good day @ keystone :)
This is the last weekend Keystone will be open. Dave and I really wanted to get back out there one more time and I had some demons I wanted to conquer before the season ended.
Learning a lesson about getting a late start week -we were on the road by 7:30.
First Run
We met up with Kim, Dan, Ken and another Dave at the Gold Bug parking lot.
Our first run was Eye of the tiger -> Celtic Way -> Helter/Skelter. I had a terrible time at Helter/Skelter. I didn't even try to ride the switchback at the start of Helter. It was kinda busy and people were bombing down the trail. I couldn't seem to get going and felt like I pretty much walked everything. I wanted to try the drop into Skelter but it was just so busy with people and I felt bad that I was holding everyone up so I just walked that too. I was feeling frustrated and weepy. Mad at myself for not even trying stuff and feeling like a total wuss.
Oh and to make matters worse - I lost my brand new goggles on this run. I'm so absent-minded - so i guess i deserved that. Dave gets tired of watching out for me - he says it's a full time job. ;)
Second Run
The weather was great and everyone wanted to get in as many runs as possible. We decided to break up so everyone could do their runs at their own pace.
Dave and I decided to do Cowboy Up(I *really* wanted to clean the rock garden this time) -> Motorhead -> Paid-in-Full -> Wild Thing. I really love that run.
This time I went first and Dave waited for me to finish before he went - that way he could stop someone else from pressuring me. I easily cleaned the rock garden. My first time(!) - for some reason I was still weepy and starting crying. Silly - but after my massive fall last week i was feeling emotional about finally cleaning it. And thing about it is - it's easily within my ability but to have balked a couple of times before and then fallen so hard - it was a huge relief for me.
So on we rolled on... Dave pinch-flatted on Paid-in-Full. Our regular sized bike tubes wouldn't work for the DH tire so Dave had to patch it.
To my surprise I rode all the bridges on Paid-in-Full. Now there nothing as gnarly as the Corkscrew - but since I have a mental thing about bridges - it was a pretty big milestone for me. My first time out I wouldn't even consider riding any bridges - so it's a step forward. (abet a small step)
I rode all Wild Thing except 2 of the switchbacks before the triple step and the triple step. Plus I rolled the drop where Even Flow and Wild Thing merge and that little off-camber bridge without hesitating. It was the most I've ever ridden on that trail.
Dave was riding well and cleaned everything.
Third run and fourth run
At the start of the 3rd run we saw Anthony S, Paula from NM and her husband. We did the same run as last time and I cleaned the easily cleaned the rock garden again. Anthony said "you rode well in the rock garden - you were just motoring down it - i've seen a lot of big bikes not make it".
I was feeling very comfortable this whole run. Other than me getting a pinch flat it was a great run for me. Dave said I was riding all the obstacles very smoothly. I must admit I'm very happy with my riding - esp. since I am not even on a downhill bike but on the Safire w/120mm of travel. I can't wait to get on a DH bike one day.
After a small lunch break Dave and I headed out for a 4th run. Dave was getting tired and really bad arm pump. I felt pretty good still but I think i have bit more biking endurance than Dave. But in the interest of continuing to have a good day - we opted to take the green routes down.
whew - it was nice to exorcise some demons!
I owe a lot to Kim. For one she out got me out there trying stuff and always encouraging me. Plenty of my technical improvements are due to her inspiring me to push my limits and believing in me. Between her and Dave my technical riding has gotten way better. And big thanks to her for getting Dave hooked on DH so now he rides bikes with me again!
Learning a lesson about getting a late start week -we were on the road by 7:30.
First Run
We met up with Kim, Dan, Ken and another Dave at the Gold Bug parking lot.
Our first run was Eye of the tiger -> Celtic Way -> Helter/Skelter. I had a terrible time at Helter/Skelter. I didn't even try to ride the switchback at the start of Helter. It was kinda busy and people were bombing down the trail. I couldn't seem to get going and felt like I pretty much walked everything. I wanted to try the drop into Skelter but it was just so busy with people and I felt bad that I was holding everyone up so I just walked that too. I was feeling frustrated and weepy. Mad at myself for not even trying stuff and feeling like a total wuss.
Oh and to make matters worse - I lost my brand new goggles on this run. I'm so absent-minded - so i guess i deserved that. Dave gets tired of watching out for me - he says it's a full time job. ;)
Second Run
The weather was great and everyone wanted to get in as many runs as possible. We decided to break up so everyone could do their runs at their own pace.
Dave and I decided to do Cowboy Up(I *really* wanted to clean the rock garden this time) -> Motorhead -> Paid-in-Full -> Wild Thing. I really love that run.
This time I went first and Dave waited for me to finish before he went - that way he could stop someone else from pressuring me. I easily cleaned the rock garden. My first time(!) - for some reason I was still weepy and starting crying. Silly - but after my massive fall last week i was feeling emotional about finally cleaning it. And thing about it is - it's easily within my ability but to have balked a couple of times before and then fallen so hard - it was a huge relief for me.
So on we rolled on... Dave pinch-flatted on Paid-in-Full. Our regular sized bike tubes wouldn't work for the DH tire so Dave had to patch it.
To my surprise I rode all the bridges on Paid-in-Full. Now there nothing as gnarly as the Corkscrew - but since I have a mental thing about bridges - it was a pretty big milestone for me. My first time out I wouldn't even consider riding any bridges - so it's a step forward. (abet a small step)
I rode all Wild Thing except 2 of the switchbacks before the triple step and the triple step. Plus I rolled the drop where Even Flow and Wild Thing merge and that little off-camber bridge without hesitating. It was the most I've ever ridden on that trail.
Dave was riding well and cleaned everything.
Here's some sequence shots of Dave.
Third run and fourth run
At the start of the 3rd run we saw Anthony S, Paula from NM and her husband. We did the same run as last time and I cleaned the easily cleaned the rock garden again. Anthony said "you rode well in the rock garden - you were just motoring down it - i've seen a lot of big bikes not make it".
I was feeling very comfortable this whole run. Other than me getting a pinch flat it was a great run for me. Dave said I was riding all the obstacles very smoothly. I must admit I'm very happy with my riding - esp. since I am not even on a downhill bike but on the Safire w/120mm of travel. I can't wait to get on a DH bike one day.
After a small lunch break Dave and I headed out for a 4th run. Dave was getting tired and really bad arm pump. I felt pretty good still but I think i have bit more biking endurance than Dave. But in the interest of continuing to have a good day - we opted to take the green routes down.
whew - it was nice to exorcise some demons!
I owe a lot to Kim. For one she out got me out there trying stuff and always encouraging me. Plenty of my technical improvements are due to her inspiring me to push my limits and believing in me. Between her and Dave my technical riding has gotten way better. And big thanks to her for getting Dave hooked on DH so now he rides bikes with me again!
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