Did a few effortless rides since last week but no real bike riding as of yet. I just switched my chain ring on the A-Line from a 38-T to a 32-T to do some freeride in rigaud. I have an 11-32 casette, 32-t chain ring & 24" rear wheel so I should be ok to do some mild uphill pedaling even if that brute weighs in at 44lbs.

Alright, day one ride for 2010 starts now.

Title = 2010 Riding Log
Hmm....
It's 2010, I was riding the toilet and I made a log.


Sorry, but you'll agree that it had to be said at some point.

E^vol wrote:


"John takes finger from both hands , plugs ears" Lalalalalalalalalala

First ride of 2010
April 21st, 2010

Ah that was fun, felt like a kid again on my bike. Did a short ride not to kill myself yet but if I manage to ride almost every day that should put me in shape for Bromont. I used the A-Line which I shouldn't have, better off using the HT bike for now and so some XC/AM but oh well. I headed out a little late so without my lights I was pressed with time to at least get out the woods and into the town limits. Shouldn't be sore tomorrow.

I got out this morning. Trails are dry and the bike's running smooth. Great ride

bg wrote:


16c here and really nice, might just go up around here on the big bike.

Second ride of 2010 on XC
April 24th, 2010

Second official ride of the season was with a group at Charlottenburgh Ontario and it was real fun. The burgh as it's nicknamed isn't big at all, mostly flat but all single tracks and technical. It's technical because theirs not too many straight lines and plenty of rocks, logs, etc as obstacles. If you want fast flowy single tracks that’s not the place but with the exception of one trail on the far East side.

I got there at 10:30am but no one had arrived, got ready, dressed up and still no one around. We had planned or at least that’s what was written to meet between 10:30-11:00am but anything is possible especially it's everyone’s first group ride of the season I believe. I did almost all the trails on my own then headed back to my Van and still no one had arrived. I decided to give another go at it and did half the circuit and back to my Van but nope no one. So being as it was 12pm I decided to pack up and leave and just as I unlocked my Van here came the gang.

Alright, I guess you can figure out what’s next? Yep I went for some more riding and we where 10 all together. Pretty much no one had any lungs and a few where coughing out a lung or at least part of one. Hypno & Tarto brought their dogs which I found to be just great at following or in most cases leeding ahead. About 5 of us called it quits just before 2pm and headed to the cars, the rest continued riding. I packed it in and left just after 2pm and lots of fun and a great work out.

Hoping to keep myself going good and strong this season and I loo forward to find more group rides for XC & DH biking. I wouldn’t mind riding with others on my road bike but I’m single speed so for now the roady I go solo.

cheers

3rd ride & wet snow

Rigaud mountain: NDL trail
Temp: 4c wet snow on the ground and still snowing

Wasn't planning on riding today but I was stuck home due to car troubles and I needed to walk to a few stores so went for a short ride up partway on the mountain.

This is what it looked like at the bottom of the "Santuary Notre-Dame-de-Lourde"


Went up towards the summit but had to do mostly walking and got halfway up then decided this wasn't riding but walking a bike. Turned around and rode the bike but roots where becoming a pain in my ass. Take a root on a slight angle with very wet snow and it's game over.

Took a little detour to look at the pine section and even more snow there.


I had 2 wooden bridges to cross over but both on an angle and the first one no way in hell I was riding that. Took a last minute decision to detour next to that first bridge but couldn't use the brakes otherwise I'd be down in a second. Next bridge no choice have to cross it but I came to a stand still then rolled it slow. Stopped for one last picture and off I went into town.


Got back home with wet pants but my windbreaker did an excellent job in keeping me dry but sure felt good to be inside a toasty warm house. Getting the wood stove going tonight.

Ride #4

Rigaud Mountain: April 28th, 2010, Hucked up Ski Mont-Rigaud, Coulloir, NDL
12c today & mostly sunny with a lite breeze from the North 20kph.

Van still in repairs and not much shop work if any so I decided to go do some DH/FR just before lunch. It wasn't planned but I still got 8km & 1-1/2 hrs out of it with a mostly blue skey. For this ride I decided to use the big bike my A-Line which I get a much bigger workout from it getting up. Pedaled to the ski center and while theirs no snow left in town part way up thier was some patches left from yesterday.



Today was a day for hucking the bike mand some find it tough but I really don't mind if the end result will be and good ride afterwards. I pushed that beast up 3/3 of the ski hill then rode a short distance before I had to push uphill again till I reached the top. Everything in the woods was snow covered and very wet snow but melting fast too.



I didn't even take a short break up top, felt in shape so I put on my padding and helmet back on , took a few pics and off I went



Overall not a bad little ride and if the weather hold up like this by tonight I'll maybe go for a short road ride.

Cheers

I would give that a try. Looks awesome!!!! Nothing like bushwacking and hucking off stuff!!!!

huck_this wrote:

No bushwacking but hucking or pushing a bike YES. I'll be waiting a few days before I go back because theirs way too much water on the trails and in some cases it was a 6" deep pond. Road bike it is for 2 days probably.

Wow. T'est vraiment chanceux d'avoir une montagne dans ta cour.

Tres belles photos.

slam wrote:


Merci.

Et oui c'est la raison que je suis a Rigaud, proche de l'eau et une montagne.

Ya presque pas de feuille sur les arbres et avec le soleil, le vents et une bonne températures ca sèche très vite. Je pense pouvoir faire le slick ce soir.

Nice. I'm riding tonight 'round here....there will be slick rock involved, just not as much as out there

bg wrote:
It's wet, very wet up on the mountain with some ponds across the trails too so a few days before I'll ride here XC. Otherwise I'll be doing some short road rides like from Rigaud to Hudson round trip. I was going to go to Tremblant this Sat. but too wet there too, so the slick early this weekend unless I drag my bike with me to Ottawa this weekend. I need to go to Leevalley and could do that Saturday then head on over to Kanata, haven't ever been soooo. Options, I need options.

Ride #5

Rigaud: April 29th, 2010, Short run on HWY #342
14c Clear blue sky, windy @ 30kph

Was all set up for my first real ride on a road bike after 6 years absence. Road cycling shoes all washed up, new helmet, tights on and off I went clipped in my pedals. Felt so great and very different being on 25mm tires instead of 2.35-2.6inch tires. Got going pretty good heading towards Hudson and just 2km out the chain jumps up binding my back whell. So get off, adjust the chain and off I go again. Then 500ft later it jumps up again but now it stretched my chain.....CRAP. No choice need to ride back home so turn around and the freaken chain now jumps down and off. I got it back on but took it easy till I got home so not the enjoyable ride I was set on having tonight. I checked my chainline and it's perfect, chain was barely loose originaly but now very slack so that one is scrap.

Tomorrow night when I get home I'm reinstalling both deraillers and even if those thumb shifters for the barends are crappy looking I'll use them for now. After having a brief taste of the road bike I just got to get back on it ASAP because it was a blast. So that concludes ride #5 of 6km.

Cheers

Ride #6

Rigaud: May 30th, 2010, 5km loop aroud town of Rigaud (road bike)
21c Clear blue sky, windy @ 30kph

Did a short loop around the town of Rigaud which takes me through the main street and out by the highway 40 back to the church. It's a 5km loop but on a windy day like today it can be challenging with one gear. I took apart my cassette on the road bike and aligned one cog a 15-T between spacer then installed my 105 rear derailler as a tensioner. All was good once adjusted and the gear ratio is not bad at all excep in a head wind 15-42 gearing is painfull on the legs. My TT bars have a smaller inside diameter then the bar end shifter will allow to fit. I'll have to go get that modified so I can re-install a full 7-sp cassette and shifter so I can do hill climbing.

Can't believe the difference in temperature and weather all of this week. Monday I had sunny with 18c, Tuesday 4c and a a blizzard, Wednesday 13c, sunny somewhat with a little snow on the ground but nice, yesterday same and today in the low 20's. What a wacky planet we have.

My goal this year is to have 150 rides minimum no matter mtb or road bike plus a total of 3500km on the odometer. Once I get going steady on the road bike that should be real easy to achieve.

cheers

Ride #7

Rigaud mountain: April 30th, 2010, 13km The cross, NDL, Escapde.
16c Cloudy, calm

I suddenly got the urge to go out again but took the A-Line instead with such a nice evening. Did a 1-1/2hr ride which was just perfect considering I left at 6:30 and being cloudy by 8pm it was getting low on light.

I pedaled the A-Line to the ski hill and hucked it up to the cross, took a 30 sec. breather and took off downhill. Took off like a bat out of hell and should have brought my armour but oh well. Trails dried up so fast I was really surprised especially after all that snow we got. Made it down to the sanctuary in a flash and I felt real good tonight, so I went up Bourget halfway pedaling. Went to see what the Escapade looked like this spring and it was dry so went all the way into town down this trail. Crossed the municipal park with the teens sitting around doing nothing good and as usual giving a good look at the bike.

Till the next ride.

Good for you fo getting out so much.

I was gunna get out for a ride today, but my brother was in town this morning visiting from Vancouver. He left and I had to work on my bike and fix a seal I blew on my fork. That's all done now, but looking at the radar the rain is coming in fast...dammit

Rigaud wrote:


anytime you wanna come out, lemme know