Sunday, November 08, 2009

More shorts weather


If you are a mountain biker (or roadie) and live in the Northeast I hope you got out today because the weather was simply outstanding! Saturday morning was 23 degrees but this morning it was around 40 by 8 AM and it felt like spring. Given the circumstances of this weekend's events I was unable to get out on the trails until 2 pm Sunday but I still got out and had a great ride, in shorts of course. Fifth ride on Dillinger and while the bike is performing, my latest part edition is not. The seat mount on the carbon fiber seat post is a little problematic. It keeps moving back probably because my big behind, riding rigid, and it being too far back. I readjusted again and this time it seem to hold better.

I went to the spot where I took this picture, Houses of the Holy shot , last week but I was probably an hour too early. I had to settle for a shot atop a roller, the first roller I rolled with the Dillinger today. On the second lap I ventured onto a side trail that I haven't ridden in years. It was much better than the forest road with it's trap rock that makes riding through there always a bone shaking experience. It turned out to be nicer but it had a lot of obstacles from the recent forestry practises this past summer.

It seems with every new bike there are certain events in which are engrained in your mind, like your first endo. I tried riding over a stick only to have it break and chunk get stuck in the front spokes causing me to go over the bars. I reacted like I always do and way able to break my fall without any injury. I will probaby alway remember this event, just like I remember my first endo at Ninham on my Trek, then crash on my Giant AC, the endo on the Qball on the Rock and Roll Trail at Huntington, and the endo on my Iron Horse, also at Huntington, on the blue trail heading down to Southpond.

I am starting to get used to the abuse you take from riding rigid. Aluminum is definitely harsher but I can feel the power transfer with every stroke of the pedal. It's time to branch out and try some other trails with this bike. Maybe I will take it Grayville on Wednesday.

7 comments:

CB2 said...

I was just talking to someone from Hebron who has become quite fond of Greyville.
Not "Houses of the Holy", but quite a nice shot none the less.

Buck said...

The ECHO crew hit up g-ville over the weekend. It truly was a carpenter's dream.

Mark said...

Sounds like a perfect perfect combination: Carpenter's dream to go along with Single and Rigid!

Andre said...

Hi, Mark, this is the hiker from sunday, on poly brody. i tried to find upper gussy from sanford road today, but couldn't even with a map. Do you highly suggest entering from pond brook?

Mark said...

Andre, you are now the second person who has attempted to find the trail but couldn't. If you are coming from Sanford Rd, take the Jeep Road in, the one blocked with rocks and a log. Go in about 200 or 300 yards until you find a rusted out gas can on your right. That's where the Gussy starts as single track.

If you start from Pond Brook, the trail starts on the other side of the bridge at that little parking area. Take that all the way up to the Poly Brody. Head west on Poly till you get to the top of the big climb. It's really steep during the first part and then shallows out a bit. At the top of that it opens to your right (south) and that starts the trail.

Along the trail you will see some green splotches of paint, sharp stones painted yellow, some red tape (don't follow that, it's by pass for horses that I never cut) and an occasional green tape on trees.

Once you are on the trail it's pretty easy to follow.

Let me know how you make out. Were you walking or riding?

Andre said...

entering these comments is giving my loads of grief. I found the uppergussy on wednesday, made it to the double cross. i would have loved to help make the trail.
Thanks Mark!

Mark said...

Andre, were you hiking or biking?

Keep in touch because I am thinking about extending the trail onto some town open space off of Sanford Rd.