Finx: Okay sparky, keep your pants on! Funny, I feel like I had to say that a lot while sharing a tent with vudu, hmm.
I've added some more text, since Finx wasn't present for many of the miles we rode. He was there in spirit though, we cursed him often.
Notice that vudu's calves are the same size.
Left to right: vuduvgn, finx, Troy, Eddie, Adam. We are about to start our 7 hour drive to Roseburg, Oregon. We only started 2 hours late. We got to a camping spot just outside Roseburg about 3 am, got up at 8 and then rode the North Umpqua Trail.
Finx on a very nice section of the N. Umpqua Trail.
Finx telling vudu he's number one.
Note: This is Finx's fourth time on a bike in many, many months.
It was at this point that Finx barfed at the mere thought of this trail.
The rest of us, also including Debra and Amy, who had joined us that morning, rode the lower 16 miles of the N. Umpqua Trail. It was smart for Finx to avoid this section. Much love to him, but we doubt he would have survived it.
Debra descending a very nice piece of loamy and lush singletrack.
A very Tim Burtony moment.
Adam climbing up to Bob's Butte, I was pushing this long, switchback loaded section. Note to others: singlespeeds are not the ideal trail bike.
Sorry about the blurry pic. This is me on a log at the very end of the trail.
This is the start of one of the longest singletrack decents I've ever had the pleasure of riding.
You'll notice that Finx is in none of these group shots because he was busy gasping for air miles behind. Boy that was a fun day!
The group ended up ascending the 7000 feet and 22 +/- miles of fire road in about five hours.
Waiting to see if Finx is still alive. Then they got bored and left.
It's true. We did leave some arrows and notes in the road out of cedar bark though. We hoped the best for him.
Willammette valley beyond. Left to right: Jesse, Troy, vuduvgn, Adam, Amy, Eddie.
Down down down...
Singletrack heaven.
This was up on Saddle Blanket Mountain. This was an addition to the Alpine loop.
Adam leaving Sourgrass Mountain.
Debra descending the Alpine trail. It is rare that you wonder if the descent is going to end, then you ask yourself the same question in another 15 minutes, and again in another 15 minutes, and again...
Fun with anaphylactic shock! Okay, now notice how vudu's legs don't quite match.
Bees suck.
Finx and vudu's bikes are tree-huggers, like their owners.
Adam battles beer-breath.
Adam drank alot the previous night, it was his birthday. I knocked his beer over and failed to rinse out the dirt and rocks before I filled it back up. Adam is a forgiving fella.
All tuckered out after 100+ miles and several 1000 feet of climbing!
We are clean for the drive back. The day we left is the only day we showered :o
3 comments:
obvious you guys & gals had a lot of fun (; *missin oregon*
..however i'm still glad i chose dress shopping instead (don't know if i could have handled one truck + 5 smelly guys).
thx for sharing pics.
Hm. I don't recall Finx sharing the fact that he lagged so far behind so as to give the appearance of being on his own SEPARATE biking trip from the rest of the gang...Curious. Good thing he's photogenic. Also, so nice of you all to give him a ride up. (posted with love)
He had a much better attitude about it all than I would have had if I was in his place. We always started the ride together and drank beers together afterwards... I remember him saying that he did better than he thought, you gotta keep in mind, the rest of us that went up race, except Amy, who had just ridden her bike across the US of A. Finx's company was great and we all hope to make it happen again next year.
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