What: mountain tracks on muddy trail
Where: Tie off Sheep bridge road
Who” mountain bikers, where they local or tourons?
Why: ?
Saturday I drove up to Sheep Bridge road to ride, route was to be up Dead Ringer to top of JEM then down to Virgin rim then climb back up Crypto. I saw snow from Gooseberry down and freeze thaw mud in the parking area. I abandoned my ride as I figured the trails would be too muddy. Rule is if your tires are picking up mud, the trail is too muddy to ride and if you do you will damage the earth.
I have been paying attention to the temps hoping for thawed freeze thaw or better yet dry tread. Today I returned to Sheep Bridge:
I got out and walked around testing the dirt evaluating for firmness. My new route would descend from here which might mean not below freezing at night. Right off the bat I saw the opening pic scene, right at the start, however, they kept on riding. I checked if my tires were picking up mud which they weren’t and the tread was firm soft. I descended the JEM to the Virgin river, the trail was dry and rut free below an elevation.
The rim is mostly rock, Crypto climb was dirt that started trackless until it reached that elevation where it became muddy. The tracks became very visible.
Note my bike tires.
Their ride must have been a struggle with slipping, mud building up on their tires maybe so much their rear tire would not revolve in the frame, and a heavy bike.
Who: casual survey said locals would go away to ride another day. Locals will say Tourons. If Tourons they are not around to speak in their defense. Locals say it wasn’t us. If Tourons I wonder how they treat their home trails. I wonder whether locals here become tourons how they treat what they visit?
What: future weather events and many riders riding the dry trails will roll down some of the cast tracks. Tracks that left the tread will remain and might contribute to widening the trail.
Why: Perhaps the biggest reason is that Tourons had 1 opportunity to ride here and they were going to. Can’t imagine their enjoyment.
Reminds me of my Thunder Mountain rides. The first time conditions were ideal and enjoyable. The second time snow had fallen then temps played freeze thaw. I called the local RS asking about conditions. I was assured trail would be fine. I stopped by the RS several days later and was told the same thing. Good for me as they know the conditions. I started to suspect bad info as I pedaled up the paved bike path over patches of melt freeze snow, then freeze thaw softened FS gravel road. Guy said trail would be OK which kept me going forward. As I dropped on to the single track at first the tread was firm, I got sucked in. Nasty freeze thaw and snow mixed in, I was in the shits and so committed I kept on yet I stayed on the tread. Scenery was spectacular. I did not enjoy the ride. Had I not ridden it when conditions were stellar I would have dissed the ride because of the second one. Years later I rode the loop again under ideal conditions enjoying the scenery and trail. Two out of three rides were good. The riders that rode here prolly have a dim view of the ride.
Some riders need to make better decisions. Years ago when i was in SORBA country of the SE trails would be closed because of bad conditions. Some places gated the entrance to the TH to block access. One year I was in WI to ride the Kettle Moraine trail. The land manager gated the start. While I was sitting in the parking lot I saw 2 riders emerge and were greeted by LEO. I hope the riders were sited. Selfish, I don’t live here, I traveled a great distance to ride and by gosh I will, conditions be damned, I will be gone after my ride, locals deal with what I did.
That’s my rant.
My bike after my 10 mile ride:
Medical office recorded my heart rate at 48 bpm.
Yesterday I drove down to wheel alignment shop at ST George. Guy set my van up on rack and discovered that 2 of the tie rods were worn and needing replacement. The tie rods keep the front wheel in unison, the wear allows the wheels to lessen their tie which is showing on tire wear. Can contribute to vibrations which is prolly what I was chasing in Spokane. Tire wear displaces material which throws out the balance. Tires balanced at point but continued driving wearing off rubber throwing the balance off is never ending. Shop ordered replacement tie rods to be installed next Tues.
Monday morn I spoke with shop in Bend about the cold engine temp. Casey wondered if the engine ran long enough to get warm and when I drove downhill with no engine load and cold air cooling the engine the temp gauge dropped. Suggested to start the engine and watch the temp to see if it reached operating temp. It did. However, the water pump spewed a small splatter of leaked coolant: near future water pump replacement. van has run at temp since. MPG is less than normal 24.5.
Rain forecast for Thurs on. Tomorrow is last sunny day for many days.