Far-No Gap

Despite the fact that we were headed to the mountains, AND I have a bike that I bought specifically to maximize happy times there, I needed to take my rigid single speed this time.  With the 6 Hours of Warrior Creek in a week and PMBAR looming in the not so distant future, it's time to get back to the business.

I got to select the route, and I made a decision that was not in my best interest.  Daily had never seen Farlow, I wanted to see the new stair section Shrimper built, and it would be my last weekend chance to hit the seasonal trails before they close to bikes for the summer.

The last time I rode Farlow, I told myself that was the last time I'll ride Farlow.  A lot of work and not much bang for the buck IMHOMO.  It all comes at you hard in four or so sections, and the rest is just laborious.

So we gonna do it anyways.

Bill Nye's drooper ain't acting right.  Stop in the parking lot of The Hub before the ride.  "Fix it."

Roll out of the hatchery with Burton joining us.  Stop for Bill Nye to "fix" his post again.

Ride all the way out to the top of Farlow.  It hurts as much as I remember.  Wait for the others.  Try to help a guy with a blown out fork wiper.  Fail.  A group rolls up with none other than THE Scott Quiring riding a custom virtual pivot ti full suspension bike that he'd built with his two hands and one thinky part.  Eventually, Bill Nye is on the scene.  He decides what's best is to let all the air out of his drooper, thus putting it in a state of perma-droop.

After being chilled to the core, we begin Farlow.

It's not the same as it was the last time I came down it.  There are quite a few new water bars that confounded my flow state.  I can usually clean the rock field.  Today, I'm a shit mess.  I wait for the others.  No one makes it down without a decent tumble.

Well, except me... since I walk everything that I don't feel good about.  Humbling.  Bill Nye slays some sick lines.

I fumble and fart my way down the steep stuff.  We get to the rock drop.  Burton cleans it.  He goes back to run a train with the others.

Sticks the landing and then bounces down the side of the hill.  Uninjured body but rear wheel taco'ed.

Bill Nye hits it.

Results are slightly better for him but not much.

After seeing what he saw, Daily gives it some thought.

Nails it and doesn't end up taking a dirt nap.

Commence getting a wheel rolling in Burton's frame...

We get to the stairs, Daily rolls them like he doesn't even know they're terrifying.  Bill Nye eyeballs them, hits them on the first try.  Burton doesn't risk his wobbly wheel.  I over-analyze the whole thing, see a clutch move that must be made on a rigid bike about a two thirds of the way down, and I pull the plug on any attempt.  I know I can't fake the last third if I don't hit it right.  This is what I tell myself anyways.

Walk some more...

Redeem myself ever so slightly on the lower (easier) steps.

Get to the bottom of Daniels, Bill Nye and Burton limp their bikes back to the hatchery, Daily and I head over to get one last rip on the Butter/Cat loop before saying goodbye until October.

So mebbe Farlow wasn't the best way to get reacquainted with the rigid frok thing.  A bit too much diving into the deep end of the pool, so to speak.

But I feel like mebbe by the end of the day, I'm almost back to swimming the length of the pool again.  Feels good to be riding the bike I've been in love with for the last four years.