The Cake Experiment

nite push

2006-06-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Class ends. Quickly I walk to my bike waiting for me, chained up to a sign in the parking lot.
It's dark.
I'm full of energy.
I'm ready to ride.
I head up Gibson and head west alongside the tracks. It's nowhere now. Utterly empty and pitch black aside from the distant glow of the Las Vegas strip. The terrain is difficult to pass in this lighting, or lack there of. I have a headlight on my bars and a miners light attached to my helmet. I think I need to invest in another form of luminary esthetic.
Push on.
Under and around a railway bridge there are a series of light-posts emitting a yellowish glow.
Perfect for a moving snapshot.

bitter mental departure

2006-06-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

I used to have this friend. He was a good guy, young and a bit ignorant of the world and its politics, relatively harmless. Then one day he moved away and I lost my friendship with him. We tried to keep it up via modern technology. But there was this unspoken forfeiture of attempts to stay in contact. And as always, the world moved on. I still hear from him every now and then, but there isn't anything there really. Empty.
I used to have this friend.
But I don't know him anymore.

Report...

2006-06-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

Greetings dirtrags,
I have decided to get back to keeping an active ride log, ride stories, and maybe a few snapshots along the way. Of all the online endeavors I have attempted, this seems to be the least taxing on my ability to 'keep things up to date'.

Anywho, on with it. So my upcoming mini-trip with my brother and sister is coming. I'm still in the decision process about where to go exactly. It's tied between a couple places. Decisions, decisions.

Bootleg Canyon

2006-01-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

I know what you're thinking. Why does everything end with 'canyon'?
Well, I finally got over to Bootleg canyon and I gotta say, pretty impressive.

This one is a picture Denise took from the backyard of me on top of the peak in the background.

Return to Sloan Canyon

2005-12-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well, I finally got my bike back with a new frame under warranty. Seems to be working like new. We will see how it fairs over time. Went back into Sloan Canyon a bit. Took a few pictures...

Fallen Cake

2005-12-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

The Saturday after Thanksgiving.
I was giving my bike the weekly wipe down. I had a nice route planned for the days ride ahead. And then...

Oh? What's this?

Holy crap! I broke my bike. Where the re-enforcement triangle weld for the top tube and seat tube are.
I am currently bike free and hating it! Now it's the warranty game through Trek, Fishers' parent company. I turned my bike into the local bike shop this past Monday. I've heard it can take up to a month before a new bike is furnished.

Poo on that. Poo. Poo. Poo.

Bootleg Canyon

2005-11-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

I drove here today. It's approx. 30 minutes from my house by car. It's in a town called Boulder City. I didn't get to ride any of it. I basically went to check it out and see what it's all about. This place is huge. Miles and miles of trails I would ride, and trails I would not. There are places to camp for free. Bathrooms with a shower at base camp. I saw many bikers with many different kinds of set ups and rider gear. It seemed like the perfect place to spend a weekend camping, and of course punishment for the body. I'm hoping to pack up some gear and hit it next Saturday. If all goes according to plan that is...

The Order of Rock

2005-11-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

So time and time again my focus will stray from in front of me and I spot these rocks that were stacked. I am on the brink of discovering why. I think the picture with one stack has exactly that because it is the first stack you will come across once you start the trail.
Of course the two stacks are the next you will see. This is a prime example of one of those spots that I feel kinda vulnerable to the scene. I think I like the higher ground.
I haven't seen a stack of three yet and have gone well beyond where common sense would have put them. So what does it all mean? Only the stacker of rocks can tell.

Sloan Canyon Trail

2005-11-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

You can see after clicking on the picture to enlarge it that the trail pretty much follows the power lines. My belief is the trail was created from the original construction and installation of these poles as the trail cuts off and leads to each pole if it is far enough off the main trail. It is a desolate place. Often when I approach certain passes I feel as though I am about to be ambushed with the high sides on both sides. Only not from bandaleros, but from mountain lions as I have heard of there existence quite often from locals. I have seen tracks, but not the real macoy as of yet. The thought of encountering one makes me a little nervous on the way up the trail. Probably because there are quite a few places where I have to walk my bike. About half of this trail is fine gravel 3"-5" deep. It's like riding uphill through quicksand. The front wheel can quickly shoot off to one side followed by the rear. Don't fight it and you'll fair just fine. Resist, and meet your doom. Steepness is also results in walking certain parts. It's either my endurance isn't built up enough or my strength, or it really is that steep.

More Sloan Canyon

2005-11-02T08:48:00.000-07:00

Now let's face it, great pictures are created from man's madness. And besides, what desert landscape is complete without a rusty hulk that once moonlighted as a car. I imagine there is a gangster buried somewhere around here. Oh well, better keep pedaling.

Sloan Canyon Gulley

2005-11-01T08:23:00.000-07:00

This gulley was a nice little discovery. Since I picked up this trail from another entrance about mile up north I didn't see this gulley on the way up and only saw it once I was on it. Sure I guess I could say I just took it as it came up so fast. But the truth is I was hugging hard left of the trail anyway and had no issue avoiding this possible turnover.

Captain's Blog

2005-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

So here I am. Creating a blog I am not sure anyone will ever see. Creating a blog that interests probably only me. I gave this blog idea some real thought before creating it. Would anyone want to read this sort of blog? Would I have anything of interest to say? I can't answer either of those questions but I can say that I do feel better having someplace to put all these thoughts even if I am the only one that will ever read this.