Park CIty

I was totally desperate for Park City trail riding.  It's been a long time since I've ridden there, like a year or so.  On Saturday, I just went up there for the day and did some good riding.  On the way up there, I stopped in Provo to pick something up at the bike shop, a replaceable derailler hanger.  I didn't need one because the one I have on my bike is fine but it's nice to have an extra one sitting around the house just in case this one on my bike breaks, I will have a new one right away and be back riding again.  So anyway, I got to Park City and it was supposed to be the day with a cold front in Utah so it was a little chilly.  It was still bearable with shorts and jersey but I still had to wear a windbreaker jacket for the downhills and being at the top of the mountain.

This guy in this picture followed me most of the way then I finally stopped and took a picture of him and let him pass.  The trails I did was the uphill Jenni's Trail, Midmountain, and down the Spiro Trail.  Pretty much a good ride for myself.  I wasn't really fully recovered from the last few previous rides but I still rode pretty decent going up on Jenni's.  I really like Jenni's, not too steep, and getting a lot elevation without even noticing the elevation gain.  It was a good climb.  Then Midmountain was in great shape and there were a lot of people on these trails while I was riding.  But I still enjoyed it.  Going down Spiro was fun also.  I've never done this loop but I did do these trails before.  Last time I went on Jenni's, I went up it and down John's Trail which was a lot harder trail.  I did like Jenni's/Spiro loop better and I'd do it again.

I really like Park City trails because they are fun and there are so many of them!  I wish I live closer to them.  I wouldn't like to live in Park City though because it's too ritzy but I do love the mountains.  I guess I will just have to drive 2.5 hours to there and back every time I want to ride them.

Maple Syrup

A decade ago, I kind of built this trail and told people about it then everybody started riding on this even with motor bikes and horses.  So today this is what it looks like.  I rode it during the weekend and what a blast it was!

I rode on my mountain bike and climbed up to Willow Creek by going up Power Line, Green Gate Road, and the Canyon Road.  After the Green Gate Road climb, I was already spent and while climbing up the main canyon road, I was already cramping up.  I wanted some electrolytes but I didn't have any.  Next time, I am putting Hammer Nutrition Fizz tablets in my water.  See if that works next time.

So I crawled up the rest of the way, by crawling, I mean just spinning easily to the top.  I even had to take breaks.  I made it though, and the downhill on the Maple Syrup and the Flume was a blast.  It was worth the crawl.  Earlier the week, I even had another fabulous ride.  It was a 35.5 mile ride to Mount Pleasant and back.  I took the Little Pigeon Hollow dirt road then on the Spring City back road. I like the Spring City road because of the wide shoulder.  I was planning just to ride to Spring City and back but I felt good so I rode another 5 miles to Mount Pleasant.  It was a great evening and the spring water from the spring fountain in Spring City was delicious.  It was a great week event though I went on a few rides on that week.  I even rode the cruiser bike and town quite a bit.

Memorial Day Weekend

During Memorial Day weekend, I went up with my parents to Tooele to see the graves of my relatives, like my grandparents, etc.  We put flowers on them and visited somebody while we were there.  Then we went to my sister's in the Ogden area to spend the weekend.  I took my bike to do some trails near there.

This area is one of my favorites because it's so pretty.  It's near Eden which is in Ogden Canyon.  The trails I like to ride are called "Mule Ear" and "Mule Shoe" trails.  There's hardly anybody there usually and it was very nice especially during Memorial Day weekend.

I did this same ride last year during Memorial Day weekend and last year didn't turn out so great because I didn't feel so good so I walked up most of it.  This year I completely rode the whole thing and taking a few breaks while riding.  I did way better this time.  Plus I rode a lot more, so I did a little bit of Cutler Flats trails also and then did Mule Shoe again. It was great and the weather was perfect.

My sister lives right by a rail trail which is called the "Rio Grande Rail Trail", so the next day I just did a cruise on this paved trail.  It was a very nice ride and there were quite of bit of joggers, walkers, skateboarders, and cyclists.  I went on this for 31 miles and it was mainly flat.  It was a very nice cruise and comfortable.

Didn't Pass on the P.A.S.S.

Price was good.  The weather was perfect and the riding was great.  I went yesterday and went to the P.A.S.S. trail system near Price, UT.  I've ridden there twice last year during spring and I wanted to do it again this year.  I did do a lot of riding during the week also.  Went on a killer one with a friend last Wednesday night and I took him on the trails I like on Black Hill.  I did that loop I really like.  My friend, Brian is a tougher rider than me so he stayed behind me the whole time just so that we can stay together.  It was a big difference with somebody behind me.  It made me push harder and go faster.  So I was spent that night and I got all personal records on that one on Strava.  Then I did 31 miles on the farm roads around Manti and Ephraim on my mountain bike on Friday.  It was a good ride also.

Back to Price.  Well, I felt pretty good but I could have felt a little better though but I thought I could do this ride easier than usual.  Luke's Trail was fun and fast then when I got on Floating Rocks/Lollipop/Shamrock and Roll trails, it was all loose and soil-ley.  So it was a lot harder to ride on.  The trail wasn't ridden as much as usual so I did have to walk on some climbs that were too loose but overall it was great.

There were some fun stuff all through the trails and this time I didn't go on the Yoo Hoo trail.  Last year I went on it and I hated it because there were a lot of cow tracks on it and the trail was diminishing.  So I went on Floating Rocks again on the way back.  It was funner that way.

Then back on Smo Joe's, it was a blast and more fast and was more packed down by other riders.  I guess that's what most Price locals do is ride on Luke's and Smo Joe's, they probably want to go on shorter rides.  Oh well.  After Smo Joe's and Knott Pete's, I went back on Luke's again and did the Alan Alley's Loop and came back.  Alan's Alley is short but really fun.  I liked it.

It was a great ride and I hope I can do it again next year.  This trail was easier aerobically but harder technical wise this year.  Probably because the trail wasn't ridden as much by other riders(just the northern part) and I have been riding and training better this year and that's why the mountain biking is getting a lot easier.

Felt like myself again...

 This week has been great, a little windy, but overall a good bike week around home.  I've been enjoying Strava and sharing it with other riders around here.  They ride way more than I do too because they are mostly roadies, it's good to know where they are going though.
 
                                       I

My birthday was Monday.  The boss called in sick that morning and so I had the day off.  It was pretty windy that morning but I still went riding.  I went around on the farm roads north of town and around the Quarries and Kane Valley.  Got pretty much 20 miles that day at a moderate pace ride.   Then I did a lot work in my mom's bathroom on that day, well, most of week....but got a lot done. Wednesday was a fast and fun mountain bike ride up the Green Gate Road and Flume Trail.  I did my personal best on that ride and got 8th place on the Flume downhill segment.  I was surprised too because I am not usually that fast on downhills.  Then I went on a few road rides at one hour each on the rest of weekdays.

Saturday, which was yesterday was my best ride.  I was going to go somewhere to ride, like Moab or Price for the day but Ephraim had the best weather in the whole state yesterday.  Moab was actually nice but more windy there and I also didn't want to drive that far just for the day.  Price was my first choice but the weather looked more rainy and windy than Ephraim.  So, I stayed home and enjoyed riding here.  I went up along Green Gate Road and up the canyon road until I got tired.  My plan was actually to go up to Willow Creek and go down Maple Syrup and Flume Trail.  I did get tired after Green Gate Road and getting on the canyon road but I kept going but just took it a little more easy.  I still grinded up but backed off just barely a little bit.  I made it up to Willow Creek and I haven't got that high in like three years.  I felt proud of myself and felt great!  I couldn't believe it too.  So, my goal is go higher up to Pioneer Trail when that is dried up.  Then maybe higher, don't know.  Anyway, I went down Maple Syrup and Flume downhill on my ride.  Those trails were a blast.

That morning before my ride, I bought this bike.  It's a Schwinn cruiser.  I bought this for myself and everybody in the family.  It's a $500 bike but I got it for $300.  I thought it was a good deal and I will love it for those summer evening strolls.  And my mom loves it.  Now my dad needs to try it sometime.

Here is the Strava workout I did on my ride yesterday.  I haven't done this ride in a long time!  It was fun!

"Strava it, or it didn't happen"....

I did my first ride with my new Garmin 500 bike computer I recently got for my birthday. I really like it I joined Strava and follow a few friends. It's really fun to record a workout. I did this ride yesterday morning and it was a beautiful morning, the sun was out and it was very warm! Loved it. I went to The Black Hill Trail System and did my favorite trails there and I felt like Super Man while riding. Here's the featured workout... {\rtf1\ansi\ansicpg1252 {\fonttbl\f0\fnil\fcharset0 HelveticaNeue;} {\colortbl;\red255\green255\blue255;\red153\green153\blue153;\red249\green249\blue249;} \deftab720 \pard\pardeftab720\sl340\partightenfactor0 \f0\fs28 \cf2 \cb3 \expnd0\expndtw0\kerning0 \outl0\strokewidth0 \strokec2 }

Climb, climb, and climb...and rain, rain, and rain....

This week turned out great on my riding.  I am back to a lot climbing.  By climbing, I mean climbing up the canyon road until I get tired.  Last Thursday, when the weather was super, luckily the boss called me and told me to not come to work that day.  I was kind of glad because all I wanted to do on that nice, warm day was to go on a big ride on my mountain bike.  I also had Tuesday off, so I went on my once a week moderate pace long ride on that day, the weather forecast forecasted a ton of wind, so I went that morning and tried to get back before the wind started.  I started at 8 in the morning and rode down west of town and around town for an hour and then went home to eat breakfast then switched bikes, so on my mountain bike, I rode another 2 hours on Little Pigeon Hollow Road to Spring City and back.  On the way back, the wind started blowing and I had a major headwind but I made it and logged in 35 miles that morning.
Back to Thursday, it was a ride I really enjoyed because it was all climbing and I love to climb.  I went up along the Powerline Trail and up on Green Gate Road then climbed some more on the canyon road.  I kept going up until I got tired and made it to that sharp curve before Ponderosa Pine Plantation.  I haven't got that high up in two years and it felt great.  I plan to go higher on the next ride.

 

After the climb, I turned around and went down the road then the Flume.  The Flume Trail was all packed down like I said it would(after one week).  It looked like a hundred bikers went down it.  It is really fast and smooth now.  It was a blast though.

Saturday.  Saturday was all rainy all day and cold.  At 7 in the morning, before the wind would start blowing later in the day, I went on a ride on my road bike.  I am glad I did it even though it was pouring rain, I just rode around town then up the pavement of the canyon road twice.  I rode for at least 1.5 hours and logged in 18 miles.  It was very wet, drenched, and cold.  I had a lot of fun though because I had a very good workout and my legs felt stronger than I thought.  It was like being in the Seattle rain again.  I didn't really have the proper bike rain gear but this blue jacket worked for a little while.  But I had no protection on my feet so my ankles and feet were itching so bad after an hour I got home.  It was really a blast though.  I hope I can ride in the rain again but it's rare in Utah to get rain like this.