Mountains & Cancelled Plans

I went up to the mountains today with the Mamasita. Hit mostly double track and forest roads with a lot of climbing. I did hit some of the Lookout Trail single track and the dirt and roots were in fine shape. I had anticipated some pretty wet trails, but it was all good. Made me regret not heading over to Seven Springs for a lap on the race course. At one point I did take a wrong turn on it and ended up on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail (a no no!). I soon realized it and backtracked off of it before any tight assed hiker type could bust my balls over it.

Lookout Trail. Mmm, that's some
east coast rooty, ferny goodness right there!

Even though my Mountain Feed Bag didn't come in time (altough it did come today ), I went sans pack for the ride. The combination of no pack, and and a light efficient hard tail only made me feel like a half bag of human suckness on the climbs rather than my usual full bag of said suckness.

I think I need (want) to search for a stiffer crank for the Mamasita in the distant future. My XT feels mushy compared to the XTR on the Dos Niner. Not saying it needs to be an XTR, OR that it will make me faster (that would be a friggin' miracle), but something stiffer might make me happy! Hell for all I know maybe some different rings and/or bottom bracket would make a difference. Thoughts?

Even though I stuck mostly to the forest roads and the snowmobile trails, it was still a kick ass day on the bike. The temps were only in the mid 60s up there today. It as nice, but Jesus it IS summer! WTF? Of course I wasn't bitching when I was cranking up the encless climb that is Camp Run Road.

I encountered ZERO cars during the main part of the loop. The only in The Fern "Where Your Privacy Matters" Mountain section of CRR did I get passed by some lady in a Cadillac. That whole Fern Mountain "compound" can suck it. Just what the mountain need, more villas and condos. TWO other folks on mountain bikes where spotted down near Lookout Trail, ONE runner on Camp Run Road, ONE hiker near North Woods, and ONE deer sprinting down the road in front of me on one forest road. I LIKE them stats and THAT is why riding up on the mountain rocks.

The plans Wifey and I had tonight have been shelved. Seems like someone (her) ate or drank something that did not agree with her and is a tad sick. Oh well, it would have been nice to have a "date night" but I'm more comfortable eating my own food and hanging out at home anyway. I'm sort of a freak like that. I know she was looking forward to it though and is a little bummed. There's always next weekend.

So it's staying in tonight, having a few Torpedo's and some Mexican. I am going to totally unleash a world of hurt on some chips and refried beans right now. I mean I will do unspeakable hardcore XXX things to them. Looks like I'll be sleeping solo tonight. ;)

Later.