It's on the map

Great weekend, almost training like rides but the views became distracting. Sometimes you have to stop and smell the roses and enjoy the view. Especially when they are this ice.



A short stop at Severn Falls



Followed by a stop at Laughlin Falls. Yes I did ride not just sight see. Saturday wasn't bad but Sunday I stepped it up.

I've seen what looks like a road on the maps, even satellite images online show there is a road there. I had to try to get to the big chute with as minimal regular roads.



Notice the very small line that connects E Shore Rd. a that was my concern. Took the do anything bike (29er), I'd attempted this once before on the cross bike but was shut down quickly with a flat tire and mud. This time I was going to make it. As I rolled into what was supposed to be the start I now see how some people get totally screwed when they follow a gps. This so called road was not something I'd recommend taking a car or truck on, you might get about 20 feet. Of course the 29er was perfect.

Great Canadian Sheild type riding


I wanted to take more photos but my ride became more of a survival than enjoyment. The deer flies were almost unbearable. Stopping was not an option and even slowing down in technical sections became a fine line decision. Slow and get bite, go fast and potentially flat or crash. Ya I slowed a little .

45 minutes after I started the trail I rolled out on to upper big chute road about 100 feet from the bridge. I'll be planning for another run through there again but I'll wait till the fall when the bugs are dead.



A few more random trails mixed to the loop including a tunnel under the 400 turned it into a 3 hour tour. Followed up the ride with a 2 hour paddle in the bay, attempting to screw up my cycling tan lines.

Coffee is needed today, oh coffee how I love the.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Livin

Life just keeps rolling along, some great road rides over the last couple weeks. Been pretty must forced to ride road after I shredded my hand and braking became questionable. I sometimes forget how many great roads there are here, including a couple that were just paved yesterday.

Slowly starting to feel stronger, having the later start of somewhat structured riding this year has me feeling happy to not have small hills hurt as much. My main focus for this year, the house, is coming along, the big jobs are done giving me more time to play on the bike and now with the new kayak. 13.5 foot day tripper is perfect for Georgian Bay adjust gives me one more Toyota play with. The Molly monster does give me a dirty look when I leave with it instead of the canoe and her.

Looking like a nice day, no rain again today. I feel it will be a ride then paddle type day. Coffee first


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Sudbury Ontario Cup

Headed to the big nickel this past weekend, no other way to describe it. Awesome. Had a lot of fun on both the riding and social side on this northern adventure.

Saturday's course scoping wasn't exactly what I wanted, flatted half way through the first lap, ended up walking the rest of the lap before heading back to the hotel. Got to see all the sharp rocks at a much slower pace.

Race day came, small group this time, many missed out. Season plan this year was a top ten finish, accomplished with only ten of us on the start line. Start was better than expected and stayed with the lead pack for most of it, felt good. Rode the single track through the haze with no problems. Rode smart, hit the rocky sections and stuck to the main lines watching for those race ending rocks.

There was no head down and grunt it out point on this day, felt great through the whole race, stayed smooth on the double track sections, seemed to pick up an elite woman every lap. on these sections and gave them a good pull. I knew I was riding well when I caught was riding into the divisions that left ahead of me and not being caught by the guys starting behind me. Yep a great day. Finished 7th but it was my lap times I looked at more than anything. Felt closer to what the old me was capable of. Could I get a little faster this year? Maybe.

Highlights, two broken spokes on the rear wheel, had to stop and wrap one around before it jammed up in my caliper. Had a link in my rear suspension come loose, it's a giant, worked great even like that. I was so happy I was on the Anthem, dualie all the way. Rode a clean race right until the end when I just about nutted myself coming into the finish line/feed zone field. There was a hole, it was deep, I hit it at speed and had both hands off the bars, people saw, I survived and stayed moving. Nice scratch on the leg and a sore hip from being stabbed by my seat.

Great weekend, Monday night ice cream ride tonight.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

the good and the bad

Solid weekend of riding, a day with some puke inducing pace mixed in, another with a ton of climbing in the big backyard topped off with watching the twins do what they do best. Something that others would never try, including myself. Partly from fear, partly because of common sense. Yep, a great long weekend.

Then I woke up feeling off, sore thought, hazy head etc etc. Sick and me don't get along well. I don't like being forced not to be able to do things but I took my medicine and spent two evenings on the couch watching movies and napping after busy days at work. I had to, I'm excited for this weekends road trip.

Sudbury Ontario cup,nice change,new venue, something different. Back on the dualie, forgot how much I love my anthem. Should be fun.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad