Weekend In The Park

Most all of this past weekend was spent working in the park. There was, and still is, much to do.

Saturday morning I went in early to work on the bridge approaches. I took out some key bolts and did some measuring for the approaches. Saturday afternoon volunteers showed up. As part of Earth Day, we spend several hours picking up garbage.

I must say two (2) things. I now have a huge disdain for plastic bottles. The same goes for plastic bags. Second (2nd), the human species are slobs. There shouldn’t be that much garbage in a park that size. Some neighborhood residents thought they’d save the deposition fee and just roll their used tires down the hill. In our short stint on Saturday we hauled out eleven (11).

After disposing of the garbage properly I raced home for a quick shower and some food. I was back out again. This time looking over some used kids bikes that are to be given away. A person I know bought some on Craig’s List. She asked me to look at them to make sure they were safe.

Sunday I was back in the park. On Sunday I spent the morning test fitting the steel connections that are to hold the approaches. I did not want to weld them to the approaches, lug them in place, and then have them not fit necessitating hauling them back up and out for fix. It’s all good. These should work really well.

Sunday afternoon I spend a few hours widening the trail in places. Later I met Atom there to test ride. The trail is getting much better but there is more widening to do.

This will be my last post for a short bit. Tomorrow, as soon as I can drag my ass out of bed, I’m hitting the road west to Fruita, Co for the Fat Tire Festival. I’m long over due for a vacation. I’m taking the new single speed Karate Monkey as well as the full suspension, gear, Ellsworth.

Ride On.

Pedal To The Midnight Sun

Generally speaking, I find there is pretty much just crap on TV these days. But, there are glimmers of goodness. For example, there are three (3) South Dakota Public Television stations to choose from. And, I'm finding Universal Sports to my liking.

On Universal Sports I can catch the spring biking classics. Maybe that's on Versus. Oh well, I digress.... I can catch the world Sevens Rugby tournaments on Universal Sports. The other night I was flipping through the channels waiting for the combo of my insomnia drugs and wine to interact in the desired way when I happened upon a bike documentary showing on Universal Sports. It is called Pedal To The Midnight Sun. The trailer can be seen here:

Pedal to the Midnight Sun Trailer from Benjamin Gottfried on Vimeo.

As I was watching there were ads for another movie featuring the same two (2) dudes. It is called Paddle to Seattle. That trailer can be seen here:

Paddle to Seattle Trailer from Benjamin Gottfried on Vimeo.

I hope they show that on Universal Sports soon. That looks cool, too.

These two documentaries are doing nothing to help with my insomnia. But, they've sure got my wanderlust kicked into high gear.

Ride on.

I Have A Gripe

I spend quite a few Tuesday and Thursday evenings in our local libraries. Tuesdays I’m typically in the main downtown one (1) and Thursdays I find myself in the Caille Branch. Here’s my gripe – what happened to the quiet? Aren’t libraries supposed to be quiet?

Instead there are people carrying on conversations likened to a loud bar. Children run around unrestrained. It makes it hard for some of us to do what we like to do in the library – read. Remember reading?

I wish librarians were directed to say, “Shhhhh” much more. Maybe I’ll start taking matters in my own hands. I’ll start wearing a new tee-shirt and start yelling at offenders to, “BE QUIET!!!”

Likely I’d be the one (1) asked to leave.

Yes, I know the libraries have “quiet rooms.” My disappointment lies in that I liked it much better when the whole library was a “quiet room.”

Ride On.

Today's Sighting

Troll!

Ride On.

Drugs, Taxes, and Bridges

I’ll admit it. I’m on drugs. No, not that kind. The over-the-counter kind. I can’t seem to get to sleep at night without taking something. For quite a while I was taking a shot of NyQuil every night. That seemed to be working well but screwing up my sinuses. Now it’s maximum strength Sominex. If I forget, or for whatever reason don’t take anything, I can NOT get to sleep. Damn insomnia.

I happy to report my income taxes done and have been sent (electronically). I am not so happy to report a check will be following in the mail. Damn taxes.

More on task, I’m working on the bridges for the singletrack project. I now have the ramps to bridges connections figured out and designed. Since each bridge is more or less custom, though they look identical, I’ll need to do a bit of work, take measurements, go back to the shop and do some more work, test fit, and THEN final assembly and welds.

We had rain yesterday, today, and rain is predicted for tomorrow. I’m anxious to get in the park this weekend to see how muddy, or not, it is. The park has the very unique soil profile in that it digs very easily, but packs down pretty hard, and drains pretty well.

Ride On.

Sunday Grubbin’

I was back in the park on Sunday afternoon. When I know something needs to be done, but I’m not quite sure how to do it, it sort of eats at me until I get it figured out. This is one (1) contributing factor to my insomnia.

Sunday I grubbed more trees. I took out an additional fifteen (15) or so trees. Working in the park by myself gave me opportunity to look things over from various angles and give the trail much thought. There are some minor corrections needed.

When I look at the corrections I think, “You dumb-ass!” Let me say I learned a lot last fall and this past weekend. I won’t make the same bad judgments again. There’s nothing like riding a trail to get a feel for what’s right and what’s wrong on these new builds.

I still expect it will be three (3) weekends and we’ll have the first (1st) loop done. One (1) weekend to correct a few things and two (2) weekends to finish stuff up. I’m getting excited to have a complete loop done and be able to ride our creation and hard work.

Ride On.

Grubbin’

Saturday I spend a good portion of the afternoon working on the already dug section of trail. Trees needed to come out. With tools in hand I made my way to the park. My Saturday afternoon was spent grubbin’ trees.

Using a saw the trees needing to come out were cut off at belt level. The section left after cutting was used as a lever to pry. The shovel facilitated removal of the root ball. Never cut a tree off at ground level. As the trail compacts, the stump becomes a tire puncture hazard or a trip hazard. You have to remove the root ball.

I reckon I removed about fifteen (15) trees. Once done, I went home, swapped the tools for a bike, and rode back. I had to try it. The good news – it’s better. The bad news – it needs to be better yet. More trees need to come out. Certain sections of trail need to be widened. The good news – this won’t take much.

I still predict the first (1st) loop of the trail will be opened within three (3) weekends of volunteer work. It’s close to being connected up and the sections that need improvements can be handled easily and quickly.

Ride On.

You Gotta See This!

CLICK HERE

Ride on.

I Think They're On To Me

I received an email, answered a few questions, and fired it back. I was internetted HERE.

Ride on.

I’ve Got Tools

Yesterday I met Atom and picked up some tools. Trail digging tools, that is. In addition, I picked up a tree saw. I’m planning to test dig areas of the Leaders Park Singletrack project to check for dig-able-ness.

As long as I’m there, Atom and I identified a few small trees that need to come out. Those will be dealt with as well. I’m pretty sure things are going to be OK to dig. With a bit of planning, some assembly, and it will be time to summon the volunteers to finish this project up.

Unrelated, did you know you were doing it wrong?

Ride On.

Guess What’s Full

Looking around the interwebs yesterday I came upon the website for the Dakota Five-O mountain bike race. Though it doesn’t say so on the website proper, if you go to their Book of Faces thing you’ll notice this race is at capacity and registration is closed. Looking further it appears they’re taking names for the waiting list.

File this under “you snooze, you lose” category. Personally, I had the foresight to get my registration in early and am all set. I’ll line up with five hundred ninety nine (599) others on September 4th. Great trails, good times, and Crow Peak beer!

Ride On.

Getting Time To Dig

This past weekend I met Atom in Leaders Park to see how the trails survived the winter and to check out the conditions. There’s pretty much good news all the way around.

The trails, as expected, weathered the winter just fine. The pin flags left from last season are still in place. It appears the deer have found the trails and are using them.

The bridges made it through the winter very well. The water seal applied to the wood did a great job. The wood looks brand new. While inspecting the bridges I took some measurements. I’ll come up with the ramps, stairs, and connections this week. I expect these will be installed in the next week or two.

As we wait for things to dry out just a bit more we’re making plans. We’re trying to put together a dig calendar. We are starting to figure out needs for signs and materials. In addition, we’re thinking we’ll have a nice kick-off function. Sponsors have stepped forward such that we’ll get a movie theater and licenses for a couple (2) mountain bike related movies which we’ll show for a free will donation.

The only down side that I can see is the park seems to be a garbage magnet. We had a garbage pickup day last fall but you’d never know it by looking. There’s a lot of garbage gathered over the winter. Likely right out of the chute we’ll have another garbage day.

All in all I’m really looking forward to this dig season. We’ll open loops just as soon as they are complete. It will be fun to ride something FAST has devised and constructed.

Ride On.

Flow Chart

We were having a bit of trouble at work with the communal coffee pot. Someone would either empty it and not make another pot or take all but a very little amount causing it to solidify, burn, and stink. I saw a flow chart on the internets regarding just this. So, I promptly made one very similar and posted it. Click for big(ger).

Need one? Let me know and I can send you a PDF version. All apologies to whoever made this originally. I couldn't find that in the interwebs. If it was you, or know who it was, let me know this as well and I'll give credit where credit is due.

Ride on.

Time To Ride

Though the Royal 162 is about one and a half (1 ½) months away and my qualifying race for the Leadville 100 isn’t until the last day of July, for a brief second I went into panic mode. I need to get my ass on a bike and get some serious miles in now.

I’ve taken some time and devised a plan. A training schedule so to speak. It begins tomorrow and will not deviate for mundane things, like weather. I’m looking forward to the regimented training as much as I’m looking forward to the events.

Also, this coming weekend, I need to clean up a couple of bikes. When I returned from the disappointing trip to the Maah Daah Hey trail last fall, I pretty much just put the Long Haul Trucker on the rack. This weekend I’ll take it down, strip it down, and give it a thorough cleaning.

Likewise, the Ellsworth mountain bike needs a clean-up. I get that done as well. It probably needs a tune-up as well. I want that machine in top working order for the end of April trip to Fruita, CO. I’m thinking I’ll take that bike and the single speed Karate Monkey. I’ve not had the Monkey on dirt yet and I’m itching to see how it rolls.

Ride On.