Bend trails are fun to ride that extract effort. However, the joy of carving wiggles and waggles on a trail out weigh the climbs, I suppose because of my familiarity with the trails I know which way to ride a loop or simply not ride that trail.
Sat I drove up to Swampy TH for the night and staged for Sunday’s ride. I had been watching trail report for Flagline Tie that comments have provided current info. Days ago condition was snow and downed trees. Sat condition reported was rideable. I set out Sunday morn to learn first pedal what snow I might have to carry my bike over. Note: my bike weighs 30 pounds, ebike weights are dropping but still in upper 40 pound range. My right shoulder is permanently damaged leaving me with little lifting strength so I was able to lift. I have no desire for an ebike that I might not be able to lift. I prefer to ride where ebikes are still considered motorized and land managers, USFS and BLM so not allow on non motorized trails. That was an aside. I climbed Ridge that became Swampy Dutchman climbing some more to junction with Flagline Tie. No snow here. I figured snow might be closer to junction with Flagline as the trail was N facing and under heavier tree cover. And so it was: maybe 6 snow patches that had a bike track over it. I did not lift my bike. I hit Lower Flagline that had been reported riding well. Good to let off the brakes and get after it. Trails up here are don’t get the rider traffic and are less manicured. Enjoy Rail’s suspension. Down to Swampy Loop to Swede to its end at Swede shelter, returned on SST to Swampy then climbed Swampy tie to Ridge for descent back to van. Finished on downhill which angle is shallow enough to climb. Carving bends. SO much fun.
However, Swampy Tie piece is .7 miles long climbing 207′, that’s 295’/ mile. Took nine minutes, heart rate was average 128. I pedaled some in granny 46T 30T chain ring. I forced myself past settling as After the top I would be smiling. 13.5 miles climbing 1496′ pedaling for 1 hr 55 mins. Shared trails with fewer than 15 riders.
At Swampy occasionally I saw a transit bus with bike racks attached. I saw a sign post in the parking lot, I walked over and read it. It is a shuttle stop for the town to Bachelor public transit. I learned the shuttle runs from downtown to Bachelor with several stops. $5 one way. Wheels started turning for taking the shuttle today. $5 is affordable. I planned today to mee the shuttle at the welcome center hoping for scoring 1 of the 6 bike carrier spots. I arrived over an hour early and put my bike at the bus stop sign. 10:18 is scheduled stop time per their info. 10:18 passed, more minutes passed. More than being late. I called customer service and waited maybe 20 mins on hold till my caller number 3 order was answered. Short story, learned the shuttle does not run on Mon and Tues but their notice did not show that. grumble. I made today a rest day on Ticket to Ride which is a greener. 5.88 miles climbing 522′ pedaling for 45 mins. For a greener that’s almost 100’/mile climb.
Several rides ago I started hearing a clunk. I traced the sound to the derailleur clutch that was previously solved back at Moab. Before I started I performed the fix of squirting Boeshield on the swing spot. T he clutch has a break away bind when the chain is stretched which it should not. The lube was a short term fix that ran its course. I drove to Crow’s Feet mountain collective bike shop on west side and demonstrated the problem. Shop had a bike on the floor that had the same derailleur, no break away hitch. It’s the hydraulic clutch in the derailleur. Shop has new derailleur now being installed. I’m parked on the street in front of the shop waiting for completion. It’s just money. Shop said they will submit for warranty.
No pics. Tree cover and terrain block views.
Yesterday evening I walked up Ridge trail a ways. I am a hiker that bikes are to yield to in addition to yield to uphill traffic. I know to keep my eyes peeled for downhill traffic. Pays to pay attention as I saw a rider speeding towards me. I stepped off the trail as he frantically mostly rear braked stopping before he would have hit me. No harm. I saw him earlier today. I engaged him in conversation learning that he works for the USFS as a silva culturist. He rides a fully rigid bike with cable pulled disc brakes and wide tires.
Long time ago I drove a ’71 air cooled VW van, get the picture of one that you might have followed up a hill. I had seen a sticker on someone’s rig that read ” Go Around, I’m Retired.” I thought adding that sticker to that VW model and drive being retired would be humorous and fitting. I’m retired and drive a more powerful Sprinter but I still drive slower than speeders.