Sunday, May 21, 2023

Ditch the Housecoat, Ride the Rocky Mountain



A bike ride on a rarely seen bike on these here parts as the Rocky Mountain lived again for another day. You see kids, me and the Altitude have had a high school on again off again relationship for the least five years. it means well but keeps breaking. The bike still feels good tonight as I took some corners hard and the way the rear suspension pushed me through is kind of a sexy feeling. 

I think on here I said goodbye to this bike last year so some may be confused as you should be but this is Lonebiker damnit and it never really made sense now did it? 

Now shut the hell up and read. 

This ride had to happen. I have been stuck in my housecoat since Thursday afternoon. Moping around with that lower lip pout that I am sure now makes my entire family want to consider murder.  This has been a hard set of night recovery and it took every ounce of being to get me out the door but in the end I am quite glad I forced myself. 

Yes it is still smokey and probably unhealthy but this ride had to happen kids. Fort Saskatchewan was the destination as it is an aerobically easy place to ride a mountain bike. It was the last time parking at the boat launch as I headed towards Turner park immediately and was delighted to see the bridge construction (although still ongoing) was a non issue as the bridge was put back and the trail was officially open again. Weird cause the bridge crossing over the river is still not open, it had barricades and looked finished as I rode by. On the return route a group of teenagers were in the middle of the bridge just hanging out 'those crazy kids just jumped over a closed construction barricade' I thought to myself as I rode by. 

Teenagers are so cool.

The bike felt great, it is now ten years old which is nuts. An end to end rebuild from Kent happened with donated parts from various folks making me wonder if  I have become a charity project. Whatever I say and enjoyed the hell out of the bike tonight and appreciated everyones input and effort in getting this bike back to proper ride shape (especially Kent obviously.)

The bike ran great although (yes, insert sigh here) some skipping issues happened on the power climbs which made me not trust the bike too much. 

See? on again off again with the Rocky Mountain. The Moots is 100% awesome 24/7, as well as the new Octane One gravel bike (despite its crippling ways.) 

The ride was great besides the overwhelming fatigue. A close call with a kid would've ruined the day as his face was millimetres from my left handlebar on a blind corner meet. Those east side trails from the boat launch have become ridiculously busy these days, careful out there kids. 


what a stupidly busy cockpit, i mean come on now

ye old bridge is back, hooray ye old bridge, turner park parking or die next ride


Roots Bloody Roots

I had stepped out of the recluse zone for a coworker post Friday singletrack extrevaganza.  Hold on... thats two "extravaganza's&qu...