Dirt, Crap Tires & Bugs

I rolled the Mamasita at Boyce tonight. I felt much better on the bike tonight than the last time I rode it. I took some air out of the Reba's positive chamber and made some adjustments to my Ergon grips. A couple weeks ago I thought that I could make an adjustment to help me feel more at ease with the X.9 triggers. But the adjustments just made me feel all katywampuss in the cockpit area. So I went BACK to the old grip position and just realized I will never be fully comfortable with triggers given how cow eyed in love I am with the X.0 twists on my Dos Niner. It all seemed to work and I felt much better with my hand position tonight. Next year I'm ditching the triggers for sure. Personal preference.

Here's a shot of the new bridge and drainage that the P.T.A.G. folks put in at Boyce. Prior to their efforts, there were two choice to make it through a big ass mud hole.- Across a 2'x4" or through several inch deep mud. An outstanding job.

I gave the Maxxis Cross Marks another try tonight. I felt a little more comfortable with them, but I think that had to do with conditions being a smidge dryer. They roll SO fast I can see why XC race type would love them. But I'm just not feeling the love for them. Down hills with corners are frightening with them. I think I'll just stick with the IRD Fire Pros for an all rounder and the occasionally put the Panaracer Rampage on the front to add some cush. I have yet to try the Cross Mark with an Ignitor on the front due to laziness, but truth be told I seem to be having more issues with the rear. Braking into a few corners I found myself almost fish tailing and skidding. Something that I can only recall doing during the most brake grabbing emergencies in the past. So if you were to ask me if I would buy the Cross Mark again I would say- no. I will used it for long rail trail/road rides, but for my racing and riding I have to pass.

One highlight tonight was choosing to hit some old trails for the first time in a llllong time. It had been so long since I hit the trails that are across the road from the log cabin parking lot that I wasn't even sure if they were still there! They are and they were in sweet condition. There's a tree down at the base of the climb, but once over that it's up and to the right for some nice buff single track through the woods. During another sweet section I was bit by some sort of but that felt like a syringe going into my thigh. They can put a man on the moon, but the can't make insect proof Lycra!! My quad has a welt the size of a freaking grapefruit! I could see if it was a bee or wasp, but I couldn't even see what jacked me up! Grrrr!

Legs felt good and I felt good on the bike. I didn't feel like riding too long tonight. Just sort of bored with Boyce right now. So I tried to up my intensity a bit to compensate for only riding 1:30. Boogied home (literally I was shaking my ass the whole way home) and cooked up some chicken, brown rice and one of my new faves- a big, fiber full, gut blow out, salad with about a million veggies.

Off subject, but freaking strange. 5:55 a.m. today, a car drives up our front street and a dude screams on top of his lungs "I WANT YOUR DAUGHTERS!!" Nice wake up call. Idiot.

Later.