Ragin’ in the Sunshine

Ok, I’ve double checked the date several times. It’s only March 4th, but it 75 friggin degrees and I’m ripping up bone dry singletrack?!? I’m not sure what I did to deserve this luck but, please let it continue.

I noticed Sonya was heading to ride the Heil/Hall loop so after a quick chat, we decided to head over together and have some fun. Unfortunately, the Superfly is getting some loving in the form of a brand new Fox Fork and rebuilt powertap. This left me with my rigid singlespeed. Hmm, rigid singlespeed on a super rocky course that is the only place where I’ve begged for full suspension ever? Look out window, no brainer! I’m gonna ride it!! After a swap over to my new ergon ge1 grips and a tire change (that I couldn’t get to seat and had to use a tube), I was ready to rock.

We hit Wapiti to Wild Turkey and down Picture Rock. I felt pretty comfortable on the singlespeed, though my biceps were going numb a few times from the rattling. Flatted on the way down, but a quick change had us up and running again.

After Heil we took the road over to Hall Ranch where Sonya and I picked our way up the super tech climb that opens up Hall. Someday for sure I will clean it!!

Trail was just rippingly fast and dry and I was having fun making my way over to the lollipop loop, though the legs were def hurting after the tough climb up.

I caught the ensuing descent on vid! So here’s my bang-up job of trying to follow Sonya as she screamed down the descent!! (Click HQ to watch in better quality)

After we raged it down the descent, it was back over to Heil Ranch. Though, unfortunately not caught on video was my super awesome super cross full drift through a corner on bottom of the descent. Wide sweeping left hander, came into it super hot, grabbed the rear brake and the wheel swung around power drifting through the corner. I had a major counter-steer going and was inches off the ground, the front wheel started to drift a bit and I was holding a major dukes of hazzard power-slide. It all came quickly crashing down though when the rear came around too far and I splayed myself out on the trail. But it gave us a good laugh and gave me a few nice early season wounds to remember by.

I suffered a bit on the climb up, the rigid SS was taking it’s toll for sure. Plus my tire was slowly leaking air. After a few pump ups, and a failed patching, finally snagged a tube from Sonya and made our way down Wapiti. The final descent was definitely bone jarring and tiring. I have no idea how people ride them day-in/day-out. For those of you that do it huge props!! I’m going to be sooo sore

All in all I’d say it was pretty awesome day and had a blast shredding trails with Sonya!! She rips up the trail pretty damn sick herself!