Weekend MTB Rides

[Catrin]

Indysteel, sorry to hear you were feeling so bad - it was HOT and this level of heat is just brutal - my body appears to tolerate trails much better than roads in this heat but hot is hot. We got started shortly after 10 on Limekiln. There was a 6 year old with us so we took a good number of breaks along the way and at the turn around. We finished about 11:15 - which is pretty good time for ~5 miles, especially with all of the breaks.

I had my first half-azz endo. I am not sure, but I think I got distracted by something on the edge of the trail that I didn't remember and wound up grabbing a handful of front brake while, of course, riding at the odd dip in the trail. Unsure, but that is the only reason I can think of why my bike stopped moving and I didn't

It wasn't a full going-over-the-handlebars but I did get airborne and landed on my right side. As I fell there was a shooting pain across the middle of my back and I made enough noise that Limewave and the other woman we were riding with heard me and came back - at that point I was taking up the rear.

My language would have made a sailor blush briefly at that point for which I apologized - I don't ordinarily talk like that, especially around children. I took my time getting up to make certain nothing was broken (there wasn't), and while I will have some spectacular bruises later I think - and I may have strained my right pectorial (muscular soreness/slight pain in my right breast), there doesn't seem to be any real damage. Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!

The rest of the ride after that was great and I am pleased with how I did. There are certainly somethings I need to work on - one-legged drills on the trainer will help my climbing I think - but I am comfortable riding solo next week assuming I can work out all of the soreness that will likely come

Oh yes, and I managed to ride the entire trail in the middle chain, last year I wasn't quite fit enough to leave the granny

[indysteel]

Owie, Catrin. I sure hope you're okay. Did you hit your head at all?

On a happier note, my pedals came today. They're prett cool! Not so sure about the shoes though. My toes went kind of numb. I might try the Karvers after all. I have to get the Guides cleaned up to return them if possible. They're just a little dusty.

[Catrin]

Owie, Catrin. I sure hope you're okay. Did you hit your head at all?

On a happier note, my pedals came today. They're prett cool! Not so sure about the shoes though. My toes went kind of numb. I might try the Karvers after all. I have to get the Guides cleaned up to return them if possible. They're just a little dusty.

I think my head/neck are fine - don't think I hit it - I wound up on my side so that was a blessing. That was part of the reason for my colorful language, I remembered the LAST time I had a hard fall - but there doesn't seem to be anything more serious than perhaps a slightly strained muscle. Time for a nice long hot shower now - I wanted to get home before the heat of the day.

Hopefully you won't have any problems trading the shoes, keep us posted on how things go. I have somewhat narrow feet myself, and every ride tells me I need to do something different with my feet.

[solobiker]

No riding for me for several weeks due to back issues. It flairs up every so often and puts the breaks on pretty much everything...except for hiking. Grrrrrr. It makes work as a therapist quite challenging. I am enjoying reading about all the fun you guys are having though.

[Catrin]

Weekday mtb camping vacation felt like the weekend

My crash last Thursday when testing to see if the laws of physics were still operational had consequences... Wasn't sure if bent boob and bruised muscles would allow me to ride but took Jamis Dakar and gear just in case

Monday: no riding, didn't even consider it - 1.5 hour mtb trail hike instead.
Tuesday: TRIED to ride the road inside the campground. Uhuh, riding position too painful, 3 hour mtb trail hike instead.

Wednesday: 4 hour mtb trail hike (mixed with pruning sticker vines that stick out over the trail) AND succeeded in riding a 1-mile beginner trail without pain, repeated it and finished with pain. End of riding for Wed.

Thursday: Back to beginner trail - no pain. Rode it twice Rode another trail connected to it - no problem - even better! Rode a portion of a trail connected to that one up to the road and took that back to my car. Wooot! An entire 4-5 miles when I could barely tolerate 2 miles the day before.

Wait, it got better than that After an hours break or so for lunch and rest, I took my bike to Limekiln - I love that trail and can't say why since it's tried to kill me a couple of times - and rode THAT one with no problem or pain. It is an out and back that is just under 5 miles combined. The trails were so dusty that every part of me that wasn't covered with clothing had dust/dirt by the time I was done. Even the inside of my ears and the holes on my HRM watch strap! It was fun, but man-oh-man do we need rain.

Boob is still a bit bent, muscles still a little tender, but I rode close to 10 miles today on the trails and I will take it I am also figuring out that roots and rocks make me far less nervous than those dratted switchbacks, but I did make some progress on that today. I decided I don't like the North Tower Connector for those familiar with the park, I think because it has more climbing than the other trails I can ride. I need to pay this trail more attention. I walked more on that trail today than I've done in a long time - which seems odd because the NT Loop is easier for me and I would have thought that to be the more difficult trail.

[Artista]

Finally got back on my favorite trails today after being tied up with business activities for the last 10 days. It felt sooooo good!

I've had absolutely no time for exercise and was a little worried that I wouldn't be quite as strong on the hills today. Fortunately, my exercise hiatus had no impact on my strength. I rode a long, steep, rocky, hill all the way to the top without stopping today for the first time.

We heard a rattle snake under a bush about 4-6 feet off the trail today. Fortunately, no snakes were lounging ON the trails today. Rattlers seem to be having a very good year this year judging by how many we've seen, heard, and heard about over the last few weeks.