SS and Toads

Went for a ride today on the new SS, a rigid (as in no suspension) Gary Fisher Rig. This bike is sweet on the long back-road rides I like to do.

It was a nice morning for ride up both the North and South forks of Asotin Creek by way of Cloverland Road. I even took in some wildlife viewing along the way...

No Control

I have no control over boxes showing up at my house with bike parts in them. I have no self control over seeking out and buying new bikes. I'm beyond addicted to say the least.

For some reason another Gary Fisher Rig SS (that's a single speed) showed up at my doorstep. This one is being built up rigid (as in no suspension) just so I could punish myself for buying it. Now if only I had time to ride...I'm finishing my last 160 hours of clinical requirements for my nursing degree. The goal is to have these hours done by the end of June, which means I have little to no time to ride...this means I have no control of my life yet either...

Gears & Suspension = Weird

I was up in Moscow for a job interview at Gritman Medical Center. Wow, what an awesome place and to say the very least I decided that this was a place on the top of my list to work in the future. After a most outstanding interview I decided to shed my tie and slacks for some bike shorts and jersey for some pure single track bliss on Moscow Mountain. Baloo, my new Lenz Sport geared, full suspension bike was in the back of the Subaru waiting patiently. First though I unwound after my interview with a super yummy (extra large) cinnamon roll and coffee at the Moscow Food Co-op . Soon after I hit the trail and found that gears and full suspesion felt really weird after my 24-rh race event riding single speeds the previous weekend. It felt much harder to pedal and it was way too cushy it seemed. Baloo needed some riding (besides my SS bikes are still trashed with mud-yuk from the race).

Since I had never done a full loop on the Headwaters trail I decided it would be fun to do it in one complete run. Zoom-Zoom...Fun is an understatement for this trail and after 5-miles I was spit out where I started with a big smile. The Moscow Area Mountain Bikes Assn (MAMBA) deserves huge kudos for making and maintaining these super awesome trails. I ventured back up and did Cave Trail and several others before I jumped back onto Headwaters for my final decent back- yes, it was another thrilling twisting ride down. By the end of the ride some 30 miles later the suspension still felt weird, but much appreciated. The gears were still odd though.

The interview - let's just say that the following day I got a phone call and Moscow is definately in my future...