Mountain Bike Fail

Yesterday Jeff and I went to a local park to get in a little trail riding during lunch. I've really had the bug to ride dirt recently and this park is about five minutes from where I work. It's not the best trails to ride, but it's great exercise and I get to be outside. I like that.

We threw on the rain gear since it had been coming down consistently for three days straight. We knew it would be sloppy, but figured that would make it all the more fun. If you read this blog often or have ever gone mountain biking with me, you may know that when I ride dirt I somehow manage to go down within the first ten minutes. I have to push the limits of my skills and the conditions to get a good fix on the situation.

Yesterday was no different. With rain pouring down and really sloppy mud, I lost control on a flat at about sixteen miles per hour. It was pretty spectacular. Unfortunately, Jeff didn't see the whole thing. But I was trucking alongside a small, but deep rut that had been formed by flowing water. At some point, the ground underneath me moved and my front tire dove into the rut, which immediately took control of my steering. It sent me to the ground pretty quickly and the slippery mud allowed me to skid about twelve feet into a thorn bush.

The thorn bush was the problem. Within ten minutes of getting up and riding again I realized my front tire was losing air rapidly. Two minutes after that it was completely flat... with no repair kit. With all my puncture resistant road tires, I've gotten really sloppy with carrying the right repair gear. Yesterday, that came back to bite me.

Jeff was kind enough to go get the car and pick me up. It was one of those rides where you spend more time prepping than you do riding. I hate that. But occasionally that happens. I won't complain... I got to be outside in the rain laughing at myself while others where indoors watching soap operas.

Soon enough, I'll repair the tire and head out on a mid-day lunch ride again.

Get out there.