Muse back!
May 18, 2008 / Sunday
Soquel Demo Forest
Finally rode SDF yesterday, with a little bonus jaunt into Nisene Marks on the ride in. I was bummed that I had to leave Val's birthday party so early, though. I got there, gave Val her present, everyone else got there, and then I had to leave. I'd hoped to start riding later in the day, but I guess Aaron's friends had to get back in time for something in the early evening. Finding several free hours in four people's schedules, not easy.
I was pretty apprehensive about the ride going in. I haven't ridden on dirt since my race at Sea Otter; I pulled my right glute midway through the race, completed the race despite the pull, and it still hasn't healed yet. That, and after much gushing by more than one person about how difficult (or painful, depending on the person) SDF is and how I really shouldn't ride there, I'd crossed that park off (the top of) my list. And now, suddenly, it was on my schedule, before I really felt ready to pedal up a dirt trail. How the hell was I going to ride this thing? I seriously thought I wasn't going to make it out of there intact.
But I went anyway. I didn't want to, but I went. I don't know why. I rode slowly; after a month off I was unaccustomed to dirt, and I really didn't want to push too hard and worsen my injury. I think that killed our schedule quite a bit; sorry Aaron's friends about our late return. On the upside, I didn't eat it, but on the downside, I tried to push up a really short stretch of trail and immediately felt a twinge. Suck!! At least we were at the top of the first climb by then.
The downhill (on the least difficult of the trails so I wouldn't die) was not bad. I suppose it'd have been more fun if I hadn't taken a month off the mountain bike. I did at least learn that it's bad to brake when your wheels are off the ground, since they pretty much stop and skid/jar a bit when they land. There were a few fun looking things there that I detoured around; my goal was simply to do the ride and go home in one piece. To that end, I was successful.
The ride back up to the car took forever, partly because I was even slower than before. I eventually locked out my suspension and just mashed up the steeper parts; mashing doesn't hurt the glute, except if I try to come off the saddle on the injured leg. I'm glad it wasn't so steep that I would have had to sit to maintain traction.
Made it back to the car, stopped at the Summit Store for drinks, and headed home. It was good to get my dirt legs back (I finally felt comfortable on dirt at the end of the final stretch), but boy, that was one uninspired ride.
Woke up this morning to glute pain and once again last minute bailed on the hockey clinic I'd wanted to go to. I think that officially makes me a flake. Boo, me, boo.
May 18, 2008 04:12 PM | Mountain