Cloudy today with a good headwind (“good” meaning stiff, not “good” as in enjoyable). The internet said 17°, but it felt about 5° cooler than that! I ended up actually stopping at the trailer park and putting on my jacket! 
Physically I felt pretty good today. I didn’t do much for sprinting, but had a good ride down into Peterson’s Creek (the brakes were solid, and the tires, as bald as they may be getting, are still hooking up pretty well). I ditched the jacket at the bottom of the valley, then made a great effort through the creek and up and over the root. I realized this weekend what my problem is with this root, and I figure it’s weight transfer. As it’s a bit of a climb right there, I often just pop the front wheel over and then try to power the back wheel over while still having my weight back. Today, I popped the front wheel over, pedalled, and then threw the bike and my weight forward, thus carrying the rear wheel over as well. MUCH better! The east bank still threw me for a loop, and I didn’t make the climb. However, I did make a pretty good stab at it and if I hadn’t ended up doing a wheelie (not enough weight over the front wheel), I probably would’ve made it.
I cleared the rock wall at the top easily and with good speed. I took the first gulley trail down, and then rode across to the third gulley trail to take me down to Frolek’s lower road. Both trails were good, and the brakes were great.
At the end of the Rose Hill section, I made an AWESOME stretch up the final climb! Today, it was as good as done, but I started wandering again. I figured “screw this!” and instead of giving up, I powered up and over the middle bank (seeing as how I couldn’t keep it straight at this point) and crossed over the the right track. This might have worked, had my front wheel not slid down into a little trench/gulley on that section!!! Best distance yet, though!
Finally, I took the pipeline trail through to Juniper and it was a fun, fast stretch. Good to be back on these trails!
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