Barely Creaking

Wow. Tried to think of a clever way to start this, wow is all I could come up with. Maybe I was a moron for considering a ski resort to bike around on a hot day like today. What the hell though, you only live once. I got everything I bargained for.

This place is tough. That's an understatement. I think it will be a fantastic place if ever my skills improve exponentially. I could almost classify this as a hike more than a bike. My legs are hammered and I am dehydrated so this will be short.

Got the advice to ride it clockwise from the kiosk. I honestly think I would have turned around if I did it counter clockwise. The ride was beautiful, trails were outstanding, plenty of my nemesis rocks, some defeated, some defeating. I though I was home free when I made it to the top of the chair lift. I was wrong. It was a different kind of terrain, fun, but pedal grinding downhills and rocks rocks rocks. I was definately at my limit most of the ride. Then the face smacking green signs started to appear. "Warning: Technical Area" Are you kidding me? Where wasn't this place technical? The ones that said "Warning: Downhill" weren't kidding, but managed some of them. That taunting sign will be in my thoughts for a while I think.

I have a creak that's getting worse. I think it is in the bearing that goes through the frame at the crank. Not sure what that is called, but it's getting worse. Almost like there is a rubber o-ring that is binding. I guess I need to get it checked. Ride time on the computer said 1:06, distance 4.0. Total time about 1.5 hrs. Probably two-stepped 15-20% of it. Stuck to the blue trail the entire ride.

Well, this is the end of the experiment. My princess comes home tomorrow and I can't wait to see her beautiful face. 6 previously unexplored rides in 6 days. Previous 4 months and I visited a grand total of Jacobsburg and the towpath plus a few rides to Lowes and Heights market on the road when I needed stuff I could fit in my backpack. My skills have grown exponentially in these 6 days. I have learned more about myself, my equipment, and skills than I ever could have hoped. Where do I stand now? I am a beginner mountain biker with a love of the sport. I havn't been on two wheels since I was 15.999 years old. I can take defeat like a man when I give it my all. I whoop like a rabid football booster when I take a section clean I could not have previously. I want more.

For now, tomorrow will be a welcome day off for the mind and body. I think I will spend some more time at Jacobsburg in the coming weeks regaining my confidence and lengthening my ride time. Dodson St, Tekkening, Constitution Rd and South Mountain Park will all be attempted again in the near future. Franko Park was too boring, Bear Creek is beyond my present skills. Maybe next year on a day with reasonable temperatures I will give it another try. These guys who race it must be a sight to see.