Mountain Bike Gaijin - First "organized ride"

9/19/2015 - The first ride of the "Every other week" series with Mountain Bike Gaijin.

I took over the reigns of the group just a few weeks ago with the goal of getting more riders out together and getting the group a tad more social.  If this weeks ride is any indicator, it is going to work.

5 riders (including me) showed up and got in 10+ miles of single track.
With the rain over the past few weeks, the conditions were better than anticipated, however the clay sections of trail were still horribly slick.

Some had to stop for glamour shots... the trail this morning started off with some beautiful scenery.  I never stop to capture these moments so I am glad my company did.

We continued on this trail for a bit, dealt with a mechanical, but continued on.  We headed over to single track and that was where some things got hairy...

Gravity wins!

In the end, no one got hurt, we have a good time and a few laughs.  My SS hardtail played nicely with the FS rigs with gears and out climbed others a few times.   Today's ride was a win!

Snuck out for another lunch ride...

After Monday's flat and walk, I decided I would try and get back out.
Since the Soma is waiting on the new tire, I jumped on the Niner.
I shifted it into a familiar gear that felt similar to my 33-22 and kept it there for the ride... I am spoiling my body with a full suspension ride, I might as well make my legs do the same amount of work they are used to.

The trail was horribly slick in all the clay areas.  Unfortunately, that is a lot of the areas.  My mindset is that of leading a ride, so I am looking for pitfalls I would need to let a group know of... overall - the pre-ride speech...  be careful.  Too much to list, so everyone is just responsible for staying safe and keeping a safe distance from one another so there is room to stop in the event of a crash.

Sections were cut back nicely, other sections were overgrown.  With all the rain we have had, there are washouts and other little hazards... but overall, I managed to get the bike home in 1 piece.

Rides, Crashes & tire slashes....

So yesterday I went out to pre-ride the route I intended to take on Saturday morning.
I headed out to 7-11 and clicked on the GPS to start recording.  As I headed into the Morito River area, I ran into Shigeru and his riding partner.  We chatted for a bit and he warned me the trail was super slick ahead.  After a few minutes, we headed our opposite ways.

It took a little while, but I finally got to the slick stuff he was referring to.  It was not horrible, however if you were not expecting it, I could see where it would catch you off guard.  I get up to where the trail meets a river crossing and decide this is the turn around spot.  I head back incident free.

I head back to 7-11 and make my turn to go to the other trail.  It is just a road ride at this point for maybe a km so I just spin away, however the last 500 meters are maybe 5%.  So that part is not very enjoyable.

I get to thew park and push the bike up 10% grades on a jeep trail.  Once past the initial steep part (800m), I get back in the saddle and pedal. Not too far up is the trail I am going to use as a cut-over.  I drop the seat and jump in... I clear some roots I normally get stuck on, but due to the wet/slick conditions, I took it with more speed than normal... lesson learned in that part.  The trail is fairly fun with some quick drops and climbs - but eventually I get to another section that just can't be ridden.  Maybe 100m or so - then back in the saddle.  Sadly - the slick conditions are getting worse.  I decide walking a section is the safest route... but it is so slick, even that is sketchy.

I finally get to the trail I wanted and away we go!
I am able to get over mast obstacles and only walked the bike one small rooty uphill section.
Things are feeling good until I get to the "clay chutes" - they are super slick and I went down.  Not a biggie, I put myself up and start to slide a little... didn['t even pick up the bike yet... it is snot slick...

I continue on for a little bit and then I hit the slickest section of trail.  In less than 100m, I went down 4 times.  Walking was near impossible and riding was sketchy.  BUT - I was too far down the hill to go back up... so I keep heading down to Rt 16.

I get to the section that is maybe 70 steps.  They are wood and oddly spaced.  I have ridden it a few times without issue... but today, the foliage is all overgrown.  I more or less give up on look to see the steps and just concentrate on keeping the vines from catching my bars...  I continue down without incident - until....  SPLOOSH!

On one of the last three steps I get a flat.  That sucks... but I prop the bike up, clean off the bead and attempt to reset it...  in vain.  The mosquitoes are buzzing all around, so I opt to walk my bike out of the woods and take a look again in a clearing.

Then I see it.  The 1.5cm slash in the sidewall....  Time to walk home.

The amusing part to me.. I was not even frustrated.  I just started walking.  When I got to a convenience store, I bought a beer and kept walking.  I took off my shoes because they were rubbing my heel raw, but over all - it was a beautiful day out and i was just happy to be outside.

Another 75km road ride in the books...

My weekly routine is about to change.  Probably a hair too late for the SSWC, but whatever.. it all helps.

This week is my last organizing and leading my Saturday road rides.  The ride will continue, but it has been passed off to another to keep it going.  I recently took over "Mountain Bike Gaijin" here in Japan.  It is a group of mountain bikers - mostly in the Yokosuka area (near me, yay) that used to ride together semi regularly, but since its founder moved to California has been lost without direction. Having spoken to Mark (founder) about it, he thought turning over the reigns to me made sense - and starting next week - we will have planned and organized rides to get the group moving in the same direction again.

So... this was my last road ride as the organizer.

Thoughts?
I enjoyed it more than usual.  Oddly, there is just a little bit of stress on your shoulders when you organize a road ride.  You worry a little about everyone's safety, you don't want anyone to get lost, etc...  So you spend time at the front, fall to the back, back to the front, etc...  You don't really consciously think about it as you are doing it, but you realize you are more drained after a ride than usual.  This is not any requirement put on me by the group, but rather a self imposed requirement to make sure everyone has a good time and wants to come back next week.

This week I let most know I was done organizing and would be joining the ride as a participant sporadically in the future.  Everyone was cool with it and asked a bit about the MTB thing.  I expect maybe to have two join off road, the rest are die hard roadies.

So during this ride, I just relaxed and pedaled.  I did not concern myself too much with the front or back, I just sat where ever my legs felt I should be at the time.  I looked around more than normal and the weather was pretty much perfect for the ride.  All in all - good times.

78km of Miura Peninsula is a good morning.

Starting next Saturday - I will alternate between MTB and Road every week.  Hoping to keep fitness on the road bike and keep bike handling skills on the MTB.  Hopefully this plan is a win/win!

Maybe I am starting to "get it" - Give less fucks, have more fun...

The rain continues....  Rain Rain Rain...

So on Labor day, I had the opportunity to get two rides in... one at 0600 and one at 1300.
I asked on the local MTB facebook group if anyone wanted to join in the wet fun...

For the afternoon ride... I had a taker!

Maybe it is my lack of derailleurs, my inexpensive chain, my lack of desire to be 'fast' anymore when on the Soma or maybe a combo?  But on this day, I just didn't care.  I would have fun and that was the only goal.  Never mind the rain.  Never mind this is not a trail I usually look forward to riding, but one I know won't be destroyed from riding in the rain.  90% of the trail is some variation of crushed rock.  Very little top soil for majority of the ride.  And to the cream on top - this trail has the least amount of spiders!


Ride #1
I rolled out around 5:45.  Super early for most, but a late start for me.  I would have been working for over an hour at this point if it weren't a holiday.  I rolled out and the rain let up.  It went from "rain" to a drizzle and general nastiness.  I hit the trail and the tree cover made it super dark.  The humidity and temps were fogging my glasses to the point of them being a safety issue.  Roughly a mile in, I took them off.  I rode in slick conditions and watched the river's fury like I have never seen.  This is usually a slow moving and quiet river... but today there was a rage to it.  You could hear it all through the woods...

Rolling without glasses and in the dark... I had a moment or two.  I got a branch or something right in the corner of my right eye at speed.  I took a moment to make sure all was well and to rinse out any crap that may have gotten in my eye.  I continued on to barely see some washed out areas that were not washed out a few days prior.   After a couple other close calls and realizing I was solo, I chose to turn back and head home.

*intermission - Enoshima Aquarium with the family...

Ride #2
Headed back out to the trail, but this time expecting to meet someone at the nearest 7-11 prior.
Ben shows up with a fat bike....  well hell, I am on a single speed - to each their own...  We have one goal - ride in less than optimal weather and have fun.  So we head off.  This is Ben's first time on this particular trail so we enter fairly chill and I point out the random stuff that has caught me off guard in the past.

Anyhow... easier to show than to explain....

And today we ride.... sorta...

So I made the wheel swap and the bike just looks too awesome to not ride.

BUT....

Last night I was woken up several times by rain and wind pounding my house.  Add that to the rain we have had this past week....  my "favorite" local trails are going to be un-ride-able without making trail conditions worse.  I am not a prude when it comes to not riding a wet trail, however I am against riding in conditions that will help erode and destroy a trail.  So when I knocked off work... I decided to head to the only trail I know that has lots of rock, crushed rock, roots, etc... but very little sections that would be hurt by riding.

I avoid this trail most of the time...  It is more or less boring to me on the FS or even the Soma when geared.  But today, with the wet conditions, it proved to be a fun challenge.  Yes... there was a crash-ish type thing.  I stayed on my feet, but the Garmin mount is now broke.  I also came to an abrupt stop that resulted in my bars being knocked out of alignment...  I ended up in the Morito River for a bit... I had a small vine on multiple occassion wrap around my arm while I was at speed....  some ripped skin and raw skin from those...  and one good shot to the head where I just didn't get low enough under a fallen tree....  Today's ride had it all.

But lets face it, I am not a word smith and you wanna see picture with captions, not an essay.

Here you go...

Haha - this is the river crossing and suddenly I realize the trail on the other side isn't there....   crap.

 It doesn't appear to be too deep so I rode down the river until.........

Oh shit, it's deeper

Glamour shot from

At this point, one arm is a tad bloody, the other is irritated where vines wrapped around it at speed....  yup... that sucks.

Refreshment time.....

Ont he way home....  new temple (to me)

Home.... 12:01 - I am not drinking in the morning.....

Hello Sexy!!! Sometimes you can fall in love with the same bike again with just a little switch...

I have been lacking some motivation lately...  Rain, Heat, Spider Webs, & Giant Hornets.
It is the same me and the same bike...  Lovely and wonderful, but the same bike.  Of my MTBs, the Soma is the only one getting love right now.  I have not ridden my niner in a LONG time.  Honestly, I miss it, however I am trying to stay focused on the SS and road bike.

With my lust for the Soma waning... it was time for change.  I cannot justify any more money, so it is time for Musical wheels.  My Niner and Soma use the same axle standards, so the wheels are all interchangeable.  My Salsa is still all QR, so nothing compatible there.

I have traditionally run Sun/Ringle Chargers on the Soma and Hope Hubs/Stans Flow rims on the Niner and a set of Easton Wheels as the emergency backup set for both bikes.  The weekend I got sick a month or so ago, a buddy borrowed my Niner.  The tires on the eastons are far less agressive then the hopes and we knew it to be 50/50 on/off road, so I switched the wheels out and the Hopes were just sitting unused.

Tonight, for future motivation, I took the Sun/Ringles off the Soma and put the Hopes on...  A quick test ride to make sure all was well...  I am ready to hit a trail now!  Super stoked to play with my new setup of old parts I already had.

Before:

After:

Moving from the red hubs with white rims to the black/black setup makes the bike look a bit more the business.  The big 2.4 tire upfront makes it look mean as well, but probably not the most efficient setup.  But if it is fun - it is a win.

Now I can't wait to hop on the trails tomorrow if the rain hold off...