I Like My Bike

Join the "I Like My Bike" campaign and write to Pearl Izumi today! This fabulos riding shirt is currently only available in kids sizes, so big kids like us cannot proudly proclaim "My bike is fast" or "My bike makes me strong." After asking at a coulple of retailers about adult sizes, the unversial response has been "no, not available, but tons of people ask." The manager of the Pearl Izumi outlet in Bend had the same response, but then encouraged me to contact the home office - "maybe they'll listen to you" she said.

So, if you "Like your Bike" and want to tell the world, join the campaign and contact Pearl Izumi at: info@pearlizumi.com I did and got a nice response that my e-mail was being forwarded to the product development folks. Maybe if they hear from enough of us kids, we'll soon be riding in style too.

Lost Rides Found

Just when I thought it was lost, found my device still held the June 14 Magnificent 7 ride. Also found the Ft. Lewis Summer Classic from June 20. Still have hopes of overlaying these rides onto a topo map to begin laying out the trail network. Someday...

Spouse and Spokes

Suzanne's first big ride on the Giant Yukon full-susser: An Out & Back from Circle 7 to Lava Lands Visitor Center. Nice flowing single track with a good rise on the way out making for an easier return. Total ride just over 14 miles. A good time together and a good milestone ride for Suzanne to measure progress against. Looking forward to more time in the saddle with my best friend.

A couple of ride maps....

Still figuring out the Garmin. Lost the big Ft. Lewis ride with the magnificent 7 (June 14 post), but here are links to:

Peter Skene Odgen - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8951034

Skokomish River (see July 3 post) - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/8951056

Peter Skene Ogden Trial

A perverse reverse ride yesterday morning: Ride single track up the mountain and take the forest service roads back down. Apparently user conflicts over the years have made this the rule on the Peter Skene Ogden trail. And after having climbed 2,000+ feet on just over 8 miles of trail (starting elevation 4,250), I can see how it would be screaming fun to flow back down, but the unexpected meetings with hikers and horses coming up would be a problem.

A good ride overall - trail was sandy for the first 2 miles, but riding the trail edge kept the tires rolling. Miles 2 - 5 were a nice easy "I could do this forever" rise. Miles 5 - 7 were peppered with short steeps and switch backs with just enough recovery in between to keep you riding. The last 1.3 leveled off, but by then the legs were tapped, so felt like it would never end. Then victory - a quick peek at the lake and then down, down, down (rather borning going down, though some good speed at times). 2:10 to the top and 40 min back down. Pic is at one of many falls along Paulina Creek which the trial paralells on the way up.

Big “Shout-Out” to John PR (JPR) for Trail Clearing

A big thank you and “shout out” goes out to John PR who

(we just found out) cleared a long stretch of single-track from Scotch Broom, tall grass, and ferns which previously overflowed / overgrew the trail in area 21 (Ft. Lewis – off Rainier Rd). The editor can attest that . . .

“this trail absolutely rockets

from the start to finish.” (One can look well ahead and see the trail!)

Today was a recovery ride for the editor after yesterday’s ride on Capital Peak Green Line #6 to #20, to #8 from Mima Mounds.

Today’s ride took place in area #23 – single track through woods, up the hill to near the top of the old “Rainier Lookout,” and back. Mind you . . . JPR was on a single speed, 23 lb’er hard-tail bike. Editor = dual-suspension, 37 lbs (the bike) and about 10-14 lbs overweight (editor). Nothing like a good ride (humbling) for getting motivated to eat less, and ride the same, if not more. At least we were out on bikes for 1 ½ hours! (Could have been doing something far less healthy.)

Find of the Day

Came across this while riding tonight out in the middle of a meadow. Neato . . .

Video of Don riding "Primal Scream" Trail

On a recent July 5th ride at Ft. Lewis (area 23), William W. took this video shoot of Don D. riding the tough, and steep pitched “Primal Scream” trail.

Preping for Primal Scream takes some
psyching up and mental preparation.

Welcome to William W. & Dog Rescue

We’ll have more to pics and a video to follow on this shortly yet first an introduction to William W (Left) who joined Don D., and John for his first mountain bike ride today. William rode a nice full suspension bike (Kona King Kikapu) rented from the Bike Stand. For a first-timer, he did amazingly well in hopping over logs and navigating some of the more technical pieces today. A dog also joined us today. In spite of providing him a lot of water, the distance and heat just got to be a bit too much. We drove a truck in to extract him out of the woods with about a mile to go. Not worth risking the well-being of “man’s best friend.”

(@Right- Don & William)

Remote Trails Can Be Lonely -- Affected by Recession Too?

A few of us went up to the South Fork Skokomish River area (South of Lake Cushman) for what we recalled two years ago as “heavenly single-track.” Things change over time. Marriages do. Friends do. The type of cars we drive. Our bodies do. Work and trails do too. Over time, trails can become overgrown, and in a tough economy, coupled with remoteness can yield tough passages, whether biking, or hiking. So no heaven today. We parked a ¼ mile up North from the Brown Creek Campground area, rode up FS Rd # 2300 to #2361 to its end – about 12 miles.

Going back down the river involved taking trail #873. The first 1.6 miles goes fine until you come to a river crossing. When you cross (wade) the river you end up with a “hike-a-bike” bush-whack for about 3-4 miles. There were several sections of trail completely washed out by the river, and other sections of trail with 4-6 huge trees to climb over, under or largely deviate around -- places where one only gains a mile in a single hour. If you decide to not to cross the river (like we did initially) you end up with a “hike-a-bike” that drops over a cliff down to the river, or leads up a jeep trail back to #2361.
Here’s what we recommend based on our lessons learned.

• Park at Lebar Creek Horse Camp. (Don’t forget the $5 day fee like we did or you could receive a citation.)
• Ride trail #800 out that then connects to #873 after about a mile (heading in a northerly direction). The first 5 miles of the trail is quite well maintained along with a few technical pieces, including 7-8 quite steep, sharp-turning, and very exhilarating down-hill switch-backs as you head out. Coming back you may likely find some way too steep and long to ride.
• After 5-6 miles out on the trail, it sort of disappears and it becomes quite overgrown with vegetation. When you start hitting / seeing logs across the trail or see the trail head over a cliff to the river, that’s the sign to turn around and go back down (by sometimes going up very steeply).

Net for the day: 25-26 miles, 5 hours, 2,100’ in elevation gain, and twitching muscle spasms towards the end makes for spastic partners for one’s significant other (the wives). Fireworks and a good meal soothes the worst parts of this though.