Happy Thursday

Foote Field Scamper

A short ride that had the valley in mind by parking at Old Timers yet I stayed out and took Saskatchewan Drive and the University area all the way to Foote Field for a destination ride on a very shortened version.

It was cold, windy and crappy. Seriously nothing exciting to write about here. Just another notch in the belt as we move closer to dry trail riding.

Paved and Beautiful

With no ride plan in mind I just went.  Picking a starting point was the worst, I had deliberated each different and odd starting point that I could think of to try and make the ride different and in the end I came up with starting at Mill Creek.

Yes, Mill Creek, otherwise known as 'Ye Old Parking Spot' where years of riding had started at that point. The people and characters I have seen in that spot are quite memorable. I've seen full blown affair meet ups happen there, Countless mis-behaved dogs, legions of grumpy old men and women and in two thousand and seven a murder happened right there.

It is the best spot in the valley to start. That is my biased views on the Mill Creek parking spot. It's central and opens you up to Mill Creek ravine which eventually spits you out where countless other trails snake their way through the valley along the river. It's why almost everyone I know who rides has lived or wants to live in Mill Creek.

I took it downtown and rode the homeless route eastward and eventually found myself on the CN Rail main line riding alongside the tracks. Eventually I was in another new and boring Edmonton neighbourhood where the houses all have the same uninteresting look.

Not gonna lie. That neighbourhood depressed me and I was glad to have finally found the entrance to Hermitage park.

Finally, trees and no more shitty houses. Fuck ya.

The valley was ridden and I suffered on the southside valley climbs and finally left the valley for the final time and rode paved and scared back to Mill Creeks ye Old Parking Spot on Edmonton's still incompetent bike lanes. They came a long way but there are still some pretty big holes.

dickheads will be dickheads

i remember this fondly being a trail and not a home for a giant dickhead

Beer Friday, Clown Shoes Harpoon Brewery, Undead Party Crasher

Beer Friday returns after giving the entire Beer Friday staff a month off with a free trip to Prague cause I'm a swell boss. The goal was for it to be a team building experience and one of the executives impregnated three interns. Whoops! Something was sure building up all right.

So we are back after firing the executive and all three interns cause I don't like funny games being played. Boston is the home of this one. Clown Shoes opened.... Well I don't know. Their website is still under construction much like you would see the internet in the mid nineties. Where everything internet was being fixed or built.

This dark one has a nice touch added to this one. Holy Water. Did I read that wrong or am I the victim of a cruel joke. Holy water? You serious Willis? Well adding Holy water is pretty freaking cool so kudos to the fine ladies and fellas over at Clown Shoes.

We poured and we were treated with a dark angry beer that flipped us the bird as we set up for a photo or two. That right there made me check the alcohol percentage and just as I suspected. Nine percent. Will this one mask out the high alcohol?

The first sip was had and instantly we learned that this one will be for those with acquired tastes. The copper three and a half fingered head tried to warn us this one would be different. After a few sips it did grow on me. Dark fruit with what tasted like molasses and dark chocolate rounded this one out. Lots of flavours come at you with this one. After a few sips for some reason I felt like I smoked a cigar.

This one is thick and sludgy just like the bitumen that dripped on me while working last set in the mighty north. It's not for everybody, careful with this one. This would be the perfect after cold weather winter bike beer.

This beer gets 3.5 suds out of 5.

Rundle Recovery

Now what do you want me to say here exactly? It was a recovery ride from yesterday which to a real cyclist would not warrant a recovery ride but it's me so...

I parked in the land of the weird creepy old man and rode down into the depressing scene of Rundle Park. Is this the cities most depressing park? I'm thinking so. The refineries, the train noise and overall vibe do push this one into the gutter of Edmonton river valley parks.

Yet I still love it, no, not cause it has frisbee golf. It still carries that same vibe the rest of the valley does, just on a lower spectrum is all.

Surprisingly the legs held up on a short ride from the Science Park to Capilano walking bridge and back. A ride that almost didn't happen but it was Mr's Lonebiker who gave the encouraging texts which prompted me to fight through and ride. Believe me. I did not want this one bit.

In the end, it was quite nice. The win of the day was the Moots introduction to Twenty-Nineteen riding. Hell ya baby!

A Mix of Trees and Concrete

A Shit Bike ride from Mill Creek to Mackinnon and out into the city where a Kent Meet up was had where we toured the town a bit and rode that fun fucking funicular which by the way...  Just a heads up. Certain aspects of Edmonton's great funicular are really starting to smell like piss.

Yay! I love the public.

I tortured my new Ice Spiker tires on the paved trails and they held me up just fine on some sketchy spots in Mackinnon. The singletrack entrances looked inviting but on a closer inspection you can tell things are not ready. So please stay off kids. It won't be long now.

What's great about Kent is the impromptu meets that can happen. After getting the pic of the Groat Road bridge I checked my phone and with a simple text conversation that went like this:

K: Where you at? I'll be downtown around 4:15 at Iconoclast.

Me: At Groat bridge, I might swing up into town after Mackinnon.

K: coo.

The wording used was different but it was simple. No bullshit. We eventually met and rode around the city. We dodged homeless people, dicks in suits and crazy old women. With reprieve needed from the concrete jungle we funiculared (it's a word, trust me) it down to the Low Level and rode Mill Creek back to the Jeep where he went on his merry way back home.

A fine ride on a fine day.

this shit right here is serious kids

Happy Wednesday

Long Live the Strat

A meet-up with sir Kent on an urbanized explorer ride which had an intended destination in mind. The Strathcona Hotel. A fire on Friday night jeopardized an iconic Edmonton landmark and I had to go pay my respects.The only memory for me was going in as an awkward nineteen year old with a girl I had liked. A couple beers later and we were done. The bar was skanky but had an incredibly good vibe.

Kent’s memory was an off sale wine purchase and then a drunken back alley walk and drink to the Black Dog. It doesn’t get more Edmonton than that now does it?

The ride took us downtown and across the High Level where we eventually weaseled our way towards the poor old Strat. There she was. Scorned and torn.From our vantage point it looked salvageable. Yet with crooked insurance agencies and unseen hidden costs that place that sits there burnt and brave could very well be Edmonton’s latest lowrise luxury condo. Ughmmmph... I just threw up in my mouth. That building is older than Alberta and if it is gone...

In the end. The ride was great. A co2 cartridge and delicous coffee sponsered by Kent made the ride even better. Urban exploring is another giant "Fuck ya! Bikes are awesome" notch in the bikes are awesome belt.

A Rare White Bike Sighting

The white bike, aka the shit bike, aka, the unloved spushelized got the call today on a warm Spring day.

A ride from the upper reaches of Saskatchewan Drive, or was it Groat road? (Meh... Who cares.) down to the Terwillegar parking lot where I smiled at all the nice white people and left.

This was a very uneventful and boring ride. I could make up some story of how I was attacked by a pack of coyotes and drug into the forest where I fought them off but they eventually wore me down and won making me their captor.


But I won't...

Here is hoping for a more exciting bike ride before Monday evening.

Oh and by the way. Lots of muddy tracks heading into the singletrack. Please don't be a dickhead and ride the muddy trails. It doesn't make you hardcore. It does nothing for you except wreck the trails and your bike.

St Pat's Day. Destroy Your Fatbike Day

A Mill Creek themed ride that ended earlier than planned due to the warm weather.

The ride from the old school parking lot and up through Blue Man and into Old Timers with plans on staying alongside the mighty river until Andre's or something further came up. It was the warm snow that ended it. Sinking into the trail at times with my fat tires was enough for me. To think I was following a guy riding a regular bike in the warm snow and he was struggling. Yes, his tracks did fuck me up a little but I don't judge. That was literally me about nine years ago.

N ot a lot to get excited about other than just riding a bike. Missed out the last few days due to family commitments and such..

An Extended RT Loop

Good day on the bike. A Terwillegar shaped ride which was extended in Rio Terrace for a loop around some swanky houses.

Snow conditions were top notch but don't use this as info to ride yourself. It's warmer out now and things change hourly.

Go on... Who cares about the possible slush. Get out there kids.

*Sorry, limited time for this, hence a short write up.

Beer Friday. Peligroso, Chili Coconut Porter

Friday night for me, which is actually a Tuesday but I guess a Saturday as I came home yesterday from the north yesterday which was a Monday which means today was my Saturday.

In an odd sense, its Saturday. Yet I will have about six Saturday's in a row followed by one horrible Sunday. A Sunday that Monday to Friday people will not get. It's the day before leaving for site.

It's a sad one...

I'm really hoping that made sense. This job I am on will most likely be the duration of the year, all with the same company I was with last year, just a new field job and they were looking for hero's. I stood up and answered the call. "Did I just really sign up for this with no end in reasonable site!?"  Is something I have been thinking for the last few weeks.

It's not that bad but I did want to be around home for this stage in my career. Odd how I took a job at home to stay at home and I've been out of town for the majority of it.

Today we have a Chili Coconut Porter. Definitely something I would not pick up but was a gift from a good family member so we will review it despite the coconut and give the most anti-coconut-biased- review ever.

Well, we will try.

The pour was quite amazing. A super dark and powerful brew emanated from the aluminum confines of this otherwise unwanted beer can. The manly way it showed itself took up all there low traits of tasting of coconut (sorry kids, that is all me.)

But will it taste of coconut? Let's see..

Yes, the smell hits you once the brew is brought to the mouth. From trying to be on an outsiders point of view it is strong of coconut. The chili taste isn't quite there yet you get snippets of it as you take a sip.

The coconut is quite strong as per usual in anything flavoured coconut. I unfortunately do not like coconut one bit so this one was a bit of a hard pill to swallow. Besides the coconut I can taste... Well, all I can taste is coconut. Sorry kids.

If up are a coconut fan I strongly suggest this. If not, well you know what to do..

I'll be fair with the grading on this one for all you coconut lovers out there.

This beer gets 3 suds out of 5.

Miley Absloutely Destroys Say Hello to Heaven

The newfound respect for Miley Cyrus has grown leaps and bounds.

Wow!

A Ride Cut Short

A ride that originated near the Staff College where I dropped into Go Trail and eventually did the now Terwillegar usual Flat Pete and that terrible log trail that is actually fun to ride in the Winter because it has actual flow.

I debated on staying in the valley after realizing I had to make it for home fast as we had company coming earlier in the evening. I exited the valley and rode the old school way to get to Terwillegar through an army of big houses and white judgy soccer moms driving overpriced suv's.

The singletrack leading into the hills took me to Go Trail where I made my triumphant exit.

Today's highlights:

I got to ride a bike, and it was damn fun.

Epic weather conditions.

The snow could have been a bit better but I'm not gonna complain.

Absolutely nobody in the valley.

Today's lowlights:

None, I got to ride a bike you assholes! Why would you think it sucked in any way?

Well, the snow was kinda shitty. There I complained. You all happy?

Geez...

Beer Friday. Dandy Brewing, Lager.

A return from the north was made yesterday morning and I made it until two in the afternoon until I passed out for about an hour or so on the couch with snores that would probably scare away the combined Russian and Chinese armies if they ever invaded Canada.

Yes I am not a quiet sleeper and I am not proud of it. Nightshift only makes it ten times worse.

The ride today was a wash as my warmer Winter gloves were missing. I did not want to wear the lobster gloves as I knew my hands would probably die from the overbearing heat. The day was spent looking for my regular gloves and eventually the towel was thrown in and I went to M.E.C to get a new pair just so I could ride tomorrow.

Think I've said this before. I need to take better track of my shit.

Dandy Brewing, based out of Calgary was founded by three long lost beer should mates in two thousand and fourteen. The were beer enthusiasts and they found each other after high school. I can only imagine the moment was quite epic as they sat and discussed their quest to brew good beer.

Do we go on about Calgary? Meh... Go Oilers!

The pour gave a clear golden beer with a small one and a quarter head that didn't impress anyone in the room. Not even that shy new intern. Michael. The beer knows it was matched up against some heavy weights from the former Beer Friday lineup. It was scared and we knew it.

What makes a good lager in my opinion? Something that satisfies the palate in a way nothing else can. The old stand by's as being cool, crisp and refreshing are at the mercy of every lager. A good lager is for someone who works a good ten hour or more day and comes home and wants something refreshing. A huge number of the population does this, will Dandy brewing be up to the task of delivering?

The first sip was quite nice to be honest. It quenched the palate and was quickly followed up by a short burst of slight citrus aftertaste. The nose sense does give a slight hint to the citrus but I found the true taste was a frothy. Rice, earthy hops like beaten down Alberta Wild Rose seem to inhabit the flavour. This one is nice but when it comes down to it it is like all the rest.  Except for that aftertaste.

This beer gets 2.5 suds out of 5.