Slow Ride

A journal of inconsequential adventures

When impulse and spontaneity fail to make my "way" as uneven as possible then I shall sit up nights inventing means of making life as conglomerate and vivid as possible. Those who live in the even tenor of their way simply exist until death ends their monotonous tranquility. No, there's going to be no even tenor with me. The more uneven it is the happier I shall be. And when my time comes to die, I'll be able to die happy, for I will have done and seen and heard and experienced all the joy, pain, thrills—every emotion that any human ever had—and I'll be especially happy if I am spared a stupid, common death in bed. So, Dad, I'm afraid your wish will always come to naught, for my way is to be ever changing, but always swift, acute and leaping from peak to peak instead of following the rest of the herd, shackled in conventionalities, along the monotonous narrow path in the valley. The dead have reached perfection when it comes to even tenor!
Richard Halliburton - 1919











It's all downhill from here
Santa Fe Trip
Been a while since posting here.  I must be lazy or something. 

Had a great trip to Santa Fe.  Went up on Saturday for a Sunday morning bike race (La Tierra Torture).  The
weather on Saturday was es-scary.  Snowy and cold.  That nixed a pre-ride, so we went on a city tour.  The
Plaza, Canyon Road, a $$ meal at El Farol, driving through the ritzy hilltop homes, drinks at the Coyote bar.

We had a Sunday morning milagro.  The postive vibe of 200 racers made a vortex of perfect riding/racing weather
come the 9am start.  Crisp but not cold, clear and still, and the course was tacky and buff.

I had a good ride, felt good, steady effort, lots of fun.  Not the fastest ride by a longshot, but a good day in the
dirt - 2:08 riding, 19 miles and 1,850 calories burned.

After the race, the cold and snow came back in for the awards.

No bike pics.

Satuday snow


Another snow pic


This looks big enough to be a hotel, but it's someone's house



I was so optimistic of good weather when we left Cruces, I wore my stylin' cabana shirt.  Good thing I had some cold gear stashed in the car.



I did some looking at Santa Fe house prices, and was surprised to find some of them weren't that far off of
Cruces prices.  Cruces house pricing is out of control.
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Posted by David Halliburton at 5/6/2007 7:46 PM | View Comments (5) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Long live "winter racing"
A good kickoff to the racing season today at Hillsboro.  Perfect weather and peaceful roadways. 

162 racers - it looks like after the cold dark months, folks are Ready to Ride!

I was helping out so not a lot of time for pics.  But still, I did squeeze a couple of clicks, mostly through the windshield.
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Posted by David Halliburton at 3/10/2007 9:26 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
24 HITOP

 

Much fun - again

No words - just pixels

(Thanks to MikeB for handling the camera at the start line)
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Posted by David Halliburton at 2/19/2007 11:29 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
IMBA Trail Care Crew Visit Feb 10, '07
We had a great day with the Subaru IMBA Trail Care Crew today and put in appx. 1/3 mile of fresh sweet new trail.  Even more important, we learned a buku and are ready to improve and build on our already awesome trail systems.

Some photos -
























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Posted by David Halliburton at 2/10/2007 10:29 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Gravity always wins
Did a "Big Ride" yesterday



Because of yesterday's effort, I was way tired today - so today was to be a strictly 
low intensity putter ride. 

I was sticking to plan and just doodling around.  I was going down the Boneshaker,
which I've gone through some couple of hundred times.  It's downhill and choppy, but
you just skim over the chop and everything's fine - at least that's the idea.  I wasn't going
screaming fast, but was carrying some decent momentum. 

I wasn't paying attention (or proper respect) to the trail - my front tire caught an edge,
and I'm doing a forward/sidways/downhill endo.  Not much time to think other than to
recognize I'm going down.  In a bit of luck I tuck into the fall and hit solid on the outside
shoulder.  Think about trying to bang down a door with the shoulder all movie style, but
the door is made up of pointy rocks.

The body roll followed on through the arm and leg.  I even felt my helmet hit the rock,
and there is some scuffing and small dings on it.  The helmet fared well, but the hit would have definitely ouched a headbone.  Always Wear your helmet kiddos.

There were a few riders behind me.  Luckily, I was able to lumber up and be leaning on
the bike doing the "I'm ok" drill before they rolled up.   

I was wearing a long sleeve jersey and and standard issue stretchy shorts.  Even through
the clothes, I got some semi-respectable rock rash.






But . . . . this is where it gets interesting.

I go to clip in, and the right side feels funny.  I wonder why....





I managed to rip the cleat and the attached piece of hard plastic sole right out of my 661
bike shoe.  The cleat and plastic shoe bit is still stuck in the pedal.  How do you do that?




This is what it's supposed to look like.



I wonder if I can get warranty?

Moral?  If your body is telling you you don't have the juice, listen up.  If things had gone
just a big different, I likely could have joined the rebuilt collarbone club instead of
just sporting a bruised shoulder and some scuffs (and, of course, the now
decommissioned shoe).
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Posted by David Halliburton at 2/4/2007 7:52 PM | View Comments (3) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Robledos - Rocks and Blood
The Robledos (SST) trail Northwest of Las Cruces is a challenge.  All up and down and rocks everywhere. 
Narrow singletrack, steep pitches and scary exposure.  It's not my main ride spot, but every once and a
while I can be persuaded to risk it - like maybe 4 times a year.

We had a few out of towners in over the weekend.  They were seeking repreive from the arctic conditions
up north and wanted to check out the SadistsSingleTrack (SST).  I hadn't GPS the trail before, so I took
the opportunity to get some data.

The ride was much fun and all were pleased. 

There was:
 
one flat
one chainbreak
one OTB with blood, shin bruises, broken shifter indicators and stressed carbon handlebar
one lesser OTB

That is a low casualty report for this trail!

We went up the two-track climb (steep, rocky and loose) and back out on the singletrack (steep, rocky,
loose and narrow).  The distance is modest at 7.5 miles, but there is a lot of UP down UP in those
miles - about 1,800 feet of up to be precise.  If my math skills are right, that's an average 4.5% grade.

One of my goals for the year is to spend more time exploring this area.  There are lots of remote, two
track roads that go to who knows where.  I look forward to checking it all out.
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Posted by David Halliburton at 1/15/2007 3:10 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Bad dog!

The defenseless bike was left alone for just a little bit.  Marauding beasts ravaged the poor steed.



(Luckily, it was just a Special Ed saddle and not the Titus Ti Rail.)

An investigation was launched.

Prime suspect #1 has been detained as a canine of interest.




Along with some, as yet, unindicted co-conspirators.












Despite the seriousness of the charges, the prime suspect maintains an attitude of innocence.
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Posted by David Halliburton at 11/28/2006 9:28 PM | View Comments (1) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Big Ride Report


Its a little late, but here's the report on the November 12 BIG FALL RIDE.

Ten of us started out.  A mix of Crucens, Pasoans and Motorin' Mike M from Q city.

We all went up and around the Yellow line to the Cathedral and crossed over the saddle.  Then it was on the Green line to  the cliffs and then over 2-track and gravel washes to the trails of the north.

A bit past 1/2 on the Green line, we stopped and reprovisioned, then kept going.

At the Green/Blue/Purple junction, the Smokin' crew kept going north with 7 riders.  2 of those 7 quickly (and wisely) came back to the juction.  At this point there was a group of 5 going "all the way" and another group of 5 (of which I was 1) choosing the shorter option.

The short group followed the Purple.  There was a desire to hit the Roller Coaster, which meant a gruelling climb where the Purple line goes east back *UP* to the cliffs.  Then is was down the Coaster, to the shortcut and back to start.

The long group did the light Blue out, around and back then followed along the Purple.  They choose not to make the climb to the cliffs and took the orange route instead to the shortcut and back to start.

Us short riders did 6+ hours and 28 miles.  Pretty much a steady (sometimes downright pokey) but fun pace.  I expect the longriders got close to 40 miles and and additional couple of hours ride time.  Lots of climbing for all.

The individual trail systems are great.  It is the connections that wear you out.  The Green line especially puts the tired in the legs.

(The Red lines are from other rides out and about.)

Much fun.  Can't wait for the next long ride.


.
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Posted by David Halliburton at 11/22/2006 2:33 PM | View Comments (2) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Went to the Farmers' Market
And got some clicks














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Posted by David Halliburton at 11/18/2006 8:58 PM | View Comments (4) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
Putting it all together
With a little flourish on top (Neglected Trail)
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Posted by David Halliburton at 11/4/2006 2:19 PM | View Comments (0) | Add Comment | Trackbacks (0)
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