Yesterday, after blogging for the day (and forgetting to push it out to Facebook), I was able to finally make phone contact with the Marketing Director at Intense Cycles. I explained to him who I was, and what I was doing, and that I was hoping that his company would be able to help me out along my journey.
He then, proceeded to tell me that while he thought it was a great idea, and certainly a worthy cause to support...they would not be able to help me out. Not one to take no for an answer...well, at least not the first time around...I asked if he could at least help by selling me a frame and fork at their cost. This time I took no for an answer.
So...what this means is that I will just have to spend the money and purchase the frame, and hope that I am able to secure some help for the remaining components. It's tough out there right now for small businesses, so I completely understand their position, and I harbor no ill feelings whatsoever. Oh, by the way, pay no mind to the dartboard in my garage with the intense cycles logo in the middle! Just kidding...just kidding.
Today however, is a different story. Today was a training day, and on training days...I get to ride my bike! After sorting through some other pressing issues this morning, I was finally able to get suited up, load my bike on the trusty Honda Element, and head out to a great riding spot not too far from my home...the Phoenix Sonoran Preserve trail system.
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| The Phoenix Sonoran Preserve |
The trails in the preserve are, for the most part, multi-use trails, which means that hikers, bikers, and horses can use them. Trails of this type are rather wide to allow for multiple users, and therefore not technically challenging. The challenge of these trails lie in the climbing. Right out of the parking lot, riders are met with a grueling climb before they are even given the chance to warm-up...it's what I like to call a rude introduction to the ride. The climbs make for some great training, and the views of the surrounding desert make the multi-user aspect of these trails somewhat tolerable.
The last time I set out to get some training in on this system, I took my single-speed bike. A single-speed bike, for those who are not familiar, has but one lonely gear...hence the name, single-speed. Single-speed mountain bikes are a lot of fun...if by fun you mean pain. Mountains are full of steep climbs, and the 30-speed drive train...that's right, I said 30...that I have on my other bike, makes climbing super-steep, super-rocky uphill sections easier. Take away 29 of those gears, and then you've got a pain inflicting, torture machine. If it's so much torture, then why ride it? Huge gains in leg strength and power...both of which are absolutely necessary for climbing. I simply view it as a training tool.
So as I was saying...the last time I took on these trails, I did it on my single-speed. Big mistake. Aside from the torturous hill climbing, my bike broke while I was about 10-miles out...yep, that's a long hike back in riding shoes! Fortunately, I was able to fix it enough that I was able to ride it, but I certainly was not going to be able to climb back out of the area I had dropped into. So after a lot of hiking, and some adventurous riding through some pretty sketchy areas, I found my way back out to a paved road, and made my way back to the parking lot...some 20-miles later. Today's ride would prove to be only slightly better.
After hitting the trail, and cresting that first brutal climb out of the parking lot, I was starting to feel good...to feel that flow that riders experience. I made my way along, traversing the mountain that I had just conquered, looking forward to the fun, fast downhill section that I knew was right around the corner. My heart raced with anticipation of what I was about to experience, and my eyes opened wide as my brain signaled my fight or flight system to engage. Today however, there would be no fighting...just flying!
For the next half-mile or so, I was in heaven. There is nothing better on a mountain bike than bombing a downhill section...riding ride on the edge of being out of control. As Harry Hogge (Robert Duvall) said to Cole Trickle (Tom Cruise) in the movie Days of Thunder..."Loose is fast, and on the edge of out of control." As I neared the bottom of my little roller coaster ride, I shifted down...into a lower gear, as I could see that there was a sharp turn coming up that would take me across a dry wash bed, then quickly swing me back to the right...right into a short, steep, rocky little climb. As I floated across the sandy wash, I began to pedal in anticipation of the climb. I noticed a funny clicking feel in my right foot as I pedaled, but thought it was just the cleat on the bottom of my shoe getting a little loose. As the terrain quickly transitioned from relatively flat and sandy, to steep and rocky, the clicking got worse...and then a little worse as I mashed the pedals in order to make the climb. And then...Well...then my pedal broke...and I fell to the nice soft, pillow-like ground. NOT! I did fall, but there were no pillows to be found...just very hard, unforgiving rocks.
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| It doesn't work too well when you can hold it in your hand! |
As you can see in the picture above, the pedal came right off of the spindle...and pedals don't work too well when they don't stay attached to the spindle! Fortunately, I wasn't too far out. I was able to find a trail spur that led into a neighborhood not too far from where I had parked. I made my way out to the road, and limped my bike back to the car...and called it a day.
I might have to think twice before heading back there again...the third time could be really bad!
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