it finally cooled off, and the smoke moved in. Most of it’s coming from a fire in the Sawtooth mountains in Idaho. No riding until this clears out!
View attachment 177830

I was blaming Cali, because it’s always Cali, until I checked and it’s the PNW. AQI hasn’t been bad, though, was 60 at worst point as the smoke stayed higher in the troposphere.

Cold front last night and again today has cleared it out. It’s a balmy 50 degrees right now.

 

[4ster]

So it finally cooled off, and the smoke moved in. Most of it’s coming from a fire in the Sawtooth mountains in Idaho. No riding until this clears out!
View attachment 177830

Not as bad as it was in Tahoe! Although it looks a little better there than the past couple of days. the Mosquito fire is burning out of control in steep forest terrain & reminiscent of last year’s Caldor fire!! Very Scary as this one’s path leads toward Palisades Tahoe & the west shore. Hoping for the best with possible rain in the forecast.

l returned to Utah yesterday with smoke all the way across the Great Basin. Woke up this morning to hazy skies but the AQI wasn’t too bad so I did a ride that I thought I had sworn off years ago but with the E-MTB it seemed doable.
Skyline trail is open to everyone including motorcycles & is part of the Great Western Trail. The climb including a few on the road is about 9 miles & 4K’. Most of the narrow single track is chunky as chit but the views are usually spectacular & the DH on Ben Lomond trail is as old school as it gets, also narrow, exposed & steep. I heard it had recently been brush cut which was one of my motivators & the fact that it would be a quiet place on a Saturday.

Looking down valley after the first series of switchbacks. Good that it was cool today as this first section gets lots of sun.

After crossing the ridge Ben Lomond peak makes an appearance along with North Ogden 5K’ below

Chilly Peak rest stop

Dirtbiker passing the intersection to Ben Lomond trail, this is as high as I rode

Still some chunk on the DH

Spring hangs on up high

2/3rds of the way down. Some of this winds through some of my favorite ski touring terrain. Only saw one hiker & his dog on the way down & no moose but lots of moose tracks.
Air quality diminished by the time I was down.

Probably 5 miles on each end were on the road to make it a loop

 

[AmyPJ]

Not as bad as it was in Tahoe! Although it looks a little better there than the past couple of days the Mosquito fire is burn out of control in steep forest terrain & reminiscent of last year’s Caldor fire!! Very Scary as this one’s path leads toward Palisades Tahoe & the west shore. Hoping for the best with possible rain in the forecast.

l returned to Utah yesterday with smoke all the way across the Great Basin. Woke up this morning to hazy skies but the AQI wasn’t too bad so I did a ride that I thought I had sworn off years ago but with the E-MTB it seemed doable.
Skyline trail is open to everyone including motorcycles & is part of the Great Western Trail. The climb including a few on the road is about 9 miles & 4K’. Most of the narrow single track is chunky as chit but the views are usually spectacular & the DH on Ben Lomond trail is as old school as it gets, also narrow, exposed & steep. I heard it had recently been brush cut which was one of my motivators & the fact that it would be a quiet place on a Saturday.

Looking down valley after the first series of switchbacks. Good that it was cool today as this first section gets lots of sun.
View attachment 177906

After crossing the ridge Ben Lomond peak makes an appearance along with North Ogden 5K’ below
View attachment 177907

Chilly Peak rest stop
View attachment 177908

Dirtbiker passing the intersection to Ben Lomond trail, this is as high as I rode
View attachment 177909

Still some chunk on the DH
View attachment 177910

Spring hangs on up high
View attachment 177911

2/3rds of the way down. Some of this winds through some of my favorite ski touring terrain. Only saw one hiker & his dog on the way down & no moose but lots of moose tracks.
Air quality diminished by the time I was down.
View attachment 177912

Probably 5 miles on each end were on the road to make it a loop
View attachment 177913

You're back!
I am not happy to hear that there is another fire in the northern Sierra!

 

[Tony S]

Perfect fun day at Kingdom Trails (VT). I've been such a slug since Covid, felt good to have a real workout. Weather sublime, as is so often the case in September in New England. (By far the best month to visit.)

In this photo: @Wending , me, and our photo bombing friend Patrick.

 

[4ster]

You're back!
I am not happy to hear that there is another fire in the northern Sierra!

Mother Earth is pissed off!!!

 

[Erik Timmerman]

Nice jersey Tony.

 

[Tom K.]

So, did it pedal a little softer while closed with the spacer out?

Nope. Still uber-stiff. But despite this perceived flaw, it's worth noting that I set three PRs on ~ one hour long CDT sections outside Butte MT this weekend -- 3 minutes, 2.5 minutes and 2 minutes. This is a fast, smooth bike!

Fox shock in the house. Should get it on and out for a spin tomorrow. Stay tuned!