Cycling lately has been a skill seeking experience on ice and snow then transitioning into slick mud over a frozen underlayer (that means it's ultra-slick mud). The daily freeze-thaw cycle is definitely an adrenalin rush both on and off the pave. Over the past several days it has been a white knuckle experience riding the ice-patch pave down to the river path (which has it's own well disguised 2-wheel sliding ice patches) to Hellsgate State Park for a few loops around and down the Devil's Slide. A few days ago there was about 4-inches of snow out there that made coming down the Devil's Slide a real skill-builder.
Since then it has been slowly melting away leaving an icy underlayer in some places and mud over ice in others. Well needless to say the entire area becomes a slippery 2-wheel challenging ride (makes for big grins as long as you have the skill to stay upright which I have thus far). The 650b Pacenti Neo-Moto and Bontrager Jones ACX tire combo on my Ellsworth truth has yet to be beat by any other tire combo I have on my 29ers for traction in this stuff.
The only downfall I've had is cleaning up the messy bikes after each ride...which I must say is always worth the effort since I'm getting 25-40 miles of fun play out of it.
What are you doing for fun??? Spinning indoors? Watching TV? Anyone is welcome to join me...
4 comments:
Devil's Slide is no place for an old road toad like me even in good weather.
But I'm glad your practicing for Devil's Slide on April 13th. Registration forms will be up at twinriverscyclists.org soon.--Corrie
Dude,
I've been riding by bike to work in the snow. The snow drifts have been unbelievable, I've had to do several hike a bikes
Corrie, even an old road-toad such as thee can learn the art of 2-wheel sliding down ultra steep hills and through corners...it's a most useful skill for those searing days we get in the summer where the pave melts and the old road bike slides out in the melted tar on a corner or sliding our road bikes through those highly graveled corners we have all experienced.
Seanman, as always you impress me and I'm envious that I have no drifts to hike through...maybe you should get a Surly Pugsley snow bike and run it as a single-speed...that'll toughen you up a tad bit more...on second thought have you ever thought about investing in a Bubba-Hick monster truck? Send some pics!
I am REALLY jealous! Except for having to clean the bike.
Brian
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