Trail Ride!

So I got a new mountain bike a couple weeks ago.

Purple Surly Karate Monkey Single Speed! I haven't put those grip son yet... I've been rethinking the entire bar set up... but this is pretty much how I rode it today. I didn't actually take any pictures of my bike while riding it today. Largely because I was taking pics of my trail riding partners...

The Karate Monkey is super fun.

Despite having got it a few weeks ago, I haven't really gotten a chance to get out and RIDE it - partly because i've been pretty busy doing other stuff, but also largely because I've been having these weird dizzy spells for the last three weeks that have so far mystified my doctor. I was feeling better the last two days though, so I said: SCREW IT! LET'S GO FOR A RIDE!



We headed out up Spadian south and across the Gordie Howe Bridge to access the trails along the riverbank south of the bridge (Generally called G1 and G2)

Most of the pics I took on this part of the ride turned out blurry...



Access roade between G1 and G2



We ran into my friend Bryn the Baker and his three boys out riding.



I had a brief chat with him but eventually he had to tear off and try and catch up with the boys...



After about an hour we were back at the Gordie Howe Bridge. We stopped in it's enormous shadow and had snacks. They should put benches under the bridge. There are so many benches along so much of the nearby walking trails that are set out in the open under the blazing sun surrounded by pavement - who wants to sit out in the sun on a hot day like today!?



On our way home we hit a few of the trails in along the east side of the river in Diefenbaker Park.



Nice easy single track.



Good for fat old guys like me and their timid kids.



I hope this is the beginning of a summer full of trail rides!



Finnegan was a bit more game to try out some tighter single track - which is great because he's often so... uninterested in everything that isn't lying on his bed in his room reading books. I've got nothing against reading books - I think it's fantastic that the guy has such an active imagination and can spend great ammounts of time on his own an not get bored or upset.



But sometimes you have to get out of your head and into the real world. It's sometimes a bit of a struggle to get him to come out riding. Given the choice, he'd probably stay behind and just carry on reading. but once he actually gets out he has a really great time. I guess I just have to MAKE him go enough times that he actually starts to REMEMBER what a good time he had the last time and is a bit more positive when I suggest we go for a ride.

When Finnegan and i veered off the mail trail onto a more difficult section The Girl just waited for us to do a little loop or took an alternate easier route.

We also rode a few easy routes that she likes right down by the river.

Which I don't mind at all. They're pretty scenic rides.



"tis but a scratch..."

Seriously, it was just a little scratch - it just looks really bad because I hadn't noticed it right away and it bled a bit - when The Girl spotted it she kind of freaked out. Took some time to convince her it looked a lot worse than it really was.

Hope the dizzies are gone for good and we can get out again tomorrow!