new bike's first weekend...

[ArmySlowRdr]

so I've had a new stumpjumper for a month or more now. It has been patiently waiting in the "bike room" while I have been riding the roadie and have even had the hard tail to the big Island.

So yesterday the company first sergeant, company commander, mail clerk and I decided to ride the tank trails off Kole Kole Ave here on Schofield. We had the C.O and mail clerk off and pushing by the 1st significant uphill double track. Stumpie enjoyed the short 10 mile with lots of pavement immensely but yearned for pure dirt.

Today the company enjoyed a Friday off so thus I consider it a weekend day. I decided to head with the bike up to Aeia Loop high above Aeia/Pearl Ridge. Surprisingly the weather has been dry for a week and the root infested/tree felled trail was dry.

Here is stumpie ready to leave Miliani:


Here we are at one of the many tree/log crossings on this 4.5 mile loop.



After the first couple of nice hills on this 7% average grade (using vertical gain over distance) we came to the first nice resting place:



And finally two of me near the beginning of the trail head that i convinced my spouse to take:





SJ and I had a good time; the bike is medium where all my other bikes had been large---I noticed an ever slight need to focus more on weighting the front end for the uphills--nothing I can't get used to. It is always a pleasure to introduce a new machine to the joys of dirt. We both had fun and will probably do it lots But Double B, the trusty hard tail, will not be forgotten either.

Now it's off for a Sat and Sun of riding with the Hawaii Bicycling League--our weekly Sat morning ride from Diamond head to near Waimanaolo. And then Sunday is the metric century up on the north shore.

Oh the ride stats---about the same as the hard tail on this techie loop. 4.4 Avg--15 max--an hour plus--a ton of sweat. One too huge baby back rib and chicken monteray platter at Chili's just to overdo things. I never learn. I love food, women and bikes and aren't too great with any of 'em. These Hawaii trails have made me a FRED---one day me and the posse will be back to our beloved Texas or Virginia singletrack.

Peace. Ride hard and thx if you read.

[Redmon]

Looks like a sweet ride. Im digging that color as well. I dont think there is anything better than that first ride when everything just seems better

Shawn

[ArmySlowRdr]

yeah everyone knows red is faster---why I only went .10mph slower than I usu do this loop on the bike I'm used to--shudder to think how slow I would have been say on a blue, black or grey monstrosity I would have dropped to all of 4.2 I'll bet.

Originally Posted by Redmon

Looks like a sweet ride. Im digging that color as well. I dont think there is anything better than that first ride when everything just seems better

Shawn

[Christine]

Gorgeous!!

I love how you let the bike rest on a bench. Makes me feel a little less insane for taking portraits of my bike during outings.

[pimpbot]

Congrats on the new steed. I just recently got an '03 stumpy FSR myself. For a while, I was wondering if it was a good move, but once I figured out the setup, I love it. I just raced it at Sea Otter and it was like butter the whole time. It railed, it went where I pointed it, it was stable in the air, it climbed well and only my quads gave out on the climb out (not the bike's fault). I love the suspension. Nice and plush, but still efficient. No pedal kick back, it bobs a bit if I'm not smooth, but I can control it, and I have a lockout if I can't.