I figured you might be into rock climbing. There's a guy who use to be on my racing team based out of Santa Cruz who moved there and he works for the climbing shoe re-soling place if it's still there. I've done some rock climbing, mostly top roping stuff but I've done some trad routes at Lover's Leap and the Pinnacles. I never really got really into it big time but what a great sport. Takes absolute concentration.
Skeeters seem to love me but I don't love them back. Maybe a late season trip will be in order then.
I used to do a lot of single track when I lived back east as well. On the edge of out of control was my preferred riding style. I started riding rigid frame and refused to adopt any of the new shock tech. Me and a few of my friends looked at it as cheating. With a rigid you had to use your arms and knees to absorb the trail. That was pure or so I thought.
I started climbing and within a few weeks realized it was something I wanted to invest some time and money in. Some of that money towards my very first rack was financed by the sale of my Cannondale M800. I was sad to see it go but had pushed my biking as far as I could and it was time to try something new.
Fast forward 15 years. I'm living in Bishop, married, own a home and have a full time job. I still spend most of my free time climbing. One day I'm in our local used gear store shooting the shit with a buddy who works there. In the front case is a 2005 K2 Bumpy Monkey. I look at the tag and the guy selling it wants 300 bucks. I buy it on the spot.
I take it home and adjust the spokes, brakes and derailleur. I take it for a quick spin and it's smooth. It's also got those fancy front and rear shocks. They seem to work fine on the street.
The following day I was going bouldering at a local spot. It's about a 1.5 mile hike in with 2000 feet of vert. The trails well worn but fairly steep with lots of rocks. I decide to take the bike to make it faster. On the way up it's pretty obvious pedaling with a huge pad on my back is gonna be a PIA. I do the combo walk/ride pattern until I get to the top.
I ditch the bike and go climbing. A few hours later it's time to leave. I get on the bike, boulder pad strapped as high and as tight as I can get it to my back. I can't sit down without the bottom of the pad interfering with the rear tire. Guess I'll have to stand the whole time. I hit the trail hard and fast.
I'm soaking up every rock and bump while the rim still manages to stay fairly glued to the trail. My usual 20 minute hike out is gonna take about 5 minutes at this rate. Then it happens.
I forgot about a pretty steep section that is off camber, has a 40 degree angle change and has a 3 foot rock step. I've got way to much speed and the trail is kitty litter granite there. Braking just causes a slide that I correct from. This is gonna hurt. I lean hard into the turn just as I hit the rock step. I get a lot of air and kick the ass end out to try to align my landing to the trail better. This is gonna hurt.
Then the impact happens. The rear compresses, the front compresses, and I make a small adjustment with the front tire to stay on trail. I'm still on. WTF? I haven't been on a bike in 15 years and I'm still on. I finish the ride back to the truck grinning from ear to ear.
So what's my point with this long winded tale? It's twofold.
First, I was wrong about full suspension bikes. They rock.
Second, it really is like riding a bike. lol
