Silvia Ridge Trail, still very damp
After a classic Memorial Day weekend of heavy rains, the single track in and around Lake Silvia state park is still damp and soft. The trails will dry soon, but puddles are muddy and the roots are slick. I rode up the Ridge trail, back down and through Pine Winder, finishing my after work jaunt with the Lower Silvia Creek loop. An inmature rider was on the Ridge trail between me and the weekends rain and left a substantial amount of skids. This kid don't skid. I did however find all of the roots much more challenging, being caught a half dozen times in spots I clear on a consistant basis. The soft trails and tire mud load combined with the fact that home chores kept me off bike for over a week, made the normal 90 minute ride into a 105 minute workout.
Some fool in a quad had been riding around the gate at the East end of the lake and doing his best to trash the new gravel path along the lake. The good news is that they are such low end low life they have not tackled the challenging task of trashing the single track.

I'm headed back to Silvia tonight for a run up the East Fork, over Cougar Ridge and back. This takes me about an hour out and half an hour back. This route has seen much damage due to a couple of motorized jerks (poachers). A moto bike has ripped gouges up the steep inclines on the push a bike section and quads are turning the last section at the top of the hill in to permanent dual track.

But life is good and my bike and gear are ready for a clear 70 degree 5:30 ride.

The Warp still gets on the right lists
The latest news stand copy of Mountain Bike Action includes a great series of articles with the theme of ten (10) things. One of those are the ten most important currrent bikes. Number two on that list is the Giant Warp. Inexpensive and tough enough to be hucked by a teen ager, they credit the bike with saving thousands of BC teens from taking up motor bikes. I guess there is a reason I can't seem to break it, although I'm far from a teen. I'll be back at Lake Silvia tomorrow after the trails have 24 hours of drying time. Time to mow the thirteen inches of grass that have regrown in the last eight days in what passes for a yard at my country estate.

Silvia Ridge Trail
Quick ride last night in fabulous warm weather. I had to stop early to teach a beginning dance class so I rode the Silvia Ridge Trail out and back. Took about an hour, the trail is in great shape, with only one upper trail section that has had some ATV damage. While it is unlikely they will completely ruin the trail and turn it into a mud wallow (it is posted close to all by bike and foot traffic) they widen perfect eighteen inch single track and chop down obstacles.

Back in the saddle again
After a years hiatus, I am finally back on my bike and back to the Blog. Same trusty Giant Warp 2, with none of the new parts I purchased last winter installed. Now that I'm riding again, I will not turn my bike over to the LBS for an extended period. I'm beginning to think that a better plan is to continue to gather pieces (I know it would be cheaper to buy a bike outright) and assemble a second complete bike. Now that the Blur is converting a significant number of Super light riders, there are more of those frames on the market. At any rate, the now dated Warp continues to impress me with it's durability, including the mix of Alevio and LX parts and the house brand rear shock. The front low end Judy lacks any useful damping and I reach it's limits regularly. My return to riding follows a two month intensive weight, aerobic, and diet period that has brought me in to far better riding shape than I would have imagined. There is still nothing in any workout that substitutes for a ninety minute single track ride with 2000 feet elevation change. I just turned 50 and am in the best shape in 20 years. Last week I rode the Silvia ridge, pine-winder, and Silvia Creek Loop in near perfect spring riding conditions of 75 degrees. I started out warming up with a 60 minute Jazzercise session, then after an hour break went for my ride. I was thrilled that my conditioning was stronger than expected and I cleared the trails two most challenging obstacles without dabbing. I did however, go home, shower and drop...

My Bad--No Blogging for 21 days....
I have been very busy with work and my other hobbies, not leaving much time to either Blog or ride. I did manage two rides this week on the Satsop Lunch Loop and one last week. I added a trail ride to an up and coming trail website singletracks.com.

I have been online at eBay and the online shops looking to upgrade my ride for 2003. I nearly invested in a new but three year old Superlight frame, but let it go. I had bid up to $600 buck for an $1,100 frame so I spent the money on the old ride instead. The Warp DS-2 is getting a Psylo race shock, new Avid Disc brakes and new Mavic 221/XT wheelset. As the parts arive and the fun begins, I will document those experiences as well as how the ride improves (wild assumption).

Several of my friends are showing more interest in getting new bikes and joining the fun.

Inauspicious end to another fine riding month
The drizzle has returned so I have decided to recover from four consecutive fabulous lunch ride days in February. I'm off tonight to the Seattle Bicycle Expo, which I understand is in it's 14th year and is the third largest event of it's type in the US. Then the rest of the weekend will be spent combining two of my other four hobbies into one event. This year the Sweetheart Jamboree has chose a theme around the middle ages and fantasy so my wife and I will be taking dance lessons dressed in our finest Renaissance garb.

Next weekend, the opening race of the Capitol Forest series. Wish I could post a link or tell you how to get more information but the event sponsor has gone digitally dead.

Who would have guessed, and we are going to pay
Who would have guessed that February would have been another in this string of unseasonably dry and clear months. The past two days (following two other nice days) have been perfect for lunch time rides. I rode the full Satsop Lunch Loop today and yesterday I rode up and over the hill on the east leg, exploring an alternate route deep into the heart of the loop. Great potential for trail building, I think that I will have to hack virgin trail only about a thousand feet to make a full single track sub loop. Well back to work so I can afford to ride again.

The we are going to pay comment means that at some time when it should be Summer in June or July it is going to rain for weeks on end.

Wow, more sun again today. What a Winter!!!!
Another fabulous day in Western Washington. Just like yesterday, upper twenties overnight and mid forties during the day with out a cloud in sight.

I got in another lunch time ride again today following one yesterday. I rode the Satsop Lunch Loop again today. I stopped at the bottom of the hill to do a little stream redirect instead of down the road, accross the road. My hope is that it will cut through the abandoned roadbed stopping the full size four wheel drives from continuing to make mud and tear up the hill.

We have a very upscale private fully equiped weight room at work. Great place to work out when the weather is bad. I can't understand the twenty or so folks who chose to pump and tread inside on a sunny day like today. Something for everyone I suppose.

If I can Jazzercise, I can ride
My injured rib made it through a moderate to high impact Jazzercise aerobics workout this morning. I think that I will stick to the gym this week, do the 18 hours of dancing next weekend at the Sweetheart Jamboree and resume single track. If I knew that one of the full body suits would really protect my ribs I might wear one.

Never though I'd see the day
I have actually been greatful for the return of normal wet weather to Western Washington. I have gone a week without being on the bike even though I walk past it about eight times a day at work. My ribs are well on there way to mending, with only slight pain when rolling onto my right side. Another week or two of this and I'll give them a severe test ride, can you say endo time.

I went to last Sunday's big Seattle Bike Swap meet and was impressed with the size of the gathering but managed to leave the event with all my money still in my pocket. I can find better stuff in the areas I am looking for less money on eBay or discount stores.

The only thing very interesting was a used Ultralight that sold just before I got there. I went for the cost of a new frame.