Bikes Boards & Beers

Last Friday on my way home from work I saw Layton, he said he and Bruce are going to see Bartly Sunday and I should go. I said no. I have to much to do.I am busy but not really that busy, I don't want the distraction to make me behind with work, man I just kept coming up with excuses.It's A snowboarding trip and I really wanted to get one more good sesh in this winter.Day light savings and some warmer temps ,this is it I gotta go, I made the necessary calls, to the people I am doing a job for, "sure mike no problem, see ya Wednesday" cool, to Layton "Ya sure you have room?"coooool, to Miss Fisher"I am going boarding"Sweeeet.Layton calls back and says" there is a catch, I want to buy Bartly's DH rig so we are going biking Sunday afternoon" AAHHHH too F-ing cool!I haven't been on the trail in so long there ain't nothin dry around here.Bartly lives about forty five minuets west of Harrisonburg Virginia, a three hour drive from here.We get to the trail head around four, blessed with an extra hour of day light we are good to go.
We are going to ride the Hone Quarry trail, Reddish Knob is a point of reference if you want to know where we were and it's 4398 ft. in the George Washington National Forest.I love it where the Appalachians rise above four, the views are tits, titties, bosoms etc.

So we are going to shuttle this run due to time and these bikes are repulsive in there weight.We meet Bartly's friend at a camp ground at the base, leave the cooler full of beer in his car and drive up, thereis some snow and things look super dry, the dirt is this killer reddish purple.We get to our starting spot, a half mile of gradual fire road climb and get stuff together,for me a gay helmet and gloves , my windbreaker too because it's almost ten degrees colder 41.But I see full face helmets, shin guards and elbow protection, Flat pedals and Vans shoes oh my, I am assured there isn't any thing to gnarly by one and this is the toughest most teck trail in the area by the other local.

Bruce wants to buy Laytons DH rig, so I'm to ride Bruce's cross country full suspension, I tried to bring my bike a fully ridged ss 29er but room in the 4runner was an issue and if they are trying DH rigs on trails they said before we left are mellow, well I didn't push it, I always wanted to ride full suspension somewhere worthy of it anyhow. It's just weird riding a bike you know nothing about(how well it will hold up) on trails you just want to go super fast and catch the sweet air every time the opportunity arises.

The pic above is the set up I had, an R.E.I. Navarro from like 1998 or something with a Manato fork that had an inch of travel at best, and ya know that's fine because I always rode my forks stiff, but I was concerned. The gears were Grip Shift that were put on two years ago when they were new and the bike I don't think had been ridden much at all they worked great.

So I had a blast in my Time pedals on this cross country bike.Cranking up the climbs not messing with the gears just laughing that they are there waiting for the trail to turn south in all it's BC glory and to here the shock trauma heli above me while seeing my friends fly over me in jeans and sneakers in styled airs.

But it never happened we missed the serious DH trail and it was all xc , so much fun soring and taking in the sights.We arrived at the cooler two + hours later and drank while Bartly and Matt went to retrieve the truck.

That night was fun. Woke early, ate and drove the two hours to Snow Shoe West Va.Over a couple mountain passes though so many awesome pastures and across many a nice stream and river.

The temps were in the lower forties a nice base and granular made for some fun bottom turns,more air and lots of speed, I wanted this to be my last wintery blast but it made me want more.