SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER

September. Sounds to me like summer's drawing to a close. But what a summer it's been. For me, a summer of mucho mountain biking ridin' and racing.

Above, please note image of studly Steve Noble negotiating one of the jumps/drops/things-I-tend-to-ride-around on Lower Bob's up at Galbraith. That was Sunday. He put the hurt on me big time leading us up trails I only ever ride down. Such as all three of the Three Pigs. Today, I rode with the lovely and talented Steve Vanderstaay, he of the three consecutive vowels, on what, it turns out, was his 50th birthday. For fun we rode down the crazy-fast SST, loosening up most of my fillings in the process. 

Speaking of descending super-fast, last Wednesday evening John Clark (who's birthday is Wednesday, I believe) and I rode up the Pine and Cedar Lakes trail which is perhaps the steepest sustained climb around B'ham. Thirteen hundred feet in 1.6 miles. We sounded like a couple of emphysemics riding side-by-side at a whopping 3 miles-per-hour, but we made it. Had a great ride with screaming descents of the Burninator and the Hemlock Trail. We missed the injured Scott "Titanium Cowboy" Young who's on the DL nursing a sprained wrist, suffered a few weeks ago on Whoopsie Woodle.

This area boy is awaiting his Redline 29er single-speed which should arrive later this week.

YET ANOTHER GALBRAITH MOUNTAIN VIDEO

Team Unattacked hit the south side of Galbraith last night linking up Woopsie Woodle with two of the Three Pigs. On the way out we dun throwed in Lower Bob's and Karma fer fun but by then the sun had dropped a little and it was too dark to get any good footage. Enjoy. Song is "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon.

HALLOWEEKEND

Friday, the boy Baker and friend Kyler took a gamble and went trick-and/or-treating as a pair of dice. We all had a great time. B'ham gets into Halloween, that's for sure, and the weather surprised all by being quite swell. (Forecast was for rain and wind, but 'twas a starry night.) That's Carrie (Kyler's ma), Jen, and Ed (Kyler's da) yucking it up over the boys in the boxes. (That's an Alice in Chains song, innit?)

Saturday was an epic mountain ride on Galbraith with John Clark and the venerable Steve Vanderstaay, he of the two a's in the row thing. To the Towers, Woopsie Woodle, through Padden and home. Three hours, lotta miles, lotta climbing. Above, the view of the Lake Samish basin from Woopsie Woodle. Below, Steve appears dismayed when John's narcolepsy kicks in.

'NOTHER GALBRAITH EPIC

Le Towers, Le Evo (sehr scary), Le Woopsie Woodle, Le something through the woods (but not to grandmother's house), and finally, Le Last Call. (Above are Bake, Kyler, and Kyler's dad, Ed; you can just barely see Mount Baker in the far right corner.)

Here's a tip: if you're new not only to riding a 29er, but riding a 29er with clipless pedals, don't make Evo the first trail you try.

First time to Le Towers for most--Jimmy, Jacob, Kyler, Bake--probably 1,200 feet of climbing in less than 4 miles. Killer! First day also for Bake on his new Norco Wolverine and me on my Felt Nine, a 29er. The McQuaide boyz is very happy!