2022 Oiz H10 TR

A very nice bonus from work, and some well planned savings, got me to where I needed to afford upgrading to a full suspension mountain bike this spring.

It turns out saving up for the upgrade one is the easiest part of upgrading...

Picking the right full suspension bike is like picking the right kayak.

There are a zillion different things that change how a suspension bike rides. The tire size, the amount of suspension, the suspension tuning, the confounding number of frame measurements like reach and down tube angle, and the level of components.

The component level and frame material are dependent on the price - more money better components and carbon frames.

My budget meant that I could get good components on an aluminum frame or OK ones on a carbon frame. To me the decision was easy: better components are worth more than a few pounds.

The rest of the things to think about made my head hurt while doing online research and trying to narrow down the list of bikes to test out.

I came up with a shortish list and headed down to the local bike shops where most of the bikes on my list were out of stock… COVID did a number on new bike availability between the surge in demand and the constricted supply.

Fortunately, Wheelworks in Belmont had a decent selection and plenty of sales people with mountain biking experience to help me sort through the details. They had me try bikes in a range of suspension sizes from 120mm fronts to 150mm fronts paired up with 100mm backs to 150mm backs and whole boatload of geometries. Doing test rides on pavement wasn’t ideal, but it did let me get a sense of the differences between the bikes.

In general, more suspension means a bigger, heavier bike. It also means a slacker head tube angle and a longer wheelbase. This makes the bike more plush and well mannered. On the road test I could tell that the bigger bikes would be great fun bombing down steep rocky hills while not feeling like riding on the wrong edge of control.

The bikes with smaller travel, 100-120mm, felt more lively. Less squish means more bounce. The geometries on the short travel bikes were more variable. The longer and slacker bikes were bouncy but well mannered. The shorter steeper ones turned and accelerated quickly. The agility translates into feeling like one is on the wrong edge of control when bombing down steep rocky hills. 

The slack short travel bikes were easy to rule out. I didn’t think the trade offs were made for a better ride. If I was going to lose out on some comfort, I definitely wanted to gain something.

In the end I narrowed my list to two bikes by Obera: the Occam, a 140mm trail slayer, and the Oiz TR, a 120mm XC speed daemon.

In the end I picked the Oiz H10 TR. The H10 version is the top end aluminum model. The TR version of the Oiz is basically the same frame geometry as the standard Oiz, which is a dedicated XC race bike, but with and extra 10mm of travel and a dropper post.

It felt like a rocket ship and turned on a dime. Super fun…

The first ride on the trails it was obvious that the Oiz was a rocket ship with way more capabilities than I could handle. I spent more time falling than moving despite being on easy trails that I know well.

After three or four rides I got a better handle on the suspension controls and using the dropper post and I started going faster, and trying harder features. I didn’t start falling less though…

My skills hadn’t improved enough to match what the bike was capable of tricking me into doing. I am not always good at knowing my limits until things get really uncomfortable. On my old hard tail things got uncomfortable just before I reached the edge of what I could manage. On the Oiz, things rarely got uncomfortable until I was past the edge. It accelerated faster, turned faster, and maintained speed better than I the old bike. It also felt more controlled at much higher speeds and much sketchier situations.

For example, there is a nice switchbacking descent near my house that I had gotten pretty comfortable riding on the hard tail. I wasn’t blazing fast and always felt pretty close to the edge, but I also never fell. The first few times down the descent on the Oiz, I felt great and was moving fast until I would hit one of the turns a little too fast and a tad off the proper line and end up eating dirt.

Now that I’ve gotten a handle on how the Oiz rides and relearned how to ride the trail, I fly down at speed and have way more fun doing it. I’m not as fast as some of the people I ride with who have longer, slacker bikes with more suspension.

However, I crush them on the ups and the more flowy trails. I can pick up speed much quicker and snake through tight turns faster. On flat sections of trail, I can lock out the suspension and put all of my energy into going forward. On climbs, I can adjust the suspension for the best combination of tractions and efficiency.

I think it is a fair trade off. I get 95% of the downhill fun and a whole lot more efficiency for longer rides.

The upgrade required some break in time before I could really start using the bike. Once I got over that hump, I started gaining the skills needed to really have fun. I still have a lot to learn, but now I have a much better platform.

First Ride of 2022

 With the warmish weather upon us, it was time to dust off the mt. bike and hit the trails for an early season introduction ride. Something easy to dust off the cobwebs-get my sea legs back.

I wasn't worried about stamina or distance; I've been crushing it on the trainer all winter. I was concerned about not doing anything too technical; trainers cannot simulate rocks or trees...

The ride to the trails is a short, flat stretch of road from my house. As I headed down the road I noticed a slight breeze and then realized my legs felt like they were working way harder than they should on flat terrain... Apparently trainers do not account for wind or the actual weight of a bike or the rolling resistance of chunky 29" trail tires.

Anyway I was still warming up. Once I got into the groove things would feel good.

When I made the turn onto the trail, I nearly locked up the brakes and sent myself tumbling into a tree. The trail is a narrow gently sloping turn that leads into the woods that I have ridden hundreds of times, but initial reaction was panic about smashing into one of the trees. It took a good bit of mental effort to will my hands to stay off the breaks and my feet to keep pedaling.

This was the ride for at least the next mile or so. See feature that you've ridden hundreds of times, panic, force panic down so reflexes can do their job, and repeat. Most of the time the force panic down part was successful and I got through. A few times I did end up walking a feature and then berating myself for being a scaredy cat and vowing that I'd crush it the next time while knowing that there was always a chance that the panic would win again.

Fortunately, the panic becomes background noise after awhile. The cadence of the peddles, the quiet of the woods, the successfully getting over features makes the panic smaller and smaller. It is like putting on noise cancelling headphones, I can still hear the panic but it is so muffled it doesn't intrude.

Once the panic faded and the muscles warmed up it was a great ride. I stuck to mainly flat, single track trails. There were a few technical sections with a lot of roots, sharp turns, rocks, and logs covering the trail. Things came back pretty quickly when it came to shifting and body position to keep moving forward and upright.

On the last section of trails I felt the backend get that swishy feeling that means you need to put air in the tire. Sure enough, it was flat.

My first thought was just to pump enough air into the tire to get home - I was technically at lunch - as quick as possible. I whipped out my handy micro pump and went to town. Except I couldn't get any air into the stupid tire. I was convinced it was either me being a rock head or the pump because I couldn't seem to get a good seal on the valve. It was either too loose the air would seep out or it was jammed and the air wouldn't go in. After about ten minutes, I was ready to give up and accept the fact that I was going to have to carry the stupid bike a mile plus back through the woods...

Then my brain stopped being trapped in "you're an idiot and life sucks" mode and I wondered if I had a spare tube. Maybe the problem was that I had popped the tire or ruined the valve on the one on the bike. I did have a spare tube because I usually don't suck too much.

Now all I had to do was remember how to get the back tire off the bike without destroying the derailer. Is it put the chain on the biggest ring or the smallest ring? 50-50 chance so I pick the big ring - WRONG. I tried, then cussed myself out for being stupid, but was not stupid enough to really force anything. Once I got the tire reseated, I shifted the chain into the smallest ring and things went much better.

Five minutes later I was back on the trail and, despite the little hick up, still feeling like I'm in the groove.

There was one nasty clump of rocks I walked, but it was a rational decision. It was just after I got back on the bike and didn't really have enough speed to glide over or enough time to shift into a gear where I could plough through.

It wasn't until after I decided that my lunch cover was already blown and that I could extend my ride a bit that I realized the flat had turned off the noise canceling headphones that kept the panic quiet.

There is a nice rock wall that crosses the trail and is usually very fun to barrel over. It is just after some really tight windy single track but with plenty of room between the last turn and the wall to get up a good head of steam. It is also just enough room for the panic to grow louder. I ignored it until I was just at the wall and then my hands went for the brakes... I'm not sure what happened, but my body took over in a nick of time. My hands opened up and my legs drove the pedals in a huge surge of power.

Once I was in the clearing after the wall I just stopped and gasped air. I was happy to not be a heap on the ground, but pissed at myself for nearly putting me in a heap on the ground. It took a few minutes to catch my breath and stop yelling at myself. I had made it over and was OK. Now I just needed to finish off the next two miles of the ride without that happening again....

I was able to find my groove again and quiet the panic. The rest of the ride was a nice way to finish off the day.

I am hopeful that now that I've gotten the first ride out of the way, it will be easier and easier to quiet the panic and get a break from it.

When Everything Seems Off

 On the mt. bike yesterday, things were just off. I knew from the the first downhill that it was not going to be a stellar ride. The back tire was bouncing around too much; the edge of the track was too close; the turns were jaggy. It was a tough trail, but one I had ridden plenty of times with no issues.

The bridge jumped out of nowhere and I had to stop to make the turn. The low rock wall sprouted new rocks and caught the front tire. The steep, but short, hill turned to scree under the back tire.

My legs were like rubber; my reflexes two seconds slower; my balance was wobbly.

At every "screw up" or missed feature, I was faced with the choice of beating myself up, finding the quickest way back to a paved road, and giving up. There was the voice in my head saying "you're too old for this" "you were never good enough to do this trail" "you're not going to get any better" "hang it up and stick to the safe stuff".

It is easy for me to fall pray to that voice and then the other voice that says "you are not only physically weak you are psychically week" gets its chance to play.

The hard choice is to look the bad ride in the face and make the best of it. Acknowledge the difficulties, make an honest assessment of what could have contributed to the difficulties, and if nothing fits just accepting that we all have bad days. One bad day is not a sign of decline or failure; it is a bad day.

That was the choice I made yesterday. I kept on going. I accepted the missed features, the slipping back tire, the occasional abrupt stop.

There were stretches that were better than others and even the bad parts were better than sitting in my jammies at home trudging through another day of monitoring a bunch of robots process words so the rich can get richer.

This is the lesson I try to impart to the child when she gets mad because she "lost" a skill or spends too much energy comparing herself to kids who have more skills.

We all have off days. At 10 you rarely "lose" a skill (at 50 you might). With practice you can get the skills. If you love doing something , do it.

Do your best not to listen to the voice that puts you down and if you forgive yourself and get back up.

Life is rarely easy. The only way to make it enjoyable is to keep on doing the things that bring joy into the world - particularly on days when it is all a struggle.

The Greenway

I decided today would be a good day to loop the Western Greenway. The weather was pleasant and I needed a good ride to clear my head. I set out on what I think of as the reverse loop. I usually head from my house, past Our Ladies, behind the soccer fields, and then across to the big woods. Today, I went down towards the Y, the high school, and out to the Payne Estate.

The section from my house down to the high school is a tricky ride. It is mostly downhill, so it is not physically taxing. However, it is very rocky and twisty. Riding it is sort of like the old joke about the roller coaster; I was scared the whole time, but loved it. It is still early in the season so I am still getting my legs under me and my nerve up. I probably took things too slow which probably made it harder to navigate.

Swinging up past the high school and into the Payne Estate is a nice climb. Not too steep or technical. The only real issue is that I don't know the trail and spent a lot of time looking for the signs.

The ride down Forest St. is pretty boring. Lock the front forks and shift into a nice cruising gear....

Once back in the woods, I headed around the water tower hill and out to rock meadow. I made sure to take a bunch of the side trails on the way down.

The loop around rock meadow is always a nice gentle ride. The only hard part was having to keep pulling up my mask. It is still cool enough that my glasses fog up when I keep it on.

Once across the bridge and back into the woods I went the opposite way back to the parkway as I took on the way in. Again I looked for as many side trails as I could. It was a good time.

The other side of the parkway is a familiar ride for me although going backwards does change it up.

I forgot how challenging the ride up from Our Lady's is when going up hill. It was made even more difficult because there were a lot of hikers out on that section of trail. Momentum is your friend...

The Greenway is a great resource and I am lucky to have such easy access to it.

Maybe next time I'll go the right way round.

On the Trails at Last

 Ah the glories of early, probably short lived, Spring weather!! I took advantage of the sun and warmth to get the Mt. Bike out of the garage and hit the trails.

I've been hitting the indoor trainer pretty consistently, so I assumed I'd be in good shape for a real ride. Oh was I wrong.

Strange how riding on a stationary bike, spinning at a reasonably consistent cadence with a predictably smooth resistance curve does not map to riding on rutty, rock strewn, muddy paths on changing terrain. I forgot how much work, and how much fun, it is to control the bike and make rapid adjustments for hills or rough patches.

Yes, there are $1000 "smart" trainers that can simulate more dynamic riding conditions, but I doubt they can do justice to actual riding.

Anyway, I don't have $1000 dollars to spend trying to turn my basement into a virtual reality theater. I'm much happier to keep my basement a basement, so that I am always motivated to get outside.

I am sore and the ride was shorter than planned, but it was glorious to be outside again.

Hitting the Trails

 I had a rough day and the road bike was being repaired. I broke a spoke and was waiting for a neighborhood repair guy to get it patched up. He was only running about a week for minor jobs while the bike shops were taking up to two weeks....

Anyway, I needed to get out. I had been avoiding the mountain bike for several reasons including the fact that most of the trails near my house are pretty narrow single track and my knack for getting hurt when I ride. I am also out of practice which makes me more prone to doing stupid things.

I had no choice but to take my chances. It was a coolish night and I waited until dinner time figuring the trails would be mostly empty. I was mostly right.

I masked up and made sure I had my orange lenses on. They don't fog up quite as much for some reason and killing myself on an obstacle I didn't see seemed dumber than killing my killing myself on an obstacle I saw and still tried....

The first part of the trails near my house are a 1/4 mile road ride away, so I figured I make use of my front fork lock and give myself a bit of a break before taking on the trails.

The first section of trails is fairly rugged single track that starts off with a steep hill. I always try and never succeed in climbing it. I either get scared that I'm going to flip backwards or my rear tire spins out. From the top of the hill, there is a steep narrow run along a ridge that ends in a sharp turn. I was feeling tense the entire ride and reconsidering the wisdom of my choice. I could surely blow off some steam with a nice little walk around the hood...

The bike felt extra poundy and reactive which I chalked up to nerves and lack of saddle time.

Once off the ridge the trail winds through some thick woods, across a short, narrow bridge, and into a rocky area. The bridge was nerve wracking. I had to force myself to look across the bridge and not at it. All I could imagine was missing the mark by a fraction, hitting the handle bars and ending up in a pile.

Once over the bridge the rest of the section was fairly easy. There were plenty of rocks and the front end was jumping all over the place. The trail was reasonably wide and nothing looked like it would cause too much damage if I went down...

After about a mile until the first rider passed me. I was at a rode crossing and we both were wearing masks and keeping space. He even called out to alert me to his approach. It was all very pleasant and confidence inspiring.

After the road crossing, the trail stays pretty narrow and winds through the woods and up a hill before another road crossing. This section is nice because it is not too technical. There are some roots, but nothing big. The only tricky parts are knowing which turn takes you to the road instead of the dead end and a small rock wall. The rock wall is your sign that you took the correct turn. I mostly cruised through this section. The hill took its toll on my legs and the rock wall wasn't pretty, but I felt good.

After the second road crossing, the trail is super smooth. I winds through a nice marshy area covered by a wide bridge and ends up in a forested area with some minor obstacles. There is one particularly narrow twist between three trees with a ton of roots. I nearly bought it because the front tire was bouncing all over the place. I managed to keep the bike on the right line.

Once I crossed the third road, I started running into people. The first part of this section of trails is a wide fire road that is very popular with walkers, runners, ect. The first group of people I saw was easy to avoid. They were just beyond a side trail that I was not planning on taking because it is reasonably technical. However, my fear of people outweighed my fear of injuring myself on the bike, so I took the side trail.

The side trail was not as rough as I remembered, but it wasn't a fire road. There were plenty of roots, rocks, and sharp turns.

When I popped back onto the fire road, I noticed that there was still a group of walkers just up a head of where I wanted to go, so I took another side trail that shoots along a small ridge line. Other than that it has steep drops on each side of the trail, it is smooth and straight. I was able to cruise and was certain I would pop back out ahead of the walkers.

I was right about the walkers; they were definitely behind me when I got back onto the fire road. However, right in my path were two fat, white, middle age guys riding full suspension e-bikes. Of course they weren't masked and were riding side by side taking up the entire trail.

WTF. I'm all for people of all shapes and sizes getting some exercise. I don't even really have too many issues with e-bikes (although I'm not sold on the need for full suspension ones) because they do get more people biking. I do have problems with a couple of over privileged idiots ignoring both public health guidelines and basic trail etiquette.

They didn't move into a single file line so we could both use the trail. I had to pull off to the side and watch them silently cruise by under full e-power.

The rest of the ride was pure cruising. The trails were wide and groomed all the way to where I popped out of the woods. I did, briefly, consider the water tower trail as a I cruised past but wasn't in the mood to push my luck. The bike had been jittery the whole ride and the cut backs and incline felt like a step too far.

Once out of the woods, I had a mile ride back home on the streets that includes a big hill. To make the ride easier, I decided to lock out the front fork. When my thumb reached for the button, it couldn't push it in. I checked what was going on figuring that I had snapped the cable or something. Nope - the fork had been locked out for my entire ride....

I felt silly but also a little bit better about how much trouble I was having riding the rougher sections of trails.

The ride home was an uphill slog. The hill is long and steep. It is perfect for getting the thighs burning and the great pumping.

Aside from the idiot pair, I was really impressed with how much care my fellow trail mates were taking to keep COVID at bay. It was nice to get on the trails in a way that felt safe and did wonders for my mental health. Now I feel like I have one more outlet.

Rock Wall Face Plant

I could not get away to paddle this weekend, but I did have a few hour free to take advantage of the nice weather. The girls were at church, so I decided to worship in my own way: mountain biking.
I decided to wear some extra clothes because it was a little chilly which made me feel a little off. I also hadn't been on any big trails in a few weeks so I was a little rusty. I was in general a little nervous about getting hurt while riding solo (Imagine me being conscientious). So, I decided to ride the hard part of the Western Greenway from my house.
The initial hill is always a bitch. I can never quite remember where the turn is an it is a steep hill, so I'm rarely in a good gear and my front tire always feels likes its gonna bounce off the trail. Today there was the added challenge of leaves all over the trail. I spun out about halfway up.
After the big up hill there are some steep, narrow, twisty down hills before you come to a junction that where you can choose to go over to the part of the Greenway I always ride or to go down the path less taken. I was feeling a little off and out of my depth, but also full of adrenaline and the need to make the most of my brief bit of solo time.
I took the path less taken. In some ways it was a smart choice because there are less hills and more jump out points. The way I usually go is at least 6 miles and mostly uphill until it levels out and then there is the call of the water tower.... The other path is a lot of down hill at the beginning and the YMCA is only 4 miles in and makes a perfect bail out point if needed. After the YMCA things do start going back up hill, but it is gradual and only for about two miles or so I remembered.
So I made the turn and headed down the hill. It started off fine. I was solid but nervous, so I did my best to keep it slow and keep my butt back.
About half way to the YMCA there is a section with a turn at the bottom of a hill that leads to a quick hop over a low gap in a rock wall. I have done this feature a few times with no problems. I have done several features much trickier with no issues. Today I hit the gap just wrong. The front fork compressed, the tire stoped, and I launched over the bars.
The landing was less painful than I had feared. My I had jammed a finger, banged up my knee, scraped a shin, and avoided smashing my head into anything. I was shaken, but not enough to stop.
It is funny how things work sometimes. The fall should have probably made me more nervous and cautious which would have led me to likely more falls. Instead it did the opposite. I relaxed and my riding got more smooth. The trail from that point is also a little less technical, so that helped the not falling, but I just felt more relaxed. The worst had already happened.
It turned into a great ride. I finished off the back part of the Greenway. It was not a piece of cake, but a nice burn.
After I passed through the Paine Estate I locked out the front shocks and headed down Forest Street with the intention of going straight home. I didn't want to push myself too hard...
Then I got to the turn where I could go straight home or go back into the woods and take the long way home.
Straight home is a short, steep hill followed by a fun downhill.
The woods are flat(ish) but about 3 miles longer.
It is sunny.
I'm not feeling wiped out. A few more miles would be more than I planned, but I have gas in the tank.
I unlocked the forks and dropped into the woods. When I passed the water tower run, the wheels started drifting towards the start of the trail. I restrained myself and stayed on the flat ground. I rounded the bog, used a what was left of my self control to stay on the main trail up to the 1st road crossing.
I forgot that after the road crossing was a long low incline. It is not a hard or technical climb, but it was the end of a longish ride when I am out of shape. I enjoyed it, but I also took a break. I was glad it was a short section with an escape hatch at the end.
The hardest part of the section is the steep scramble at the end. I started the climb strong, then my back wheel spun on some leaves.... I was glad that the road on the top of the hill offered a flat, straight shot to my house.
When I got off the bike, I felt the burn. I was totally gassed. It felt good.
As I was putting my gear away, I noticed a pointy dent in the forehead of my helmet. When I hit the wall, I must of hit a sharp rock with my head and never felt a thing. The dent went through the plastic and into the foam. There is nothing as good as a good helmet.
I don't know what is about me and a mountain bike... I get swept up in the rush and play on the edge of the box...
It is better than being on the couch....

Land Locked Again

I am not sure why I keep going back to Land Locked. It is just painful and a wee bit outside my newbie box. I am, however,  a glutton for punishment, a long time sufferer of stupid man syndrome, a pig headed fool who refuses to let a few trails in the woods defeat me, and a a typical example of masculine middle age misconception.
Anyway, Heather saw a post of the NEMBA FB page - I refuse to participate in FB's predatory business practices and general toxic void, but am glad to benefit from other's decision to do so - that there was going to be an "easy" ride at Land Locked. I was a little desperate for a ride - or really any outside adventure - so I jumped at the chance.
Aside from the fact that even an "easy" ride at Land Locked is on the very edge of my box, I also was not driving our tiny, deluding our selves into feeling better about driving a monster truck, non-toy transport capable, car. I "knew" that I could fit my bike with its giant 29" trail tires into the sloped back of a car that can barely fit four adults.... When reality hit, I discovered an old strap-on back rack that has been living in our garage, unused, for close to a decade. It was a sign... I could turn the Ionq into a toy carrier!!! It was a lose fit and one of the pads rested on some glass, and the top clips were secured under the glass lip of the hatch, but the bike held and I could get to the ride without going on the highway.
The ride started out great. The pace didn't seem too fast, the guy leading the ride had an inhaler.... Then came the rock wall. We were all warned about the wall. A few people walked the wall. I was going to conquer the wall.... It didn't look big. My front tired cleared it as planned; the back tire cleared it over my head. I'm not certain what happened, but the ground was pretty soft. Eyewitness accounts say that I was a little too far forward and that perhaps I didn't have enough momentum to keep the front tire moving after it hit the bottom of the drop on the back side of the wall....
This was 20 minutes into the ride and, aside from a little bit of pain where I jammed my hand into the ground, I was fine... No reason not to keep riding....
For a while the riding was great. The trails were flowing and I was in a groove. The pace seemed fast, but comfortable. I was shifting for the uphills with no problems, clearing obstacles like a pro, making tight turns, and nailing switchbacks. It was great fun.
About half way through the ride I did misjudge the distance between two trees and clipped one side of the handlebars. The unexpected turn a rapid deceleration was more embarrassing than painful.
Then we hit Milk Crate.... I was less pooped this time than last time, but it was still rough going. I made more of the gnarly turns and quick up downs. I'd say I managed to ride 90% - OK maybe 80% - of the trail without walking. There was one turn where I totally missed the line. I went too wide and couldn't easily make the turn, so I jammed my foot into the ground to force the bike back into the trail.... It hurt, but you don't need a heel to ride....
After Milk Crate, I thought we were done. I knew I was just about out of gas. I forgot that the only way back to the parking lot from the end of Milk Crate was across the Three Bridges.... The bridges themselves are not so bad - well except for the section where there is a very narrow passage between two trees in the gap between two of the bridges. It is really the hills that hurt. It was getting dark; I was feeling tired; I made the gap, but not on a line that I believed would get me across the last bridge.... So, I stopped and walked the bridge.
That was my breaking point. I was totally in my head at the bottom of a series of fairly steep climbs with some rough switchbacks and out of gas.... Fortunately, the sweep for the ride was patient and encouraging. I walked the first short climb and got back on the bike. I sucked wind the entire way up and out of the woods, but I made it - not certain that my heart was not going to just quit on me before I could get back to the parking lot for some pizza - but I made it.
The ride back to the cars was mostly down hill on mild terrain, so that was a nice chance to rest. When I got back to the cars, I had recovered a little. I had enough energy to eat some pizza and be social. Which was better than the last two times I had ridden Land Locked.... I was not certain that I hadn't done permanent damage to my heel, shoulder, or heart, but that didn't really matter. I improved and had fun doing it.
Maybe next time, I will find someone to go at my pace. Better yet, I'll just keep getting better....

Kid's Ride 2

I cannot say enough good things about how NEMBA runs their Kid's Ride Series. The leaders are great. The encourage the kids to push themselves.
Today was Bug's second kid's ride. She wasn't really sure about going because she gets nervous riding with new people particularly when I am not right with her. The kid's rides are organized so that the kids ride in a group with the parents trailing, so essentially the kids are riding on their own. She was also a little worried that the trails would be too hard for her.
The ride was right by our house and we had already done a bunch of the trails, so that made her feel better. I also reminded her that if she goes on three rides, she gets a tee shirt.
We went out with the middle skilled group. The advanced group was mostly older kids who had been riding for a while and wanted to shred. The beginner group was for kids that had never mountain biked or were on balance bikes. The middle group was huge.
It didn't take long for our group to split into sub-groups. Just after leaving the main field in front of the community gardens there is a bridge. We had more than one rider become a walker. After the bridge, there was a small be steady incline that further broke the group down. In the end, I think our initial group split off into three groups.
After the sorting, our group picked up speed and headed out along the Greenway. The kids all did great. There was some walking here and there as we came upon obstacles or surprisingly steep inclines.
At stops, I checked in with Bug and she seemed to be enjoying herself. Her biggest worry was not that the trails were hard; she was more concerned that kids in front of her kept getting hung up on inclines and making her slow down....
We made a stop at the bump track. The kids enjoyed riding around the track, but no-one really got the idea of bumping around the track. I cannot bump around the whole track either. I still need to peddle to get around...
After the bump track we headed way out the Greenway. We went out past Avalon and Walnut Street to the long bridge that leads down to the soccer fields. It was as long and difficult as some of the adult beginner rides I've done this summer.
The thing I learned was that going slow requires a lot of skill. When I'm bombimg along the trail, momentum makes getting over things easier, it makes missed shifts a little less terrible, and it magically stabilizes the bike. Balancing and speed changes are a unique challenge.
Towards the end of the ride, a few of the younger kids started running out of steam. There was one boy who was a super trooper. He was ridding a 16" BMX rig with a single speed that looked like it weighed as much as he did. Going out he tried just about everything. On the way back he walked a lot more. He still gave everything the old college try, but he was fading. His persistence was impressive.
The enthusiasm of the kids and their excitement after conquering a challenge is great. I know Bug feels better about herself after completing a ride. Now she really wants that tee shirt....

Relaxing in Maine with a Touch of Grief

This is our third year going to Mt. Desert Island and we still love it. Several of the families we talked to kept saying that every year they want to go somewhere else for vacation, but end up right back at the same campground. I figure why mess with success when it comes to a week of relaxation.
We have plenty of other opportunities for excitement.....
Our first two days were very chill. We got our camp site all set up the first day after a leisurely drive. The second day we hung around the camp site for most of the morning. In the afternoon, we did a really nice hike across from Echo Lake. There were some pretty steep sections, but the views were spectacular. We also started our "Handstands in ME" photo collage on the hike. There is no place where Bug will not try a hand stand.
Monday, our third day, started out nice. We made our usual run up to the Gathering Spot for pastries, coffee, and daddy-daughter chit chat. Then the cat sitter called....
Alex, our cat, had been up and down since the winter, but nobody really knew what was wrong with him. At first we thought it was just asthma and put him on steroids, and he bounced back. Then as summer wore on, he started getting more and more picky about his food and generally just slowing down. He'd do great for a while; then not so great. We were planning on having some more testing done after vacation, but it seems like he had other plans...
The sitter said he looked pretty bad and that he needed to see a vet ASAP. She would take him, but one of us would need to come home and fill out the final paperwork.
After talking it out as a family, we decided that we would leave the camp site set up, all drive home to be with Alex, and them come back the next day. Bug was adamant about wanting to be there for Alex even knowing that he was likely not going to make it. It was a somber drive.
About halfway down, the vet called and confirmed what we already knew. He was in a very bad way; she could probably give him some drugs and stuff to perk him back up, but that would just be a short term fix. We let the vet know that we were on our way and wanted to be there when he passed; she said she would make him comfortable until we got there.
We told Bug what was going to happen when we got to the vets. She was sad, but resolute. She and H spent the rest of the drive making a mural of all the things we loved about Alex.
The vet had a nice room set aside for saying goodbye. There is a little couch where we all sat together and held Alex. He looked comfortable, but definitely weak. When we were ready, the vet gave him the shots and he drifted away.  We all had a good cry. Yes, even me. I reminded Bug, that pets who are truly loved never die.
After we finished at the vet, we went home to put some of Alex's things away. We didn't want to keep it hanging about.
Before anyone could think too much about it, I made the executive decision to drive back to the campground that night. H was skeptical, but didn't up much of a fight. I figured that if we lingered we would never get back. We would sleep in, then we'd be all mopey and drag our butts until it was after lunch, and we'd miss two full days of our vacation. That is not what Alex would have wanted....
It was the right decisions. Bug passed out in the backseat and we go back to the campground before midnight.
We woke up on Tuesday ready for pastries, cold brew coffee, and fun in the sun. After a bit of planning, we decided it would be a biking day: we would catch the shuttle into Bar Harbor, take the bike express to Eagle Lake, ride out to Jordan Pond House, then reverse course. Plan in hand, we packed up our water bottles, threw some snacks in a back pack, hopped on the bikes, and headed up to meet the shuttle into Bar Harbor.
When the bus arrived we started loading the bikes on the racks only to find out that the shuttles cannot accommodate standard 29" MTB tires.... We're not talking fatty tires, just plain old 29" tires.
So, back down to the camp site to make a quick swithcheroo on our toy transport set up. We moved the bike racks off of the trailer and onto the roof of the bus. It was harder than I thought it would be. The bus is super tall and wide. Getting a bike in the middle was quite the trick. An hour latter we were on our way....
At the trailhead, H had me ask for help getting the middle bike down. It is nice to have an extra hand and not risk banging up the bikes.....
Bug and I enjoyed our new wheels on the trail. The added suspension was cushy and I hardly noticed the extra weight. We did make sure we stuck with H up the hills. Last year we just went around Eagle Lake; this year we decided to extend the trip over to Jordan Pond. It was a nice extension. The trail was mostly level and the scenery was nice.
It was easy to tell when you got to Jordan Pond. There was a throng of bike and people milling about taking selfies and chilling.
We made our way over to the actually Jordan Pond House just to see what it was about and ended up staying for some popovers. It really is all that. The popovers are deliciously lite and airy. The jam and butter was a perfect match. The outdoor seating was lovely and our waiter was delightful. It was a perfect little break in the middle of our ride.
The ride back is mostly down hill. Kenzie did have to stop a few times to wait for us. For the most part she did really well. With the new wheels, she can zoom. I empathized with her. My new wheels really wanted to zoom down the trail as well.
We had help getting the bikes back on the car, but not getting them off at the campground. Fortunately, no bikes were hurt (or any buses).
The next day was our annual Mt. Gorham hike to collect blueberries. It is always a nice hike.
We parked at Sand Beach and walked up past Thunder Hole hoping it was thundering. We had no luck on the thunder; all was quite at the hole.
The Gorham trail is easy and we made quick work of it. We did get a few nice hiking handstands to add to our collection. H and Bug worked harder looking for berries than they did hiking. They scoured the summit and got a nice haul. The hike down was also pretty uneventful. The only hard part was trying to convince H to let Bug and I do the Beehive trail.... Maybe next year....
Back at the campground Bug wanted to try paddle boarding, so she and I rented a pair for two hours. At first, Bug was not too into it. I think she was a little scared and a little cold. It did not take too much prodding to get her to try some backbends and handstands on the paddle board. Once she realized that she could manage that, she was all in. She spent more time doing tricks than paddling, but that was OK. I got to paddle and she had fun. What is vacation for if not for having fun.
Thursday was a family kayaking day. After pastries and puttering around, we set off down Sommes Sound. It was a little windy and Kenzie got chilly paddling the sit on top, so we only made it about a mile or so before hauling out for lunch. After some snacks and a quick swim, we headed back to camp. First we went looking for some Ospreys. Bug and I had seen some when we were paddle boarding. Today they alluded us.
On the way back to the docks, Bug saw some of her friends and wanted to stop. So, I stopped with Bug and H continued back. H deserved some down time. Bug and her friends set up a fancy restaurant on the rocks while I practiced my boat control skills and generally goofed off on the water. Then the kids asked for on water entertainment, so I did a bunch of rolls for them.
Thursday night was the Stars over the Beach presentation in the park and we always try to go and see the show. Last year it was cloudy and you could hear the thunder coming in from the mainland. This year the full moon and fog made star gazing less than rewarding. The rangers did their best and told some good stories. Even when the sky does not corporate, laying on the beach listening to good stories with the gentle tide in the background is a nice way to spend an evening.
Our final day was set aside for Diver Ed. As expected it was a fun time on the water. Ed is goofy and educational. Getting to spend a few hour out at sea is a bonus.
Driving home was bittersweet. While we were happy to be heading home, we were sad that vacation was over and that home was going to be empty. It will take a while to get used to not having a giant fuzz ball wandering around the house.

Pushing it Past the Limit

Over the last few weeks I have been pushing the the edges on the mountain bike. I did a "mellow" intermediate ride at the Land Locked forest last Thursday and then did a "hard beginners" ride there tonight.
Land Locked is a great place to ride, but I learned that my fitness level is still pretty poor on both rides.
The Monday night beginners ride has been great at building up my skills. There was nothing at Land Locked that I could not handle. Although there is a lot more at Land Locked to play on than there is in Belmont. That part made me feel good.
The Monday night rides are also good for building fitness, but not enough to really build it up to the point needed to do long rides without a lot of stops.
Back in June when I was riding my road bike to work a couple of times a week, I probably had a pretty good base. Now, after a month of only riding once a week, my old body has lost all of that base.
On the Tuesday night ride, I was lucky enough to find a two women who were looking for a slower pace. It gassed me pretty good and my bike computer told me I was overreaching. I felt pretty OK afterwards though - aside from my normal "Oh my god I'm gonna have a heart attack" anxiety.
Tonight though, I had no such luck. The ride leaders did not set a hard pace and did a great job making sure everyone was doing OK. I was doing fine for most of the ride, or so I thought. I knew I was pushing myself, but not too hard. Then I hit the wall.... We did this section called the milk crate and I nearly keeled over. Then there was more uphills...
At one point I just had to get off the bike and just rest awhile. The ride leader was really great and stuck with me and helped me stay positive. Some how I got back on and hobbled back to the cars.
My bike computer told me I was overreaching and congratulated me a new max heart rate of 194... I'm 50 and 220-50 is definitely lower than 194.... I wasn't having chest pain or dizziness or any more than normal shortness of breath, but I was wiped.
Somehow, I managed to get the bike back on the roof and after a little rest drove home. I am still in the "Oh my god I'm gonna have a heart attack" phase, but without any real symptoms.
It is just one more reminder that I am getting older and need to remember my limits. Oh and that I should exercise more than once a week.....
Fortunately, I'm vacationing next week and cannot be lured back to Land Locked. I'd like to say I have learned my lesson, but it was a ton of fun.

Kids, Mountain Bikes, and Ice Cream

NEMBA runs a series of kids rides throughout the summer and I figured Bug would enjoy getting out on the trail with some other kids and some knowledgable adults. At first she was a little apprehensive, but the prospect of ice cream won her over.
This particular ride was at Great Brook Farm where they have an ice cream shop where they make ice cream from the dairy cows raised on the farm. It is a really cool place. We have done several walks on the trails there. This was our first time riding at the park.
When we first arrived at the parking lot, it looked like chaos. Tons of families were milling about and kids were riding all over the place. Then one of the leaders came over and clued us in to the plan. Given the number of children and adults involved, it was extremely well organized. After gathering everyone together into one mass, they explained the ride structure and how to pick your group. Then they split into a number of groups.
Bug and I choose a nice middle of the road group. Bug was a little nervous because the ride leaders want all of the kids to ride as a group with the parents trailing behind, but she quickly got into the groove. The pace was nice and the terrain was middle of the road. There were some roots and loose gravel, but nothing too big. It turned out to be a good way to suss out where the group was in terms of skills and comfort.
An hour into the ride, about the halfway mark, the leaders decided to split the group again. One group  would do some easier trails at a slower pace. The other would do some more advanced stuff.
Bug decided to stick with the more advanced group and it was a good choice. We did some real single track stuff. It was definitely beginner trails with small roots and obstacles, but it was real riding. The kids all did a really great job.
There were two challenging parts of the ride:

• A long, narrow bridge with a turn in the middle--the leaders had adults stand along the bridge to help the kids navigate and prevent any falls. Bug crushed it.
• A steep, rocky decline with a sharp turn through a narrow gap in the trees. Most of the kids walked the part with the turn and trees. I rode it and totally understood why the kids walked it...

After the ride was over we all got ice cream. We also learned that if you do three kids rides, you get a free t-shirt. Bug is definitely looking to grab a new shirt!

After the ride I asked if she liked it. She said it was a little scary, but fun. She was proud of herself for learning to go over roots and trying some of the trickier terrain.

These are the moments that make parenting worth it.

Mountain Biking is Hard

Let's just be up front and say I don't always get the obvious..... I figured mountain biking would be just like road biking, but in the woods and sitting a little more upright. Actually, I thought it might even be a little bit easier than road biking; the big tires and plush shocks are super comfy and biking on those nice packed gravel rail trails and carriage paths with the family is pretty chill.
Imagine my shock when I went out on some of the single track trails behind my house and nearly keeled over. My first outing on the bike should have clued me in, but I figured it was just the mud and the lack of riding time.... Since then I've been out on the road bike a few times and the trails were pretty dry today.
The downhill parts of the trail were hard and terrifying. Trying to get the bike through two trees barely wide enough for the handle bars to fit through after taking a 85 degree switch back on a trail that drops off steeply on one side when you are going down a steep hill is hard. Keeping your feet on the peddles while bouncing over rocks and roots is hard.
The flat parts of the trail were marginally less scary, but more taxing. Getting whacked in the shins when your foot slips and you need to peddle because the back tire is caught on a rock hurts. Having the bike nearly stall out on you because the back tire doesn't roll over a rock and you suddenly have to peddle extra hard when you are in a cruising gear hurts. Peddling double time through a muddy patch is hard.
The uphills are hard on a road bike, but at least you can usually count on the road being straight and smooth. Navigating switchbacks without stalling is hard. Slipping in the mud is hard. Peddling over rocks and roots is hard. Keeping a steady pace when your feet keep bouncing off the peddles is hard. Not falling backwards when your front tire bounces off a rock and your back tire slides down the side of another rock is hard.
I went just over four miles on an easy/intermediate stretch of trails and it was one of the toughest bike rides of my life. According to my heart rate monitor, I was in zones 4 and five most of the time. My legs felt like goo, and were bleeding from a few spots where I got hit really hard with the peddles.
Don't get me wrong, it was a blast and I plan on keeping it up. In fact, aside from the pain and need for an immediate nap, it was one of the funnest and enjoyable rides I've had in a while. The thrills were nicely balanced with the peace of being in the woods.
I think I may need to get a little professional schooling, or at least a lot more practice, before I move onto any more intermediate trails.

Biking the Battle Road

So I decided that it would be a good idea to combine a play date with some exercise, so I took Bug and one of her friends for a mountain biking ride on the Battle Road in Minute Man National Park. The Battle Road is a wide, smooth trail with sloping hills. It is nothing that a rider in moderate shape on a halfway decent mountain bike cannot handle.
All three of us have better than decent rides; our rides can eat the Battle Road for a light snack. The girls are both in great shape; I can manage to walk up a flight of stairs without being winded.... This should have been a good work out for me and a fun outing for the girls.
The girls did have fun, but I didn't get much exercise. Our pace was not what I had hoped. The girls wanted to stop at every sign along the way or take water breaks. It was nice to stop and see the sights and have a relaxed afternoon, but I was really hoping for some speed.
At one stop, we saw a family with three young boys peddle past us on 16" bikes. One was on two wheels and was moving; the other two were trying to keep up on training wheels. It was super cute. They peddled back a few minutes later.
We saw a lot of dogs and families out walking, which also slowed us down a bit. I was very impressed with the girl's bicycle etiquette. They remembered to ring their bells to give pedestrians plenty of warning and then also told them on which side they were passing. They were better than some of the adult riders on the trail.
On the way back to the car, we did manage to keep a decent pace. The girls thought they saw a bee and peddled like bandits to keep away from it. I wasn't about to tell them that it was just a fly and that a bee would have given up minutes into the chase.
I definitely recommend the Battle Road for a fun afternoon of riding. Just don't get your hopes up for a workout. During the summer, some of the houses and other stops have staff to give tours and stage mock battles. It is cool to see, but also slows things down.

50 not 15

For X-Mass Bug got an awesome new mountain bike. It is a 24" trail shredder that my trusty TriCross has no chance of keeping up with off road. Fortunately, I got a super sized REI dividend that put a reasonably capable trail shredder within reach.
I got Ghost Lano 29er with an SRAM 1x11 drive train and some 100mm travel shocks. I didn't spring for air shocks or top of the line drive train components, but I didn't really like the feel of the air shocks on the bikes I tried and research shows that the whole SRAM 1x line is pretty robust. Besides, all I really want to do is keep up with my kid on the trails.
I did try some 27.5 and 27.5+ bikes. The 27.5 bikes didn't wow me. The plus tires were fun, but I really didn't need the extra-float or the need to think about how much pressure to run.
Anyway, the first ride out the bike got dropped on the drive side and bent the derailleur. While sad, the fact that I didn't go high end made the repair cheap.
For the second ride out, I decided to take a short spin on the trails by our house. They are easy trails. I do always miss one crucial turn at the beginning. So, after missing the turn, I ended up going down a hill and into a branch that I thought my giant 29" tire should just roll over before I thought to slow down a little more. Next thing I know my ass is sailing over my head and I am laying in the mud with a bike on top of me....
I did a quick body scan and aside from a few new aches I appeared conscious and mostly functional. Then I checked the bike to make sure I wouldn't be slinking back into REI needing a second derailleur in as many weeks. The bike was OK as well.
Naturally, I did the smart thing and continued the ride.
It turns out that mountain biking on muddy trails is much more demanding than riding on dry pavement. I am also way more out of shape than I thought. My initial concern about the 1x drivetrain not having enough range was unfounded, the big ring provides plenty of granny for steep climbs - even when every other peddle is just a wheel spin in the mud.
The one branch of flipping was the only obstacle that gave me trouble. The rest of the trail obstacles were eaten up by the big tires and plush fork. When I needed to dodge a tree or rock, I had plenty of maneuverability. The 27.5 tires may have a little more agility, but I didn't miss it. The riding was exhilarating and exhausting.
There were moments when I could feel the rear end hopping around or slipping about. It was a little disconcerting, but I eventually adjusted and learned to control things.
About half way through my planned ride there was a road crossing. As I came down the gentle slope onto the pavement, I realized that I was never going to make the rest of the loop. My legs were jelly and my heart rate was in the red zone. So, I locked out the fork - you've gotta love remote fork lock outs - and headed home on easy paved roads.
When I limped into the house with a big gash on my leg, H kindly reminded me that I was 50 and not 15. I am going to be sore for a few days, but it was worth it. I cannot wait to get the bike out again.
The NX drivetrain may be "low end", but it shifted smoothly and precisely. It seems perfect for my needs at the moment and makes repairs less painful. The other nice feature of the SRAM components is that they are all compatible, so if I ever get back in shape (or magically become 15 again) I can swap out for higher end stuff.