Speak Up

Dear silent cyclist,
please speak up. Or better yet ring a bell.

A simple "bike behind you" would do. 

Fortunately it was morning and the sun cast your shadow just far enough ahead of you to make me pause before I completely took you out and ruined both our mornings.

Image from: CruiserCandy.com

Little wRider and I had paused briefly to look for salmon in the creek and I never heard you coming as I prepared to remount and roll on.



I do my best to remain aware of my surroundings, and I know it gets old having to announce you presence over and over on a busy day (especially when almost everyone is iDeaf from their silly ear buds), but it sure beats a whole bunch of road rash, or slamming into the guardrail on the bridge where you passed me.

Hope you enjoyed your morning ride,

Bike wRider

Little Ride Report

I was out doing field work today.  When I got out of the mountains I got the ride report from Mrs.' and Little wRider's afternoon.  They took the chariot and his push bike up ride Powerline Pass. 

The summary of Little's ride was something like 3ish miles on the push bike, 2 creek crossings, tons of coasting through puddles and about 30 instances of him calling out "wall ride" and rallying a berm or hill off the side of the trail (occasionally preceded with "my turn.")

No pressure from Mrs. for him to ride, it was all initiated by him.  He apparently was still happily riding up and down the curb at the trailhead while she loaded the car.

Made my day to hear how much fun they had.  . .  . we might regret it in a few years if he's out sessioning dirt jumps or 14 and making plans for the Iditarod Trail Invitational, but we'll cross that creek when we get to it.

Burley Trailer Conversion

From free Craigslist kid hauler to backcountry science trailer.

Trial by fire tomorrow.

You Know They Are There

You know they're there.  I pack pepper spray much of the year, just in case. 


But it is rare that you get a good look at one.

I was cruising down the bike path, over the South Fork Campbell Creek bridge,  with Allman when we spotted something moving through the grass below us.  At first glance I thought it was a young moose (a relatively common sight).  A second glance confirmed it was a shaggy brown bear (grizzly, if you will) out on the town. 

Unfortunately the squeal of disk brakes spooked it a bit, but not before we got a good look.

Pretty cool to see such a massive wild animal from a safe vantage point when you're out riding around  at 11:30pm.