- Apr 17, 2002
- 1,975
- 0
Yeah, yeah... took me long enough, right? :)
Friday afternoon I piled into my Toyota with my tank in the back and cruised over the pass to meet up with Sharla and her friend Emily for a wild night at the Ellensburg Rodeo. After watching one round of bronc riding we found ourselves in the beer garden... what a surprise. Cheap beer, cowboys in tight jeans and decent music... I can't think of a better way to spend a Friday night. Since Diane had a few too many of those cheap beers :laugh: her night ended earlier than Sharla and Emily's.
The three of us woke up Saturday morning moaning and groaning about the cheap beer... ok, maybe that was just me. After getting Sharla's gear packed up the three of us caravanned down the freeway to Taneum Junction. We met up with the guys and I met some new faces (which is the coolest part about group rides). Heading up the trail, doing better, but still stalling once in a while, I started to feel slightly queasy. 'Drink some water, it'll pass' I tell myself. After verping a few dozen times I started to feel better and my riding improved just slightly. I even survived my first creek crossing... twice. Then of course we end up on this trail that was (I guess) the wrong trail. After Drew helps me turn my bike around and heads up to get everyone else, my stomach wakes up. I ditched the bike, ran to the edge of the trail and ripped off the helmet just in time. "Ok I think I'm good now, just rinse my mouth and keep going."... yes I was talking to myself out there. Doesn't everyone?? As I was picking my bike back up a few guys came down the trail and attempted to offer me help. I politely told them to move on because I didn't want them to see me puke. They understood, laughed and kept moving. Once the rest of the group came down the hill we made a 'pit stop' in an opening and it was then that I decided it was time to puke again... off I scrambled so no one can catch it on camera. Of course, there were the cameras waiting for me as I climbed back up the hill. Now everyone wants to do a hill climb... Diane does not feel up to it. In fact Diane is starting to wonder if she should head back to camp and recover in the shade. I continued on for a short while longer, but the fatigue really started to get to me... down the road back to camp I went. I replenished my water and decided to play around on the easier trails closer to camp. A few decent hill climbs and a wide rock bed later I had to let go one last time... thank goodness there were no cameras this time. Who would have thought that a few Coors Lights could cause one person so much grief? :uh: The group was back to camp by the time I returned. I set up my tent and took a nap while they went out for a few more miles. Overall, the day was fun. I think I'll pass on riding hung over next time.
Saturday night we went to a BBQ at a very cool chica's house... Micky the Ranger. That entire group was a BLAST!!! My kind of peeps. I can't wait until we can all do that again.
Sunday morning we had a smaller riding party (Sharla had to work for a few hours, Emily had house work and three of the guys left Saturday evening.) Great, just me and three guys. At least this time I'm not hung over. We took that trail that busted my clutch lever the weekend before. No real frustration this time. I feel I rode a lot better, but still stalled quite a bit. The hills didn't seem as intimidating and that short ridge trail wasn't nearly as scary. I even survived the corner that I had jammed my finger on. I started feeling better about my skills. Too bad my endurance couldn't keep up... I managed to scramble up and down a few hills before I said enough is enough. I had Drew point me in the direction of camp and off I went. The guys continued on and I enjoyed locating puddles on the way down. I ran up and down one of the longer, rockier hill climbs a few times, to give myself some practice picking lines. I even managed to interrupt a little trailside nookie. It's not my fault the guy chose an area that was right next to a puddle that I felt like riding through about 10 times. :) The rest of my Sunday was spent reading and entertaining the dogs. Sharla brought firewood back with her that night so the two of us had about an hours worth of free entertainment watching the guys take turns chopping it up. Who says men aren't useful?
Monday breakfast... mmmmmm. Sharla's coworker that had ridden with us on Saturday came back and decided to join us for one last ride. Ok, I need to mention this: Monday morning Drew's friend Mike swapped me front sprockets to see if it would help me at all. His was one tooth smaller than the one I was using... BOY DID IT EVER!! Very rarely did I stall the bike and my riding improved by at least 100%. My speed increased through some of the tighter sections and I survived the creek crossings. I still hyperventilated on the ridge trail, but I didn't fall off so I guess it's all good. I actually managed to stick it out for about 20-something miles. For me that's good... I have no endurance compared to the group I was with.
This weekend was by far the best riding I've experienced so far. I tackled harder trails more successfully (and with less help required)... YEAH! I also learned how much better the smaller front sprocket works on those tighter hill climbs. Replacement parts are on order... when's the next ride??? :aj:
Friday afternoon I piled into my Toyota with my tank in the back and cruised over the pass to meet up with Sharla and her friend Emily for a wild night at the Ellensburg Rodeo. After watching one round of bronc riding we found ourselves in the beer garden... what a surprise. Cheap beer, cowboys in tight jeans and decent music... I can't think of a better way to spend a Friday night. Since Diane had a few too many of those cheap beers :laugh: her night ended earlier than Sharla and Emily's.
The three of us woke up Saturday morning moaning and groaning about the cheap beer... ok, maybe that was just me. After getting Sharla's gear packed up the three of us caravanned down the freeway to Taneum Junction. We met up with the guys and I met some new faces (which is the coolest part about group rides). Heading up the trail, doing better, but still stalling once in a while, I started to feel slightly queasy. 'Drink some water, it'll pass' I tell myself. After verping a few dozen times I started to feel better and my riding improved just slightly. I even survived my first creek crossing... twice. Then of course we end up on this trail that was (I guess) the wrong trail. After Drew helps me turn my bike around and heads up to get everyone else, my stomach wakes up. I ditched the bike, ran to the edge of the trail and ripped off the helmet just in time. "Ok I think I'm good now, just rinse my mouth and keep going."... yes I was talking to myself out there. Doesn't everyone?? As I was picking my bike back up a few guys came down the trail and attempted to offer me help. I politely told them to move on because I didn't want them to see me puke. They understood, laughed and kept moving. Once the rest of the group came down the hill we made a 'pit stop' in an opening and it was then that I decided it was time to puke again... off I scrambled so no one can catch it on camera. Of course, there were the cameras waiting for me as I climbed back up the hill. Now everyone wants to do a hill climb... Diane does not feel up to it. In fact Diane is starting to wonder if she should head back to camp and recover in the shade. I continued on for a short while longer, but the fatigue really started to get to me... down the road back to camp I went. I replenished my water and decided to play around on the easier trails closer to camp. A few decent hill climbs and a wide rock bed later I had to let go one last time... thank goodness there were no cameras this time. Who would have thought that a few Coors Lights could cause one person so much grief? :uh: The group was back to camp by the time I returned. I set up my tent and took a nap while they went out for a few more miles. Overall, the day was fun. I think I'll pass on riding hung over next time.
Saturday night we went to a BBQ at a very cool chica's house... Micky the Ranger. That entire group was a BLAST!!! My kind of peeps. I can't wait until we can all do that again.
Sunday morning we had a smaller riding party (Sharla had to work for a few hours, Emily had house work and three of the guys left Saturday evening.) Great, just me and three guys. At least this time I'm not hung over. We took that trail that busted my clutch lever the weekend before. No real frustration this time. I feel I rode a lot better, but still stalled quite a bit. The hills didn't seem as intimidating and that short ridge trail wasn't nearly as scary. I even survived the corner that I had jammed my finger on. I started feeling better about my skills. Too bad my endurance couldn't keep up... I managed to scramble up and down a few hills before I said enough is enough. I had Drew point me in the direction of camp and off I went. The guys continued on and I enjoyed locating puddles on the way down. I ran up and down one of the longer, rockier hill climbs a few times, to give myself some practice picking lines. I even managed to interrupt a little trailside nookie. It's not my fault the guy chose an area that was right next to a puddle that I felt like riding through about 10 times. :) The rest of my Sunday was spent reading and entertaining the dogs. Sharla brought firewood back with her that night so the two of us had about an hours worth of free entertainment watching the guys take turns chopping it up. Who says men aren't useful?
Monday breakfast... mmmmmm. Sharla's coworker that had ridden with us on Saturday came back and decided to join us for one last ride. Ok, I need to mention this: Monday morning Drew's friend Mike swapped me front sprockets to see if it would help me at all. His was one tooth smaller than the one I was using... BOY DID IT EVER!! Very rarely did I stall the bike and my riding improved by at least 100%. My speed increased through some of the tighter sections and I survived the creek crossings. I still hyperventilated on the ridge trail, but I didn't fall off so I guess it's all good. I actually managed to stick it out for about 20-something miles. For me that's good... I have no endurance compared to the group I was with.
This weekend was by far the best riding I've experienced so far. I tackled harder trails more successfully (and with less help required)... YEAH! I also learned how much better the smaller front sprocket works on those tighter hill climbs. Replacement parts are on order... when's the next ride??? :aj:
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