Tour Mode

Took a condensed version of my Chittenden County tour today. Cut it short since we finally have summer head and humidity. Also I slipped on a root and shot my knee into the top edge of a Thomson stem, leaving me cripple on the group with what felt like a shattered kneecap.

View from the lunch spot. Amazing little trail that no-one visits.


The approach.

The Snack Spot
Exit.

Catamount: June 4 2008

Got to Catamount Outdoor Center really early, as I wanted to pre-ride the new course. On the woods side, pretty flat, some awsome new technical singletrack, so fresh you could smell it. Between the fact I am "resting," funny feeling tummy, and a general desire to relax I opt out of the 4 lap race for the three. Line up in the back, let all the other racers go and take up my roll as the last rider. Form a "group" with two guys I used to work with on their SS and my lady. Pedaling along faster than a cruise, but not so much it was painful along the mud track. We all get broken up along the new section of trail.

I am riding with Nat representing bike29.com enjoying chit chatting. First lap done, Rose Long is cheering not racing.....she told me it would be fixed next week.

Then things get fun on the second lap. Pass and ride with a little guy ripping up the 3 lap race, turns out he was 12, and killing it. Rode with him for abit, high-fived, and rode along to cheer on more people. Fun lap, motivated some peoples, found some sweet jumps along the course.

Lap three, as I stopped to do some trail work on the new section of trail, the little man caught up to me again. He is infront of me, clearing all the new technical singletrack. Pop out onto the fireroads again, he motors into the next uphill section scattered with roots and rocks. On his wheel as he clears all of it, while passing abunch of other folks walking up this section, he gets cheers from Ed and I who are following him, as well as the folks in the woods.

Ed and I "block" others so he can come into the finish without getting stampeeded by some of the other mid-pack racers who might not be as impressed by him.

One more high-five from Ed and I as he plops down with his mom to ravage a bagel and coke.

Thanks to bikeman.com for the threads to make me look like a pro racer to this guy and hopefully inspire him to ride some more!

Some folks don't want to play nice.

Up early, and out the door. Needed to drop some e-bay items off at Fed-Ex. Done, faced with the decision to drop the trailer off at home and relax or ride. Ride wins. Head south down to Shelburne, normal loops mildly routine. Rolling in style, commuter cross check, upright handlebars, t-shirt and man-pris, being followed by B.O.B hauling nothing. Climbing a small rise in the road some other bike riders from Foundations U-23 Development Team pass me. I thought it would be nice to get a draft back into town. I hop into the pace line, rolling on a bike that would have made Grant Peterson proud being trailed by B.O.B. Needless to say they were not to talkative with me.

It was a fun ride back into town.