Fuji Lunchtime Rides in the Gorge

[KillRamsey]

I'm trying to go get out and ride during lunches this year, in hopes of doing a cyclocross race in the Fall and not embarassing myself entirely. Today was the first one, and I brought the X100.

The steed: a 2001 Fisher mountain bike I got free from my boss, and which I love tremendously. When new, it was a very expensive bike, and it still feels that way.

DSCF7717 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Scenery today...

DSCF7746 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

DSCF7749 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

DSCF7753 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[tonyturley]

Lucky you! Wish I had someplace like that to ride near work.

 

[KillRamsey]

It was 15 minutes exactly to that spot. 2.2 miles, 300 feet of climbing, so not bad really at all. I need to do more, but I was looking for a trail and didn't find it, so I walked a little up there instead. Def not enough to help me get in shape.

 

[Phoenix]

Very nice. I really like the slight light flare on the 1st image. It changes the overall impression of the image.

 

[KillRamsey]

Very nice. I really like the slight light flare on the 1st image. It changes the overall impression of the image.

Both the X100 series 23mm and the 56 1.2 have really unique reactions to direct light. I like the X100 flare, but the 56 just washes OUT.

 

[KillRamsey]

Less exciting ride today, but good nonetheless. Went west instead of east, along the railroad tracks by the river, and up to an old hotel that straddles a waterfall. Weather is still grey and flat, camera is still the venerable old X100.

DSCF7773 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

DSCF7775 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

DSCF7787 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[tonyturley]

Nice scenery, nice ride!

 

[KillRamsey]

3 days in a row. Good week for me. Explored a dirt road that's STEEP... too steep to enjoy for long. I think I made it maybe 1 mile before turning around, some of it being so steep I had to walk it. Google says it continues like that, climbing ~1600 feet for several miles. Someday.

DSCF7802 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

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DSCF7821 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[KillRamsey]

All my lovely sunshine of the morning began to fade, but I went anyway. Further up the Old Highway, looking for more side jaunts to explore -- the old abandonned roads that now immediately fade into woods, or the bluffs over the river that look reachable on foot. I ran out of time exploring this one, and it began to rain in earnest, which meant getting soaked on the way back to work. If you go fast enough, your back (+ phone + camera in bag) stays dry!

The old highway itself is down there at the bottom. The foreground is a former rock quarry. I've hiked up to the beginnings of a great bluff, that I couldn't get to all of.

DSCF7840 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

To my left...

DSCF7841 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

ND filter + f2 =

DSCF7843 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[Tim Williams]

Ahh the Gary Fisher. Considered to be some of the best in their day, That's why Trek bought them probably. That one looks to be in great shape.

 

[KillRamsey]

Ahh the Gary Fisher. Considered to be some of the best in their day, That's why Trek bought them probably. That one looks to be in great shape.

Its previous owner, my boss, only did a few tasteful updates - a 1x9 conversion to get rid of the front derailuer and the second front cog. He had a carbon bar on it, too, but I took that off in favor of a bar with some sweep. Meanwhile most of the bike is original, and a testament to how far ahead of its time it was. In 2001 you could buy a bike with hydraulic (gooooood) Shimano disc brakes, and the Marzochi Bomber front shock that time would prove to be effective and reliable.

Meanwhile time marched on, everyone fell in love with increasingly larger wheels and more shocks / travel. Rack mounts vanished. Then a few years ago, "bike packing" got popular, and some people began building up hardtail front shock bikes with 26" wheels and rack mounts, invariably with 1x drivetrains... that look a helluva lot like my bike. What's old is new again.

 

[KillRamsey]

Best day yet, by far. 1,000 feet of climbing, 6 miles round trip, stunning views, so much new trail to explore, getting lostish in the woods, veering towards a road only to find a huge fence, going a different way... Man.

Starts like this.

DSCF7864 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Views...

DSCF7859 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Huge variety of terrain, too. Near the top, a big grassy bluff with stunted oaks covered in lichen.

DSCF7871 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

And then it dove into basically a goat trail in the woods -- steep dropoff, wet leaves, super narrow, sometimes steep. Plenty of ways to screw up, caution required. But it connects back to a dirt road I've been on last week, and then I bombed downhill for a mile with a grin you couldn't remove with a crowbar.

 

[Phoenix]

Really love the 2nd shot.

 

[Tim Williams]

Very nice set. #2 for me also

 

[KillRamsey]

Tiny bit of good light on today's ride, #7, 8.8 miles at 1,445 feet of "up." Excellent, excellent ride.

DSCF7899 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

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DSCF7920 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[KillRamsey]

Intended to do a "quicker" ride today, mostly a rehash of trails I found already. Still the very steep route, for a good workout, but no lengthy exploring.

I'm going grey.

DSCF7935 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Slick trails from recent rain, but the smell .... -heaven-

DSCF7949 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Popped out of the single track woods trails, onto the STEEP dirt road, bombed down it happily, took this picture, and then ... realized my phone had fallen out somewhere back up the looooong hill. Had to turn around and go back up and find it.

DSCF7953 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

Found it. At the top. Of course.

DSCF7958 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[Mike G]

That was lucky!

 

[KillRamsey]

Yes and no, depending on how you look at it.

 

[KillRamsey]

Easier ride today. Technically the same length and most of the elevation, but all paved, so much much easier than usual.

DSCF7961 by gordopuggy, on Flickr

 

[tonyturley]

What a view . . .