Yesterday was a beautiful day. It was in the 60s with lots of sunshine and buds on the trees! Before we left for our ride we saw this beautiful monarch butterfly on one of the flowers on our patio.
Yesterday was MBM's birthday! What better way to spend your day than with your two friends, Dynamo and Dirt Diva! :) At least we think so, but we're biased of course!
We met MBM at the park and did a nice spin on the Lakeview Trails. I, of course, rode Kermit since Dynamo's still working on my Spot bikes (yes, that plural reference was a hint at what's to come).
There were a few signs of spring, but for the most part everything is still pretty brown in the woods. Here's a pic of a little bridge/crossing. There are quite a few of these on the Lakeview Trails at Pocohontas.
In the above pic, you can see that MBM was the leader at this point in the ride. I told him that since it's getting warmer, it's time for him to take the lead occasionally. Today was practice for that role. Plus, it was his birthday! The leader's job is to spot the snakes. This is not a duty that I particularly want after last year. I ALWAYS lead and as a result I ALWAYS get the cobwebs in my face and ALWAYS see the snakes first. This is not good for the heart, I promise!
So, this year I told MBM that I would lead until I saw the snake (and, trust me, we'll see one), and then it will be his turn for the rest of the season.
There are lots of cool logs that experienced riders can test out on the trail. What I like about these trails is that at most points where there are challenges, there are two choices...a beginner and an experienced option. So, as you get better you can try the log if you want or just keep rolling by.
The lake had a couple of fishermen today. At the scenic lookout where we always stop on Lakeview 3, we snapped this pic.
And, of course no ride on the Lakeview Trails would be complete without the creek crossing that always challenges me.
The ride was great. I felt really good. It's been different to ride with gears after all this time without them. It definitely is easier when you have the option to stay in the saddle and downshift. Having gears gave my legs a rest and helped me to go harder and longer. Riding with gears will allow me to ride longer distances on days when I want to do so. Don't get me wrong...it works your legs...but different muscles. Riding gears and riding SS are two different techniques and work different muscles. There is a benefit to riding both (more on that later). I can definitely see where having ridden Spot has strengthened my legs. I can push harder gears on the MCR and don't feel as exhausted as I used to.
And...as the ride was nearing the end, we saw this tree full of pink buds! Spring has definitely sprung deep in the forest. Can you see the buds? We almost missed them!
We wrapped the first part of the ride with a little over 13 miles of singletrack.
After our ride we met up with MBM's wife, Lisa, and their girls...our adopted nieces! We rode about 5 miles of fireroad with them. Quite impressive for those girls if you ask me!
They amaze me at how well they do. And, their tires are so small and they have to work so much harder! I'm so proud of them for trying so hard and riding on that terrain.
After a nice long afternoon we logged in about 18 miles. Not bad for a day's work :)
