Asotin Creek Graupel Ride

I've been mountain biking up on Asotin Creek Trail many times this past winter (not really sure you can call what we had winter though)...every ride has been an adventure in some way. Today was no different, except that I had a riding partner along today to share some spring time adventures. Meet the Kevinator, one lean, mean mountain biking machine...


Together we explored the Asotin Creek trail single track...we rode in sunshine, graupel, and rain...nothing stopped us since the ride was all smiles.



We stopped a few times along our 16-mile ride to enjoy some of nature's spring artwork...hmmmm




It was a perfect MTB day (any day is a good day for MTB rides like this).

Yes, I Stop for Flowers...Kill Bill Episode-II

A true miracle happened today...a MTB group ride! Very exciting since MTB group rides for me seem so rare...partly because of my work schedule, maybe partly due to my lone ranger attitude (Single-Speeds Rule!!!) - OK the real reason is because it has been rather hard to get everyone's (anyone's) schedules to align. But, the SeanMan has a way of sweet talking people (which involves some smack-talk) into group rides. It was a sweet day for a ride and the company was perfect.


There were 3-geared Fisher SuperFlys, my SS SuperFly, plus 3-other Fisher 29ers along and one lone wolf (Doug) on a Salsa Fargo...hmmm suspicious.


At one point when I got behind near the end of the ride the SeanMan was giving me some grief...I did get behind only because I saw a field full of little yellow flowers that as usual just melted me into stopping and dropping the bike to get a closer look...


The SeanMan said something about flowers are for girls, well to me flowers are ultra cool and always worth a stop and look. I'm not sure anyone else really noticed those little yellow beauties flowing by as they focused on the roadway, a bad roadie tendency that I will someday break them of...if they continue to want to ride with me again that is - we unintentionally tried to kill Bill. The SeanMan reminded me that others tried to kill Bill last year also. Sorry Bill, we'll plan for a nicer ride next time, maybe.

I hope everyone had a good day and did not suffer too much. I have plenty of much cooler rides after the snow melts for those interested.

Mountain Bikes Rule!!!

Last month I shamefully rode my geared bikes a total of 2-times...I'm starting to question why I even have geared bikes anymore. Worse is that my road bike has been collecting dust for the last 2-months and even then I've only been on it once this year...shameful. I still find road riding sooooo boring. On the road bike I spend much of my riding time looking at the trash in the ditches just to liven up the ride. Sometimes I stop and investigate a trash treasure, otherwise I just try to avoid the glass from drunks tossing their bottles on the roadway and banana peels from idiot road-toad cyclists. Why do road cyclist feel the need to let everyone know they've been here by dropping those peels? Are road-toads like male dogs marking territory? Why can't roadies just toss the peels in the ditch where they decay and disappear instead of laying on the road side for a few weeks? I have no answer to this after much pondering.

On the mountain bike I find that the gravel road and trail-side scenery much more stimulating than the road trash, glass, and peels...


I find animals, cool bugs, flowers, and more.


Mountain bikes rule in my world.

Are Your Bikes Feelin' the Love?

My bikes are feelin' the love...I can hardly believe that I've had 5-days off and been able to ride at least once each day - that means that some days I ride more than once - whoohoo!!!

I've been just about everywhere I can go without hitting solid ice...once upon a time I would run into snow, but it's very odd this year since I am running into slip-slide-fall-bust-your-butt-solid-ice. After my first encounter with this slick phenomena I learned quickly that it is best to turn it around and go back to where I just came from...walking on that stuff is treacherous, riding it was not possible without some seriously studded tires, which of course I was not about to just run home 40-miles and put on.



There's been a definite hint of spring in the air all week, which was confirmed by the siting of some wild flowers. I saw my first wild-flowers in Spokane on Sunday then notices some at lower elevations locally a day later (that I swear were not there previously). Flowers are one thing that can instantly put a stop to my insane need to pedal or get somewhere fast. One siting of a wild flower and everything in me just melts to a halt so I can drop the bike and get a closer look...



Then there's the bike-art that I am always finding along the way...a natural talent of mountain biking that is easy to attain (just ride), but rarely appreciated...