MC Techfest ’09 – day1

MC (and crew) en route to AZ, fleeing snow. Clear the schedule, ready the biggest bike you have in your quiver. Then hold on for the ride — it’s going to be a bumpy one, but that’s how we love it.

I declined the first ride, at Goat Camp, not wanting to drive practically to California. But I could not resist South Mountain — heaven on earth for mountain bikers. Mountain bikers of a certain sort.

The sort that like big chunks of rock. Ledges, manuals. Steep ramps, power bursts. Deep ruts, leaning hard. Switchbacks, hopping.

Anyone with me?

Nothing can be passed until it goes clean, or until all avenues of success, no matter how unlikely, are explored.

photo by Greg Luck

I gave the waterfall (above) ten solid efforts, and made little headway. Maybe one day.

photo by Alan Wixom

Adrenaline spike! Only a small drop, but the up and off camber entrance was enough to cause an elevated sense of awareness.

I carry but a pea-shooter when it comes to camera gear, and it seemed like the boys from Grand Junction more than had it covered.

Sometimes going to great lengths to get a shot.

Kathleen was our ever patient guide, willing to grant us the indulgence of trying and retrying things ad nauseum. At one point I asked her if she had ever made such slow progress on National Trail before. “Nope,” was the reply.

photo by Alan Wixom

We might have gotten a little carried away on Kiwanis. I opened up well, grunting through a bunch of staircases while Mike floundered. I got to rest while he burned fast twitch muscle until he nailed them. But soon the tables turned and I was struggling while he advanced on ahead. Eventually the upper staircase bested us both, and we yielded after several attempts.

Hard to decide which was more fun — descending Holbert or climbing Kiwanis!? That is saying a lot, because Holbert was a chunktacular hoot, start to finish.

Kathleen rode a couple new things to her, too. It was awesome to see her ride so well on her mountain.

We dropped down Old Man, steep and loose. Only Mike had the composure to stay upright throughout.

Kathleen’s house and Nello’s pizza were calling. Calling an end to a class A day of riding.

Next up… more chunky riding in Tucson…