I learned three things (again)

Swapping between mountain bikes makes my head hurt, but sometimes I wanna ride squish and not rigid and vice versa.  The time between rides on each individual bike is usually enough for me to forget whatever issues I might have noticed the last time I rode it.

Case(s) in point.

I'd swapped from my big sticky meats on the Vassago Meatplow V.8 to something lighter earlier this year.

The OG rubber I built the bike up with in the beginning.

Well, a couple back-to-back rides in Pisgah with moist conditions and the Rekon 2.6 (60 TPI and  no Maxx Terra rubber compound) was nowhere near as inspiring as the Minion had been.  I shoulda changed them after the first pants shattening ride, but I didn't.  Anyways, the Vassago is built to be my Pisgah bike, and I shouldn't be making compromises where things really matter.

Minion DHF WT 2.5 with Maxx Terra and Agressor 2.3 back on the bike.  This past weekend's ride in a moistened Pisgah was all the buenos.

Duh.

Thing two.

The Stepcast 34.

I bought this fork because the Stepcast 32 was the first fork in a long time that I didn't hate. Sure, it was a bit spindly looking, and the 100mm of travel wasn't quite enough... so surely this SC 34 would be the fork for me.  I swear I set this fork up after consulting the manual for suggestions on air spring pressure, rebound, slow speed compression, and volume spacers.  I swear I did... because I didn't do that initially with my SC 32, and it was a little off... until I finally looked at the manual.

Despite all my previous knowledge and experience, the 34 did not perform like the 32.  I could ride the 32 in open mode almost 90% of the time, but with the 34, I would drop it into "medium" mode whenever the descending chunk was slow and ploppy.

Three Pisgah rides ago, Togie said, "Why don't you bump up the low speed compression damping?"

"Unhhhhh... because.... manual... unnnhh... I set it up months ago... I forget?"

This last ride, I finally said the hell with it and started fiddling with my knob.

Guess what?

The fork performs in the manner that I expected it to when I bought it based on how the 32 handled slow speed, bigger hits.

Duh.

I can go back to riding around in "open" mode most of the time and not have to reach down and fiddle with my shit.

This is truly buenos (although it coulda been that way for months).

Thing three.

I mentioned that two of us flatted on the same rock on Saturday.  I was one of the flattened. 

Sorta.

I heard the tire bottom out on the rim.  Such a comforting noise when you hear it.  Seconds later... moosh, moosh, moosh.  Get off, quick spin of the wheel, see some bubbles at the edge of the rim, break out a tire plug, try to stab the hole I can't see... no success.

And then I notice TruckerCo Cream squirting out from the tread area.  Makes sense for this kinda impact.  Guess I'll put in a tube... but then the squirting stops and I remember that I just mounted this tire with fresh sealant a couple weeks ago and then I get to actually spinning and shaking the sealant in the general direction of both holes...

Everything sealed.

Keep in mind, my calorie-starved brain wasn't thinking clearly at the time, but I'll let this serve as a reminder (hopefully I remember) that I should always give the sealant a chance before I start breaking out plugs or unfurling a tube... also to check my sealant levels every few months.  TruckerCo has saved my ass plenty of times, and you will not find a more effective and economical option out there.

Live, learn, forget... repeat.