May 24 weekend Rides

Saturday
The DMBA* Pancake breakfast/take a child ride was on for Sat morning.
A really great job of laying out a course, maybe 4k long that took the little ones through some single track, double track, uphills and down hills to make it a great adventure. Thank you.
Sunday
3-stage ride. Left the house at 7.15 to meet Alan at the base of Osler Bluff.  Alan likes to climb, so do I. This was possibly the toughest, longest climb I have done in Ontario. I was on the SS, running 32x19, and I did have to get off the bike an push in a couple sections....Alan, a strong rider with gears was able to clear the whole thing.

This snapshot 15min over 2km sums up the climb well. My HR is in Red, elevation in green.  Yes it was up up up. Once at the top, we rode over to the main entrance at 2nd concession, and the ride was on.  I have ridden these trails on short travel 26" bikes, a Blur LT with 5" of travel, this was my first time on a 29" rigid SS. Again I am amazed at how these big wheels suck so much up.  I wasn't able to plow over everything like on the blurLT, but rocks that would stop a 26" bike dead in its tracks, I just rolled over.

After covering some of the initial trails on the top, Alan took us to the east side, and down a couple trails I had never been on... possibly the best trail I have ever ridden in Ontario...technical rock gardens switchbacks up and down...then into an insane downhill with more switchbacks.
I could go on an on...but enough to say that it was a really excellent ride that included climbing the escarpment twice, cliff riding with fabulous views of the pretty river valley, rock gardens, and a wild decent down a snowshoe trail.  4 1/2 hours 2 broken spokes and 3 water bottles later we emerged from the forest back where we started.
Back to Alan's place for a beer, and meet his family...then back to Stouffville....wonderful day.  Must get up to Collingwood more often.
Ride stats are Here
Sunday
Beautiful day, working around the house in the sun...then off for an easy road ride...or that was the plan.
Do you ever feel that something doesn't want you to ride?
My floor pump broke...I mean air comes out the sides,,, okay, still can't find my frame pump...put some air in with the minipump and head over to Mark's place to use his floor pump and I am off for the ride.
After 20k or so, decide to take a break...eat a cliff bar and just enjoy being out in the sun...staring out at farmer's fields..then bang! Tube explodes.  No worries...replace the tube with the spare..manage to put maybe 40lbs pressure into the tube with the minipump...easy pedal home....then when I am about 6km from home..I decide to stop and add more air....mistake...the valve snaps, air runs out. No phone :(  long walk home.
*If you mountainbike in Durham, you should join DMBA...the advocacy group working to ensure we have trails to ride. http://durhammountainbiking.ca/  contact them directly or speak to me.