Wow, it’s been a loooooooooooooong time since I’ve posted anything. That comic post was an oh-shit-I-haven’t-posted-in-three-weeks post. I was trying to find a different cartoon of Andy Singer where a man dressed in military fatigues is riding a bike with a flag that says support the troops. We have it posted on our counter by the register and a lot of people comment about it. If you want to see Singer’s work go here.
Vacation, yes I had a great vacation in SG and Brian Head. I got to see some of you, others I missed due to variables out of my control, but there will be a next time… I spent four days at Brian Head and rode one trail per day. Day one we did Blow Hard. My father, two brother-in-laws and I went. The trail was soft, dry and dusty as hell. There was about 3″ of dusty powder on the trail, good ride. Next we did Dark Hollow. I hadn’t ever done this trail. I think it is my new favorite Brian Head trail. The steep, technical descents were perfect for my riding style. One of my bro-in-laws bailed for this ride so it was just three of us. After we exited the singletrack there is a fast, steep, loose descent down to the highway. My bro-in-law blew his front tire and went down quite hard. He ended up with a large patch of road rash on his elbow and a bruised hip. Due to this crash, the next day we were two. My dad and I rode Bunker Creek from Brian Head peak, a great ride. We always do this last one when we are camped at Duck Creek. Day four I met Bryce and Cimarron at Navajo Lake and we jumped on the Virgin River Rim trail. We rode from the bottom of the lake up to the Dike trail and came back down to finish off with Navajo Lake Loop.
After this last ride, we went through Zion National Park and into Springdale where we ate at the Pizza and Noodle. Just as we were about ready to take off, a thunder storm moved in. Of course, we had to sit and watch it from the back deck. I love rain and being in a place as beautiful as Zion when there is thunder and lightning, well that just kicks ass.
Sunday was my last day on the mountain. Monday and Tuesday I subjected myself to the heat of the desert. Damn I miss the desert. Bryce and I rode the Zen trail Monday morning early. This was another first for me. It was a good trail missing a little balance and flow but fun because it is new. Bryce and I took turns taking pictures. I haven’t seen any of these yet on his sites but I suppose he is busy and will get to it soon. I still need to get all my pictures from this trip up as well so I can’t complain too much. Day two in SG was a trip to the Barrel Roll. Danny accompanied us. Good, fun and fast and it wasn’t even dusty thanks to the rain we had the night before. It was really hot.
I came back to the Polar North of Hell Tuesday night. It is hot here as well. Wednesday we did the Alliance ride. It was just me and my ad guy from the Herald Journal. He hadn’t been on a bike for three years so we did the benign trail, Green Canyon. As we were riding up the rode to get to the top a couple passed us. We weren’t ever too far behind them, as I saw them a couple of times as we came around corners and there was a straight shot for a moment. Ahead of those two there were four racer guys. We made it to the gate at the top. As you who have ridden with me know, I am not a fast climber. I don’t really want to be and climbs aren’t the reason I ride. I like to descend. I consider myself an able descender. The racer guys headed out first, then Kevin and I. I stopped three times to wait for him to make sure he didn’t miss any of the singletrack. I caught the racers before the first time I stopped, but then never saw them again. We bombed the trail, even Kevin was moving and I was waiting less and less the farther down we got. After we made it to the trail, had removed our shoes, had a granola bar and begun to rack the bikes, the couple that had passed us going up finally made it into the parking lot. The male of the two immediately, in an arrogant tone said, “What did you guys not ride any of the fun trails and just come down the road?” I replied, “No, we ride as much singletrack as we can.” He seemed a bit put off and then continued towards his car. This little interaction shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did I suppose. The problem is that this is how most people act up here. It’s always a race and if you aren’t as fast as someone else then you shouldn’t be riding. This asshole assumed that because he had passed us going up that he would be able to drop us on the descent. Well we beat him by about five minutes plus three stops.
Due to this, and other occasions that were all too similar, I’ve decided that the Mooseknuckler Alliance is going to add a little something to its purpose. We are the home of people who just like to ride. If you have an arrogant streak and think that riding is all about seeing who is fastest, then your a dumb ass and not welcome. I’m sick of bike snobby people and the Alliance isn’t going to put up with them anymore. Riding should be about camaraderie and enjoying nature not seeing who has to over compensate the most.
Anyways, like I said it shouldn’t have bothered me as much as it did but there are too many of these people up here.
Peace. Love. and Revolution.
