Bergen Peak

It has been determined the best riding within 30 minutes of Denver lies 30 minutes west in the small town of Evergreen. I still don't quite understand why I don't ride up there more often or why I hadn't ridden Elk Meadows Park and Bergen Peak until yesterday.



Within that small park lies tons of buff singletrack, rocky and technical climbing and descending, singletrack that keeps you on your toes, even some good ol hike a biking and some killer views.



For the locals that wanna know I parked at Bergen Park> Pioneer Trail> Painters Pause>Meadow View> Down the rip roaring fun of Elk Ridge> Up Sleepy "S">Meadow View>Bergen Peak Trail>Bergen Peak>Down Too Long which was way to short> Back down Meadow View where I broke off to Squaw Pass Road and climbed up to Noble Meadow to view the Elk grazing at dusk.









Setting Sun as seen from atop Bergen Peak



Follow the Yellow Leaved Trail



Lots of Elk at the Noble Meadow

Cruising round the Neighborhood

Last night the boys headed off to Buffalo Creek for some quality ride time and a beer or two. Being tired of being in the vehicle all day long, just a portion of what my job as an Appliance Technician dictates, I opted for a local route of some 30ish miles.

Mostly the route was concrete bike paths but I also managed to find the Stone House trail and ride it into Bear Creek Lake Park. While most of the trails are smooth and buff, there is an occasional rock. Seeing that I just flatted on the buffed out Sandy Wash in Buffalo Creek on Sunday, it came no surprise when I glanced off trail for just a moment to take in the sight of two grand Mule Deer Bucks and I hit a rock that torn a 1/4 inch gash in my Maxxis Ignitor's sidewall.

I managed to patch the tire, throw in a tube and ride exactly 1/2 mile to the C-470 bike path where I picked up a piece of glass, gashed my tread and flatted again. Once again I patched the tire and made chase against the vehicles on C-470 to Green Mountain. The Big Green Hill was fast and flowy as usual and on a short climb I dropped the chain. Looking for trouble such as that which happened last time I dropped a chain , I found none but two lights did make chase.

Pretending to be the world class speed racer that I'm not, I took off and somehow dropped the two lights from behind. Feeling kinda sad that I lost two friends that I never knew I had, I waited at the Florida parking lot but the lights never arrived so I took off for home and a ice cream drumstick.

As for the 1000 gram tire for a rear tire that I spoke about. I decided to go mainstream and get a Deadly Nedly otherwise known as The Captain. 280 grams lighter then the 1000 G's I was shooting for but in the 2bliss, control version.

Hmmm..Honey Bee likes what he sees

Coming to a Goat in you...Colorado

Arriving in December...The baddest, darkest steel available

Dissent Fe....Spread the Sordid Wonder

POLLING..To sell or not to sell

Before I go into my quandary of what to sell or not to sell...you must see this

Below is a picture of trees in the town of Conifer...about 30 minutes from my place where it looked about the same



Literally 2 miles further west towards Pine Junction and the skies looked like this and the temps felt at least 20 degrees F warmer



My 20ish mile route to test out my newly oily bathed Alfine took me from FS543, all the way up to the Colorado Trail and eventually down the always fun, Sandy Wash....as it happens every time(it seems)that I ride Sandy Wash I get a flat. I'm just about ready to put a 1000 gram tire on that rear wheel.



So to the Polling side of things. My wife has a Soma Juice in the small size. We sold her beloved Electra Townie to buy it, thinking she'd do some mountain biking with me. In the past year since we've had it, she has been on it maybe 5 times. Now she is suggesting selling it.



Photo from Missus Goat's very 1st mountain bike ride on Ridgeline Trail in Dupont State Forest, North Carolina. Doesn't she look so happy?!

From her idea of things, she doesn't have the passion or love for mountain biking that I do and she'll never ride the kind of terrain that I do so she asks, "why do I need a mountain bike that is an overkill for the kind of riding that I like to do and that's if and when I do ride?" Then she suggests the epitome of what all decent bicycle riders find revolting," I can just get a Walmart bike."

My response...."Wha...no......ack" basically a Garfield disgusted with Odie response.

But, she does bring up a good point. However, I doubt the bike we buy her (should I accept the idea of selling her Soma) would be even close to a "Walmart bike".



I need some help folks. I am at a serious loss as to what to do.

Alfine, Oil Bathin

3CPO, come get ya some.

Finally made it to the auto parts store at a time of day they'd actually be open. I did forget though, just how much Tranny fluid stinks....Its a cologne of sorts that my wife will not be asking me to wear again anytime soon.



The Alfine put back together. Yes, despite the fact that I took all that time to break down the hub, I neglected to clean the cog

Maybe this is something to save for a sunny day, warm day cause just like cooking collards, its best to be left to the outdoors. Not that I left my internals soaking all day in the house itself, I did use the garage. I am a bit more civilized then that despite the fact I have a huge jutting brow and my lack of eyebrows can make me look just like a Neanderthal.



Seatstay routing of the cassette joint

Shimano designed the Alfine for chainstay cable routing. I use the non turn washers for vertical drops to turn the cassette joint to the correct angle for seatstay cable routing. One of the issues of running a 22 tooth cog is the chain and the cable stop on the cassette joint hit with this style of cable routing. A small crescent wrench and a gentle bending of the cassette joint arm allow for approx 2 mm of clearance.



That's close but it has never been an issue

Toughest part of the whole job was tightening the non drive side cone. There's a bit more resistance in an internal hub compared to a standard hub as the gears actually ratchet around the axle. Just a few trial and errors and I believe I got the cone set, spot on.



showing the rear of the cassette joint, notice the cable end

Installed back on the bike, the hub feels smoother and easier turning. I understood this was gonna be the case since I flushed out all the grease and oiled the internals...Of note...I did use Phil Wood waterproof bearing grease on all the ball and needle bearings as well as the external seals.

Alfine, Internals exposed

I'm figuring I have somewhere close to 1000 miles on the Alfine now. Keeping up with my Internal Gear research I found that the Alfine does indeed love a bath. Oil Bath that is.

So tonight I set upon the task of taking my hub apart and degreasing it for a dip in the slippery stuff.

Its easy enough...Take the disc rotor off, cog, small parts and unscrew the non drive side cone.



Unscrew the drive side dust cap and seal, pictured below, top left and pull the internal assembly out



The internals show surprisingly little wear and no signs of any moisture contamination. Colorado is a very dry state but this hub has seen its fair share of creek crossings and a few rain showers.



An empty Alfine hub body



Next I degreased the internal assembly





Then I went to pick up some automatic transmission fluid. Being the night owl I am, I completely spaced on the fact the auto parts store would not be open at midnight...so with that, till Manana.

Oily Fluids

The camping trip is off. Weather is fouling the state of Colorado, the youngest is sick with a UTI, better off staying home.

Betterment is found in a can though. $14.67 later and a 4 pack sits in my fridge minus one as of this typing. Expensive beer? Yes! Worth it? Indubitably.

all 87,000 square feet of Tipsy's delivered.

Still trying to take a gander at how many millions of dollars worth of inventory that place carry's. Thought to ask then thought better of it.

So as the can reads;
Cross-eyed.(why yes, that would be the 10.5 apv)

Cyclopean. ( You will feel stoned after a few as this Half Baked. Fully Roasted Ale goes down so smooth and thick, it sits on the belly well)

Cancupisent...(obviously a dirivitive of Concupiscence...Catholics may take issue with this. But yes, I do selfishly desire another can in my belly)

This Dog'll Hunt..(nuff said)

Thinking of tearing down the Alfine to its innards this weekend for an oil bath. If I do there will be pictures...till then