Perfect Riding Weather

After dropping the kiddies off today I sat down in the recliner and pondered on what my day off might hold for me. The last two Tuesdays have been ruined by rain, so while I didn't ride at all (last week I didn't even touch a bike on my day off!) I did get plenty done around the house. So I concluded that I would make a dry run to Pilot Mound to see what the actual "mound" was all about. But first, an hour long nap, AHHH! O.K., so I went to the local convenience store for a coffee, suited up, and headed out of town on Q Ave.. At 155th I headed west toward Devil's Backbone (north of the Y camp) and rode behind a maintainer for about three miles. I thought that it would be a drag to wait for him to go down the hill ahead of me, but at the same time I didn't want to rush down it and not enjoy the speed and white knuckle thrills! So I waited him out, took a pee, and when I was sure he was on down the road and not turning around to come back up, I went for it. MUCH to my delight he had left a large soft berm in the middle of the road and I railed it at a good speed and flew around both the right and left handers like a flat tracker! I should have gone back up and done it again but wanted to get to the mound, so I coasted out the energy from that and pedaled on. Stopped at the spring in Fraser for a top off on my bottle and on to the crippler that is around the bend. 160th? I think? If you've ridden this beast you know the one, it goes straight up to the west, just after the Hunt and Fish club. Brutal! From there it was a short jaunt to the mound. You see, the town got its name from the large mound of dirt to the south of Pilot Mound. It is said that there was a fierce Indian battle there many moons ago, and that wagon trains used it as a natural beacon, with a fire on top it can be seen for miles and miles! A natural land formation which rises up like an oversized ant hill. It is heavily wooded on all sides, has ATV trails wound around it, has a swampy area on the North, and would be a kick ass place to hold a cross race! Sand, mud, grass,can you put single track on a cross course? It has all of these things. I am planning to ride up there again some Sunday and will try to post a date for anyone who wants to go along. Tons of primo gravel on the way there and back, so we might as well enjoy it. 35 miles today, round trip from my house. More if needed. Later!