Black Hill singletrack riding

All the pictures are in riding order(the route I usually go on):

This part is now I call the "Broken Saddle Climb" because this where I broke my bike saddle just climbing up on this sandy trail. I just heard one of the rails snap.

I went on a good ride today and was very happy to do so, I remember as soon as I got on the first part of the singletrack on the ride, I thought, "man, I love this, I love this" That is when I knew I was born to mountain bike, especially on stuff like this. I kept thinking this all the way climbing to the top of the hill, I say around a 1,300 vertical feet climb, don't know, wish I had a gps. I did have a bike computer and I logged in 8 miles for like 52 minutes. It was a tough climb mostly. Glad I had that Western Family apple sauce before I left because that stuff gives me a kick, no need for a gel. After all that rain and snow, the sand was really packed down so it was a little easier to climb up. Speaking of sand, on the sandy part of the trail, I was just pedaling sitting down, going up hill, I heard a snap, then I checked my saddle and saw that one of my railings was broken in half. I hope the warranty will cover it because I didn't wreck breaking it. I didn't do anything to it, just pedaled and biked around and all the sudden, it broke, or maybe I am so heavy or something.

I kept going up anyway because the saddle was still holding up with the other rail, the weather was perfect and I knew this is where I wanted to be at this moment, all alone, no one around, in the middle of no where(maybe a town 5 miles away, lol), so I felt pretty good too. Pretty good for having the stomach flu during 3 days before, I tells you, I'd rather be suffering up a climb than be home from work with a stomach bugger. Well, maybe anybody would, but maybe I'd rather be suffering a climb than being at work, there we go, that's more like it. I don't know, I like my job though but I still rather suffer on a climb than working.

The downhill on the other side of the hill was a blast, short but still a blast. I remember I got cold and it was 67 degrees, probably because I am still sick from the stomach flu. Well, it was really fun and I hope to do some more riding up there before it snows then after that, I will be riding it again in March, after the snow melts and dries up.

Sovereign Singletrack Ride

I did this bad ass ride last weekend and was one of my funnest rides I ever had in a long time. I haven't ridden in the Moab area for like 12 years and I thought I NEEDED to go ride down there sometime. A friend around here that used to live in Moab told me about this trail and said that it is like the best mountain bike trail in Moab. It is shared with motor bikes and I saw quite of few motor bikers and also mountain bikers alike. I liked it how it was technical and had plenty of slick rock and dirt/sand mixed. The weather was nice to me this time and it couldn't be better, there was no wind and the temperature was really nice.

Some fun ridin' sand.

Slick rock

Sign

On the map below, I went on the blue markings which is the Sovereign Singletrack. I went northbound which is the harder way(all uphill). I am kind of glad I went that way because I can do better on the climbing than the downhill on technical trails. I thought I was going to do the out and back but after I went to the other parking lot on Dalton Wells Road, I was worn out because it so technical. I was going to go back to the Willow Springs Road trailhead by going on the pipeline road but I couldn't find it. I did ride on the Sovereign ATV Trail for a while to find it then I turned back and called my ride to pick me up at the Dalton Wells Road. This trail was great and I would definitely go do it again next time I go to Moab. Next time I will camp there in the sand and that will make the trip more exciting.

This is a video of some girl riding on the trail I got from utahmountainbiking.com. I think I know this Kellie and does look like the Kellie I am thinking. If she is the one I know, she is in a different mountain bike team now.

Old mountain bike equals urban bike...

For a long time, I have been thinking about buying a cheap bike for a riding around town(urban bike). I saw a few for like $350 but I was hestitant about the parts on them and I saw one at Mad Dog Cycles for about a $1,000 which was too nice, a singlespeed with a quiet rubber chain, had an insulated coffee cup(hot chocolate for me because I am a mormon), was very light, and had very good parts on it but I thought it was too pricey for me for an urban bike.

Instead I thought of a very affordable, recycleable way. Rebuild my old, old bike! This bike was unriddenable since 2005 and was sitting in the basement that long. It is a 2000 Klein Attitude, I wouldn't sell it because the parts were all worn out and bad. It needed a new wheelset, new crankset, new bottom bracket, new everything. So I got on online and looked for the cheapest parts I could get that would suit for the bike. I went to nashbar.com, blueskycycling, and cambriabike.com. This is what I have got:

wheelset: $70

crankset: $40

wider handlebars: $30

white handlebar grips: $9

isis bottombracket: $15

crank bolts: $5

cassette: $35

slick tires: $10 each

tubes: $5 each

one inner cable: $4

v-brake pads: $6 a pair

chain: $25

After figuring out and waiting for the parts arrive(used the cheapest shipping charges), it took three weeks to build finally ride out on the streets. I got mostly the sale items and still saved a lot of money plus I don't have to say goodbye to my old bike! It is perfect for just riding around the roads because the fork leaks when I take it out on the trails. It feels like a new bike again. I can just use it when I don't feel like putting on my cycling shoes and cycling clothes and gear. Just to go out ride with my dogs on Witch's Knoll and up the paved Canyon Road. I also have a bicycle one wheeled trailer I can hook on to go down and get groceries sometime.