Have you done any dirt time lately?

[blackhillsbiker]

Our favorite dates are bike dates. We enjoy each others' company, love the scenery, and just generally have a great time. We sprung for 2 mtbs this year (last year's closeout models). Hoping to put lots of miles on them this summer. Hubby's last new bike was almost 20 years ago. It was time!

Deb

[limewave]

Bike dates are great! We used to do trail-running dates, but DH can run so much faster than me, we never saw each other except for the car ride there and back. Biking is different. He can pace me for awhile and we'll have a fun time together, then we split up for awhile riding our own pace. It's fun.

We have a couple of biking weekends planned over the rest of the year. We haven't quite figured out babysitters yet, but I'm sure it will all fall into place

[HermitGirl]

Hi ~ I'm somewhat new (again) to TE, and this is the first post on the mtn bike forum as of yet. I am dipping my toes into the water of cycling again (use to road and trail), and well, as I've got a dog to run, and I live in the backwoods, I figure, though it may be physically more challenging to do so, I would start 'back into riding' on my mtn bike. Just little tiny rides for now, baby steps all the way baby. In a few moments I am going out for a little spin, run the dog, and work it out. Wish me luck !

[Harley]

Dirt time with the dog is the best. I started trail riding again just to exercise the dog. Just start slow, for both you and the dog. I found a nice flat trail loop out to a river and back, about 5 miles total. It's perfect, but when we started, we'd do half the loop. On the steeper trails I'm not against walking the bike, and if its if'y technical stuff I'm still walking. Keeping it about being in the woods, letting the dog run, until the skills kick in.
You'll have a great time!

[HermitGirl]

Dirt time with the dog is the best. I started trail riding again just to exercise the dog. Just start slow, for both you and the dog. I found a nice flat trail loop out to a river and back, about 5 miles total. It's perfect, but when we started, we'd do half the loop. On the steeper trails I'm not against walking the bike, and if its if'y technical stuff I'm still walking. Keeping it about being in the woods, letting the dog run, until the skills kick in.
You'll have a great time!

why THANK YOU ! THe truth of the matter, getting the dog is primarily how I got out of cycling , 5 years ago. I can now make it all about why I can get back into cycling. Our GermanShepherd dog just turned 5 and she is very athletic, we seem well matched, she running, and me just out of shape riding slow.

[HermitGirl]

On the steeper trails I'm not against walking the bike, and if its if'y technical stuff I'm still walking. Keeping it about being in the woods, letting the dog run, until the skills kick in.
You'll have a great time!

Though once long ago, I use to angst over riding the techy spots, I don't anymore. Why? I mean, if it's just about me riding (and the dog) for fitness, heck... hiking uphill pushing a bike is exercise too !

[forestbiker]

I got out on some dirt today with this:


I can't resist showing her off!

[Harley]

NICE BIKE ForestBiker!
I did about 8 miles today. Single & double track nice rolling trail with a few hills thrown in. Beautiful riding thru the balsamroot in bloom...trail lined with yellow. Thunder storms this afternoon, but I didn't melt in the rain shower. My bike is a bit muddy.

I have a long ride planned for tomorrow!! Yippee, I love the weekends.

[limewave]

That is a fine looking bike!

I got in 11 miles last night. All single track. The first time I went out by myself. I thought I would be more anxious and tense than I normally am, especially on a technical trail. But I actually felt really relaxed. It was the most confident ride I've ever had. I loved it!!! I'm definitely doing it again next week on my "free night."

[Veronica]

I went out for my first dirt ride in more than year yesterday. We did a short out and back at Black Diamond Mines. It's a "fire road", but it hasn't been graded yet this year since the cows are still grazing out there. It climbs 1,000 feet in 2.7 miles. There are a few flat sections and some slight downhills on the way up. It's a hard work out!

Veronica

[crazycanuck]

Friday Dirt time has been put on hold for the past two weeks . Group assignments, papers etc have been a bit more important than dirt. I've only been doing smidgen road rides this week & last..must get assignments finished...

Tomorrow & sunday are dirt time though this week..ahhhhh

Next week's looking sweeter

[Aggie_Ama]

I have done so much dirt time my bike finally needed a tune-up! My husband bought it for me last July but I only had about 20-30 miles on it. Now it has over about 160 which is quite a bit in trail miles. I did my first race 2 weeks ago, finished 10/12 but had a lot of fun. I am going to work on my technical skills before the fall and probably do some more races. Should be getting a lot of dirt time, our women's weekly series just started.

[Harley]

Sundays dirt ride was a 20 mile out and back on forest service roads. 2 friends joined me for the ride on an old washboard dirt road along the upper Chewuch River. It was supposed to be a loop ride, but the FS gate was closed at a stream crossing because of "salmon spawning". The stream was also running way too high and fast to ride, not wanting to disturb the salmon we went back the way we came. Fun fast ride back, shocks worked great smoothing out the road.

We also saw an osprey catch a fish in the river! Fantastic!

I've been riding dirt every other day, mostly to exercise the dog, but also solo adventures after work. What a Kick!!!

Congrats on your first race Aggie Ama!

[tzvia]

"...osprey catch a fish in the river!"

LOL out here I am lucky to see a crow eat road kill, which is what I saw MTBing today. Actually, I think a hawk caught it and dropped it, as it was circling above the crow as it pulled what appeared to be a rabbit or opossum apart, right on the edge of the trail. Good ride though, I added about a mile of constant climb to the beginning. Normally, I drive up part of the dirt road, and park right where the gate is, but today, I parked at beginning of the road. The trail just goes up and up for the whole first mile; it was hot and I had to stop once under a tree to recoup. From where I normally start, the trail climbs and descends like a rollercoster for the whole ride. So at the end I get a reward of a great downhill all the way to the car WOOOOOHHOOOOO. That is the part I like, sometimes gravity is your friend

[sundial]

Forestbiker--did you go over that log?

Aggie--I think mtb'ing agrees with you. You know you've reached a milestone when you need a tune-up of the shocks.

I want to ride the trail but when I want to go it's either a)raining like crazy and the trail is too muddy or b)there's a wind advisory and I'm afraid the danglers from the ice storm will come crashing down on me. Instead, I have been riding the gravel roads and taking in the scent of honeysuckles.