A Day in the Life

Daddy, you’re going to have to be married twice. Because I’m gonna marry you.

 

Went back out to Fremont Older today with both kids. Tulia got some new goggles to keep the dust out of her eyes.

I get some pretty amazing cardio out of a 30 minute loop with both of them in tow.  I’d go longer but Tulia is usualy done with the bumps after 20 minutes of it.

The picture of me and Nolan from a distance was taken by Tulia!

Took Tulia and Nolan out for a short mountain bike ride. Hauling two kids uphill is hard. Tulia was on the trail-a-bike and Nolan is on a seat that is in front of my seat.

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Every year for the past 8 years, mountain cyclists that frequent the mtbr.com Norcal forums spend a week gathering at various Bay Area locations to ride bikes.  This year I decided to join them for two of the rides. One was at Saratoga Gap, and the second was an epic through Big Basin and Butano State parks.

I was lucky enough to get a day pass from the wife and kids due to my 33rd birthday.  So my calendar was marked off from 1000 to 1700.

As usual I left the house late (0940) hoping to get to the Big Basin HQ by 1000, yeah right!  I knew I would be late.  My only hope was that so would someone else and hte group would leave too close to on time.

As I pulled into the parking lot at 1030, I thought, “well, I have a map, if I don’t catch them or see them, I can do this myself.”

After about 10.5 miles I caught up the group at the top of Chalk mountain.

This was my first long ride on the singlespeed, and I felt pretty good.  The climbs weren’t unridable, although toward the end of the 36 miles, my legs were done.

Total elevation climbed was about 5570′  Highest elevation reached was about 2300′

The ride took use from Big Basin headquarters to the ocean near Costanoa.  We camped there about two years ago.  Then we rode up to Butano State park and looped back into Big Basin.  The ride was all fire roads for the most part.

The ride ended with a beer and some great chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter inside!!!  What a way to end it!

Had a great time and met some real nice people.  It’s great to be able to put a face to some of the screen names on the forums.

My singlespeeding confidence has been majorly boosted by the fact that I was able to complete the ride.

After over ten years of using the same tube of Phil Wood waterproof grease for my bikes, I have finally finished my first tube.

I don’t use the stuff sparingly either. I like sitting in the garage with a beer and overhauling my various bikes. It’s one of the next best things to riding.

Finally finished up the porter rack for the big dummy. And to top the porter, an ale.

Got up real early to go for a ride. The sun was due to rise at 0600.

Fog was nestled deep in the forest valleys.

Half way through my ride I get a call on my cell phone! “Damn I need to leave that thing in the car!”

Wife is feeling sick and the little one is crying possibley sick too. Guess it was a good thing I brought the phone. Ride gets cut short and I return home to care for the family.

Henry Coe Ride from Mike on Vimeo.

Some of the best single track I’ve ridden.  13 miles, 3000 feet of climbing, and descending.

The trail was about 8 inches wide for the majority of the single track, which was just about all the downhill.

Wild flowers were out in force as well.  Spring is a beautiful time in Coe. No blazing hot temps of the summer.

Tulia says “if I don’t be good I’ll get fired. ”

“fired!? What do you think that means?” I ask.

“it means they spray fire all over you”

 

Picked up the party supplies for Nolan’s birthday party.  The big dummy and the new portuer rack were loaded. 36 bottles of beer/smirnof. case of juice boxes, 16 pack of sodas, various food.