CX-PLORING THE CIRRUS BODY FLOAT

My wife and son have been back East all week visiting family and so I had ambitious plans of riding throughout the state both near and far. And while I got in an Artist Point assault and a visit to the Stevens Pass Bike Park (for an upcoming Seattle Times story), for the most part my sub-5 hour Tour de Whatcom has left me pretty much worn out.

So instead, I've been pedaling from my house and enjoying some CX-ploration rides on my cyclocross bike. The above pic is from the Burnout Road Overlook; that's Samish Island and Mount Erie (ouch!) in the distance. Below is from the towers at the top of Galbraith Mountain.  



On both these rides, I was trying something new: a Cirrus Body Float seat post suspension thingee. For months, Charlie Heggem, who's RD of the Mount Baker Hill Climb, has been trying to get me to try one and truthfully, I haven't been interested. (He's involved in a sales and marketing capacity, I believe, with the Bellingham company that makes them.) Last thing I want to do is add anything to my bike, especially something that looks frankly, a little dated.

But after two rides with it installed on my cyclocross bike--totalling about 50 miles, most of that on gravel road and hard-packed trail--I have to admit, I kinda liked it.



On Tuesday, Charlie and I rode Galby and I liked how the Body Float absorbed the bumps on seated gravel road climbs. I felt less jostled and pushed around than normal, able to track better and keep a straighter, more efficient line up the road. (My cyclocross bike is a fairly middle-of-the-road Giant TCX 1; aluminum w/ carbon fork.)

When descending, the differenence was even more noticeable. Fast descents on logging-type roads can be pretty miserable on a 'cross bike w/ cantilever brakes, but on the way down, the bumps felt like they were being gobbled up; I felt a lot more stable and confident and thus was willing to go faster. I found pretty much the same thing the following day on a 30-miler that took me to the top of Burnout Road and down into the Lost Lake basin.

 

I'd be interested to see how the Body Float worked on my rigid-fork, single-speed 29er. But I can't see using it on my full-carbon road bike which is already comfortable as heck and never leaves me sore.

Check the website for more details about it; I don't know if it's available now or will be soon or even how much it costs. (What good am I?)

Riding a road bike w/ skinny 23C tires, Charlie climbed to the Galby Towers and descended the Wonderland Trail. Guess what: he got a flat tire.

GALBY MTB, FIRST TIME IN A WHILE

On this day four years ago, me da' passed and I generally like to mark the anniversary date by getting in a ride or run or hike that tips my cap to him for among other things, influencing my love of the outdoors. (Here's a link to something I wrote a few years ago for the Seattle Times about that very subject.)

It being the middle of the week, I didn't have time for anything epicish (i.e., multiple repeats up the Mount Baker Highway, which I've done in the past) so instead, I broke out the single-speed--which I haven't ridden in a while--and headed up to Galbraith with the intent of setting some personal bests on Strava. (Which I did; amazing how much faster one can go when it's dry.) 

Check out the above Lord of the Rings-ish tree with its roots spidering across the top of a boulder; I'd not seen that before. (Of course, with all the logging up there lately, I saw lots of stuff I'd not seen before.)

At the top, I met some downhiller-freerider types from Victoria, B.C., who were in the midst of an epic mountain bike tour of the Northwest (Wash., Oregon, Idaho, etc.) with their final destination being Moab, Utah. Sounds fun! I, of course, took the time to pimp my new book, showing off my sandwich board-esque bike jersey:

Speaking of my book (we were speaking of it, weren't we?), I heard from Seattle's Adam Morley who just received his copy of "75 Classic Rides: Washington," which he ordered through Mountaineers Books--so I guess it's now available! 

Anyway, another terrific ride, another terrific day in the great outdoors--thanks, dad!





NOVEMBER SUN RIDE

Pedaling the Taylor Street Dock on that rarest of rares: a sunny November day with almost no wind.

Headed through the back trails of Lake Padden and on up to Galby. Haven't MTB'd there in a while, or anywhere, really. We've been running, of all things--two, even two-and-a-half-plus hours (that's too damn far)--against my better judgement. Deception Pass 25K is two weeks away, Orcas Island 25K two months away. Happy to report my calf bras (compression sleeve thingees) seem to be doing the trick; haven't had any calf issues in a couple months. (Am I jinxing it by saying that?)

Titanium Cancellara chasing the sun. Yes, really, the sun. I mean, in November 'n' all.

Steve Vanderstaay joined us for Friday's ride; nice to have him along.

Stellar pic of me at the Galby Towers eating a PowerBar.

Lastly, check out my story about Ryan Rickerts and Jacob Stewart in the latest issue of Adventures NW available now.