I Love Fall.  I have had several months off of the bike because life got in the way, now Steve has rebuilt my fork and my Nomad C is ready and raring to go.   After a crappy late summer because I wasn’t on my bike, I am feeling better and ready to ride.  What is this?  Snow?  For days? Did I miss the end of the season? Wait, now the snow is melting into those super dry and loose trails.  Will I have another window to get out before winter really sets in?  So now I have to make a choice.  If I haven’t been on our local trails for a long time, which do I choose first…..is that a question even worth asking?  Why, Highway to Hell, of course!!

As I ride up the dirt road to Wakina Sky trail I can see the road is damp, what a good sign! (does that climb EVER get easier?).  First I must thank the Trail Fairies that have cleared all the wind blown logs off the trail.  They kindly hauled their chainsaws up the climbs so we could keep enjoying the descents.  (or should I call them Trolls? I don’t know if they appreciate being called Fairies).  I didn’t have a single tree on the trail to worry about for either the climb or the descent.  As I make my way up to the top, I can see the trail has firmed up but in the drier areas the top layer of stones are still sitting on top of the soil and are loose so I will have to keep my eye out on the descent.  I get to the top and drop my saddle.  Here comes my favorite part…Focus on body position, looking ahead and let it go!  At first I am a little tentative since I have heard how loose the trails got with the dry summer.  Then I start to relax and let experience take over.  As the trail goes in and out of the trees, there are some areas that you still have to be ready for your tires to drift, but others where you can lean and push into the corners.  It feels like I am on rails….I LOVE that feeling!  The very end in the trees holds a little more water is starting to get just a little greasy, just enough to make it interesting on the sidehill.   As I reach the bottom, I can’t wait to get out for my next ride to feel that again!

So, I hope I can get out again tomorrow but I am wondering about where there may be trees down or trails that are clear.  Does anyone else have reports on what trails are open or ones we need to work on clearing?  Hope you are all enjoying your fall!

Christine