Beer on a Monday Afternoon. McAusian Brewing, St-Ambroise Érable

After a shitty few days of lack of riding it looked like today was going to be my redemption. It all started when a ride on Saturday came to a screeching halt after my derailleur cable had finally taken itself up upon the sweet path of death. What was shaping up to be a great ride and subsequently a ride on Sunday with a long lost brethren member turned into nothing. An attempt by myself to change the cable proved to be the disaster I had expected.

I suck at fixing bikes.. Been 20 something years and many attempts in vain.

The failed brake bleeds.

The failed derailleur adjustments.

The half ass "big bike cleans" that always warranted some sort of mechanical issue in where a wheel will go flying across my basement and crashing into a wall followed by some enraged yelling.

So with Kent throwing his cape on I had the bike over at his place and I watched in Gobsmacked fashion as he fixed the problems I made and had the bike running properly within an hour.

Today was designated ride day. All was great until I went outside after not believing the weather network phone app calling for freezing rain and finding it raining cats and dogs (I'm so sorry p.e.t.a) so I sat threw the idea of riding out.

So I stayed home safe and sound and started cleaning up to impress the chick I live with. (typed with Rayban sunglasses on.) The cleanup ended once I saw the St-Ambroise Érable peering out from the back of the fridge I knew what was happening. The clean up was suddenly replaced by some good old classic Monday afternoon boozing brought you you by freezing rain!

I poured (cause I was all by myself) and it gave me (the photographer, again cause I was all by myself) a beautiful image of a darkened festive beer that will pick up my biking blue ball spirits. A two fingered head cause of the perfect pour (it was all me baby) pandemonium from the small crowd of people that had formed in my room once they heard a beer review was going down.

The first sip was met with a hard motherfucker of a bitch slap across the face full of Canadiana. Hell ya Quebec! You know how to brew a good Canadian craft beer. A strong but tolerable showing of maple with the usual suspects in a good craft beer, Caramel, toffee, brown sugar and some delectable earthy hops. I can call this a Christmas beer as it seems to have everything when you shut your eyes, sip and fantasize. Yep, that red suited fat bastard is right beside me doing jello shots.

This beer gets 4 suds out of 5.

Fat Tire Redemption

After bitching incessantly last set of days off about fat bikes pretty much being useless it appears the Winter Gods overheard and gave a powerful Winter blast to the Edmonton area. None of this is news to you if your local but for the ones who come here from out of the province the snow fell pretty hard last weekend when I was away for work.

The Instagram posts got me excited for my return and the snow did no disappoint. The start from Old Timers into the Old Timer trail systems had things packed down reasonably well. I stayed away from Gnome trail and took the regular trails to the mighty Dudley B Menzies bridge and crossed and punished myself on the paved as I rode the stretch of River Valley Road.

I finally got retribution and climbed (walked) up the side of the former museum and soon found myself on Lovers Trail? Is that the name? I thought it was Groat Road Rollercoaster? When did the name change and why do we have to name every single trail in the the river valley? *intern leans in "it's probably so people can identify trails to ride and communicate that to others..."

Ahh.. Fair enough. Makes complete sense. But why the constant name changes?

I did fire that intern immediately.

The trails on Lovers Trail or whatever it's called were a tad rough due to lack of traffic. It was rideable for the most part but the steep climbs were quite challenging. A few other fat bikes were on it before just not enough to really pack things down.

The same can be said for Victorias Secret. Lots of loose snow which if not careful can really toss you around. The big tires proved their weight in gold on the trails and instantly today I regretted all the bad things I said about fat bikes.

My bike ruled the roost today and it was pure joy.

If your on the fence on getting a fat bike make yourself a way to get one. It won't be a winner everyday but is still fun to ride and when it is extra spicy on the snow front. They are more fun than seven midget hookers, a slingshot, and a pound of cocaine.

Beer Friday. Alley Kat, Buena Vista Brown Ale

A beer review instead of a bike ride write up? I guess we will let that happen. A bike ride failure was the order of the day after a flat tire with no spare tubes and not even a patch kit sent things into a panic this morning over at lonebiker headquarters. A flat tire you say?  No big deal bro! By the time I got a kit and was back repairing things were too late as a hot date Was in the cards later today.

Today’s local brew from Ally Kat was picked up wih a renewed sense of excitement. It’s been a while since Ally Kat has been on here and seeing this one perched up in the confines of the cool rack’ of the local beer store. You know that area. The area in the beer cooler where the hipsters hang out.

We poured this one into the Hardcore mug and it showed off its darkened colour. A short half fingered head stood up top trying to intimidate the masses but sadly had no affect. This one had a smell of toffee and malted hops which invited our eager palates to the beer review table. Ivan, the lead sniffer on Lonebiker.com took a whiff and was pleasantly surprised. This has all the attributes of a true craft beer.

We tasted it and our mouths gave us a nice feel of toffee and peanut brittle. A warm touch of freshly baked bread and earthy hops were present. A tad watered down some could say but that seems to be the case in most beers like this. Is that just the way it is in brown ale craft beer world? I think so.

In the end, a pleasant one that will serve you well on a cold evening.

This beer gets 3.5 suds out of 5.

Happy Blog saved Monday

Way to go Mrs Lonebiker!

A Warning From the CEO of Lonebiker

With a Visa that was lost and subsequentely cancelled we may be offline again just like last year which happened for a day. The problem now. Im away for work and it is very hard to set this stuff up given the hours worked.

Panick mode has begun and I fired every executive and the entire financial team for this. It is now up to Mrs Lonebiker to help get this thing moving. So please don't be alarmed if you come here first thing when you wake up expecting more super hella amazing music videos or 12 kilometer bike rides.

It wont be a long shutdown if it happens, so need not be worried. The fate of this blog and all of biking humanity is now in my wife's hands...

Meanwhile. Enjoy this swell bike video.

Happy Friday

Fatbike for Sale

No. I'm not selling it. Just wondering on the point. These Winters are killing the glorious Winter bike season.

So if your wondering. Trail conditions are pure shit right now. The singletrack being the worst for obvious reasons. That being said. Everything is still rideable if you have the right equipment. If you have Schwalbe Ice Spikers you are a God/ Goddess of the valley.

The ride today. From Staff College to Fort Ed Footbridge and back. Go trail was ridden mostly. The iced steep ups and downs were punishing my 45N tires.

Beer Friday. Fernie Brewing, Java the Hut Coffee Milk Stout

Another Friday evening where day two of days off was had. No ride all thanks to Mrs Lonebiker having a birthday this weekend which forced me to take the afternoon and shop for elaborate gifts that one who runs a rich and successful blog can only afford. I know you must sit back and wonder what kind of things I look at when buying gifts for someone as lucky as Mrs Lonebiker can be to be married to such a fine gentile as myself.

Did that last sentence even make sense?

As I was leaving the Ferrari handbag store I thought how much fun it would be to act like a common person. You know... Much like Bill Cosby wonders....

Aww shit. Writers block. I swear I had something good with a Bill Cosby joke and I just lost my train of thought like some sort of heavy sedative was dropped in my drink.

Todays beer comes from Fernie brewing. Fernie, the home of absolute awesome has had their home brewery featured on here many a time. Java the Hut is their take on a milk stout

Head pourer, Agabail took control of the room and had this one opened and started filling one of the famed Lonebiker Beer review tester glass's.

The pour showed a dark brew topped off with an angry four and a half fingered head which was most likely the result of Agabail's poor pouring ability and she was promptly shown the door. Once the top settled down a nice frothy layer of foam hug the glass as if to say 'I love you.' A good scent of chocolate and coffee. Now... coffee I might add from one of my favourite roasters in Crowsnest pass where their Bushtown blend was used for the coffee process.

The tasting took place and the feedback was a bit mixed. For myself this one is a nice easy stout. The coffee bits are nice and easy. In a sense that they aren't slapping you in the face with each sip. The coffee combined with what I thought was chocolate milk was warming in a way that had me up in a ski lodge in the remote back country. This one is nice and easy to drink but make sure you have others backed up in your trusty beer fridge because you won't want more than one. It's not a bad thing, just the way this one was intended to be.

This beer gets 3.5 suds out of 5.

La Glace, La Plenty

A return to the valley on the start of days off where I almost called the ride once I entered Mill Creek ravine rolling on the sheets of ice that enveloped the paved trails. This was very typical as of late for the region as Winter is being a shy little bitch and doesn't want to show it's beautiful white puffy face.

I pressed on mainly on the paved and ended up downtown where Grey Cup festivities were happening.... Wait a minute? 'We are hosting the Grey Cup this weekend?' I thought to myself... This is living proof of how out of touch I am with Canadian football. Sorry no pics of the zip line or anything.,.. I just didn't care to get a picture to be honest.

Maybe tomorrow?

How about no.

I did make it back to the valley after getting eyed by annoying security guards in the area. The trails which few were ridden were a torrent of ice, wet snow, water, and pock marks of footprints frozen into the trail. A slightly fractured rib which I thought wasn't fractured showed itself on the climbs with the heavy breathing making things a tad uncomfortable.

I'll be honest. The conditions are pure shit right now. Here is hoping we actually get an actual Winter one day.

Happy Monday

Big Tire Days Return

Is there really a need for Fat bikes in the Edmonton area anymore? With a small dump of snow which came down a week ago by the time I got out the trails were more than packed down. I coulod have used any bike in the quiver and been fine. This seems to be the case for most rides nowdayas. Even in heavy snow with the amount of fat bikes out there the trails are packed and ready with a few days.

That thought was on my mind as I was out on a scouting mission to see how a very sore rib can handle things on a bike. I could have just rode locally but guys... Beaumont is pretty lame.

So the quick loop was done from OIld Timers to the Walterdale and back across the Low Level and than Old Timers again with a proper ending on West Coast trail.

Six kilometers isn't worth ride postingn but I took pictures kids.

Beer Friday. Payette. Pistolero Porter

Beer Friday done live on an actual Friday!? Do we wait for the nostalgic  Lonebiker Parade to roll through? A grumpy led procession  of sorts complimented with poor sentence structure and periods that end way the fuck over here          .

Oh I'll just be nicer to my old self. The grumpiness will keep coming though. I cannot control that. The first couple of days have not had any riding and I'm sorry. I did have a rib injury at work where it was diagnosed there is either a slight fracture or the muscle in the area is heavily bruised. The injury was not the real reason for the lack of riding, it was the lack of readiness the Winter bike is in. An emergency brake bleed was in order which included a handlebar change. Yes things are getting a bit narrower all for a good reason. So here is hoping a ride is coming soon. Breathing in heavily is quite hard with the ribs so we will see how it goes.

Payette brewing is located in Boise, Idaho. We are pretty sure this is the first time Payette has been on here but can't quite nail it down. Of course that would mean searching through the archives which none of us feel like doing right now. Not even those greasy interns.

Taken from the perennial series of beers from Payette. This one was aged twelve months in a barrel which has me on edge for the opening and first, second, and tenth sip...

The pour gave a very dark beer that poured into the glass with the mischief of an ancient Viking. A small head formed and was gone which evaporated into a lake of froth which sat on top of my glass eying me like a bad college professor eying his female students on a Friday night at the local pub.

Once we all settled down a sip was taken and I was quite taken back by the incredible that was happening in my mouth. Smells of sweet caramel and mountain almonds (does that even exist?) are evident. That first sip you ask? Dark chocolates and day old espresso. It hits your palate and then asks if you want more. 'Yes' you answer and boom. Toffee and roasted malts come at you.

This one is perfect for the current weather we are having. Wet, cool and shitty. Go on... Find this.

This beer gets 4 suds out of 5.

Happy Saturday

One badass song complimented by an incredible video.

This one right here is fullscreen watching with headphones only.

Fall is Falling Fast

A quick roll through Terwillegar this late morning had me thinking I should have been out earlier. The frozen mudded trails were good until I was midway on Flat Pete and the frozenness turned into grossness. My rear derailler pulley quickly plugged up and I started leaving tracks... gasp! I was one of those people!

Once off the singletrack I rode paved back. Although I did take that trail that runs parallel to the trees back cause it was rideable and momma never raised no pavement rider!

Well... I do ride a lot of pavement in murky conditions.

There ride was short but incredible. I don't want to go to work tomorrow now.

this bottle might still be sitting after the ladder bridge on f.p

The Altitude Let Me Down... Again

The ride today was supposed to be a gooder by any means necessary. Than at approximately the 3.84km mark my pedals spun and there was nothing. On a trail I really needed some forward momentum in areas (Machete) it never happened and I fell hard cause of it. Same thing happened in Fort Saskatchewan. I thought it was just the gunk collecting up.

Nope.. Guess not.

Here is a bit from the ride I wrote while I was able and not walking, riding down hills...

'The ride up six shooter was somewhat of a challenge. 4.5 rest breaks and a stop for a potty break marred the trip up. Well I guess it would have been marred it if I cared and was in a hurry.

The trails looked wet but were fine. A look outside this morning bred panic and after much deliberation with executives and brethren members it was decided to take the trail bike and smash some trails.'

Not sure why the text is so big. Anyways... A ride up Six Shooter and than Machete and it was over. Something to do with the freewheel I'm guessing. Funny how the expensive wheels I have bought over the years have never had problems...