Exploring

This right here is what my team mates call Mission Control!

I do it often, Google maps is my guide. Satellite view, zoom in tight, look for the single track or the double track, get on the bike and explore!

I have found lots of gems in my area, and lots of duds. Usually the duds offer some good distances to cover, but I usually end up doing the dreaded sugar sand hike a bike. Hike a bike is almost a four letter word to Floridian MTBeers. Its a common and traditional trait for a Florida trail rider to want to Clear and clean every piece of trail that unfolds in front of them. I have learned, that Hike a biking has its rewards. But there is nothing rewarding about sinking sandy strips of trails, that leave you with a pair of sidi's and socks full of nature's finest granules.

Before I was trying to ride these trails by bike, I used to blaze some of them in my friends Honda civic. We would do some serious enduro driving, it is because of those days that I knew where to look for trails. One in particular that intrigues me is Old Train Road. It stretches from Lake Helen to State Road 415, at least that is what Google says. I went hunting for the connector that would take me to 415. But encountered a bob wire fence and some serious signage. It deterred me, but it still has me plotting a moonlight marauding run through the trail with no lights. You could clearly see, that a trail was there but the fence did its job. I decided to head the other way and sure enough I found a section that I could ride to add to my urban mtb loop which is currently at 45 miles.

I ended the afternoon with a bit of a scare. As I was dusting off the Mamasita which I am happy to have back in my possession, I noticed a crack in the frame. Right where the Scandium and Carbon meet. The odd thing was how defined the line was, I spoke to the good folks at salsa today and they told me that is the joint where the carbon and the scandium meet, that I should send them some pics, but they don't think I have anything to worry about.

Got to go ride more, everyday Cohutta 100 is just 5 weeks away,

enjoy,
Laters,
LOS