A Dream Ride - Mary's Peak Loop

Living in Corvallis puts some great rides at in your back yard.  One of those is the Mary's Peak Loop.  This ride has it all, and it is more like a "triangle" which starts at the end of Woods Creek road.  From there is about a 3 mile ride up the log road to the East Rim trailhead.  Then it is a 2 mile climb to the "top" parking lot.  From there it is a 5 mile decent on the North Rim trail.  This ride has it all stunning views, miles of single track, rocks, roots, drops, logs, and fast decents.  There is even a "trials" type log ride at the end.  If you like to mountain bike, this is a ride you have to do.  Once you arrive at the "top" parking lot, you can also continue on the gravel road up to the very top (about 1/2 a mile) where on a clear day you can see the Cascades and the Pacific Ocean.

If you are not such a great technical rider, then instead of going down the North Rim trail, ride back down the East Rim trail and then the road back to the car.  You can also drive up the paved Mary's Peak road and park and the mid-way parking lot at the East Rim trailhead and ride it up and down.  The North Rim trail also continues down along Woods Creek Road if your more single track.

One more point of advice, this trail is best enjoyed when it is dry.  There are a lot of root crossing and they get very slick when wet. We did this ride in 1.5 hours and the distance was 10 miles and 2,300 feet of climb. If none of this makes sense, here is a trail map (note the 2005 road is the Woods Creek Road) http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/siuslaw/recreation/tripplanning/maryspeak/index.shtml#trails

Picture Point - East Rim Trail

Among the Tall Ones - East Rim Trail

Brothers at the Top

Routine Maintenance

Do you ever have one of those visits to the bike shop? I know I should do move of my own maintenance, but right now I just don't have the time (or a decent bike stand), plus I'm a rider. Like a Formula One racer, he pulls into the pits and a team takes care of him and sends him back on the track. That's how I look at my two favorite bike shops in town. I bring it in and they send me back out. So this visit started with some play in the upper shock linkage. I was pretty sure the bearings were done, but I couldn't find the right allen wrench (I had all but the one I needed), so I took it by Jon at Peak Sports. I like Jon, he used to own his own shop and he also maintains on his own, one of my favorite rides (The Ritz). A good bike shop experience requires the right mechanic, and there are some I like better than others.

Turns out I was only finger tight, so the play improved when tightened, but the bearings did need to be replaced, as he inspected it, so did the rear shift cable, chain, sprocket, chain rings, and break pads! Unlike a "shady car mechanic", he pointed out each concern and let me get an "up close and personal" look. So the loose screw turned into about $200.

Now, I might save $50 in labor if I did it myself, but it would take me longer, and take up time that I don't have, so I'm glad the shop will do it. Plus, I like supporting my local economy and bike shops. My real point though is that you have to maintain your bike. If you ride hard and year round like the "Old Men" do, you need to take care of your bike so you'll have confidence in it, and so it will keep you safe.

I've been very surprised to hear comments from my riding partners like "I haven't replaced my chain in two or more years" or "I haven't changed my break pads in a year," or "I've never had my shock serviced." I figure if you are going to spend $4,000 (msrp) then you know you are going to spend $200 to $300 a year on parts and maintenance. It is a finely engineered piece of equipment, not a K-Mart look a like. So you need to take care of it, that way you'll know it will be there and ready to ride. That confidence will allow you be able to push your riding limits as a result.

Now go ride!

Why I Should be a Stumpjumper Trail Crew Memeber

As you know, I'm a Stumpjumper fan (I'm on #3 in Test Bike Blue), not just because it is made by Specialized, but because that bike was made for the Northwest. As the leader of the "Old Men's Bike Club" we are riding all the time, year round, night and day, and all rides in this part of the country are either up or down, rocky or roots and the Stumpy takes it all. Specialized is looking for people to be members of their 2010 Stumpjumper Trail Crew, and here are my "Top 10 Reasons" why they should select me to be a member:

1. I love to ride, I ride almost every day, which includes the 7:00 a.m. Saturday morning rides that I lead, along with the Wednesday and Thursday 9:30 p.m. night rides that I some times lead. Riding is what it is all about, with a crew, some one new, or just a solo.

2. I love to map the trails (see http://www.localhikes.com/getHikes.asp?Search=1&getreporter=ccole&getHikebyReporter=Yes) and I send these out with every Saturday ride I plan.

3. I love to plan "epics" like the Corvallis to Coast ride which is 60 miles and 7,000 feet of climb.

4. I enjoy talking about mountain biking and reporting on the conditions of the local trails as evidenced by this blog. (http://corvallismountainbiking.blogspot.com/)

5. I am a rider, not really a racer. I look for the new trails and ride the old ones, though as I near 50, I have been thinking about doing an endurance race or mini-triathlon. It is really all about just getting out there, single, XX, for 27, ridgid, hard tail, or full on, Cross, DH, etc. it doesn't matter as long you get off the couch.

6. I represent the "older" group of riders, as I turn 50 at the start of 2010.

7. I always carry a camera to document the rides, trails, and the great views (see facebook http://www.facebook.com/editpicture.php?success=1#/album.php?aid=51563&id=651351107)

8. I live in a town of about 50,000 (20,000 of which are college students) and we have 7 bike shops.

9. I live within a few hours of the McKenzie Trail, Oak Ridge, North Umpqua Trail, Hood River, Ashland, Black Rock, and Mary's Peak.

10. I'm a Specialized Club member, and I read Mountain Bike Action, Mountain Bike, Bike, and Outside magazines cover to cover.

I've got the time, desire, and will. I think it would be a great opportunity to spread the joys of owning and riding a (Specialized) mountain bike.

Pain II

In my past "Pain" post (see March 1, 2009) I talked about how Mountain Bikers are the true pain masters, as riding a mountain bike in the Northwest at least is all about painful workouts known as climbs (no shuttles here). This time I would like to talk about the physical injury side of mountain biking.

"Look at the scenery, become the scenery" has been a true statement lately. I joined Jim "the plumber" by getting "marbled" (like riding on a pool table covered in marbles). Jim lead with his wrist on a night ride on his cross bike, I was done with the ride and was on the flats when the front end washed out and I led with my hip. The resulting bruise covered my hip, ran down the inside of my leg and finished below the back side of my knee. I could still ride, but it made sleeping difficult. A few years back I had to have my left hip drained three times after a similar hard bruise, so I didn't wait this time, and had it drained after a week.

After our Saturday ride this past week, we a few "blackberry bites" which are common during this time of the year and that night the "Mossman" showed me his hip bruise from a crash in Bend.

So why am I talking about all this? I read an article in a mountain bike magazine that summed it up, the article talked about the new bike park the City of Seattle had built under a highway over pass. Their concern was liability, and they said, "It took some getting used to, that mountain bikers when they crash don't sue, but take pictures." That about sums it up, and it is a credit to the type of people who enjoy this kind of "pain." So, here are a few pictures...(now if I could only get some sympathy when I come home looking like this)