October 29th (Afternoon)

I forgot to write up my Friday ride home! Oops… Well, we’ll see how much I can actually remember here.

I didn’t feel too bad for strength (not lazy like most of my “off” days are), but the climbs seemed to hurt a lot worse than usual today. I did make the root on the east side of Peterson’s Creek, as well as the climb up and out (finally!), so that was cool. I also made the climb up the bypass trail to the stopping point.

As I turned off of the Tom Moore trail and headed down the final stretch on Billy Minor, I noticed Phil heading up the other side, walking just up the bypass trail. As I was only probably 2 or 3 minutes behind him, I figured I’d probably catch up with him but never did. I took the first gulley trail down to the single-track, and then followed the single-track all the way to the connector road which I rode down to Frolek’s lower road. I doubt Phil chose the same way, as I never did catch him. Unless, of course, he was having a particular out-of-his-norm type ride and beat the pants off of me? That’s always possible… Anyways, I had a good pace across the end of Frolek’s land, but I did not make the final climb at Rose Hill as once again I failed to keep the front wheel straight and ended up high on the left bank, heading into the bushes! Obviously this isn’t ONLY mind over matter, it’s also mind over skill as well… Hah!

For my last ride of the week, I decided to follow the pipeline trails into Juniper. The entire way from Rose Hill road ‘till the end of the pipeline trail was ripped up by dirt bikes. And not just a single dirt bike passing by once. It was multiple dirt bikes going back and forth over the same stretches multiple times, each time digging up the trail. Wow, I’m impressed… you have a motor… good for you, bonehead…

Anyways, at the end of the pipeline section, as I connected to the main Juniper trail and headed out, I looked up on the hill above me and noticed two dirt bikers sitting on their bikes, watching me as I rode by. I raised my hand up as if to say “What are you doing?” to which one of them responded by raising his hand up too… ??? So I just said, “What the heck?” Again, showing off his infinite reasoning power, the kid responds with “What the heck?” back to me… Don’t copy me… don’t copy me… I said don’t! I said don’t! Mom!!! Mom!!! Yeah, flashbacks to GRADE 1…

Anyways, I kept on riding and left. I should look up the actual bylaw on dirtbikes on “city” trails like the Juniper one, maybe they’re completely within their right to ride there, which is fine. But can’t you just ride? Do you have to dig up the trail? I mean, they left some gulleys deep enough to sprain an ankle in. Whatever, I guess I shouldn’t get upset, what does it matter anyways?

In the end, a good ride, another record time for this route in particular (the pipeline section through Juniper adds a few minutes, even though the overall distance isn’t much different at all) and a great speed! But I’m ready and happy for the weekend…