Ahhhh.

Today Danny and I made a ride plan to meet and ride from the Cultural Park. This time we rode backwards to my customary route: we had to ride up Rupp. We rode down Plumbers crack, a social trail to Girdner, a system trail which drops down to Dry Creek then climbs upstream. No running h2o, only a few shrinking pools to show for heavy rain weeks ago.  We turned uphill on Rupp which is an old jeep road so old that there are no longer even double tracks. Grunt up. To me the riding key has been riding in middle chain ring & second largest cluster gear: 2 2. I can lift the front end so effortlessly and I don’t over torque the tenuous traction and spin out. Danny is a granny gear guy w/ high cadence. He tried middle chain ring and found he could do it and there was a noticeable difference. You do what you find works for you. I am getting stronger and able to push the bigger gear. As long as I stretch my legs well after each ride my knees don’t hurt too much. Ride was 12 miles in 2 hrs. We were satisfyingly spent.

Danny letting gravity do the work
Danny letting gravity do the work

Stops in town for h20, groceries, Scotch, and a shower then out to crowded Deer Pass.

Yesterday I hiked up to start of Special Ed behind the high school to see if the trail was signed closed as it is in discriminatory closure to mtn bikes area. No sign there but this one was installed on a no where trail just b4 Special Ed. My guess is the FS meant to post the next trail uphill which is start of Spec Ed.

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Is this the official closure sign?

I drank a tall latte 2 hrs b4 ride start. My stomach had not cleared it and let me almost taste it again. The latte also turned on my acid reflex giving me a painful heart burn most felt during the climb back out of Dry Creek. Won’t drink that refreshment again.