bikes+trails+beer = life

Man, it has been a long time!

2009-08-28T06:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I have far too many passwords in my head; however, I finally remembered this one and will try to get back to posting up soon!

Outlaw's Single Speed Punk Bike Enduro 2009!

2009-02-15T20:39:00.000-08:00

original photo by Bundokbiker

More pics and story to follow on Single Speed Outlaw's 2009 Single Speed Punk Bike Enduro!

Another great weekend!

2009-02-09T07:03:00.000-08:00

Garmin Data

We started the weekend off with a ride at the Frederick Watershed . . . less than five (5) miles in an hour and forty minutes! Brutal, but, fun nonetheless! We went out Buck Flat from Hamburg Road on the N/S . . . first bikes out on the trail that day, cutting through the Styrofoam! Then came up the Blue Trail (brutal) to where it intersects with Knuckle Buster, and again rode the virgin crust the long, long to where it drops out on Hamburg Road (which felt like a dream come true after longest short ride I have ever done)! Still, like I said, great fun!

Then it was off to do some chores before getting ready to head out to the MORE Winter Party! MORE on all this later!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

2009-01-24T07:15:00.000-08:00

Goin' to the Chapel of Love!

2009-01-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

We rode our bikes to the Frederick Courthouse on Friday, January 16, 2009 to get hitched!

Wedding Bells Booze Cruze!

2009-01-16T01:13:00.000-08:00

Just Married!

2009-01-16T00:20:00.000-08:00

The deed is Dunn; we are now officially, Mr. & Mrs. Dunn

Our Wedding Announcement!

2009-01-13T07:18:00.001-08:00

Holiday Fun!

2009-01-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

Booz'n 'n Cruz'n D.C. 2008

2008-12-27T07:53:00.000-08:00

We first stopped in Georgetown at Rhino's for a coupla Guinness & Blue Moons! Nice!

Havin' one for the road with Brie's brother Chris (left) at RFD's!

Okay, the real "one for the road" was a Guinness at Fado's Irish Pub next door . . . then it was on the road!

Drafts beers Brie had at RFD's:
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Ale (2)
Fuller's ESB Extra Special Bitter
Leffe Bruin Belgian Brown Ale
Magic Hat #9 Not Quite Pale Ale
Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale

Draft Beers Mic had at RFD's:
Dogfish Head Chicory Stout
Harpoon Leviathan Baltic Porter
Oskar Blues Dales Pale Ale (2)
Southern Tier Choklat Imp. Stout
Stone Ruination IPA

More pics and story later!

Christmas Day Ride 2008 Spoke Card!

2008-12-25T08:42:00.000-08:00

RideLugged X-Mass Party!

2008-12-13T09:59:00.000-08:00

Had a great time at James & Mel's house tonight! A few more Polaroids from the party can be found here: RideLugged X-Mas Party

Cold, cold, ride! Did I mention it was 32.7°F?

2008-12-06T21:39:00.000-08:00

Garmin 305 Data

Things got a little warmer the next day after setting up the tree and relaxing by the fire!

Post-Turkey Day Ride at Gambrill State Park

2008-11-29T08:33:00.000-08:00

Turkey Day Ride 2008

2008-11-27T10:22:00.000-08:00

Garmin 305 Data

Fredrick Booze Cruze!

2008-11-26T22:39:00.000-08:00

MORE Trail Work Day at Frederick Watershed

2008-11-25T07:53:00.000-08:00

A new addition to the family ― meet Kenda!

2008-11-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

Kenda was rescued from Hurricane Gustav in New Orleans when he, his mother, and his siblings were found underneath a house. The owners of the house got in touch with animal rescuers (woman on the right above) and they were all brought to Tara's Babies Animal Welfare (woman on the left above) in Poolsville, Maryland.

Kenda (previously known as Wolfie) was born on September 20, 2008 and is now eight (8) weeks old and already weighs fifteen (15) pounds. Look at those paws! This Labrador mix (not sure, maybe Rottweiler, Newfoundland, or Pit Bull in there) is gonna be a big boy! He is mostly black with a good bit of brindle on his legs, face, and elsewhere. All is good so far after meeting Deco, our Golden Retriever, and our two cats, Bono & Taylor.

Life is Good!

2008-11-19T16:06:00.000-08:00

Is this the most beautiful baby, or what? Yeah, life is good, Maura!

Mic's daughter, Emily, and granddaughter, Maura! Two sweethearts!

Where we have been and what we have been doing lately!

2008-11-17T07:02:00.001-08:00

Seems like forever since we posted anything, so here's just a little bit of what we have been up to! More to follow on picking names for a dog, people's wedding plans, and, of course, what brand of toilet paper, and how much of it, is best to buy after a forecast of impending snow flurries is broadcast , etc.

Ahh, the Karate Monkey!

2008-10-29T04:03:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Baby: Maura Elizabeth Smalley!

2008-10-09T05:42:00.000-07:00

More pictures and the story about our trip to Boston to see Mic's (Gee-Diddy's) beautiful grandaughter, Maura Elizabeth Smalley, coming soon!

Still learning how to get over stuff!

2008-10-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Did a quick loop on the White Trail at Schaeffer and then decided to hone up on my log hopping/riding and rock riding (Yellow Trail) skills. Brought along the camera for a little video fun as well, then off to Dogfish Head Alehouse for a couple of nice Punkin brews!

Taking the trail less traveled (lately): Schaeffer Farm―>Hoyles Mill―>Black Hill!

2008-09-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Ex2's Day of Endurance!

2008-09-22T06:37:00.001-07:00

It was no day at the beach . . . that's for certain; but, it was great fun!

Garmin 305 Data

Team TraveLynne Show (Lynne & Ken) finished 2nd with seven laps in the Duo Co-Ed class; team Surly & the Fox (Mic & Brie) finished 4th with seven laps in the same class.

Mic rode the last mile of his final lap on a flat front tire (check out thumb tack on top of front tire) to get to the transition tent in time for Brie to go out for the seventh lap (her fourth) . . .

. . . What a girl! She was probably secretly wishing I wouldn't get back in time! But, she is one tough woman and even had a smile on her face as she headed out again! It was a great first endurance race for us both! The beer, by the way, finished first! The Collard girls both rock'd it for a seventh lap that got us all on the podium! Girls rule!

Brie dismounting for the final time before heading into the transition tent; and, smiling to the end (or is that because I had a cold beer for her in my hand?)!

Click on EX2 Adventures pic above for results by class; or the EX2 logo below for overall results!

EX2's Day of Endurance, Rocky Gap State Park:Saturday, September 20, 2008!

2008-09-17T07:46:00.000-07:00

Class:
Co-Ed Duo
Race:
6 Hours of Mountain Biking (9am-3pm)
Team:
Surly & the Fox (Michael Dunn and Gabrielle Collard, Frederick MD)

Should be great fun! Campin' all weekend too! Our only other race was this year's Greenbrier Challenge, so we are breaking in slowly with a 6 hour race before we go for any 12's or 24's! Mic is also going to race single speed (rigid) for the first time.

Images above are all from the pre-ride last Sunday! Full post-race report when we return on Monday!

Ridin' @ Schaeffer til the cows come home?!

2008-09-16T05:40:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

What? Fifteen MORE minutes of fame? And the August Photo Contest Winner is . . .

2008-09-15T10:46:00.001-07:00

"Mic told us he was riding his 2003 Surly 29r SS (Rigid) on the Blue Trail at the Frederick City Watershed when he created this image. He explained, 'I set the camera on a log at the bottom of a rock drop-off and started the video . . . ran back and did the drop . . . then later edited the video pulling this out as a still frame.' "

Congratulations, Mic!

Thank you, MORE!

Big Weekend!

2008-09-14T18:17:00.000-07:00

What ended as a very hum-drum week turned out to be anything but. Friday, amongst the wind and rain was probably the best silver lining one could expect -- we were both most surprised and most excited to learn that the Dunn family would continue to grow (don't even go there....no one else is pregnant), Ms. Tara Murphy will be the newest edition to the family! The very very best wishes to the newly engaged couple - Tara and David. A September 2009 wedding will be planned! And just remember....A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

Saturday we had a lovely time with the happy couple at Gonzofest (Flying Dog Brewery). Good chili and lots of beer. The crowd was a bit overwhelming so we happily retired to back porch for the rest of the evening.

Sunday, we decided to check out the course at Rocky Gap. It was a gorgeous day to head up to the mountains. Although we are so used to seeing the hills of the Catoctin's, there is a noticeable difference when you head a bit further west-- the mountains are a bit bigger and my 4 cylinder car doesn't seem to be able to keep up that well-- it reminds me of riding the single speed a bit?! After tooling around for a couple of hours we determined that we covered every bit of the course for the upcoming weekend.

Garmin 305 Data

Garmin 305 Data

Where we are at the moment! Where we've been this weekend . . . later!

One gear, more beer!Yeah, I think she really likes it!

2008-09-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Brie r o c k s the shed: 1st x Single Speed!

2008-09-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

The whole story soon!

Solo Punk Bike Non-Enduro Ride @ Schaeffer― An' a bit more later at the Dogfish Head!

2008-09-08T16:57:00.000-07:00

The all-important pre-ride nutrition beverage ― a must for all serious riders! How else can one ever expect to get over such large obstacles as this one on the Orange Trail?

Garmin 305 Data

MORE on this ride and the brew(s) later!

Rainy Day Fun: Ride + Drink Lots of Beer!There's Got To Be A Morning [Ride?] After!

2008-09-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Morning After ride? Hmm, talk about a tough one . . . we (Brie, myself, and Lynne) met up with Angie & Scott at Sand Flats and did Salamander without one of us losing our overindulged innards from partying all day (and night, for Angie & Scott) on Saturday . . . quite the accomplishment, I must admit!

Obviously, there were no pictures taken on this ride! By the time it was all said and done we were all pretty okay and hung around for a coupla fizzy yellow post-ride refreshments to set our systems straight! Good fun!

Garmin 305 Data

Brie & I headed back home, unloaded all our gear and bikes, and enjoyed a nice backyard cookout and some really nice Road Dog Porter to finish out another great weekend!

Maryland State Law, Article 27, Section 6.9:Failure to Curb Equine on CWMA Property

2008-09-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

Suspect last seen WB on Hamburg Road!

Evidence last seen . . . well, it's probably in YOUR tires too!

Garmin 305 Data

Wow! Really nice rack! Ya think it can hold two bikes? Nah, probably not! Oh, well, if I weren't already VERY happily married . . . I'd REALLY like to meet the previous owner of this OTSBH!

Schaeffer Farm / Seneca Creek After-Work Ride & DFH Alehouse!

2008-09-04T08:51:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Another after-work solo ride at Schaeffer Farm this afternoon, and, a quick spin (6+ miles) on the road with Lynne, Karen and Jody at Seneca Creek State Park before heading into the woods for a loop on the Lake Shore Trail (3.7 miles) with Jody (first time on a trail) and Lynne. Then. it was over to the Dogfish Head Alehouse for a couple of brews with my woman-in-law, Lynne!

Well behaved women rarely make history . . .

. . . women misbehavin'

Garmin 305 Data

Jody heads into the woods with Lynne in front and Mic on the sweep; will she make out in one piece?

Ah, victory, and only a few scratches; not bad for the first-time trail blazer!

No, I didn't just see a ghost, but my legs do feel a bit shaky!

Up the Lawnmower Trail, again, Brie? Arrgh!

2008-09-03T06:16:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

Solo Ride at Schaeffer Farm!

2008-09-02T17:06:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

Another 15 Minutes of Fame?

2008-09-02T07:40:00.000-07:00

Got an email from Jennifer Steketee, president of Harlot Clothing Company, today:

Hi Michael-
That’s a great shot! We are just starting to lay out our 09 catalog and are looking for all sorts of pictures to fill out the pages. Do you have a high res version of this picture that you would be willing to let us use? No guarantees it would get in the catalog but it would be nice to have the option. We could list you as the rider (or not if you like to live under the veil of anonymity).

Cheers,
Jennifer

Mission accomplished! Another 15 minutes of fame for Mic courtesy of Harlot Clothing Company! Really, though, we do love their stuff!

Labor Day Ride! Gambrill State Park Yellow Trail! Too busy ridin' to take pics today!

2008-09-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Brie's bike on the left, and her mom's new 2008 Trek Fuel EX 7 on the right, along with all the laundry from ridin' all weekend!

Gamin 305 Data

Mic's bike all set to head out for a day's ride at Gambrill! Hmm, methinks I need a new crankset and a headbadge (Maybe a Mr. Whirly Single-speed crank and a Jennifer Green Sterling Silver Custom Surly Headbadge, Brie) !

And, finally, we had a welcome visitor this weekend who decided to "stick around" for the Labor Day after-ride refreshments and snacks!

Feelin' the burn!

2008-08-31T10:24:00.000-07:00

^{Music: Revenge by Plain White Ts}

Okay, so I don't LOOK like I am havin' fun . . . but, I really am! I always falter on this climb with my single speed and for once I make it clean and have Brie (and a video; see above) to prove it! Ya gotta love this S#@t!

Gamin 305 Data

Hey, how'z come we have to go up the Lawnmower Trail again, Brie? Huh?

2008-08-30T10:13:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

I am the Keymaster. Are you the Gatekeeper? Or, Sigourney Weaver lookalike contest winner? You decide!

Nah, methinks it was just this new brew I tried that made me see paranormal images!

Wednesday Rides at the Shed: The WRatS Pack gets a quickie in!

2008-08-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

Quick after-work ride today with Brie's mom who just picked up her new 2008 Trek Fuel EX 7 bike while her 2006 Specialized Stumpjumper Pro is being overhauled at Mt. Airy Bicycles! We got back to the cars just as the rain started to lightly fall so the timing was perfect, as was the ride.

So, I am thinking I will not replace my Trek Fuel EX8, once it finally gets bought, and will just stick with my two single speed bikes; I am probably insane, but, I am allowed to be eccentric at my age, right? That which does not kill us makes us stronger. We shall see!

Gamin 305 Data

Who's Your Mama?!

2008-08-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

The weekend was totally eventful....where to start....

Friday: Lovely sunset (which is coming all too early these days) ride from Hamburg Road which commenced with a black bear citing. Right there at the intersection of Hamburg and Fishing Creek Road what first appeared to be a funny looking black dog scampering across the road turned out to be a black bear. I know that it was way more scared of us then we were of it, but it was quite a privilege to catch a glimpse of such an amazing animal (the picture below is not ours, but, the bear was about this guy's size and looked just like him)!

Gamin 305 Data

Saturday: Double trouble. We went on two great rides. The first from Hamburg, down the yellow and back and then the second, right from the campsite up the red to the yellow, black, yellow, and back the yellow to the green straight to the campsite. We slept very very well that night.

Gamin 305 Data

Sunday: "Who's your mama?" We decided that we'd head down the blue but decided to take a pit stop at the Enchanted Forest where Mom drew quite the crowd! Ten men screaming/encouraging her up the hill was just what she needed. It worked! Then down Little Canaan up towards the "moonshiners cabin" and back up Buck Flats where a very, very cold beer awaited us.

Gamin 305 Data

The best news of all for Sunday was that the new and improved Smalley family returned back to their Waltham home where they will begin the most wonderful of all "rides" in life.

Slainte!

Mazaltoff!

Rattlesnakes at Salamander Rock!

2008-08-24T09:41:00.000-07:00

^{Photos: Dr. Don Newlin & Dr. Scot Magnotta, Montgomery College, Germantown, Maryland}

Two of my colleagues at the college where I work took a hike on Sunday, August 24, 2008 to "look for" rattlesnakes! Hey, they are "science" guys, what can I say! Anywho, they spotted two females, quite pregnant & feisty, they noted, at around 9:02 AM near Salamander Rock. The also found a "Black Rat" (see picture of them holding it) on their hike.

They noted that there will soon be quite a few rattlers out in the Watershed as the mothers all deliver and large groups of snakes return to the area of their dens. The females apparently like to lay out in the sun a good bit as soon as the sun begins to hit the rocks. So, keep your eyes open out there . . . our group alone has come across four rattlers in the last couple months of riding at the shed!

Read all about Venomous Snakes in Maryland (Eugene Deems and Duane Pursley) by clicking the DNR link below!

It's official! Mic is now ― G. Diddy! Grandaughter, Maura Elizabeth, arrived today!

2008-08-21T13:35:00.000-07:00

Mic had to write it all down on his hand while driving back from a meeting!

Gas?

The bare facts:
Maura Elizabeth Smalley
4lbs./15oz.
18"
Born at 1:35 PM on Thursday, August 21, 2008 to Jason & Emily (Mic's daughter) Smalley

Sunday, August 24, 2008, my Grandaughter is home with Mom & Dad! I couldn't be happier, or prouder! Ever!

Maura Elizabeth Smalley!

2008-08-21T13:34:00.000-07:00

Is this stuff fun, or what? Video montage ― Ridin' the shed!

2008-08-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I'm not the Flying Dog ― fine ! Then how about a bike and some beer for me, guys?

2008-08-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

Monday's ride was lots of fun! Yep, Monday! Brie and I both took off from work and camped an extra day! We also hit the "shed" for a nice ride that included finding some new stuff in the Enchanted Forest, as well as ridin' Little Canaan and taking a bunch of pics and videos (more on all this later)!

Gamin 305 Data

Ahh, Sunday's ride! Nobody got lost and the only thing I didn't like was "climbing" the Lawnmower Trail! Why do I continue to ride with Mountain Goats?

Gamin 305 Data

Saturday's "Where did everybody go?" ride! First there were six of us, then there were three, then there was just me . . . hmm, how did THAT happen?

Friday's ride was a quick one (well, the tortoise crossing the trail might have been quicker than me) since we had to set up camp before nightfall . . . Brie and I hit the "shed" and rode out of Hamburg Road (we were the only ones there) on the south side, did the Lawnmower Trail, then came back by way of the upper VW (Rusted Bug) Trail until . . .

. . . oops, I missed the mark going over some rock pile and did some ligament damage to my left pinkie as well as slammin' my right knee into a rock on the ground (nice hematoma, yep)! Needless to say, all the subsequent rides over the weekend were a wee bit painful . . . but, still a lot of fun! And, the beer helped ease the pain tremendously, of course!

Lost & Found on Hamburg Road? One (1) size 40 D Maidenform Bra!

Oh, yeah ― Fredrock! Chili, Beer & Music ! All a mere 4.2 mile bike ride from home!

2008-08-18T10:53:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I rode here again! All to myself, too!

2008-08-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

The whole story tomorrow!

What a great weekend! Details later on the 11:00 News!

2008-08-11T06:06:00.000-07:00

Gamin 305 Data

Quick after work ride at the shed!

2008-08-06T04:49:00.000-07:00

Brie and I headed up to the "shed" for a quick after work ride tonight before heading home for some tasty Greek pizza from Athens Restaurant and a few cold beers on the back porch! Always good! I couldn't take the KM 29'er out (very disappointing) because one of the brake pads up front fell off before the ride and I could not find it!

So, it was back on the Creaky Monkey (my 26" ss conversion)for tonights ride. It was quite a difference to go from 29" wheels and 32x20 gearing to 26" and 32x18 again! However, it was still a great ride and I conquered a bunch of large rocks I had never been over before on a rigid single speed!

Gamin 305 Data

Ooh, Punish the Monkey . . . ―Mark Knopfler

2008-08-05T23:59:00.000-07:00

Mic ridin' the blue trail at the Frederick Watershed on the bike he just bought from DaveG! It's a 2003 'Campstove Green’ Surly Karate Monkey SS 29'er ! "Who needs suspension," he says ― "this rig can really roll"!

^{Music: "Burrito" by Seether}

Another Monkey in the House: Trek goes Ape!

2008-08-05T09:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official, the check is in the mail, and there's another monkey in the house! After getting the 2003 'Campstove Green' Surly Karate Monkey SS 29'er last Thursday and test riding it at Seneca Creek State Park, the Frederick Watershed (two days), and Gambrill State Park Mic decided to lay down the change for a birthday present to himself!

The Creaky Monkey (pictured above), Mic's 26" SS conversion, took the news okay and they both primates have had a few days together in the same room to get acquainted. However, the 2008 FS Trek Fuel EX 8 is not so pleased about any of it and continues to rebel by getting pinch flats, snapping chain links, and jumping from gear-to-gear (even after being constantly adjusted)! This hardcore protesting is obviously due to Mic's almost exclusive move to singlespeeding, no doubt!

Oh, well! It was bound to happen sooner or later! Anywho, the KM 29'er now has a 32x20 Surly gearing (rear cog) setup as opposed to the 32x18 Chris King setup it came with and I already went to a new WTB Devo Thinline saddle, and OURY Lock-On grips. The Titec H-Bar that was sitting around the house would not fit (too small in diameter) the larger BBB stem that came with the bike so I replaced the stem with a new Thompson "Elite" Mountain Stem, as well as a Chris King NoThreadSet™. Also changed the tires to Panaracer Rampage 29er/2.35's, as well as added a new set of Shimano PD M-520 SPD pedals (Black), and a new Race Face bash ring! I am waiting on the shipment of a new 32t Surly Stainless Steel chainring to replace the existing aluminum one.

Hope the weather holds out a while longer today so a ride will be possible! (It did, great ride ― more on this later!)

Ride on (and on, and on, and on, and . . . )!

2008-08-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

Wow, I never bother to look at the "Totals" screen on my Garmin 305; however, today I looked and discovered that since December 25, 2007 (the Edge 305 was a Christmas present from Brie) up to and including this past weekend we have pedaled:

647.0 Miles (Mostly in the Fredeick Watershed)
127:26 Hours (Not enough hours in the day, I say!)
71,943 Calories (Allowing for huge amounts of energy replenishment with some of the world's finest barley and hops!)

Okay! So what? Greg Kolodziejzyk travelled 647 miles in 24 hours under his own power and set the Guinness World Record, you say! True enough, you are right, but it wasn't on a mountain bike, and it wasn't someplace like the "shed" ― methinks Greg is a just a wee bit of an overachiever!

^{The greatest distance on a human powered vehicle in 24 hours is 1041.24 km (647 m) and was achieved by Greg Kolodziejzyk (Canada) at Redwood Acres Raceway in Eureka, Alberta, Canada, on 20 July 2006}

Happy Birthday to Me!!

2008-08-03T20:02:00.000-07:00

The first test ride on the Karate Monkey from Hamburg on Friday afternoon was convincing enough! A smooth ride down the blue to the Volkswagen to Lawnmower and back was all it took to make Mic realize that a 29er was the way to go. The rest of the weekend was spent trying the Surly out on numerous trails including the Yellow trail from Gambrill and up and down Delauter Road.

Saturday, after running the "Deco Shuttle" we headed out on the Yellow trail towards Hamburg. Although it started out cloudy, the sun shined through and made way for a lovely and challenging ride. On the way back to camp we decided to check in on the runners finishing up the Catoctin Race -- what a feat! Amazing to see!! It really takes a lot of dedication to accomplish something like that. Although slightly overcome by the awe-inspiring feeling of witnessing such dedication, I was very happy to return to my simple life of chowing down on veggie dogs and Miller Lite. If my knees ever feel perfect I'll try to run a mile out there! Kudos to you runners!

After seeking shelter from the storms on Saturday evening at Brewer's we returned to the campsite where we were....

more on this later!

Brie & Mic decide to go their seperate ways!

2008-07-31T20:27:00.000-07:00

^{Music: "Alter Bridge" by Metalingus}

Mic went to Seneca Creek State Park after work to try out the 2003 Surly Karate Monkey 29er that DaveG has for sale and had a great time playin' around on a couple of the trails! Brie elected to head up to the "shed" after workin' a hard day for the City and had a great ride as well!

Chris King 18t rear cog (32t chain ring up front).

Had a coupla' of short draughts after ridin' the Long Draught Trail!

Gamin 305 Data

Brie's ride at the "shed" (based on prior rides there; I had the Garmin, and the camera as well)!

Tangled up in Blue!

2008-07-30T18:57:00.000-07:00

Ridin' along a trail holding a camera in one hand and the handlebars with the other is probably not the safest thing to do, right? Oh, well, it all ended up okay!!

^{Music: "Gasoline" by Seether}

Gamin 305 Data

Brie, tell me the truth . . . do these shoes make my legs look fat?

^{Music: "Headed For A Fall" by Firefall}

Hmm, another good reason to ride single speed?

MTB 101: The Trails and Tribulations of Mountainbiking!

2008-07-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

^{Music: "Wild Wild Young Men" by Ruth Brown}

Gamin 305 Data

^{Music: "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby" by Bobby Darin}

Ice, Ice, Baby! And ― a rattlesnake too!

2008-07-26T19:27:00.000-07:00

Garmin 305 Data

Had a great weekend, as always, ridin' and campin"! More on this later!

Alive @ Five ― Part III: The almost Final Return of the Tipsy Singlespeed Ryders!

2008-07-24T17:18:00.001-07:00

Gettin' the bikes ready to head down to see Willie Strings & the Players (Pop, Rock and Reggae) at Alive @ Five along Carroll Creek! Had to put on the bigger Kenda Nevegal Stick-E 2.50 front tire (27 psi) to get it ready for ridin' at the "shed" and Gambrill this weekend . . . I need all the shock absorption I can get (2.35 is as wide as I can go with the rear)!

Beer makes us happy?

Hmm, I think I know this guy from somewhere; could it be . . . nah, he would be drinkin' a little somethin' from the keg if he was that guy! Cool bike though! I'll bet his picture looks something like this photo taken by another guy this guy looks just like! Confused by all this? I'm not!

the_kegs’ photostream

The Greene Turtle!

And back home again!

More about all this later!

FRNX solo cruze ― find some bykes & brewz?

2008-07-23T18:07:00.000-07:00

This is a demo saddle from Tom at The Bicycle Escape so I decided to bring it into the bar rather than risk having it lifted and me owing about a buck 30! Love the saddle, by the way; but, I love my Guinness more!

Brie had to work late so I decided to take a little "photo" ride of the downtown area in search of locations with bikes standing about (also a much needed stop for a pint or two from Raf at Bushwaller's -- always the "perfect pour")! I ran into Joe (riderx) along 8th Street on my quest for more photos and we talked for a couple minutes about the Schwinn I just got from my neighbor . . . then it was on to Firestone's to see Jason for a pint before headin' home. Tomorrow, Brie & I will ride down to Alive @ Five along Carroll Creek for some music and brew! Good stuff, and it's almost F-ride-day!

Bushwaller's: Raf & the Perfect Pour!

2008-07-23T08:23:00.000-07:00

Pouring a Guinness on tap is an art form in and of itself. We've all seen Guinness served in bars and if you've seen someone who actually knows how to pour Guinness correctly out of a tap (like Raf at Bushwaller's), it's a thing of beauty. Because the beer is run through a cooler to chill it to the required temperature, the nitrogen bubbles become agitated and as it pours it creates the creamy goodness that makes Guinness so famous. So pouring the "perfect pint" is a multi-step process that involves topping off the initial pour after it has settled for some time. Guinness says it takes 119.53 seconds to pour the perfect pint.

Really, Brie, I wasn't tilted . . . it's just the video that had too much to drink!

^{Music: "When New York Was Irish" by Celtic Thunder}

Ha, ya gotta love this one!

2008-07-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

Lifted from Charlie the Bikemonger!

Trials and Tribulations?

2008-07-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

Okay.... in the grand scheme of things, an absolutely wonderful weekend, however, it was not without its "trails", oh excuse, me I meant "trials and tribulations." Friday started out wonderfully, many extra hours from work earlier in the week allowed me (Brie) to duck out early and get a head-start on camping, and throw in a nice little ride from our Gambrill "site" out the Red to the Yellow and back on the Red to good ol' #31!

Saturday we planned to meet up with Shawn and Ken-Knee at Sand Flats where by chance we got to say hello to Julie and Co. before heading out on what proved to be a great ride down Salamander, up Super Sweet, back to Blue, up Blue, and finally back to our departure point at the Sand Flats parking lot.

We headed back to #31 (the campsite ["site"] of course) and relaxed for much of the remainder of the day. Saturday night, we spent hanging at the "site" with Phil and my new boyfriend Charlie -- little does he know, I prefer much older men-- :) We played Uno, "DOTs", and sprinted down the drag strip. Much to my dismay, he kicked my butt each and every time!! Mic enjoyed numerous fancy ("fan cee"-- beer besides Miller Lite) beers and we drifted off to sleep under the stars with our bellies full of fake chicken strips, spinach nuggets, cheese quesadillas, and marshmallows!

Sunday, bloody Sunday (no it wasn't really that bad!) we took our time getting ready to go for a ride. First stop, dropping Deco off at base camp (the house) and then up to Hamburg. We got outfitted for the ride-- CamelBaks, shoes, glasses and all-- and then realized that unfortunately the keys to the lock on my bike were nowhere to be found....mad dash to the site, nope, not there, down Rt 40 to the house to find the keys hidden under crap on the dinning room table. Back up Hamburg (about 11 miles from the house). Ahh...time to ride. Unfortunately "the foot" (the infected, sabacious growth on Mic's foot) was acting up. In some of our better judgment we decided that it was probably time to call it quits-- it didn't seem like it was meant to be.

Needless to say, the MORE picnic at Patapsco was off limits-- who knows what could have happened there. We played it safe, caught a catnap in the park, packed up and hit Brewer's for a beer before heading home.

Like, I said, in the grand scheme of things, it couldn't get any better...after all, we did get to ride.

Lynne's new 36x18 singlespeed conversion!

2008-07-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Sport & Health group ride at Seneca Creek !

2008-07-18T06:16:00.001-07:00

Lynne (Brie's Mom) is establishing an "every other Thursday ride" for a group from the Sport & Health Club in Gaithersburg! Brie & I headed on down from Frederick to be a part of the first ride and had a great time ― really nice people, those guys! Man, talk about a post-ride picnic ― check it out below!

Anywho, Mic was the only one who went out on the trail; the rest of the group did about a 10 mile road ride (which Mic joined after doing the Lake Shore Trail Loop)! Then it was off to the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg for some (additional) post-ride brews and some pizza! More on all of this later! Time to get ready to head out to Gambrill for campin' and ridin' at the "shed."

Brie rode her Barracuda A²B, 34x18 singlespeed (the red & white bike), Mic rode the Creaky Monkey, his 32x18 singlespeed, and, finally, Mic finished Lynne's 36x18 singlespeed (the black & yellow Specialized Hard Rock rises from the ashes)!

The Creaky Monkey gets an H-Bar & WTB saddle!

2008-07-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

Titec's H-bar was licensed from Jeff Jones. Implemented in 6061 aluminum instead of Jones' original titanium design, these come in at 1/3rd the cost but still deliver the multiple hand positions of the original design.

Devo SLT Saddle from WTB utilizes a firm and supportive nylon shell for pedaling efficiency, the saddle is broad and comfortable for its size, allowing core cyclists of all sizes to benefit. The nose and rear have a smooth yet abrupt radius for maneuverability and the rear comfort zones alleviate ischial pressure and better disperse rider weight.

* Allows multiple body and hand positions, helping to eliminate numbness and fatigue
* 390 grams
* 670mm wide
* 37mm rise

* 196 grams
* Titanium rails
* Leather cover

I got the H-Bar from Tom at The Bicycle Escape, as well as the WTB Demo Saddle! Now, I just need to go ride and test them both out!

^{Photo: Bottom of the Rusted Bug/Volkswagen Trail (Late December 2007)}

The Creaky Monkey before the transition to a single speed! It was originally called the K-Matt Special after a bike mechanic friend who told me he could build me a sweet bike for less than $600! Well, he did, and I put many hard-ridin' (falling/endo-ing/crashing, etc.) miles (not to mention major dings ― me and the bike) in learnin' how to ride (not that I really have yet, but I am workin' on it)! Anywho, now all I really want to do is ride the Creaky Monkey. My how things can change in less than a year! The best part is ― it's still the same bike I learned to ride on . . . it just has a different life now!

Mic tinkering with yet another SS conversion ― this one for Brie's Mom!

2008-07-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

Tools required: Beer! Oh, yeah, a couple of other funny shaped metal things with blue handles!

Balto Heroic Golden Lager
This smooth golden Lager has a sweet caramel-like flavor with a delicate, toasty malt aroma.

Also required: A geared bike from a former life to tear apart and reassemble!

Hmm, Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall . . .

And, finally, a look that says: I have no freakin' idea what the hell I am doing, and it's one o'clock in the morning! Hey, Brie, is there any beer left in the fridge?

Ridin’ the bike³ ― so, what else is new?

2008-07-12T06:14:00.000-07:00

Our dog, Deco, chillin' out at the campsite after one of our rides!

Little does Mic realize but he is getting his bike ready to hit "Angie's Trail" at an undisclosed location just north of Frederick City! The problem is, of course, he will have to climb it, as opposed to screaming down the face of it as he has been waiting to do!

Brie picked up a hitchhiker somewhere on one of our rides! Big sucker!

Two old Nalgene bottles get a second life as solar powered lights!

Yes, chef! Right away chef! That Brit dudes got nothin' on on aul' surly chef Mic! The Japanese guy below, however, can do more fun things on his grill than Mic can on his Coleman!

Celebrating Danielle's (Brie's sister) birthday on Saturday night at the Miyako Japanese Steak House on the Golden Mile! Good stuff!

The Miller Lite belongs to Dani (she really is a beer aficionado) and not the wee one in her lap!

A hard day ridin' and celebratin' makes Lynne a tired girl! Oops! Spilled another beer!

Yes, Sean, this is the site you were lookin' for!

Friday evening short ride from our campsite at Gambrill State Park !

Saturday's ride down the Yellow to Clifford Hollow and then up Angie's Trail!

Sunday's ride at the "shed" was a short one as Mic's infected foot blister, sore right knee, and a nasty haematoma on his right elbow all began to catch up with him (and, the GPS was left on for the whole afternoon so it's hard to pinpoint a nice new [to us] section we rode)! A few beers at Brewer's Alley in town helped to ease some of the pain, according to Mic!

Ridin' the Creaky Monkey at Gambrill State Park!

2008-07-11T08:32:00.000-07:00

Alive @ Five ― Part II: Return of the Tipsy Singlespeed Ryders!

2008-07-10T07:32:00.000-07:00

July 10, 2008

Mary Ann Redmond

Soulful Jazz and R&B

Downtown Frederick Partnership presents Alive @ Five, a happy hour event in Downtown Frederick. Join your friends and neighbors at a music-filled celebration on the second and fourth Thursday of May through September. Beer, wine, food and great live music all are featured. Along the banks of Carroll Creek, 5-8PM.

Brie and I will be rydin' down to the Creek on our bikes tonight to check out Mary Ann Redmond and Alive @ Five! Hopefully, this time will not be as stressful for my girl who prefers rydin' on mountains to rydin' on Market Street!

Dogs love beer too!

Hope to see some friends there . . .

and maybe catch a repeat of some of the "groovin" people from last month!

It should be a beautiful night for chillin' out along the Creek with a couple (?) of brews!

See ya all there!

Okay! Totally great time! Redmond was soooo much fun! Great time tonight; sorry I didn't see anbody else ridin' there and hangin' out! Oh, well! Fair enough! It was an absolutely gorgeous nite! Sláinte!

Sunday, Muddy Sunday!

2008-07-06T05:02:00.000-07:00

Just how muddy was it at the "shed" on Sunday, you may be asking yourself . . . well, very! More on the whole weekend+ of marathon ridin' and campin' soon!

Ahh, are those sexy legs, or what? Click on the image above to find Brie's (in)famous legs (15 minutes of fame?) on the Harlot website!

It's our short ride, or: the eight, as we call it! Out the south side of Hamburg on the Blue to the Rusted Bug/Volkswagen Trail to Hamburg Road to the Blue on the north side and back on Buck Flat - less than an hour, but still gettin' some riding in when the time (or weather) limits us!

We're where, Brie? What's a Clifford Hollow?

2008-07-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

What goes down, unfortunately for Mic, must go up in equal proportion today! Thanks, Brie, I love you too!

More on this as well!

After the ride Mic cleaned & got the bikes lubed and ready for the next day's ride . . .

then rewarded himself with some Black Butte from "CJ" a fellow-biker from Frederick in the next campsite over . . .

ahh, that's some good beer my friend! Thanks again!

Time to chill out for a bit before heading to the tent! Life IS good!

Ridin' between raindrops! Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T07:56:00.000-07:00

Details at eleven!

What goes down . . .

. . . must go up!

What's the 4th of July without an almost three hour ride, fireworks (and a number of beers), eh?

Campin' & Ridin' at Gambrill State Park!

2008-07-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

Out on the Red Trail by our campsite at Gambrill State Park for our Thursday evening ride!

Lynne comin' down the rocks at Gambrill!

Back home again at our Gambrill campsite next to the bottom of the Red Trail!

Mic's singlespeed also doubles as the bathroom shuttle bike while camping! Or, as the run is also called: 12 Minutes of Creaky Monkey!

Change of pace ride ― Greenbrier!

2008-07-02T05:40:00.000-07:00

We ride so much up at the "shed" that Brie decided a little break from the usual might be nice. So, we headed a little further up the road to Greenbrier State Park for change. We entered the park via Greenbrier Road and basically did the Greenbrier Challenge race course that we had done in April. I brought the Creaky Monkey ― my 32x18, rigid single speed ― Brie brought her Giant Trance.

Man, talk about "rockin" my world! I have an enormous amount of respect for those that race this venue on a single speed bike ― this was the REAL Greenbrier Challenge for me! It's not like it was a ever a piece-of-cake any way, even with my full-suspension bike!

Another really fun ride before heading home to the city to kick back on the porch and enjoy a couple of cold brews!

Playin' on the SS at the "shed"! And ― brews!

2008-07-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

Anniversary ride tonight at the "shed" with my girl! Today marks one year since our first mountain bike ride! It seems like ages ago that we took that first ride at Black Hill/Schaeffer Farm (1 Jul 07)! Over the past year we have logged 150 rides to date; not too bad for a couple of newbies, eh? Anywho, there is no stopping us now ― we are sooo hooked!

In celebration of our "riding" anniversary, there were three new brews to taste tonight!

Forget it, give me a good pour of Guinness any day; this one was way too sweet for me!

Whoa! Tire pressure at 30 psi is a "wee" bit too much for this rigid fork, methinks! Ouch!

Man, this BaltoMärzHon is some really, really good drinkin' beer! I will be buyin' this stuff on a regular basis! I highly (hmm, maybe a bad choice of words) recommend this one!

Okay, yeah, if the Budda is smilin' it must be a winner! However, the surlY auL' s1nGle spEed rYdeR is too hooked on the BaltoMärzHon tonight to really give it the usual taste test!

Brie climbing up the "Rusted Bug" or "Volkswagen" Trail! Me, I'm the one panting and out of breath (turn down your computer's volume)! Maybe I should run this thing at 32:20! Whew, exploding lungs tonight!

Testing out our new camera/video at the "shed"!

2008-07-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Rollin' over some logs at the shed!

2008-07-01T10:14:00.000-07:00