Two Wheel Blogs

Today, the opportunity arose for me to hit the trail, so I did. It was fairly uneventful...

While I rode today, I tried to take in the sites a bit more than usual. I had to remind myself a few times to slow down and enjoy the wild, and not just enjoy the "edge". See, since I got this new bike, I go out and ride hard and look for that edge of control...you know that point where the adrenaline starts to really flow as you push the limit of what you can do (be it hold a line through a curve, rip down a descent, or put it all together for a P.R. lap time).

So today, I was riding with the passion of a slower sort. I noticed this tree...I have ridden past a hundred times. It has got to be the best "tree house" tree I have ever seen....I wonder how many kids have climbed this mammoth? Could not resist the photo opportunity...a Badger up a tree.

I continued on from there having fun and feeling the flow. Speaking of "flow" I re-tensioned my rims again yesterday...it sounds so high tech and complex, but basic skills and a spoke tension meter make this job simple and quick. Some of the spokes had again loosened up, but the wheels were still straight. Regardless, I tensioned them up and checked tru...no problems.

Back to the ride...

So I am having fun and feeling the flow and all of a sudden I see this big black snake laying on the trail. I skidded to a stop to take a picture before it took off into the woods...but I was too late, and it was too fast. Anyway, imagine a 4 foot long black snake (that probably shed it's skin last night) with its black scales glistening (almost glowing) with a purple sheen...this thing was absolutely beautiful. Sorry I could only share a mental image...probably for the best, my camera would not have done it justice.

Back on the bike and back to riding. Not much further and I spot this doe (a deer, a female deer). She was big...and gone in a flash. Just the same, not really worth a picture. If you have ever ridden at Binder, you have probably ridden up on a deer or two...it is really not all that rare.

The next site was a bit rare...for me at least. I came upon a Copperhead. Unfortunately, it was laying across the trail on a down hill section riddled with sharp turns. I did not see it until it was quite literally under my wheel. Yes, I ran over it. The snake never struck or showed any aggression, it just crawled away quickly (can't blame it...I would take off too if you ran over me). Needless to say, I was unable to take any pictures of it...he was gone in a flash!

Next up was this spider web. Yeah, the image is poor (these things are hard to photograph), and spider webs are hardly worthy on mention (they are everywhere). This web was stretched across the entrance to the Lakeside trail. It was a perfect web, with the proud spider sitting in the middle. Too bad my resolve to ride this section of trail was stronger than this web...I am sure a new one will be built in its place....

A while later I finished up the loop and saw some cyclists in the parking lot. A VERY proud father and his son, and another group on some nice looking bikes. I rode past the group on the nice bikes and said hi...no response, so I stopped and said, "how is it going?"....still no response other than he just looked at me as if to check out my bike. Sheepishly, I rode away to my truck to load up. Moments later, he rides by and again I greet him and attempt to make small talk...he shoots me a look and rides off. May be I had a big bugar hanging off my face or something...I sure felt like a disease....or perhaps he was a def mute?

So, I am peeling off some sweaty cloths and up walks the father and his son. I guess, I sort of blew them off in my attempts to talk with the other group. We shoot the bull for a few seconds...it was clear that these two were into about everything, but cycling seems to be the latest craze for them. I think they both had enjoyed their ride quite a bit...I got the impression that I will see them out there again soon.

I came home and cleaned up the bike. I hope to be taking it on a little business trip next week....

AHHH! Look at that sparkle! I love a clean Badger.