Happy Monday

The executives stepped in...

Happy May Long...

Happy Wednesday

Sorry for the lack of anything. Been busy. This might be the last music video posted. Cause lets, face it. It's lame.

I might start writing from the heart on how life is on the road, or in the shop.

That would be fun *wouldn't it?



*that was sarcasm. hope you recognized the sarcasm..

Happy Monday

Last Roll Before I Go

A quick meet up with Jason at the former parking spot in Mill Creek Ravine. He met me mid-ride and we scurried down into the ravine enjoying the fine trail conditions that exist.

Nothing too much to report.

Trails were great.

Company was great.

Bikes are pretty great.

Here are some Strava tracks to help tell the story.

I have to start packing. See ya kids!

Another Staff College Start (Eye roll)

Been a short stint of days off and readership numbers have been unreal. Thanks kids. It was down last work stint and  I'm sure it will be down again for the next three weeks as I will do nothing but post music videos and the occasional bike video. No beer reviews have been pre-written so it will be dry. I notice that you notice and apologies as I volunteered for this overtime so it's all on me.

Tomorrow will be the last ride hopefully with longtime brethren member Jason. On my end it will be short but just a last kick at the cat.

Today, yet another start at the Staff College. A spot that is starting to be my new Mill Creek ravine old school spot. Although you do miss the chance at Mustang and the climb up, plus the thrill of the Cameron Heights paved is an exhilarating adventure, that there will kill this newfound spot of starting bike rides possibly.

But it's just a rumour. Don't listen to that shit kids.

Incredible riding today where I thought I would have the valley all to myself. I laughed menacingly to myself in the Jeep mirror the whole drive down as I was that enthused about being alone down there today.

Not quite the case.. Looks like the schools had a day off. Not sure what was going on as kids and adults helped fill the trails making a very quiet Monday look like a slow Saturday. It was all good as everyone's moods were high up given the conditions and the weather.

I skipped the crossing into Oliskew and rode Firemans backwards because I'm a stupid fucker. Once up top I rode the streets right into the mouth of Selkirk Knights. The Moots and the new tires handled everything incredibly well and my love and admiration for this trail went up a good solid ten points today. My favourite trail in Edmonton? Starting to think about raising that banner.

I did screw it all up as I hit a pussified section to avoid a hard climb and quickly found myself away from the hard techy singletrack. quickly kids and moms with strollers on a multi use path serving the John Jantzen Nature Centre infiltrated the area and I knew I mad a big mistake. I could have turned back but me and Kent rode up the hard way yesterday so in a weird way I found it justified.

I should have turned around.

Fort Edmonton multi use and Flat Pete took me back to Terwillegar where back in the trees it was an out of body experience. Unreal riding in the singletrack on an unreal bike took me back to the Jeep.

Happiness level. Through the roof.

* Lots of errors on yesterdays ride via my dumb mac computer that is supposed to help but just makes me look dumb. Think I got most of them but another post is going down creating a segway for a whole bunch of more autocorrects.

Under the Bridge (a music themed ride)

A rare occurrence where I wore a concert shirt on a ride as I'm scared to death of wrecking them.

Kent met up and Iron Maiden's Eddie took charge on the singletrack. We started up at the Staff College parking lot which is quickly becoming my new favourite place to start rides. A stones throw away and your on Go Trail in Terwillegar and quickly your engulfed in singletrack orgasms much akin to taking a triple shot of heroin.

Again... Sorry about all the drug references. How else does one whose never done hard drugs explain the amazingness of the trails?

We exited Terwillegar and soon found ourselves on the unflowy Logarithmitic. (I keep spelling it wrong, if they gave it an easier name it wouldn't be a problem.)

Some suggestions:
Log Jammin (that's maybe too porno.)
The Log Ride (too simple?)
Logariffic.
Logs a Plenty.
Penny for Your Logs?
Log Drivers Waltz... < Oh my Lord. That right there is the winner! Let's petition EMBA or IMBA and have them change the name! Any proper self serving Canadian can get behind that name.

So anyways... Flat Pete was ridden with no surprises other than seeing a lot of people on the trail. Mostly young mountain bikers and a grumpy old man out for a walk.

We decided to skip Selkirk but she pulled us in near the end as we were rolling on the paved below. The treacherous climb up had me in tears yet as always the trail had me intrigued like a catholic school girl discovering cigarettes. I think I might head back tomorrow..

Farmers daughter was ridden and that is where we both admitted to having Iron Maiden stuck in our heads all because of the shirt. That's pretty fucking kick ass now isn't it? Red Hot Chili Peppers Under the Bridge kept popping up too as discussion of going under the bridge at Whitemud to head back to the starting point. Quickly after Under the Bridge was passed it was back to Iron Maiden and it was pretty great.

We passed through Farmers daughter and I was in an area of Whitemud where I started riding bikes in nineteen ninety two. Fack me... I'm old. The memories came flooding back all thanks to Kent and it will certainly be a place that will be visited again.

Trails you ask? All good. So crazy how fast things dried out. There are wet spots in the usual wet spots so you know what to do.

Suburbia took us back home.

*Kent Steeves photo credit. 3rd, 6th, 7th from the top.

Work Detox on the Shit Bike

 The theme for this summer riding season? Unprepared. I blame the last three weeks of work as the thought of bikes never even crossed my mind while in work mode. The sad thing is I completely missed the transformation from Winter to melt to open trail. One of my favourite parts of the year.

I had hoped to ride the Altitude for one last voyage as the official last ride last year was pretty lame. That is a bike that deserves more respect and it needs a good final outing. I went to grab it and forgot that the handlebar was off. With the Moots still needing a tire change via rim strips I resorted to the shit bike. Not a fun bike for singletrack now but it would do.

Starting at the Staff College I descended into the valley and found myself on Go Trail. One of the finest trails in the city. Was it the vibe of the bike that took away the awesome or was it the awkwardness from lack of riding?

The singletrack was mainly open and I wasn't feeling it. Sad.

I left Terwillegar and ignored Flat Pete and found myself on the Fort Edmonton loop. The deadly old school climb back up to Terwillegar was had where fatigue set in. I limped back to the Jeep on a shitty bike with worn out legs and tired lungs.

As for the trails. A good majority is open, although some spots can be a little spongy so please don't be that guy. Stay off the muddy trails. Lot's of mud tracks through the soft stuff.

Beer Friday. Lost Coast Brewery, Tangerine Wheat.

Hey folks, how you doing? After a three week stretch I am back for another instalment of Beer Friday written live! Wow. How cool.. Imagine that? No pre-done beer review saved for a later date.. This one is written on the night of. Just like the old days!

So how you all been doing?

Been fine, huh?

Getting out on those bikes and riding around the river valley whilst my pimply, pasty white ass was slaving away?

That's good. Not jealous one bit...

Seriously happy for each and every one of you..

No feelings of ill contempt here.. Nope. Not one bit.

Guys... Gals, I'm fine.. Can we move on?

The entire beer review staff is here and pumped to bring you this beer from Eureka California. A brewery that has been on here most recently in a review where spelling errors via a Mac computer due to auto correct had me looking at some mean texts from a close brethren member. Tears were shed and I moved on.

So I won't bore you with brewery and city details. We will go straight to the pour. Roxanne. Our new head beer pourer from Alabama joins our crew and she poured a big headed (it's ok, it's her first time and she was a little nervous) murky golden beer that filled the room with the sweet smell of tangerine. Have I mentioned yet that this is an amazing Led Zeppelin song?

As per the Lost Coast website this one is recommended for pool parties and laid back summer relaxing and after every sip I got the notion they were going for. This fucker was strong with the tangerine kids.

The first sip was.. You guess it. Tangerine! With a beautiful night out there I should have reviewed this on my patio with the laptop enjoying every sense this beer is worth instead of the dark and dungy beer review lab. Damn... I should have planned ahead.

The tangerine is the obvious overwhelming flavour in this one, some notes of... Oh fuck it. I'm not even going to try. Tangerine. Wait.. wheat!? There is wheat in here? Maybe, but tangerine is the main player in this delicious summer beer.

Get it. It's good.

This beer gets 3.5 suds out of 5.

Happy Sunday

Watch This...

Yes I know. Fifteen minutes is too much for our shortened thirty second, two thousand eighteen memory spans but its good. Really good!

The countdown to the next ride is next Friday. I'm back from a little trip down east and now have to finish off a round of nights in the shop. Apologies again for no content. Not even a beer review was done as I didn't know I'd be leaving.

Happy Tuesday

Happy Sunday

Things will be slow on here for a while.. Sorry kids.

British Columbia Baby!

So a car company made an actual somewhat decent bike video... Who knew? I'm sure brethren member Jason would be salivating heavily watching this. 

Pushing Flour Sacks

Sadly a day with high intentions had come to a grinding halt as my legs wanted absolutely nothing to do with pushing a bike around the river valley today.  The legs felt like two bags of flour wetted down  heavily with eggnog.

The plan was to ride from Kinseman to Hawerlak, cross the river and Laurier it back through Mackinnon the Groat Road Rollercoaster and back through my renewed romance with my lady Victoria.

A good plan right?

I made it to Hawerlak and decided I wanted out. The legs were giving me one hundred percent nothing. So I went up the lamest multi use in the area and climbed out next to End of the World and made Six Shooter my destination. 'At least a little bit of singletrack will make this somewhat decent' I thought to myself.

I entered Six Shooter and the small iced up areas had me throw the towel in quickly. It was all rideable but I was having none of that today. I exited and rode back with my tail tucked.

In the end. lame as hell but still better than couch time.

thumbs down to super hella fun singletrack