flyin' high

Yesterday at work was slow, I almost fell asleep. Not good but I got off at 4 and after work I went home, walked the dog and then was off to Leb for a short hard ride. The plan was no stops or breaks. Just push it on through as hard as I could.
Before I got going. I ran into this guy I knew that previously was riding an old giant hard tail but he was like check out my new ride I just picked up from angry cat fish! He just got a Salsa Spearfish. Great bike I was actually looking at one for a second, more race oriented bike, and you know that I think highly of it then since you probably got the drift that I'm still pretty on the fence about the whole 29er gig but we'll see. Anyways so I was talking to him about the bike and the up coming chequamegon 40. I think it's this weekend. Not really my type of race but I've heard it's a lot of fun but like hundreds and hundreds of racers in a mass chaotic start... not for me!
Then some of his buddies showed up and they were giving him a hard time for it being a tank, almost 30lbs and I was like 28.5lbs is not bad. It's full suspension and you know it will last. Then another guy was like I have a 5inch Klein that's like from '94 that's aluminum and only ways 24lbs, I still don't believe that guy since like a carbon Ibis Mojo Hd with high build is like 25lbs but that's beside the point. I stuck up for him since they were all those roadies on there hard tail carbon 29ers. "oh mines only 18lbs" great, it's not a road race do an extra squat and push up. His bike is going be way more comfy riding for 4-8hrs and whoop your ass on the dh.
Then they started to ras me for running flats and you probably know how I feel about flats. Long story short I basically gave them the scientific stats about clips to flats. The pros and cons, not many cons here and told them if they can't jump, corner, ride a rock garden, bunny hop, and manual with out clips they aren't good riders and should get a pair of flats. In so many words. It wasn't as blunt as that. They didn't have much for a come back on that.
So I tore off in to the woods. I was standing for most of the first section only sitting a couple times until the first trail crossing. I was feeling fresh and great. I don't know if it had something to do with riding a little earlier or what but I was loving it! I was flowing hard, trail vision on lock and just screaming through the trail. I came to the tea party area and went right over the logs and followed the black section back out and right down the blue out. I was on pace to rip out the blue, single black blue in like 30mins which is very fast for me since the blue only best time is 38mins! that I recorded of course and that was at the beginning of the year. I was tearing up the flowy section right before you cross the bridge over the swamp when I came around the flat corner that has the rock in the middle and you can go high or low and there was a 1.5inch fat stick about 2feet long sitting in my line. I tried to adjust but just clipped it and it got lodged between my front tire and the cross beam on my fork and chucked me hard. Luckily I landed and rolled pretty smooth. Just supper dusty. I was sure I broke some spokes.
Nope no broken spokes, pulled the stick out. It was jammed in there tight. checked the stanchions, no scratches, sweet. Nope wait, yep I broke my front break handle! F! so I thought it was toast so I rode out pissed. Just took the fastest easiest way out. Got back to my car and I was looking at it and I pulled my ball out of the plunger. It broke loose the snap ring that holds it in place. If I was to keep constant pressure on it, it still works but I need to replace it. I called my buddy James to see if it can be fixed. He said yeah but then looked to see if they sold parts and they don't so I have to replace it but he said he might have one just laying around that might work that I can just throw on for the rest of the season. That would be great!
So my Mark Weir killer run was cut short but it was a pretty good ride. I kind of wish those dirt roadies would have rolled out with me so I could have showed them how to ride since everything besides the crash was on lock down, all features, speed, corners and jumps. Some days it just all flows beautifully!
Keep it real!