Black Friday on the BST

I tried a couple of new things today - my specialized defroster winter shoes (I'll do a full review after a few rides on them), and the curly springs section of the trail area 51.

I rode from the shooting range, up betty, lower and upper belt to area 51. Rather than dropping down dry canyon, I wanted to see if the trail continued and connected to battle creek canyon. I had heard there was a connector, but had never gone any further than curly springs.

From the dry canyon turn off, the trail is a sustained climb. As 51 nears battle creek, it turns towards timp and drops down some steep sections. These sections are shaded almost all day and still have plenty of snow. The descent down battle creek wasn't as fun as I had hoped only because the holiday hikers were out in throngs.

From Kiwanis park, I hooked back onto the BST and rode back to the shooting range. It was a nice change of pace to mix things up, but I won't be revisiting this route until late spring or early summer when the trail is clear as 51 nears battle creek canyon. I'm glad I was coming down battle creek and not up -- that would be a beast.

Hoping for another nice ride tomorrow--Thinking about a couple of laps that include ireland.

From AtomicMiles

My hourly rate is $1.85

A few weeks ago I posted about my jury service on a DUI case. I had to rearrange several appointments and even missed my kids piano recital. To my surprise, I have been compensated for my time by the state of Utah. So according to the state, my time is worth $1.85/hr. Yep, $18.50 for my 10 hours that day.

Turning to a much more important event, todays lunch meeting was great. We dropped down cliff to the race course, rode across the aquaduct road, climbed up dragons back, then up Frank to the lower belt, up crank, and down ireland. The ride had some sweet downhill with some challenging technical climbs. I got some great video footage and will compile a new video this weekend. Phast Dan (check out his blog for his well earned riding name) joined Rick S, and Aaron, Jon, and Brannen for the ride. We ran into Adam and Keith punishing themselves with some intervals on the water tank road.

Thanksgiving ride 7:45 am ready to ride at the shooting range. Anyone is welcome to join. I propose it be called the Frozen Turkey rather than the Turkey Trot.

Exploring

This is how my mind thinks about riding a mountain bike:

Riding a mountain bike is much better than sitting in an office.

Riding on a dirt road is better than riding a mountain bike on the road.

Riding on up singletrack is better than a dirt road.

Descending on singletrack is best.

Yesterday, I rode up the firing range trail (walked part) and crank, and then descended down ireland. As I neared the bottom, I saw a game trail heading from ireland towards the firing range parking lot. My mind started working and I thought, I would rather descend on a singletrack than the water tank road. I took off following the game trail. The game trail would disappear and reappear as I worked my way back to the firing range trail. The route needs some work, but has potential as a nice return singletrack after ireland.

From AtomicMiles

Lunch Meeting Recap

It has been a great week of riding. As many biking bloggers have stated, it feels like we're riding on borrowed time.

Enjoy a video summary of the past week of lunch meetings.

BST Lunch Meeting Summary from atomicmiles on Vimeo.

The words of a three year old

A couple of nights ago, my wife was at a craft store with my 3-year old daughter. They stood in the check out line behind a women of sizeable girth. My daughter, observing the women, turns to my wife and says "Mom, look at that women's huge bum." Hoping and praying the lady didn't hear my daughter, my wife scooped up my daughter and quickly headed back to the store aisles.

Bike rides have been awesome. 4 for 4 on the lunch meetings this week with hopefully one more today. Yesterday's meeting was with Adam, Keith, and Justin. It was a unique meeting - No single speeds, 2 gary fishers, 2 treks, only one 29er. From the BST water tank road, we went down the race course, across the aquaduct road, up dragons back to frank, across kenny's belt buckle, and down roller coaster. A creative route by Adam.

Dry canyon time trial

The bst/water tank road and Betty were in good condition. Not too much
mud.

Upper belt had some mud and packed snow. Right before the "puddle",
was a muddy mess. Area 51 was either ice or mud.

Dry canyon had some ice patches.

Not ideal conditions for a time trial attempt. However, it's a top
three (only two other times are posted) 58:14. I figure I have some
room to improve.

http://drylooptt.blogspot.com/

Blackbird

Let the lunch meetings continue.

Monday was a couple of loops - Upper belt and down Ireland, then Betty to Blackbird. Here is a link to a BST map showing the trails if your wondering where are these trails.

I took a little video. Most of the time when I ride, I forget to look around and take in the vistas. Check out the video below- I thought looking back up Ireland at the golden grass with the snow capped mountains and blue sky in the background looked awesome.

Upper belt still has a few inches of snow. Everything South and West facing is clear and dry.

Blackbird BST from atomicmiles on Vimeo.

Friday the 13th on the BST

I had never ridden the firing range trail. I worked my way up the upper belt through the snow and descended down crank to the firing range. I really liked firing range for the length of the descent and some of the banked turns. It was a little rocky, but not bad--especially on the liquid. It reminded me a bit of the ireland descent.

I will be looking for some different tires as my panaracers don't shed the mud very well. I'm open to any suggestions.

I've been riding my trek liquid almost exclusively. Having the full suspension on the downhills has been a blast.

Friday the 13th on the BST from atomicmiles on Vimeo.

Lunch Meetings (Video evidence)

The winter weather is coming. I have been cramming in the rides before the change of season hits. Monday's ride was the dry canyon loop. Tuesday we rode down Ireland via the upper belt. Wednesday was dry canyon loop again via Francisco (the trail from the altar up to area 51--aka GWT).

Here is video from Tuesday's ride. More video to come.

Dragon's Back Video

I'm a little behind on my video editing. Here is video from last Thursday's ride.

I was able to have an excellent lunch meeting with Brandon, Aaron, and Rick-(Video coming soon) Unfortunately we were unable to make it through the whole agenda. We will have to meet again for lunch tomorrow and most likely wednesday.

Dragon's Back BST

The incredible weather has made me feel like I need to get out and ride as much as possible. I think that is why I was so upset with being on the jury Wed.

Jury Duty Results

I was chosen to be on the Jury of a DUI case. Did you know that in the state of Utah, according to the law, if you are intoxicated and have the ability to exercise your domain, start a car and drive off, that's a DUI? You don't even have to drive the car. Anyways, after one very long day, the jury found the defendant guilty of a DUI. We later found out that he had multiple DUI's and this one compounded the charges to a felony. The jury deliberated for over 2 hours. We had one old lady on the jury who would talk herself in circles. Another young lady admittedly liked getting smashed and was reluctant to find the defendant guilty.

I groan, moan, and complain like one of my kids, but the experience was interesting and educational. It was a major inconvenience to drop everything and serve on the jury, but I believe everyone should have the opportunity. I do believe that it is a privilege to serve and can't imagine a justice system without a trial-by-jury.

I wondered if the judge was working on his "movember" stache? Judge Taylor shown below.

If you ever get called to serve on a jury, in my opinion, here is what to do to get off the jury or not selected:

• You don't need to lie, but express your opinions. Even if they are not directly related to the questions make your voice heard.
• The worst thing to do is to sit there and be quiet. The eight members of my jury were all the ones who were quiet and didn't voice any opinions.

Dragon's Back Lunch meeting - Thursday

Even though I went to the gym on Thurs morning, I still wanted/needed to go out for a lunch ride with the invite came from SouthCountyCiclista. The group left from Omniture. I joined in at the firing range. The route was BST Water tank road, to Dragons Back, climb Squaw Peak and descent to the Indian Hills Park. Some of the sections were new to me and enjoyable. I took some video and need to edit it down.

If you can see the blue spec behind Nick's bicep, that's me climbing up Squaw on my rigid SS.

Saturday on the BST

Saturday morning ride was from home along BST Orem to Water Tank Road, to Dragons Back, Squaw Peak climb, Indian Hills Descent, Mt. Timpanogos Park climb up through the race course, Water Tank Road, Bettys, Lament, Area 51, Dry Canyon and return home. Kind of a wandering, criss-cross route.

I took out the trek liquid which weighs over 30, but has full suspension and some reasonable travel. At first, it felt like I was riding a midget bike with the 26" tires--I'm used to the 29er. The hydraulic hayes brakes on my liquid are a huge improvement over the mechanical avid's on my SS.

Jury Duty

Jury Duty

I'm not sure why I'm so lucky to have been chosen for jury duty. Not only being chosen, but the trial is going forward so I have to show up at 8:30 wed morning. I now get to put everything else on hold. The clerk's letter says that 1 out of every 4 jury candidates will be selected to serve on the jury. I'm trying to think of some things to say that can get me disqualified.

1. I don't like attorneys - I don't like the ones that work for me.
2. The justice system has become a joke because of the above mentioned attorneys--especially litigators.
3. I have contracted the swine flu (not really but if it gets me out of jury duty)
4. I have an lunch appointment up on the bonneville shoreline trail.

Monday Ride

I rode the BST on Monday for lunch. I tried to hook up with southcountyciclista, but missed him. I ran into a few guys who claimed that I had the names of the trails all wrong since they had been riding these trails since 1994 on their lunch breaks (it didn't look like they had been riding too often). I may have the names wrong, but I will post this map in an effort to promote a unifying of the names.

Many local biking bloggers have written of "riding the pipe" in dry canyon. Aaron was the only one who did it on the helloween ride. The pipe is a literal pipe that has been covered with a long strip of concrete. Here is a short clip when I "rode the pipe" on Monday and bit of the dry canyon trail.

Ride the Pipe from atomicmiles on Vimeo.

Helloween Ride

I joined the group for a 10:00 pm friday night ride. When I say group, these are a group of guys that I have never met before although I follow their biking blogs. Some funny costumes, some interesting costumes, and some very disturbing costumes. We rode above the BST and dropped down dry canyon. Towards the bottom of dry canyon we rode right through some romantic's campfire. I can only imagine what they thought as 25-30 bikers in costume flew right by their campfire. I left the group at dry canyon and rode home. As I left dry canyon, there were a couple of Lindon cops coming up the road-- Try to imagine how that explanation to the cops would have went.

The ride started with a time trial from the shooting range up to the mouth of the canyon. Everyone contributed a dollar to the pot to go to the winner. I couldn't keep up with the leaders. They flew up the road.

• I would say that at least half the group was on singlespeeds. I don't think I saw anything but 29'ers.
• Costumes aside, there were some very nice bikes I was drooling over. Someone was sporting a brand new niner carbon fork.
• One women rider showed up. Not only was she dressed as a witch on a singlespeed, she was farmer blowing both sides.

Here is a video that Rick put together. He also organized the ride.

These pics were taken by Keith.

Notice the portable speakers on the handlebars. We had 80's glam rock accompanying the ride.
A nurse to help with any injuries on the ride. The nurse, as you can see, was very taken by Kenny's belt buckle.
The organizer - I'm not sure of his real name, but people were calling him Rick.
I don't know what to say about this one.

Here is a pic of the group by the altar.