The inmates are running the asylum. (Punk Bike Enduro)

Hjalti · 02-09-2004

I really should know better. Cold. Hmm. Snow. Hmmm. Ice. Hmmmm.

Singlespeed bikes. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Beer. Oh, OK.

SSO tried to assuage my fears. "It won't be too bad." I thought about how very little I had ridden my bike in the past year. Work, kids, new house and yard, and general laziness had all take their toll of my fitness. But beer. Hmmmm.

First I'll need a bike. My SS was pretty ragged out, and I'd taken it apart due to a suspect headset. Maybe I should just convert my geared bike. OK. Yank the extraneous junk, and add a singlator (thanks Drevil). Hey those brake pads look a little worn. Oh well, they'll last at least one ride, right?

Sunday, the 8th of February (a day that will live in infamy) dawned a beautiful morning temps were in the high twenties (F) with a high for the day expected to be about 35 (F). Hopefully cold enough to keep the trails solid.

We met at the parking area and headed up the road climb to the trailhead. This was the point I began to suspect I was in trouble.

Stage one was the first section of fire road. Points for placing and for finding the punks hidden near the trail. Go!! This was how I planned my race strategy. Let everyone else break trail for me, and come in last. It worked almost perfectly, except a couple of times I passed people with mechanicals. Scoundrels who messed up my averages.

Stage two finally took us onto the singletrack. This was actually easier riding, because almost everyone took the same line and by the time I got there a decent track existed. It ended down by the reservoir.

Stage three had a Le Mans start and then single track along the lake. Pretty nice. This was the point I really stopped paying attention to the stages and just tried to keep up.

I think it was along here that there was a really steep downhill. Someone was taking pics, right?

Eventually we came to the break point. Some blessed soul had hauled a keg into the woods. Hooray! Blissful happiness.

The entry to the breakpoint was tricky

SSO patiently waiting at the keg

Drevil and others. MTBr Jersey in da house. Sorry I didn't get many names.

What! We have to ride more?

After the break there was another short road section to get to the next stage. This turned into a killer climb. It looked a little like the Chilkoot trail.

Look at the only guy riding. Did I mention he was on a fixed gear?

Allroy is number 1.

Steve (iconoclaSSt). Better ride now. You're going to flat in about 15 minutes.

This was my view for most of the ride.

Waiting for the next stage a couple of riders were doing wheelie drops across the stream

Kudos to DT and Mike.

The next stage took us out along some power lines and back down to the lake. My friend Steve flatted and I hung around with him while he fixed it, hoping the rest would help. It didn't. The trail ran along the shore for a while and was completely submerged in many places and I was dying.

The last stages would have been fun if I had been alive. No photos of these because I couldn't fumble out the camera. The last bit of singletrack back to the road deserves a return trip (with no snow on the ground).

Several of the crew adjourned to a local pub after the ride. I wanted to, but I had over-exerted on the ride and just wanted to get home and rest.

Even with the agony, I had a good time. Great event Joe. Looking forward to next time!

H

Hjalti · 02-09-2004

One last pic to get that photo icon up on the main page.

TryAndStopMe · 02-09-2004

The SSPBE was a blast, thanks for the recap!

Roger___ · 02-09-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by TryAndStopMe

The SSPBE was a blast, thanks for the recap!

all should be sking or something though! ;0) That looks way to cold for me.

Roger (cold weather wuss)

Fast Eddy · 02-09-2004

Good times, but water and snow on the same ride? No thanks.

KgB · 02-09-2004

....................

iconoclaSSt · 02-09-2004

and a belated apology from me for hammering off after you waited for me to fix the flat...highly rude of me and your next couple of pints are on me! Course, you have to show up for them.

Hope to see you out on 2 wheels again real soon...

DmofoT · 02-09-2004

Great write-up and lot's of pics there. I think you captured what the event was all about. Oh and thanks for the drop pic - damn iconoclaSSt and his slow photo skills, ha.

DT

_K9_ · 02-09-2004

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hjalti

One last pic to get that photo icon up on the main page.

Hjalti, Thanks for taking the time to snap some great pics! Hopefully some day soon we'll be able to have an event out your way at the 'shed.

Kevin

cleatgrrl · 02-10-2004

I love it! So many shots of me standing lurking in the background, happily with no wet feet and not drunk! Yay, thank you everyone, for a fun day and especially SSOutcropping, er, outlaw for the organization and I will cherish my punk, Johnny Rotten, forever.

Oh, and I have the awesomest medal ever, thanks!