Riding the roads and Platte River State Park

I remembered this for the road ride this last weekend and on the Bianchi this stuff was awesome! For the first time I took my iPod with me...Static X can be dangerous to listen to on some of those descents! Top gear and 100+ rpm's tryin to push harder in a racing crouch....I probably pushed my legs a little harder than I should've on a training ride like this, but it was so fun! Stumbled upon the old Sunset Speedway that is only a few miles from my apartment. Always get that nostalgic feeling seeing something like this.



The mountain biking this weekend was a great (but somewhat painfull) surprise! I went to Platte River State Park. This course reminded me a lot of the Mont Du Lac course up by Duluth, MN. Some nice technical sections, leg burning climbs, the trees and the general atmosphere was so much like it. It had some steep descents but they were shorter - funstuff thought.

The Ride: The plan was to ride for 4 hours...that turned into about 3hrs 32 mins. Average bpm of 147...and thats with the last 30 minutes 'idling' around the area checking things out and cooling down. This park definitely has some of the steepest (and sandiest) climbs I've been on in the midwest...man that sand really zaps you! I pushed WAY too hard in the first 2 hours. I could feel my muscle turning and twisting into a giant mess that I knew I was going to pay for the next day...or two.

Climbing to the top of this service road (aka. more like xc ski size) to reach the singletrack was a bear. Middle ring all the way but it was sandy...like racing at Buck Hill...but having climb up it in sand. This is where I think the 29er excels - with the longer contact patch the bike doesn't want to plant itself as easily. Also, getting to this point there is a steep and technical descent/drop from the parking lot. There is a road that winds its way around to get back to the top...but...thats boring. Also 4 times...I decided to climb back up it. This required the lowest gear I had, leaning back in the saddle and making ultra smooth pedal strokes...and ignoring the raging fires burning inside the quads and hammy's.





No bike issues...no injuries...it was a great weekend!