Saturday, November 24, 2012

Thankfully it's only once a year

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I, like most of you probably did, ate way too much for Thanksgiving and ended up spending most of two days feeling horrible yet I still kept shoveling the food in. As much as people eat it's amazing how many leftovers there are despite the glutton fest.

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(photo stolen from Nate)

I did manage to get out on both Thursday and Saturday for rides through Wilderness Park to try to counteract the effects of eating way too much food. Thursday was a group ride, fast group of guys for this ride who might or might not have been trying to kill me.


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Saturdays ride was a solo effort, little colder and little slower pace but still just what the Dr. ordered to burn off some of the enormous amounts of food consumed.

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Trails were in great condition, most of the leaves have either blow off or been ridden off of the trails leaving just pristine dirt. Been through this sections a million times and never really noticed you could see those signs, of course there are usually lots of little leaves on those branches. Looks like the next couple of days might be a bit chilly but then it warms up some again... I'm kind of liking these warmer, dryer winters. Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend.

Oh... I think I saw Santa on a Fat Bike today while out in the park... maybe he's trying out a new gift delivery system.



Sunday, November 18, 2012

Bridge out.

Gorgeous 60 degree day, decided to get out for a little singletrack spin through Wilderness Park. Took a little detour to the old Bison Trail bridge because I had heard that they are tearing it down to make way for the new one.

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That's usually not there so there must be some truth to the story.

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Thing could squash the Cog like a bug.

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I definitely don't remember this big gap being here before... anyone seen my bridge?

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Still gone...


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Well, there's some of it...
Not sure what the time table for the installation of the new one is supposed to be since it was originally supposed to have been in place by last spring but it's good to see them getting under way at least. I suppose if they just drop in a prefab bridge like most of the others in the city all they would need to do is clean up, shore up both sides and drop it into place. Will be nice to be able to ride into Pioneers Park again without some hike a bike... or gap jumping now.


Saturday, November 10, 2012

Warm, Windy and a bit of Wilderness

Any Saturday where the temps are in the 60s by 8 am is a good day to go riding and that's what I did.

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While the temperature might have been ideal the wind was far from it, that's a huge flag standing straight out... 20+ mph winds.

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The Arena is coming along nicely, won't be long before the face of the Haymarket is changed forever and finding a parking spot is slightly more impossible than it is now.


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Slipped into the park for a little dirt while it's still dirt and not mud or frozen mud. Stopped by the ole closed bridge, still looks in good shape to me but it's be slated to be removed and replaced sometime in 2014. Sure to miss riding  through that section on a regular basis.

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I've been known to listen to a country song before but never did care for Ms. Reba. This little honey might not have a grammy, might not be a member of the Grand Ole Opry or the Country Music Hall of Fame but she sure does sing real pretty in her own right.


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This really has nothing to do with Wilderness Park and only loosely with biking but it's pretty darn good and it's only around for a short time. I recommend picking some up if you like dark beer, before it goes away or the label becomes reality.


Saturday, November 3, 2012

Two flats and a whole lotta snot

Still getting over the tail end of a cold but with the temps being so nice I got a bit of cabin fever and had to get out for a spin. Decided to hit up Wilderness Park, I know I've been spending a lot of time in the park this year but once you learn to ride it with some speed it really is a pretty fun trail. 

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Saw this on the way out to Wilderness... don't see many this color anymore. 

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With the winds, hikers and bikers clearing off the fallen leaves and the morning frost/dew providing just enough moisture the trails are really prime right now in most spots. Managed to get two flats... or at least one flat and perhaps just not a fully sealed patch job maybe... between Pioneers and Old Cheney. That along with a sinus tract full of the remnants of my previous cold making it difficult to breath I opted to duck out at Old Cheney and taking the less aerobic cement paths back, the headwind all the way back home didn't help in that respect though. 

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Rolled past the Sunken Gardens on the way back, always sad to see it after the flowers have been removed for the year... doesn't even look like the same place. Clocks rollback tonight so any chance of not riding in the dark from here on out after work is almost none so nice weekends where you can get out in the sunlight will be extra nice.