7-8-9

Friday. Ride 7 First day with SPD’s.

I was a little jittery thinking about being stuck in but the pedals turned out to be a non issue. It’s easier to clip in and out of SPD than LOOK keo. Same motion of the foot to get out. When I felt like I might crash it was easy to pull the foot out and plant it or just hold it over the pedal to keep balance. There was a few times when I couldn’t click back in right away but that wasn’t my issue.

Got through the first part of the trails without a problem. Started feeling the pedals, more attachment to the bike means more stability of motion. Crossed over Wise Mill and began the rocky gravel climb on the upper trail. Chain snapped. Pop. Snap. I considered my options. Walk 5 miles down Forbidden Drive soaked in sweat in full kit or…

Walk up the climbs, pump track the descents and walk the flats. Took a while but it was still faster than walking.

I saw Nate at Rittenhouse and Wissahickon. Discussed my bike issues and movie theaters. Both of us committed to the idea that movies theaters where they serve you dinner and drinks in lounge chairs are stupid.

Walk of shame all the way up Wiss to Manheim. Coasted down the hill home. You can’t really take Morris or Pulaski back to the Hollow with a broken multi colored MTB and full kit. After School House you’re in the bike danger zone.

8 Sunday: Spaghetti

2 Laps in the Spaghetti trails with one trip down to the base.

This is harder for me than the Wissahickon simply because of fallen logs. The trail maintenance and trail wear is much less evident in here. At points the path is hidden under leaves. Not much berm-age. More rocks and other obstacles in the path. Similar to what a lot of the Wiss was like when I first tried to venture in years ago. It’s nice because it’s empty, but challenging for me on rigid. Not a lot of flow, lots of tight technical turns with rocks.

Smashed my helmet into a low hanging branch hard enough to get the white flash.. Did not get knocked off or knocked out. Head was fine after. MIPS fan.

This path is for smokers and teens who want to chill by the train tracks.

Half way up the climb in from Ridge.

On the second lap I finally got the Rossin up the climb into the path from Rittenhouse. That’s an achievement for me. I had to stand up at the end and put all my weight over the front end to do it.

9 Rox Side to Summit and Back

This was the best ride I’ve had since I started. Rocks were dry. No mud.

Fully adjusted to SPD’s. More confident in climbing and descending. Still had to find my rigid line but it’s really evident in most places.

Crashed going up the climb from Jeanette gravel. There was a class of kids taking up the outside of the turn in, took the inside line and lost the plot when I made the sharp left hand turn. Went down pretty hard. Scratched up my arm and banged up the bike. Ran the rest of the way up. Jumped back on and used the leftover adrenaline to get a little loose. Enjoyed everything from that point on. Almost crashed out 2 more times but was able to recover and keep rolling.

Shifting is out of whack. New chain was slipping on the high gears. FD was sticking. Had to hit it with my hand to get it back down on one climb. RD doing its clicking thing now.

My bike is pretty thrashed right now. Needs some derailleur love. Will let you know when I’m back on.

🙂