A Bit Too Ambitious

So the snow is finally getting to my head. It's starting to effect my judgment... I'm going stir crazy. My bike is starting to speak to me in words and languages that I no longer understand. I'm loosing that precious connection with the dirt, and even worse - with my bike.
OK - you think that I'm kidding? I rode Dakota Ridge today. Yup... I acted against my better judgment and rode some trail today. I've always avoided trails when muddy due to trail damage issues - and avoided trails when icy due to avoidance of injury. Dakota Ridge definitely had both.


I arrived at the trail head and assumed (hoped) the conditions wouldn't be that bad - there were lots of hikers coming down from the hogback. About 30 seconds into my ride, I realized it would be a mud and ice battle the whole way. All of the North and East facing trail was mud and slush/snow, while the West and South facing trails wasn't too bad. I managed to ride it all (ride? more like hike and ride), and was able to play on the Commencal a bit (I need to name the bike - any suggestions?).

I've seen the studies about the impact that hikers have on trails (100 times worse than bikes) and can see it first hand on days like today. It's a shame to see hiker ruining trails... and then blaming Mountain Bikes... Why is it that mountain bikers seem to ALL understand trail etiquitte and ALL hikers don't???



I guess I shouldn't bitch about it - I was on the trail today... being bad, but feeling good.





Today's words of wisdom -
Clean your chain like you clean your teeth, each link is like a tooth - each link needs to be cared for like it was your only link.
Love your chain, clean your chain, love your chain, clean your chain, repeat...
Replace your chain.