RR: East meets West

OK. First off my skills as a guide suck.......and I apologize to Mitch
(Ride-A-Lot) for making the poor guy walk through the desert because I got
us lost within 20 minutes of starting our ride yesterday!

I met up with Mitch at an area known as Pima and Dynamite. It's a very
popular riding area with over 100 miles of cris- crossing trails.
Unfortunately the motorized users have thoroughly trashed the trails since
the last time I rode here (I ride this area about once a year and I'm always
chasing and not paying attention, obviously) and many of the single track
trails are now wide two tracks.....which lead to my early demise as I took a
wrong turn. Then another turn into a very sandy wash (;-}.

Being from Philly Mitch hadn't experienced sand riding so I broke him in the
hard way and eventually bailed out of the wash (after about what seemed like
forever) and started the hike east to find the trail I wanted to be on.
About 1/4 mile of bushwhack and we found it. (for you stay on the trail
sorts, we walked our bikes through this section).

The area trails are not technical but can be difficult to ride due to the
loose granite, rutted trails and short steep climbs coming out of washes.
Add to this that from the start you're gradually climbing (making for some
fun return trips) w/o realizing it until you turn around to see where you
were.

Those of us who use gears, really use gears on these trails and if the gears
don't shift properly is makes for a really frustrating ride. Rental bikes
require a good mechanic to keep them working. Obviously the shop rented
this bike from didn't do their job. We stopped numerous times to do cable
adjustments on the rear deraileur. Mitch was able to get most of the
shifting problems ironed out but this is a good reason to bring you own
bike....

The Southeastern part of the area has some fun trails that wind through
large areas of boulders which is more scenic than anything else. Trying to
find the one trail that leads back to the starting point is always
interesting in that the trails here often turn back away from where you want
to go. (again, lacking guide skills). Mitch had done a long ride the day
before and was getting tired and I seemed to be going in circles trying to
find the one trail that would get us back to the cars. oops!

We rode about 16 miles then went out for lunch. I had a fun ride with Mitch
and enjoyed the lunch he bought. I'm still trying to convince him to ride
Sunday but he probably figures I'll get him lost again g.

Gary

GeeDubb wrote:
OK. First off my skills as a guide suck.......and I apologize to Mitch
(Ride-A-Lot) for making the poor guy walk through the desert because I got
us lost within 20 minutes of starting our ride yesterday!

I met up with Mitch at an area known as Pima and Dynamite. It's a very
popular riding area with over 100 miles of cris- crossing trails.
Unfortunately the motorized users have thoroughly trashed the trails since
the last time I rode here (I ride this area about once a year and I'm always
chasing and not paying attention, obviously) and many of the single track
trails are now wide two tracks.....which lead to my early demise as I took a
wrong turn. Then another turn into a very sandy wash (;-}.

Being from Philly Mitch hadn't experienced sand riding so I broke him in the
hard way and eventually bailed out of the wash (after about what seemed like
forever) and started the hike east to find the trail I wanted to be on.
About 1/4 mile of bushwhack and we found it. (for you stay on the trail
sorts, we walked our bikes through this section).

The area trails are not technical but can be difficult to ride due to the
loose granite, rutted trails and short steep climbs coming out of washes.
Add to this that from the start you're gradually climbing (making for some
fun return trips) w/o realizing it until you turn around to see where you
were.

SNIP
We rode about 16 miles then went out for lunch. I had a fun ride with Mitch
and enjoyed the lunch he bought. I'm still trying to convince him to ride
Sunday but he probably figures I'll get him lost again g.

Gary


You did a very decent job as a guide and I really appreciate the company
and conversation on the ride. It was a good time and the bomb back to
the car was fun even if the gears skipped every time I landed after
getting some air.

Here are some pics of our desert experience:

http://tinyurl.com/5d5cn

I can be convinced to ride on Sunday, now that I can feel my legs again.
Where? When? How far? Is the proflex rideable? Because I could not
stomach that K2 shifting nightmare.


--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Ride-A-Lot" "mitchel[nospam] wrote:

You did a very decent job as a guide and I really appreciate the
company and conversation on the ride. It was a good time and the
bomb back to the car was fun even if the gears skipped every time I
landed after getting some air.

Here are some pics of our desert experience:

http://tinyurl.com/5d5cn

I can be convinced to ride on Sunday, now that I can feel my legs
again. Where? When? How far? Is the proflex rideable? Because I
could not stomach that K2 shifting nightmare.

I promise I'll guide better tomorrow since I ride this trail several times a
week! Sent you an email with directions, time and other details. Left out
the out and back is about 23 miles, mostly flat rocky terrain with a few
little rocky sections.

If it looks like rain call me.

Gary

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 15:14:34 -0700, GeeDubb wrote:

Ride-A-Lot" "mitchel[nospam] wrote:

You did a very decent job as a guide and I really appreciate the
company and conversation on the ride. It was a good time and the
bomb back to the car was fun even if the gears skipped every time I
landed after getting some air.

Here are some pics of our desert experience:

http://tinyurl.com/5d5cn

I can be convinced to ride on Sunday, now that I can feel my legs
again. Where? When? How far? Is the proflex rideable? Because I
could not stomach that K2 shifting nightmare.

I promise I'll guide better tomorrow since I ride this trail several =

times a
week! Sent you an email with directions, time and other details. Lef=
t =

out
the out and back is about 23 miles, mostly flat rocky terrain with a f=
ew
little rocky sections.

If it looks like rain call me.

Gary


Shoot... that's gotta be the largest belly button I've ever seen =

http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum...3D31&Photo=3D=
7

-- =

Slacker

Slacker wrote:

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 15:14:34 -0700, GeeDubb wrote:

Ride-A-Lot" "mitchel[nospam] wrote:

You did a very decent job as a guide and I really appreciate the
company and conversation on the ride. It was a good time and the
bomb back to the car was fun even if the gears skipped every time I
landed after getting some air.

Here are some pics of our desert experience:

http://tinyurl.com/5d5cn

I can be convinced to ride on Sunday, now that I can feel my legs
again. Where? When? How far? Is the proflex rideable? Because I
could not stomach that K2 shifting nightmare.


I promise I'll guide better tomorrow since I ride this trail several
times a
week! Sent you an email with directions, time and other details.
Left out
the out and back is about 23 miles, mostly flat rocky terrain with a few
little rocky sections.

If it looks like rain call me.

Gary


Shoot... that's gotta be the largest belly button I've ever seen
http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum...mID=31&Photo=7



WTF is that? I swear I have an inny. Maybe it's an alien trying to
come out of my stomach.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Ride-A-Lot" "mitchel[nospam] wrote:
Slacker wrote:

On Sat, 6 Nov 2004 15:14:34 -0700, GeeDubb wrote:

Ride-A-Lot" "mitchel[nospam] wrote:

You did a very decent job as a guide and I really appreciate the
company and conversation on the ride. It was a good time and the
bomb back to the car was fun even if the gears skipped every time I
landed after getting some air.

Here are some pics of our desert experience:

http://tinyurl.com/5d5cn

I can be convinced to ride on Sunday, now that I can feel my legs
again. Where? When? How far? Is the proflex rideable? Because I
could not stomach that K2 shifting nightmare.


I promise I'll guide better tomorrow since I ride this trail several
times a
week! Sent you an email with directions, time and other details.
Left out
the out and back is about 23 miles, mostly flat rocky terrain with
a few little rocky sections.

If it looks like rain call me.

Gary


Shoot... that's gotta be the largest belly button I've ever seen
http://www.pchospital.net/photoalbum...mID=31&Photo=7



WTF is that? I swear I have an inny. Maybe it's an alien trying to
come out of my stomach.

End of a full length zipper on your shirt? OK, alien!

Gary