Wipe out at Wadworth

I wasn't planning on riding before the CT NEMBA chapter meeting but it was so beautiful out Wednesday morning that I quickly threw my Kona Unit on top of the car and my riding kit in the back - Carpe Bikem!

The Kona was rocking, despite the creaking bottom bracket, and thus I got going a little too fast when I hit a root at the start of a curve on the red trail and rode the pony into the ground!  My bike looked fine but what wasn't so hot was my elbow.  There was a nice laceration about 2 inches long but it wasn't bleeding too bad despite being on the Rat Poison.  I was actually surprised which told me that it was merely superficial and there was no reason to end the ride early.

Got some lacerations on my right leg, too, but nothing was really that painful except for my tail bone.  I hit that hard and thank god for helmets because I hit that too!  I bandaged myself up and kept riding!

 

Despite the cuts and abrasions we rode our basic route with some variation

Upon returning home I called my neighbor, who is a medical professional, to see if she could look at my arm and let me know whether I should go to the clinic to get some stitches.  She wiped it down with Hydrogen Peroxide a few times and then made some quasi steri strips and patched me up.  Looks like next time I won't be throwing caution to the wind and riding without my pads because if I had them I either would not have fallen or the only thing that would be hurting right now is my tailbone.

CT NEMBA Wednesday RAW @ Wadsworth

Wadsworth Falls SP is the perfect location for a quick 5 to 7 mile
after work ride.  There is some really great singletrack in there.

Al Tinti (r) rolling a Ti Carver 69er

This past Wednesday was CT NEMBA's monthly chapter meeting and we always ride before the meeting.  Al Tinti combined his weekly RAW (Ride after Work) event with our meeting ride. Wadsworth is so close to where we meet that it's only natural that we wide there.

After all the road riding I have done this week, 75K at the Bloomin Metric on Sunday and a 25 mile singlespeed commute on Tuesday I found that I had no climbing legs and was only able to ride half way up the Yellow Trail Climb, which is a dual track section littered with baby heads.

Art Roti

 Once bad thing about Wadsworth right now is there is a lot of poison ivy so when the group decided to head up to the nearby grammar school I passed and waited for them to return so I could get a few pix of them riding through.

Peter Finch

Al Tinti

This was the first time we rode the Taco Bell trail in the other direction and to be honest I think it's much better this way and going to have to do it again next time.

Didn't get his name but this is one of Al's RAW riders

 

While we overlapped some of the trails a few times we hit most of everything that Wadsworth has to offer.

Wintry Spring afternoon mountain bike ride

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!  It may be spring on paper but it still feels like winter!  And I wore shorts today, too!

The Connecticut Chapter of New England Mountain Bike Association had their first chapter meeting ride of the 2013 riding season at Wadsworth Falls State Park and it was definitely tights weather.

Of course it wouldn't be a CT NEMBA meeting ride if we didn't call in the pizza from the trail.

Since I arrived late I met Paula and Glenn out on the trail.  After calling in the pizza we headed over to the Taco Bell Trail.  We call it that because of the house next to the trail (pictured above) has a Mexican, Mission Style roof that reminds me of the original Taco Bells out west that were Mission Style with the terracotta roof tiles.

 

Then it was out the edge of the park and head back.  Wadsworth Falls is not a very big park but it's 5 minutes away from where we have our chapter meetings, so it's convenient.

Despite the cold I had a pretty good ride and that's all that matters.  The one thing I couldn't find was that unmarked file that goes from 4 Corners down to the Yellow trail.

Naughty Nurse Ride and the Raleigh XXIX

Rode the Naughty Nurse ... I mean ... the Raleigh at XXIX at Wadsworth State Park for the CT NEMBA Chapter Meeting RAW.  Got there early and went out to see how I could do on a Strava Segment that I created, called the 4 Corners Climb, but blew it on the final climb.  The rocks were just too much for me on the rigid.

I actually got almost a good 2 mile ride in before meeting up with Glen and Al to start the main ride.  We hit just about all the Single Track that Wadsworth has to offer and created some new Strava Segments along the way, like Alex's Trail Up and Alex's Trail Down, and of course our favorite trail, Taco Bell!  Al brought up an interesting point about Strava in that people are cheating to best everyone else on these segments by trying to take shortcuts and are making trail braids to shave time.  The other negative outcome is it identifies people who are riding illegal trails.  This got me thinking about that new trail braid on the Gussy that I discovered the other day ... I think you know what I will be doing this weekend!

Starting out, the Raleigh was performing really well but at about mile 3 the EBB started creaking.  On the way back from Taco Bell I dropped the chain.  So I took it easy for the rest of the ride.  I am going to try getting new pinch bolts, preferably titanium, otherwise I might have to get a replacement EBB, such as the Carver or the Bushnell.

After the ride I was introduced to the Naughty Nurse and she was delicious!  Can't wait to try the Blonde on Blonde next time around!  

On the Spot at Wadworth Falls SP

Sorry, no bike porn for this post and it would have been extra spicy because Tren Spence, whom I was riding with brought his brand new, XL, Specialized Rockhopper 29er.  It is black and white and huge!  I actually rode it for bit on Alex's Trail and I felt like a little kid on a big horse!  The one thing I noticed right away was how stiff it felt compared to riding the Spot.  It even felt stiffer than the diSSEnt, largely because it has 7005 aluminum tubes.  Still, it was a nice opportunity to compare the differences between Al and Fe and I am still sold on Fe!

One thing I noticed on the Spot, and not so much with the frame, rather the tubeless tires, is that running lower pressures makes the ride a little wobbly.  In fact, so wobbly, that while coming down Alex's Trail, it caused me to fish tail and wipe out.  Never had that happen before.  Guess I have to start riding at a slightly higher pressure.

I did however, get a little helmet cam action.  Sorry about the quality but it looks like Vimeo is really trying to push their pay for service while seriously degrading the quality of the video for the free users.  Still, the cam does give a good impression of riding Alex's Trail and a great example of well designed New England single track.  Granted this trail is so buff (by New England standards) that you can ride a cyclocross bike on this trail and all the other trails here at Wadsworth State Park.

CT NEMBA Ride at Wadsworth Falls State Park

Since I already posted a trail report over on the CT NEMBA blog, this post is more of an over flow of pictures that didn't make that posting.  

Jason Englehardt (L) and Glenn Vernes (R)

Salem's new Commuter Bike

I was actually interested in this bike, saw it on Craigslist a few weeks back and thought that it would make a good Monster Crosser.  The unfortunate thing, however, was that it was too small for me.  Still, I would not hesitate to buy a similar but larger bike on this nature because it would be the perfect rail trail bike.  Just add some Salsa Wood chippers and barcons!

First Ride, First Climb of the Season, people looking winded

Paula descending near Taco Bell

 

Towards the end of the ride we rode up to Little Falls and there were even a few attempts to try and ride up the blue trail but none were successful.  It's just too steep.  Someone said, "You might be able to make it on a 29er."  Yeah, with a 11x36 cassette and Granny to lend a helping hand. 

CT NEMBA has been looking at doing a trail reroute here but it would be a major undertaking requiring a significant bench cut starting from the base of the falls and gradually climbing up and eventually meeting up the main feeder trail.  It could be done but in order to do it right I think the whole trail has to be rerouted as shown in the graphic below.

Taco Bell Trail

I call this trail that because there is a nearby house that reminds of the aforementioned eating establishment.

The Back of Al

More Helmet Cam action from the ride at Wadsworth Falls State Park.  Riding Al Tinti's wheel for the most part.

Al's walk of shame

Nice ride this evening at Wadsworth Falls SP in Middletown.  Paula, Al, Art, and myself, all riding 29ers, can you believe it? We set out on a nice leisurely ride hitting the yellow and blue trails, the red trail, wrapping around to the south west on the Taco Bell Trail (I call it that because you pass near a house that looks like a taco bell restaurant - Mission Style with red Spanish tiles) and back towards the main part.  On the way back we took a rip down Alex's trail, a must ride at Wadsworth.

Paula broke off to get the pizza for the CT NEMBA board meeting that we were going to have later that evening and so we want back for a second helping.  After passing an equestrienne we were headed back into the yellow trail when disaster struck, Al ran over a big stick that then got sucked into his spokes and caused the rear derailleur to get wrapped around it.  He was able to get it out and he started walking back towards the lot when he figured he could probably still ride out on one gear.

Caution kiddies don't watch this video if you are at all squeamish and can't stand the sight of broken bike parts. If you want to skip to the gory part go to 0:27 where you see Al hit the stick and then at 2:02 he starts walking out.  At the end of the clip he realizes that he can ride out if he stays in one gear.

Afterwards, Art and I took another loop.  We were looking for the Gravit Cavity but never found it.  We rode out and hit Alex's trail again and passed that same Cyclocrosser that we passed earlier on the same trail. I am loving the diSSent more and more as a geared bike.  Who knows, maybe its just having gears that makes it fun but I am really digging the bike now that I have gears on it.

Riding Alex's Trail at Wadsworth

Tried some new stuff in this video but I think taking the shake out and increasing the brightness kind of messes things up.

Easy New England Singletrack on the Unit

Took the Kona to Wadsworth State Park Wednesday evening for the Monthly CT NEMBA Chapter Meeting ride.  I figured the current wheelset would be fine even though there is some technical riding, it's really not that difficult and the bike would do fine.  I am planning on using the Blunts that I had on the diSSent, shoed with my Panaracer Rampage tires, for more technical riding.

As I mentioned before, Wadsworth is pretty easy for New England riding areas and it reminded me a lot of Glacial Ridge just no sand and many more rocks and roots to ride over.  The other big difference here is a lot more climbing and the Kona climbed those hills like a horny mountain goat!  UFB!  What a difference  in   having such a light.

Glenn calls in the Pizza

Having arrived late, as usual - its funny how I can never get out early to meet the ride's start time, Mr Murphy might be at work here, so I rode up the Orange trail to Alex's Trail and met the gang half way up.  Then we climbed up the trail to the Red trail and that is when Paula decided to leave us.  She was the only one on little girl wheels.  Art was riding his C'dale 29er race bike, Al on his fully rigid, fully carbon GF Superfly, and Glenn was on his Monocog SS 29er.  It was basically big wheeled fest!

A little trail maintenance was performed on Alex's Trail. The downed tree was interrupting the flow so we collectively took care of it as a team.  We had a nice little rip, tried some different stuff, and then headed over to the meeting for pizza and beer!

A Stromboli Pie

29 and Geared at Wadsworth

Took the Dillinger to Wadsworth Tuesday for CT NEMBA's Chapter Meeting ride and had a great time.  One thing I noticed, though, is at 90 degrees and humid it's tough to breathe.  Al Tinti brought along his Monday Night Easy Does It crew because their ride got rained out the day before.  Everyone riding Tuesday evening was on a 29er!  Some fad.

Another quickie at Wadsworth

Red Track is today's ride and blue is last months

Got up to Middletown a lot later than I wanted to for various reasons: work, traffic, and had to pick something up, so I was only able to do a quick 45 minute 4.5 mile ride with the boys at Wadsworth State Park before CT NEMBA's Chapter Meeting. They were able to take a warm up lap and just happen to come back to the lot to look for me as I was getting ready. 

Wadsworth is impossible to get lost in and the whole time riding Tuesday I always knew where I was.  We headed up the yellow trail, then the twisty climb beside the old carriage road which I usually take, much better route I might add.  Then it was the big down hill bomb of the Gravity Cavity, a loop on Alex's single track, and then a reverse figure eight all the way to southern end of the park.  This was great because I have never ridden the reverse of this loop this way.  Then we took a different way to little falls and then it was a simple ride out of the park.

We were all riding 29ers, which seems to be pretty common these days!  Glenn on his new Special-Ed, Art on his rigid, SSer Haro Mary, Al on a Carbon Fiber GF Superfly, and I rode the diSSent.  Trails were awesome and the weather was perfect. Didn't see any other riders so it was like having the place to ourselves!  Granted, it's no Case Mtn.

Between the Drops

For the 12th Day of the 30 Days of Biking challenge I rode in the woods and after a rain.  I know this doesn't set a very good example however the place that I rode, Wadsworth Falls State Park is very well drained and all the singletrack is very sustainable for these conditions.  I picked the right time, too, because it stopped raining around 5 PM and started up again as I was hitting the parking lot on my way back from my ride.  For the most part, the trails were awesome, a little slippery here and there, but still awesome.  There was some dualtrack that was a little sloppy that I made sure to go through carefully.

I only had about 45 minutes because I had somewhere to be at 7 PM and unfortunately it wasn't Eli's but the BBC was cold, though!  Having never ridden here by myself but many times before on group rides I was able to find the choice single track but I made some poor trail choices after the little falls gorge that would have made the ride even better, not that it was great already.  I did come across a guy on blue Kona Cindercone on the singletrack north of the Little Falls ravine not wearing a helmet.  I reminded him that helmets are like seatbelts, ... OK, I admit it, I am a Helmet Nazi ... you never know when you will need it but it will probably save your life.  Scarred some love birds in the in the pedestrian covered bridge by the parking area on the way back.