4 day slouch

Yea I didn't get to ride this weekend with scouts and commitments which is a bummer in a way but now I am anxious and ready to ride as ever. Tonight probably grayville will be ridden furiously! So I guess turkey hunting is taking place for the next 30 days and it puts a shut down on my morning rides since I don't want to piss them off or get shot up......bummer, I guess I will have to start making them at West Rock or Case. Rigid is still MIA sitting at the shop, they said a new frame is coming but what will it be? I am going to try to pick it up Tuesday so they don't charge me an hour of labor for doing 10 minutes of tearing it down. Also needs some new life put into it such as tire, BB, headset. Weekend was great, spring is really coming into action and appreciate it's green glory!

Ohhh Yeah

Another great rip at Mesh. Place has not gotten old one bit yet. Still probably had two handfuls of rides here and still just getting the hang of the layout. We were rolling 8 deep, and as soon as it came time to ride the skies rained down on us. The rain was no big deal, it added some work and careful safety steps to take on rocks and roots but was no trouble what so ever. The crowd was moving at a quick pace and I was able to keep with it just fine. Rode white dot in other direction and like it much better. For those that don't know, white dot is a pretty hairy technical trail that is done by some without stepping off the bike but is very long and a lot of work! On the way out some jumps were hit and luckily I was trailing behind Pat to use him to judge the speed cause there were some good 10+ foot gaps. Onto the other side of the road for a quick 10 more minutes and we were out. Took a bit to clean the crap off the bike, no mud just all sorts of debris. Had a really great ride and can't wait for the next.

Mesh in some rain

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

Tuesday Morning

Got on a good rip with my new riding buddy Colin. We met at 6am and got to business, trails were in very good shape considering the amount of rain fall, the trails sucked it all up like a sponge and were happy to see our tires. We rode Al's trail which I now know the proper name, its the one across the street closest to my house. Covered the Kona Dawg in dirt mostly, no mud was around but plenty of dirt and debris of all sorts. Small world, colin has a 2007 Kona Dawg almost identical to mine just one year newer. I obviously admired and tole him he had a nice bike. Ninety minutes later we parted ways and I was forced to start my day but did so on the right foot.

Aftee the rain

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Back To Recap

Great Western Trail- Salt Lake City-September 15th 2009 So my friend Brent had seen on a mountain biking website that A photographer had posted that was looking to get some mountain biking photos. So we setup a day that would work out good and another biker was going to be joining us. When the day arrived it was looking dim, the clouds were raining lightly in the valley and looked dark and miserable up high. I really wish I had checked more into the weather as I reluctantly headed up the canyon. I was really excited to get a professional to take some photos and not cost me a thing. As we got way up high onto the trail head it was mighty chilly up there. With a sense of adventure the three of us headed up loaded with camera equipment. He chose a few spots one had us riding through the aspens in a puddle. His gear was covered in zip lock bags and after setting up I couldn't imagine these pictures working out. We did what he told us and kept taking run after run to get shots he wanted. I forget why I had my full face on but it was a bad choice, with goggle and the fog I was making made it nearly impossible to see. Onto location number two, by now it was pouring and the skies begin to thunder and light up. I was pretty nervous but these guys weren't sweating it sop further up the great western trail we went. By now we were were probably 3 miles up and setting up for the second shot. We then rode up and down trying to get the right shots. By now the lightening was getting really scary and we packed up and then rode one of the most stormy descents of my life! By the time I got to the car I was so freezing cold I was shaking uncontrollably and it felt good to be back to the old volvo. The end results were ok, not too impressive but what a great location for a shoot!

Moring Hale

Good stuff, got out on my 2nd morning ride this week. After Mesh I was feeling very little life in my legs and but was still ready to tackle the trails. A local rider name Colin, who also gets to ride right from his house was to join me at 6am for 90 minutes of cool moist single track! He warned me he was a bit tired from his thursday ride but he showed little of that, I was trying to chase him down the whole ride but having a good time trying. I was surprised to find that he is a veteran of Hale and responsible for building some of the trails there and knows all the names and ins and outs. He has done great work for Hale and appreciate his efforts. It was a fun ride and we plan to do tuesday morning rides from here on out. I did not ride today, saturday, I was extremely tired for some reason and after a morning filled with yard work I was wiped out and slept most the afternoon. Rain is coming and it will be ugly so I look forward t some down time and giving these leggers some rest.

Hale am ride

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Thursday Afternoon

So these bikerag fellas were riding Mesh and I decided to join them. I had gotten to the trailhead an hour early to have some alone time on the trail and enjoyed it thoroughly. I tried to get myself lost since I am not that familiar with the area and stumbled upon some stuff at some point I think I stepped foot on. It was a really great day and being able to ride was awesome! After cutting it close to make it to the next ride, I arrived just in time. I have gotten extremely good at predicting ride times and trail lengths it's kind of crazy..... so derek and pat were on their DH rigs and sure that the pace was going to be slower, I believe that was not the case. I struggled hard to keep up with them and that was hardly the case, I guess I am getting slower as I ride more..... We made our way up high and went on a good long descent and it was fricken awesome! Soon Derek was out due to mechanical and then Pat shortly after. So it was down to me and Miles to finish the ride. Glad those kids weren't up there shooting that 22. rifle anymore, made me little nervous. Finished that sucker up, after 3 hours of Mesh I was wiped out.

Slow mcgee at mesh

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Six Six One Raji Gloves

These gloves are rocking so far, have 15 or so rides so far and have been absolutely great, the mesh on the back is a great feature keeping my digits especially cool. I would say I normally like more palm protection but even on SS these do the trick. Wear is apparent but that's going to happen regardless since I am especially tough on gloves with my riding style. The things that has me most impressed is despite having no velcro wrists all seams and stitching is in tact. Usually by now I see gloves begining to fail but these have proved great so far. I Give them 4 out 5 for sure! I found them on chainlove.com for wayyyyy cheap just wait for it. There have not been many instances where I will highly regard gloves, but 661 gloves seem to get my vote since I had good luck with my last buy.

Good Morning

Finally got out on the morning ride! I have been lazy on getting them started and have now started the cycle. With having Nathan Hale trails right out my door I can now take a nice shower before I go into work which is a huge plus! I am sure I will still do a trumbull or West Rock rides but it's comforting knowing I can do it right at home. I was on trail by 6am which wasn't very hard doing. I had plenty of light and nice moist trail on a cool 45 degree morning. I forget how great it is to start the day off like this. I set aside the headphones so I can hear the birds chirp and woodpeckers peck, both were in abuncance and very welcomed. I hopped on the Kona Dawg since I was feeling like something different and at first it felt like a clunker but then smoothed out and actually despite feeling a bit crammed on the frame comapred to the Tanuki it pedaled real smooth and shocks were in good order. Traction on those WTX prowlers are fricken good, despite rubbing here and there with 2.5 width they dig right into anything I ask of it, seriously great tires if you don't mind weight. Got in some 90 minutes of good trails and made yet another loop out of the trails of Hale, I have made some really good loops I am sure nobody has ever done or thought of. Now let's see if I can make this a habit, mon-weds-fri at least two morning rides a week.......

Morning hale

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

Toasty Monday

So temperatures hit 89 in my car yesterday and it felt great! This year it appears so far I do not have severe allergies like last year which is great cause I could do without the inhaler. Seriously I was scared to death of this spring and for some reason my body is seemingly un affected. So depite massive pollen floating around and coating cars now I got home and cranked out 10 miles at Hale. I was in a very good mood and legs felt stronger than normal and I just had a good ol time out there. Played with the rebound on the rear shock a little and things feel sooo much better, there is hope in that rear shock after all. Bike together just feels so good, I already am wondering what the story with my SS will be since it's at the shop awaiting raleigh to come around and see what we can do. I am really debating selling both my old FS and SS and putting it towards another 26" FS bike that will literally just sit and be back up while I beat the snow out of my new one........who knows, there a nice Kona Unit screaming ym name at EMS maybe if they can drop it below it's $900 by alot I can manage to pick it up....lifes changing fast and some new arrangements are in store so who knows......all I know if I absolutely love my tanuki it does it all for me but I feel absolutely terrible beating it on every ride. Oh well that's what they're made for. No ride today with scouts and all, I'm smelling wednesday morning ride and thursday night ride!!!!!!!

Hale in spring

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Ragged 4 hours of fun

So I have been hearing about this place called ragged for quite some time now and after a few attempts I managed to make it happen. The start was 9:00 and I was hopeless showing up with somewhat fresh legs and at the mercy of the forest. Mike was our leader and Pat trailing close behind with some knowledge of the trails himself and me eager but not quite feeling on par tried to keep up. It was one very nice warm saturday morning and spring has showed it's face once again and brought back the sweat fest I remember. We climbed a common dirt and mostly gravel road up to where the fun began on the single track. It was tight, it was twisty it had logs, it had very very natural features cured by a Mountain Biker to give it that great touch. Shortly they lost me in the distance but I just kept at it waiting to find what was coming next. It was some good trail on that stretch and a lot of rock was found since I think it shares the spine that runs through WH and Penwood parks. Soon we were at a large overlook where you could see the bowels of New Britain to the south and Lake Compounce to the west. As I looked down I could see large reservoirs surrounding us feeling almost like wilderness lakes but were wild I suppose but close to these gawd awful human beings. We descended quick down the backside and onto a road where we picked trail back up at Crescent Lake. These trails were very smooth and pretty flat and had some log rides and all sorts of goodies. I was loving this stuff. I guess it's a pretty small network of trails so we were done there quickly and then made way into a beat up trail that pretty much beat me up pretty good. We were losing time and had to head back and miss some trail unfortunately. Found myself riding on grass struggling and found shadow in last place with her bell ringing 50 yards behind me. We pedaled awhile before we hit real trail again, but when we did I got a rude awakening that we were back at Ragged. I just kept cranking, strong but slower which was no biggy for me , don't get me wrong I like to keep up but I'm not losing any sleep over it. Soon we came to a decent rocky downhill and I hit a line that worked and so did for the other two. Soon a long downhill and to the car....4 hours later a mighty 15 miles may not sound like much but there was some work done I assure you. Sessions of jumps, logs and other such were plentiful! I had to haul out of there and get to Farmington to drop my bike off and get home to spend some day with my wife. One heck of a good day I must say, I can see why I can rarely do these rides. I left the house at 8:00am and did not get home until 3:30pm......Hope you enjoy the video

Ragged to crescent

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

Into The Blaring Sun

Another great day on two wheels, so I know a person who wanted to go mountain biking so he could make 6:00 he said so I planned on that. With Bentley in hand and him being later we headed for a pre ride. I rode a loop which I had no idea existed right off the line st lot. It was pretty good and very short. Since he was still not present by the time I got back to the lot I then went on another pre ride and by the time I got back he was there. We got pedaling and soon after some hills he realized how out of shape he was and headed back. With the decision to leave or stay I chose stay and pedaled off. A loop came to mind and with the nice temperatures and lingering showers nearby I braved it. It was one heck of a good night and I was on cloud 9 riding out there, life is good! As I cranked hard over to tinti the sun began to glow a bright orange and it became yet another unforgettable ride! I snapped a few pics and tore down Tinti and enjoyed every inch of it. I took another unfamiliar trail that I found out the other day existed and it god really good in the pines then I got on something I had never been on I guess a few more trails exist on the back end of the reservoir. I manged to get to the car right about dark and got home. One good day, one mighty good night

Orange case

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Back

Got out a good ride with Pat N Derek N Mike. Been a little while since I rode with the quick group and suffered a little on the SS on hills and bumps but I managed to keep them in eyesight. We started at a new location I never have before and even rode two trails I never have either. Just when I thought I rode everything Case had to offer two new one show up. Nothing lengthy but fun none the less. It was a long two hours chasing those guys through the woods. Towards the end it was getting soo tough pedaling with resistance in the drive train so I had to pull over and found the eccentric bottom bracket was self tightening itself causing my chain to over tighten making it tough moving. After loosening it up and unsure how it came about, I think if it's in the right spot after landing from catching some air time the tightening bolts cannot withstand the force and it slips enough in the right direction it would normally do if it was loose. No biggy, I have to dismantle the piece this weekend since the frame crack is getting bigger and need to warranty another frame if all goes as planned. This would be my second frame I have destroyed in the last 18 months....... its the exact same location as the last crack which leads me to believe this is the frames weak point. Dismantle pics and crack should show up on here soon...........that ride kicked my butt........another ride tonight wahooooooooo!!!!!!!!!

Back end of case

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Monday Ride

yea It's now Thursday but I got out on a good rip. Pat met up with me 30 minutes into the ride and we rode the standard which was welcomed on my SS. I was whipping the bike around it felt great on the smooth but terrible on the chop but none the less was having a blast. Hale is so money right now, loving it.

Hale action

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut

Hello My Old Friend

So I live in quiet Coventry now and out of the crowded apartment complex of manchester. My rides use to consist of driving 20 minutes to Case Mountain multiple times a week. But now I got Nathan Hale forest right at my doorstep. So naturally I ride the crap out of Nathan Hale lately, but with some free time on saturday I had a little time to travel but not too far so I chose Case. It feels weird to have not been there in awhile, it was welcomed as I climbed up the carriage path with Bentley trailing. I put him back on ride duty for this one since he never once got a tick at Case I think. He was slow form playing ball and a walk with LuAnn and I. It was great having him, we took off on blue and headed out towards tinti and then to the reservoir. Tinti was groomed to perfection, it's such a neat trail that takes you through a heavily logged area, I enjoyed having a good ride down it and then headed the the reservoir where I pulled out the water toy and let Bentley go for a swim. He nearly drowned with his head sinking below the water, it appeared he forgot how to swim.....he has this problem where he wants to touch bottom with his paws when he can instead of swim for whatever reason. He has always been a cruddy swimmer for some reason despite those huge webs in his paws. So on the second try he remembered how to paddle and fetched the buoy successfully. After a few more of those we were back headed to the car. It was a great day out there, and absolutely loving spring!

Hello case

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

Thursday Night At The Resevoir

Got out to somewhere I have been a few time only and had a absolute blast. It was a nice warm breezy evening and I had two + hours to ride. Life is good and so were the legs as I planned maybe a two lap ordeal. Still unsure of the best routes I took the highest and most fun looking trails and with no fail I succeeded. Climbing at the Reservoir is not bad, it entails one climb up to the ridge and pretty mellow pedaling form there. The ridge is one of a kind, there are a small network of trails up top but all offer some rocky fun. Things are pretty smooth here when your not riding over large slick rock. I forget how fun it is up on the ridge when you are playing around on a bunch of rocks. A few log rides are thrown into the mix and were welcomed. Descending off the ridge is a lot of fun, it offers a pretty good descent just long enough to get into a good rythm. I then found another trail I have yet to ride which had quite a few log rides and some features that looks like a 12 year old built but worked. Then made my way back aound the lake which doesn't really offer much choices but I took a new way I never had to mix it up. Then I headed back up for lap 2, now I was bit short on time so I rode mostly fire roads when I got up high and pedaled hard and still had a good time. After 2.15 I was back to the car and feeling mighty good accomplishing my thursday goal!

Good time at wh rez

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Waterbury, Connecticut

Loving Life

One lucky man I am, I have a good job, a great wife, two awesome dogs and some great biking trails seconds from my door step. The last few days I have not gotten out on full 2 hour rides but due to my location I snuck out two hourish rides and each one has been so great. The weather is so awesome with temps in the 50's with a breeze and the trails have been moist and leaf free. I am so incredibly lucky to have two good working bikes and switch off them regualarily in ease. Life is good and I am loving every moment of it, life can change drastically in a split second and I can honestly say I truly cherish every single one of these days I get to spend on this earth. I feel sad for those unfortunate and spend day to day suffering in so many places of the world. My heart goes out to them and I do realize and so should all of you that the life we live here and time we spend riding fancy bikes on the trails should not be the only thing our minds focus on. Donate what you can, take care of your fellow man and just be a GOOD person!

Now with that spiritual rant out of the way yesterday's ride was awesome! I missed a 3:00 ride that I obviously wanted to go on but I managed to get on trail a little after 5. I saw those lousy bums from the 3:00 ride in the parking lot on my way in and said hi to them and then sped quickly into the trees. I put together a new loop and really enjoyed it. I rode in full force with gears and was really carrying some speed through the smoothies. I then took a different direction and followed out a planned loop and rode a very popular trail in reverse which I am sure rarely gets done. Did that in under and hour! I was amazed so I threw in squiggle and then across the street to my street and got home after 75 minutes of riding. I cranked 8 miles in that short time which was probably a record for Hale. I had to get home since we had a commitment but today I will get another ride in and this one a full one at who knows where........Rideo On!

Good stuff

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

This dude finally rode again

So i rode last Monday and didn't get out until this Monday. I had my good friend Dave in town since Wednesday and weather was lousy most the time so I never made it out. Until last night that it. Had a ripping good time, really loving being so close to the trails it give me that much more time to ride and on some might good trails! I started off screaming fast on the SS and then dies off sharply after an hour. It was great being out there the weather was really good and had nice moist dirt. Really loving life! Looks like my next shot is Thursday but if I can I will do tomorrow morning. Boring I know, little time to do my blog lately kinda wimpy but I don't think I am really leaving anybody hanging..........all 1 follower if that

This was the 26th of march, really good loop with pat

Windy monday at hale

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Hartford, Connecticut

Then this bad boy was last nights ride, a shorty since I had lots to do at home after my buddy left.

Prine tine @ hale

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking in Connecticut