Enjoyable weekend

I've been trying to mix things up a bit. Easy trainer ride in the morning before work and hike/run or walk/run after work several evenings each week. Trails are fragile this time of year due to freeze/thaw. 

I've had my Scalpel almost 8 weeks and have ridden it about a dozen times. It's different and I am want to get more comfortable on it. First XC race is March 10. 

Last Saturday Cathy and Kirk with the Louisville Bicycle Club put on a MTB/hike afternoon in their neck of the woods. They live in Crandall, IN. Beautiful area it is. They have a route that includes fire roads, single track and corn fields. The fire roads were mostly mud and made for one heckuva ride. It was a workout, at least for me it was! They were gracious hosts and had food everywhere, even vegetarian chili with no pasta or cheese! 

Snake Creek is in two weeks and I've not been on my scalpel for the amount of time I will be that day. It finally got colder here over last few days and even colder further north. Yesterday I drove to Brown County, hoping for 17-20 miles. Started later than I wanted. Trails were in good shape until I almost got to top of Hesitation Point.  There's an open field just below the picnic area at the top. I didn't realize until I was in it. I got off and walked but it stuck to the tires pretty good. Following a brief trip to the outhouse, I started to ride my bike and the rear derailleur was full of mud. The three creek crossings at the bottom of Aynes got the downtube all covered in ice. Mud and leaves and ice was clogging the rear wheel. I walked back down past the fire road crossing and the trail was shaded and still frozen. Got off several times and walked where the trail was exposed to sunshine. Beautiful day to be in the woods, very cold when the wind found you. 


The Versailles forecast for today started out in the teens. I got up and out of the house by 7 ish. 

Google maps suggested IN 62 to 421 and finally 129. I arrived right about 8:30. Seems better than I-65 to North Vernon. At least it's more scenic. About 5 miles south of Versailles there was a light dusting on snow on the road. 

The park was covered with about 1/2-1 inch. Everything was crisp and bright. There was only one other car in the parking lot and it was 2 guys hiking.

I was first human tracks made today. The only sounds at first were my tires crushing the snow. Then once I got on creek side and later on Grandview there were teeny little paw tracks in front of me running along the trail. The water was lapping at the edge of the banks underneath the frozen edges.   

All of a sudden about 1/2 way back Grandview a wood pecker was making a racket on one of the trees.

I felt good riding today, no lung issues at all. My legs seemed happy as well, though I was quite cautious on the frozen trails. Since I was the only one on the trails I felt it best that I not take any chances falling. I've got to do something about my feet though. Maybe battery operated hunting socks. My toes hurt so badly and then started going numb. Not a good thing!

I miss riding with others. About 90% of my riding is solo. However, today it was so serene, being in the woods. I thoroughly enjoyed my solitude with nature all around me.

Sincere hopes that you had a wonderful weekend, too!



peace