2019!!!!!!!!!

What a year on and off the bikes, so grateful for all of it the good and bad, an absolute great year on the bike, still not nearly as many adventures on the bike as I would like but plenty of rides. This new years goal is to get back to Flagstaff! This mornings ride was in need to squeeze in before Landon goes indoor skydiving and our New Years eve feast.

Shreddy Shred

Monday was a ripper, I felt strong and felt good in my head so it was a reciped for success. Not alot of bikers around but so mnay hikers, all were pleasant and so was I. One more week of Christmas break, next week back to the normal when LuAnn and Landon head back to school, for now I juggle their schedules to make the rides hapen.

Greedy Rewards

Fridays ride was a gamble, I played with the kiddo at arcade that morning as alot of rain fell overnight and thru the day. I was watching the radar most the morning and knew I was riding in the rain if it was coming down. It was cold and wet as I headed for the trailhead. I was improperly prepared as far as jacket and gloves but I would survive otherwise. As I was driving there was some minor clearing and maybe my ride would not start or end in rain. I got pedaling up the neighborhood and ground was wet but jacket dry. When I got to dirt things were looking spectacular, I dropped in on a epic scene of low desert clouds and rain storms. The first hour was oh so perfect, distracted by beautful desert scenery and then a little rain came. Then quite a bit of rain came, the rain didn't completely soak my clothes until the last 15 minutes where it was uncomfortable but still I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!

Crispy Clean

After a rainy cool Christmas week, Thursday the sun came out to remind us we live in the desert and that sun is warm! Christmas day was great for the Roy household, I got a nice new bike tool and much needed bike shorts. So yeah the day after christmas I got back to the trails, it was nice to be back on the horse trails and weather was crisp and soil was delicious!

Early Christmas Gift

Pre Christmas Eve ride is a go! I was unsure if I was going to get this early christmas gift but sure was happy when I did! I was expecting a crowded trailhead but found it all to myself, which I will happily take! Lovely ride on an overcast day. Great to burn off some calories before a Christmas Eve feast!

Sleigh Ride

The day before Christmas and things are going great! Feling good and still trying to get into the christmas spirit. The household is doing well and all are enjoying the break. I was unsure how Christmas week rides were going to go down but Pre Christmas Eve was a success! A quiet spin around Hawes did the bill just fine, another pic of the christmas cacti for good measure.

Crank Crunky

Thankful to be riding but head just not in the game this week, pedaling up the nieghborhood and dropping into the goods, trail wear still evident on the technical spots but this rigid SSr still braps it! Bring on Christmas week! No plans but open to my fmailys suggestions.

Mixed Goods

Rolling into Hawes again but feeling like something different. I decided to do the regular without crossing the road and adding in a unsanctioned connector to the mix. It was not all that exciting but fir the bill!

Welcomed Back

Well I will mis CT trails and my family but it was a good homecoming to AZ. I had my morning clear of responsibilities so I went on a ride ofcrouse. It was pretty cool by AZ standards but warm by cold rain in NYC standards! The sun felt good and so was the ride.

Quillinan Baby!

The next day I had another window of opportunity to shred. This time I opted for close to home again so I can max my time with the family. I was set to ride with my brother but some unfortunate chain of events took him out and it was just me. It was a chilly moring at 34F and I was dressed and ready. Suprisingly I peeled off layers as I rode and found only my fingers to be freezing. All that wet ground got a heavy dose of wind that morning and then froze. It was great conditions for me on crusty frozen dirt, I was moving normal again on a beatup redline monocog. I really enjoy this spot, it doesn't have alot of trails to offer, but it's neaby and fits the bill with good climbs, good mellow and scenery. I have myself two hours to beat the rain and I did so. This would be the last CT ride since the next morning was not an option, you were good to me CT I thank you!

Rockhouse Baby!

I set off Sunday Morning after my Saturday adventure of Red eye to JFK and train to trains and NYC action. I was geared up for cold and wet on this ride, I picked Rockhouse to ride, I had some MTB friends to ride with but I opted for alot less travel time and just ride by myself. I have never been to rockhouse but I had a pretty solid trailforks map and my brother said it was good stuff. It rained alot, the ground was so soft in the parking lot, I questioned my behavior but in despiration I carried on. Bike and body ready for action I was comfortably rolling into the trails. All was gravy, not too soft, not too slippery and staying warm. Lots of trails to pick from and it started easy and then got downright nasty, things a geared seasoned ride would suffer. But most the time was very mangeable. There was lots of water, some mud but this guy was feeling good riding some great trails. A nice overlook of the housatonic river reminded me I was far from home and glad to be. I closed out the west side of the road trails and set my sights on more mellow looking east side of the road. I passed my street connection and climbed back to the car, Doh! Ok so I crossed the street and now on some quite soft trails, robbing my energy and a little bit of my spirit I carried on. It was not very exciting on mellow pine filled soft trail but good none the less. Once I eached the outermost point a yellow trail sun was out and man it felt good to be out there. I then got onto the highlight of the ride, a purple blazed trail that was revcently built, lots of MTB trailwork going on at Rockhouse and I like it. I was ready to head back and after an out and back lollipop I was back to the pines and headed for the car. Two solid hours of riding and 12 miles to show for it, a good shower and chill was looking very appetizing.

One last Horsery

Well my trip was coming in hot, I had one more ride on Friday morning before I jet off that evening. It was an anxious spin but pretty standard to say the least. I have been running into the horses quite a bit at Hawes, theyre nice to look at. Conditions are looking wet for CT but no snow so fingers crossed!

Dank Gold Canyon

It was a cool wet morning here in AZ, not wet from rain but from actual moisture. I was unsure of my destination this morning but found myself eventually headed for Gold Canyon. The trail was wet and grippy and the sun was warming. I was feeling good and on the standard clip I like. It wasn't long before the trail began to steam, felt good as I chose jacketless and gloveless since I didn't wnt to shed them later on the ride. It was a very nice cozy spin, nothing too energized this week I noticed but excited for one more and maybe others as I head to CT on Saturday.

Some Horse Please

Nothing too wild here, just a few groups of wile horses hanging around, I was feeling off this day, back was sore and lacking energy but I got er done!

A simple kind of man

Tuesday I was not thinking I was going to squeeze a ride in, but after some apointments and my lovely lady giving me the go ahead to tkae over kid duty I was off for about an hour I had to let off some steam. It was nice being out on the trail at 3pm and enjoyed my hour out there seeing things in different light, got busy on my way out the riders were flowing in.

After the rains

After heavy rains Sunday night and a foggy morning, I found myself heading for Hawes hoping for the best but if I got rained on it was going to be all good. Turns out the mountain was clearing the fog and it made for one heck of a beautifully distracting ride!

Mellow McDowells

Thinking of something different for my Friday ride I found myself passing Hawes and headed for McDowells I guess. I had something different in mind as I rode up Scenic in it's opposing direction of my normal routine, it created a workout up the rocky trail to get to the top and was a nice shift before it was going to become quite mellow the rest of the ride. I didn't not want to use Pemberton but found myself on it anyway. It's a very cozy long pedal out the the Goose Neck trail but that was where I was headed. After Gooseneck it's a speedy fun ride over to Bluff and it's a whole lot of easy riding DH from there to the car, felt great, worth the trip!

Spring Rains

The air was thick this morning with moisture, not a common thing. Riding around Hawes felt and smelled like spring, I will take it in December. Man I ride alot of Hawes, but I do love it, it's a good mix of easy, moderate, technical and not ever very crowded.