The hand is getting stronger. I'm having to use a modified wrist guard to support my palm and wrist and while uncomfortable, it works and keeps the hand supported enough that I can stand to ride without a cast.
Yesterday the High Country was calling and I headed to Kenosha Pass to see for myself that it was completely clear to Georgia Pass. It was and even Jefferson Creek is rocking with only a 20' snow drift and 6 downed trees.
This morning I got out to White Ranch before most of you were crawling out of bed. That ball of fire in the sky was stoking even at 6am and it was awesome to be out. This is not the Goat's year as I took another hard crash getting frisky on Rawhide...Knocked the breath out of me, skinned up the right arm, leg, and hip and a nice rotor burn to the left arm when the bike landed on me. The hand fared well though and I decided to take it a little easier on the descents after that.....Weeee!!!
Father's Day Weekend Rides
High Country
Its been almost one month since I've broken my hand. Though the cast is off and I'm back to work and riding, its been an emotional rollercoaster. Work forced short term disability, riding has been a chore and the smell of that cast from exercising with it on had just about had me driven into seclusion.
From Georgetown
to Keystone and beyond
One of the last rides where I had to wear a magical gauntlet
Last night I got to join the T.I.T.S crew for the 1st time in that month. I had no idea how the hand would fare as I had tried a road ride the day before and the newly uncasted hand hated every bump on the road. I modified a wrist guard and it worked well. While my hand was uncomfortable, it handled the ride and let me know its ready for more high country this weekend. Looks like other then work, this summer isn't gonna be too bad after all.
Sisters at Sisters
I took Ayla and Sophie to Three Sisters Open Space today. I had no idea how my hand would respond but it did fairly well even doing some standing climbing pulling Sophie w/ the Trail a Bike on the Single-speed. Ayla was riding well even hitting some smallish waterbar drops of 8-10 inches. Yeah, my daughters are gonna be rippers!!
Project Ayla's 1st Mountain Bike
My oldest, Ayla, has been riding a 16" Fugi SS Bike for the past two years and the last 4 months with the seatpost at the minimum insertion mark. I've had her on some relatively easy trails such as Bear Creek Lake Park and the Stonehouse Trails in Lakewood. She's been asking me for a real mountain bike for the past year and finally I found a 2008-2009 model Scott Jr Scale 20 on the local Craigslist. It was in descent shape and the price low enough that I could be happy investing some coin to make it the bike she and I wanted,
The original bike
Sanded and stripped
Rattle can painted with a fade ...Aqua to Metallic Blue...10 coats of clear and 3 coats of Turtle Wax Ice
Downtube
Toptube
Seattube/ toptube junction
Headtube
The Fork with asymmetrical two tone
One of the issues I had with the Scott Scale Jr 20 is the 42x34 chainrings that are basically press-fitted on the crankset. I live in Colorado and we have a few small hills here and there and want a little easier gear for my girl to push.
I took her original cranks and cut off the large chainring and cut the 34 tooth chain ring leaving a "spider". I then measured and drilled out 104 bcd bolt spacing on the "spider" and mounted a 32 tooth Surly ring and a bash-guard I had laying in the parts bin.
The original crank and rings
modified crank...the original bolts that held the inner ring on were stripped and seized. I drilled them out and used some stainless bolts and nylon locking nuts to reinstall the cut "spider". The nuts clear the frame by about 3 mm which works for the size of the holes, 3/8's in diameter but add some weight. I'm looking into better solutions.
Its off dead center by a mm or two but biopace was cool once right? :D
Actually, I'll be going to a machinist soon to have him make me a better "spider" but this one will hold until I can get it made.
And I finally finished the bike today. She loves it and is riding really well for her 1st geared bike with hand brakes. The X3 trigger shifter was the was to go!
Installed modified crank with the Surly 32 tooth ring and a bash-guard
the long cage rear derailleur is admittedly a little long but it'll do till I can find a medium cage replacement
The 7 speed IRD freewheel is a thing of beauty...better be for $45
The lock on grips will eventually be replaced with the 30mm ESI silicone Racer Grips
just so happened to have a pink Chris King headset that wasn't seeing any use
Avid Single Digit 3R's for the stoppers
Almost two months in the making and a very happy girl as a final result. Weeeeee!!!
Mods so far...
Frame and fork stripped and repainted
Pink Chris King Headset
Avid single Digit 3 V Brakes
Shimano UN55 Bottom Bracket
Bontrager SX 20x2.00 tires
Race Face Evolve 26.8 Seatpost
Easton 50mm stem
Truvativ Hussefelt 2 inch riser bars
Front and rear wheel axles taken apart and repacked with grease
Upgraded from 2x6 (easiest gear was 34x28) to 1x7 (easiest gear is 32x32)
Pink cable housing shifter and brake housing
Sram X3 rear derailleur and trigger shifter
IRD 7 speed 13-32 freewheel (originally 6 speed 13-28, went with IRD due to no huge jumps between gears..13, 15, 17, 21, 24, 28, 32)
modified crank with a Surly 32 tooth Chainring and bashguard
Blue ESI Silicone Racer's 30mm grips on order
BC, Ride of the Broken Hand
Joe Homegrown joined me for a rainy jaunt in Buffalo Creek on Saturday. The forecast was for Scattered thunderstorms and BC's trails just suck up the moisture and as Joe says," Becomes Velcro dirt".
I was looking to do 50-60 miles of singletrack and we were on our way to it when a short boulder climb that I've done hundreds of times threw me down and broke the 4th metacarpal in my hand. This sucks in a bad way as work says I have to go on short term disability and the mountain bike is definitely out for at least 4 weeks.
Least I get a cool fashion accessory...
and saw BC in all her magical beauty
Breaking the Rules
I'm a moral hoodlum at heart.
http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/Breaking-the-Rules.html?page=1
Those of us with a little common sense still can be...too bad common sense wasn't taught in school and isn't a prerequisite for politicians, bosses, and others in authority
Braap!! Boom!!
I have not as some thought, stopped riding. Almost 18 hours worth last week. That may of included a trip to Fruita, Moab, and Glenwood Springs. I am tired and not yet recovered. Pics from that trip coming soon. For now...a crash from a few weeks ago!
It goes like this....
I was all speedy like on a descent....Fast as fast can be never catch me....braap!!
My front wheel glances off a rock....and at 30 mph I hit the dirt with a resounding BOOM!!!
which left my right knee looking like
and my right arm looking like
and my stomach looking like
and the fellas asking..."did that hurt, I saw it, it had to hurt"
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