i'm back! (and i'm soggy)

OK, i've been a real slacker on the pedaling front lately. still been active, still been running and playing rugby like a fiend, but very lazy when it comes to getting in the saddle.

however that all changed sunday when i went on a solo tour of red tail (which runs parallel to the diabolical hurricane mountain road in north conway), down to mt. cranmore. could've done more, certainly had the legs, but it just wasn't that much fun of a day alone... but that was my own fault.

anyway, started the ride from home, down to sid's for some power bars, and then over the power lines (see how that ties together?!) and then up hurricane mountain road to the trailhead. by the water tower i passed by a gentlemen who'd been hiking with his dogs, and as he emerged from the woods, i passed his two dogs and said, 'how's it looking?' he said, 'good! considering...'

the 'considering' part was since we'd been deluged and soaked to the bone saturday, sunday brought forth running water down the trail, wet, slick rock and some slight washout action. not a big deal. what WAS a big deal was the fact that the super-technical sections that always existed became flat-out not rideable, and other sections that were typically tricky became serious challenges.

it was one hell of a ride in that respect. that, and i FOUGHT with my derailleur the entire time, although i managed to not chuck anything (least of all the iron horse). not that it was all bad, though! since i was having 'issues' with my derailleur, i rode 90% of the trail in the middle ring, since granny gear just wasn't working. it was an advantageous equipment issue, but it's going to have to be fixed by jay. and by fixed i mean replaced. and by replaced i mean not by me, because i'd break it.

from trailhead to the top took just over an hour, and i was really happy with that - all alone, with only my own meager motivation to keep me going, and it felt good! the cruise over to cranmore was a bit sloppy, with the trees being so weighed down with rainwater the branches leaned deep into the trail, and basically bitch-slapped you as you passed by. oh well, it cleaned me off.

then, once i hit cranmore, it was a break-busting downhill (you could hear the brakes steaming - i love disc brakes!) back to the parking lot, and although i seriously considered turning right back around and doing it again, i went home and watched mythbusters instead.

here's to being in over our heads at the jay challenge!!