New Mountain Bike
Today, I started my Saturday off pretty much like normal. I got up at 6am and went mountain biking at Peter’s Canyon Reservior, which is reachable from my house without the need of a car. In fact, thanks to some horse trails, I am literally only on pavement for about 1/2 mile. Today, I decided to take the ridge trail into the park, which is much harder than taking the ridge trail out of the park.
Like most Saturday’s, I filled my camelback and kicked myself for not cleaning my chain last night. Because I don’t have a big appetite most Saturday mornings at 6, I opted not to eat. BIG MISTAKE .
I am in pretty good shape and haven’t had too much difficulty on the hills lately. Today, totally different story. I knew I was in trouble on the first climb of the day, which is fairly gradual after the first 30 feet. It is a single track, and as I made a switchback, I tried to hit the gas and there was nothing but a nagging voice inside my head telling me it would feel better to stop. I spun my back tire and lost my momentum. My feet hit the ground and I stopped (not good when you are climbing on a mountain bike because it is hard to start again when the track is dusty or sandy, which it was).
I said to myself, no, I am not letting this hill beat me. So I decended 50 feet and tried it again and barely made it. I got to the top of climb one, with a little difficulty, but made it all the same. Climbs two, three, and four, however, are significantly steeper, longer, and harder. I went down a short rise and started up climb two and realized halfway up that I had completely bonked out. I had no power or energy and I couldn’t make the climb. I walked my bike up the second half of climb two, determined to do a better job on climb three.
The problem with climb three is that I invariably forget how steep it is and how long it is. Not to mention the rocks and ruts. Same story, made it half way up, but had nothing. I dug deep and pedeled through the pain, but I couldn’t keep my front tire steady and eventually I rode up into the bushes off the track and again stopped. Again, I walked the bike up the last 200 feet
I knew the hills had the better of me, but I had to at least have some bragging rights, so I decided I would go for Big Red (hill four), which was going to be the hill I finished today. It is much less steep, but considerably longer than the others. It was really embarrasing walking my bike up the last stand of Big Red. The downhill was great, but I had had enough and hit the fire trail for home.
So, moral of the story? Eat before I ride so I have some energy? No, get a new bike to get an edge on the hill.
So I bought a new mountain bike today. I spent more than I wanted to, which causes me to have multiple buyer’s remorse. First, I felt guilty for spending the money (4 digits worth of money, before the period). Second, I felt guilty for having to justify to the Missus why I get to spend money on myself. Well, she was supportive, but I felt guilty having the internal conversation with her about spending the money on myself. But I had been riding a bike from 1988 that had no suspension that I had kept in reasonably good shape. It was only a matter of time before I killed myself on some of the downhills, right?
Got it home, accidentally squeezed the front break lever with the tire off (= bad for hydraulic disk brakes), and now there is rub on the front brake rotor. Then realized I forgot to buy cleats that fit my shoes and the pedals I bought.
Sigh.
But it is a sweet ride.*
* I haven’t actually ridden it yet, but in my head it will be a sweet ride.