Morning folly

fol-ly - lack of good sense or normal prudence and foresight. A foolish act or idea. This is the Merriam-Websters definition of what I experienced this morning (Sunday). Sunday, June 15th as most of us know as Fathers Day today, and is one of those days that I get a "free pass" from the family and can spend the entire day bike riding if I wish without any guilt from my wife or daughters. Heck, they tend to push me out the door (truth be told, when I'm gone they'll run to friends house to swim all day), so when I awoke this morning at 7am, I decided to gather up my gear and made the decision to venture off to West Branch State Park (near Ravenna, Ohio). At 7am, I'm the only one in the family that gets up early on the weekend while rest of the family sleeps since they all stayed up till about 1am.

Now, West Branch has been closed for a good part of this spring due to all the rain and muddy conditions of the trail and only opened here recently. I was out at WB last Friday morning and the trails where bone dry, and koodos to CAMBA since their winter tail maintenance re-routed some of the real eroded stuff and actually added length to the trails to boot. We got some heavy rain early Saturday and against better judgement I convinced myself that the trails would be solid with only a few mud spots. Well, I should have opted for a road ride or maybe a trip to Mohican but what laid ahead for me at West Branch was a slick, slick, track and some good spills to boot.

As I got into the trails at first the trails where damp but not holding water. I thought this was going to be a good choice today and one of those epic rides. Within the next 1/2 mile that all changed. If you've ridden WB you know of all the roots, ruts and rocks this trail contains. All of these where wet from the Saturday rain and very slick. I went over the handlebars at one juncture, my face landing in a nice cool puddle of mud. Besides this mishap, I was having a hard time just staying upright as my tires where sliding on about every root I hit. Nonetheless I completed the lakeside (north) trail, then did a B line for the car via Cable Line access road. Not my day, as I made my way down cable line nursing a sore knee that I had pounded against my handlebar when I went over the bars.

Oh well, my fathers day morning mountain bike ride wasn't what I had hoped for, but not all was lost. Upon my arrival at home my wife Elizabeth and daugther Hanna were eager to join me in a long "epic" towpath ride which I didn't encounter one nasty, slick, wet root! It was just what this dad needed, a great ride with family.

Happy Fathers Day to all Dad's!!

Bob

Comments

[JC]

Nice. My Sunday was spent on a fireroad. A hot, boring, dusty fireroad. I'm absolutely dying to get back on trails with rocks and roots. Hell, it would be nice to just see some soil. :)

Oh, and thanks for letting me spread the good word. There are tons of folks looking at the shoes. Overall, it's been a positive buzz.

[JC]

Nice. My Sunday was spent on a fireroad. A hot, boring, dusty fireroad. I'm absolutely dying to get back on trails with rocks and roots. Hell, it would be nice to just see some soil. :)

Oh, and thanks for letting me spread the good word. There are tons of folks looking at the shoes. Overall, it's been a positive buzz.

[Michelle]

Glad you only got a mud mask and no unexpected dental work on your ride yesterday. Hey, people pay lots of money for that kind of skin treatment. If your face has a healthy glow today we all know your secret!