My wife was great about this stuff. I took untold dirt motorcycle and MTB trips over the years without a nag from her. But when I turned 60 she demanded that I get one of those sat devices...like SPOT and Inreach...so that she could tell the life insurance people where to find my body so that the check wouldn't be late. True story.
I hear ya! Every day she tracks me on “Find Friends” or “Strava”. (2 others have agreed to track me also).…the life insurance people where to find my body so that the check wouldn't be late. True story.
Hmmm, patient woman encouraging your sport all those years… snd making sure the life insurance payments were kept up to date!My wife was great about this stuff. I took untold dirt motorcycle and MTB trips over the years without a nag from her. But when I turned 60 she demanded that I get one of those sat devices...like SPOT and Inreach...so that she could tell the life insurance people where to find my body so that the check wouldn't be late. True story.
I can almost picture you landing on your feet and carrying on running .In my mtb days, I did superman on Jacob's Ladder (Peak District, England). As I soared through the air, I turned it into a forward roll, landed on my backpack, continued to roll and landed upright on my feet. I waited for the pain to come, but nothing, nothing at all.
I could see my bike making its way down the trail without me, bouncing end over end. Amazed at my good fortune, I ran after the bike and caught up with it as it finally stopped ricocheting off all the rocks. Double amazement, the bike was 100% unmarked (well nothing new at least). What a lucky boy!
To use the term "running" was a slight exaggeration! I doubt anyone could actually "run" down Jacob's Ladder, it's too loose and rocky. More of a fast scramble! I haven't been for several years and it may be worse now, or God forbid has been "improved" for better access for walkers!
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Still can't understand why you tied yourself 5 times to the bike ?? Haha.Today, 11:50am , while climbing a trail called “Get Some”, for the 5th time this morning
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The bike I now pointing downhill, but I was going uphill. Flipped over backwards with a heavy pack of wood when I misjudged the turn. Must’ve hit the root with my front wheel. I became pinned between my bike and the backpack. Soft landing though.
Luckily no one saw me because they could have recorded a short documentary of my “Houdini-Like” struggle. I couldn’t find the release buckles (5) so I could get the bike off of me. I couldn’t even reach my phone for the classic picture.
This was my last of 5 climbs this morning …all for this.
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An almost rebuilt jump. 6’ to go.
You're getting like me I soon won't be let out without an adult I am being told by the wife . Last trip away I left a cup of tea on roof of car remembered 100 yards later and it was still there. Next day it was the wallet cancelled cards etc .I got a phone call from my dentist a week later as there was an appointment card in it . Phoned and got everything posted back to me , cards were found all over the road . It won't be the last that's for sure.
Dude!...how do you deal with your VO2 Max when cycling?
A ‘Pickle Ball’ might allow better breathing …could be a good upgrade?Dude!...how do you deal with your VO2 Max when cycling?
What's a pickle ball and what's a vo2 maxA ‘Pickle Ball’ might allow better breathing …could be a good upgrade?
Had to Google the ba
. Never too old to learn.
That jump you are rebuilding ..where do you start from ..the branch of that tree it's resting on ?Today, 11:50am , while climbing a trail called “Get Some”, for the 5th time this morning
View attachment 142749
The bike I now pointing downhill, but I was going uphill. Flipped over backwards with a heavy pack of wood when I misjudged the turn. Must’ve hit the root with my front wheel. I became pinned between my bike and the backpack. Soft landing though.
Luckily no one saw me because they could have recorded a short documentary of my “Houdini-Like” struggle. I couldn’t find the release buckles (5) so I could get the bike off of me. I couldn’t even reach my phone for the classic picture.
This was my last of 5 climbs this morning …all for this.
View attachment 142752
An almost rebuilt jump. 6’ to go.
Okay, I think I got this?That jump you are rebuilding ..where do you start from ..the branch of that tree it's resting on ?
Hardcore!
Are there any bears or rattle shakes hanging about ? .Okay, I think I got this?
There’s a boy tree…and then there’s a girl tree. When it gets breezy out …something happens.
Seriously though, I’ve been riding and climbing this trail almost every day for the past 4+ months. It’s been abandoned for years (15+?) but was created about 35 years ago. Over time there was an attempt to build a jump (The only feature on this trail) , which was poorly built and eventually rotted out. The trail became impassable with dead fallen limbs and trees.
So I cleaned things up, added a better bridge and began replacing this jump.
Bridge (25’) over a creek and ravine.
View attachment 142897
Old rotten jump.
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Some more decking material needed for the new jump.
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The entire jump is free-standing (no roots or branches) but the occasional slippery root will catch ya off guard …especially when you’re climbing and packing too much weight. So I think I over-did-it. This was the funny result.
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If I can afford it…I will pay more attention to this spot.
No rattle “shakes” but the bears don’t visit this area too often. Too close to the gun club/range for them. I just worry about getting hit by lead. Three other trails in this area are named; Bullet Tooth Tony” , “Bullet Dodger” and “Bullet Catcher”. You get use to the noise after a while. But sometimes someone fires off a cannon-sounding round. “Holy Crap”
Shakes, or bolts, is a logging term for chunks of wood cut out of an old cedar log. Those are recovered and eventually split into “shingles”.(roofing material).
so no Rattle Shake. LOL!...I can identify with that. Our Buck Creek Trails system is directly next door to our city's police academy which has a large range for pistol, rifle, and tactical training. You really get used to the pistol and rifle fire, but once in awhile someone breaks out a Barrett 50 cal, and the first shot will definitely make you jump.No rattle “shakes” but the bears don’t visit this area too often. Too close to the gun club/range for them. I just worry about getting hit by lead. Three other trails in this area are named; Bullet Tooth Tony” , “Bullet Dodger” and “Bullet Catcher”. You get use to the noise after a while. But sometimes someone fires off a cannon-sounding round. “Holy Crap”
In all these years, we've only had one rider bitten, and he was foolishly off trail pushing his bike through tall, dry grass to jump to another trail...don't worry, he lived and still rides. No one has ever really come close to being bitten while on the trail surprisingly. Horror stories about rattlesnakes are usually wildly overexaggerated.
I hear ya. There’s really only a few hidden danger’s that we need to worry about. Widow-Makers (falling broken limb) and a hiker/jogger with earbuds.LOL!...I can identify with that. Our Buck Creek Trails system is directly next door to our city's police academy which has a large range for pistol, rifle, and tactical training. You really get used to the pistol and rifle fire, but once in awhile someone breaks out a Barrett 50 cal, and the first shot will definitely make you jump.
On rattlesnakes?...we got 'em in droves out here. Since we built that trail system starting in 1999, I can't count how many rattlers I've run over during the years...but with no adverse effect...at least to me.
The other critters out there such as feral hogs, armadillos, coyotes, skunks, and deer have never caused any rider any harm. The danger from feral hogs, like rattlesnakes, is highly exaggerated too. They run like scalded dogs when they see or hear you coming. Oddly, the armadillos may be the most dangerous, as they wait until the last second to come bounding out of the brush right in front of you. They're blind as a bat, and their football sized body armor structure can make you go down if they get your front wheel. Again, no one ever injured that I know of. It's wild kingdom out there, I tell ya.
run in to my front wheel on a road bike 35 years ago I'm thinking. Right over the bars hands stretched out to save me , before helmets were invented. Fingers all grazed , I had to take wheel off and straighten it in a gate just to get home. Chicken was ok as well.
Recycled waist belts?
I think a Heron might offer more head protection.
I’ve dropped my bike or had the occasional crash. All the things mounted on our bar are exposed to breakage which is why I now don’t over-tighten any clampy-things on my bar. With some reasonable force they spin on the bar.
