Biggest turn out for the ride in two years.
Lots of new fresh faces, some returning riders and of course Rob, who's never missed an Indian since the Indian began.
The ride is my training loop, 62 miles of dirt, pavement, paths, skinny trail and whatever else I could mash into it. I put it together to avoid riding on the road so much and with all the odd riding you do, going from pavement to dirt and climbing and descending its a hell of a work out.
This was a year of many first. We had the most single speeders we ever had on the ride. We had the most 29Er's we've ever had on a ride.
As soon as we took off I kept the pace high, but relaxed. It was nice as I led the group out to hear the riders just conversing, talking, enjoying the day and the company.
It didn't take long for me to get too hot and have to take off my riding shirt strip to my base layer and put it in my frame pack to keep cool.
The ride was great, but my legs were smoked from riding with Rob the day before so I kept myself in a conservative zone.
The first 30 something miles to Angelina's was awesome with lots of good times and smiles and climbing. For the first time in 5 running's we actually rode the rail road service road as a group and had a train fly by at the same time, it was pretty intense.
The singletrack at Lake beresford was buff and fast and we even found a super long slow climb out there that I didn't know even existed.
The rollers after were a beast and I played sweep as I watched the group of geared riders and properly geared single speeders race away from me. I didn't mind. I knew I could ride all day, and I knew we still had a lot of climbing and route to ride.
Unfortunately the organizer messed up cause Angelina's was closed. On a Sunday? WTF... I guess that is exactly what happens when you assume.
We ate at Beef's and I kept it light, but I was starved by the time we had arrived. Intentionally I have been keeping my stomach empty on rides, in preparation for my Tour Divide. I like to see how hard I can push on little to no food. For some reason, in my mind this helps me prepare for ridiculous Ultra efforts. Helps me prepare for the extreme situations I like putting myself thru.
We honestly could not have had a better group of folks. It was all smiles and jokes as we rolled toward the witch town of Cassadega. Immediately the route gave way to urban singletrack rollers extravaganza
Before long, we were on Old Enterprise road beginning the longest section of skinny trail for the route. I think the riders enjoyed the scenic twisty trail. We rode along a lake and climbed our way out on dirt and before we knew it we were climbing up and down on the wolf pack run ATV trail. It was at that point that we had our longest wait for a fellow rider. One of my team mates that had seriously been putting down the hammer for entire ride got the life sucked out of him on the rollers.
After clearing this section all the new dirt I had added was now done and it was time for me to solo celebrate. For once in 5 years I felt the route had finally matured into a good conglomerate of dirt, pavement, urban skinny trail, ATV path and road.
Pavement gave way to dirt, and my team mate exclaimed that he was done, and I responded, we only got 2 miles left.
And he made it, we all made it. After we conversed as the chill of the impending dusk slowly chased my cold wet self inside and the other Indian riders into their vehicles for their long drives home.
Truly a bro down like we have not had in years.
I almost felt like a king that day, as fellow single speeders knowing that I had a spinned out gear would come back and block the wind and other riders would do the same, all helping to keep us together as one big flowing unit of gears, chains and Human flesh.
It was truly a good day to ride the Indian.
Take Care,
Laters,
The NaKeD InDiaN
