Aw Yeah

I shouldn't be on here too long. I have to pack for our weekend before I go to bed, but I wanted to write down what an awesome ride we had. We did the John Muir blue loop and the connector. The last few weeks, I felt like I was pulling an anchor out there, but today was phenomenal! I tuned up my bike last night and everything worked great even with two hard crashes. I use to skateboard, and I have the skater mentality: It wasn't a good ride unless there is a couple good spills.

I have been mtb'ing a couple years and I don't have tons of bike setup knowledge. I've been messing with tire pressures for awhile. I use to go with 40-45 pounds. Because I'm 220, I'd get pinch flats if I went with any less, and I couldn't handle the rough ride if I went with more. The last few months, I've been thinking more is better so I have been going with 60-65 pounds. I think most mtb'ers would think I'm insane or an idiot, but I like the speed and flow I get with the higher pressure. Front wheel traction has been a concern the whole time, and today it I think it contributed to a crash. With some decent speed my front wheel rolled off the trail and the trail was higher than the ground next to the trail. I turned a little bit to get back on the trail and the front tire washed out. It's a good thing skating taught me how to fall. I did a little nice tuck and roll and came out of it relatively unscathed. I just grabbed the bike and kept hammering. I don't know if the high tire pressure caused it, but I have my suspicions.

The second crash was on the blue trail after the connector. It was a downhill and I don't know what I did, but I must have hit something and my hips moved clear up to the handlebars! I got my right foot out of the clip and it felt like I rode on the front wheel for 10 feet! I'm sure it was more like two feet. I was going to go over the front and I had visions of a broken collar bone but I did my best tuck and roll and avoided the nasty injury. Luckily something (I'm guessing a sledgehammer) slammed me in right in the back of my calf. Man, that knotted up so bad I was wondering how I was going to ride my bike. I just stood up the bike and leaned toward it to stretch my calf for a second or two and hopped on and rode away. It was a spectacular wreck!

I was able to keep up for most of the time tonight. I walked the last hill. It was just too steep and intimidating to try. I didn't want to get frustrated after such an awesome ride.

We got back to the parking lot and after a few minutes I realized that my middle finger was hurting pretty good. I thought that it might be broken since I could bend the last knuckle back about 70 degrees. On the way home, I was trying to figure out how to tell my wife that I'd have to go to the emergency room tonight before we left on our trip tomorrow. I did some experimenting and I can bend back 2 other fingers on that hand the same way, but not on the other hand. I must be double jointed on the left side. I decided that I jammed it or pinched it between me, my handlebars, and the ground, and it was going to be ok. There is almost no swelling, minimal pain, and full mobility so I don't think it's that bad.

I think this ride went well for a couple reasons. I think I have not eaten enough in the past and I haven't eaten during the rides. I grabbed a Big Mac, fries, and Coke on the way there (If you haven't guessed, I'm not a nutrionist), and I stopped at Backyard Bikes and picked up a couple Clif Bars and a couple Clif Shots or whatever they're called. I used one of the shots about two-thirds of the way through the ride, and it did help. I really haven't used anything in the past, but it looks like something that I should start doing.

Here's to an awesome ride!