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Clyde’s maiden voyage. Sorry @RedRider3141 but it had been ordered for a couple of weeks already.

This seems like a good spot to plop down pictures of loaded bikes: Rigs of the 2021 Tour Divide Grand Depart = June 11

You know that hotdog doing the slow roll on the cooker at your local Sac n Pac? That’s what the chairlift at SM feels like in the summer. Have fun and congrats on the new career.

We have eager people including riders and trail runners at my work ready to use up our "giving time" hours. Once you set that up I'll post it in our Webex Team Space.

First priority needs to be to fix the drainage issues. We will definitely need help here. My plan is to map out and get fixes planned for problem areas and then setup an ARR workday. For awareness, workday won’t occur for probably a couple weeks. I’m heading out to MN early next week for a marathon and then to meet with my MN team members in Rochester after that.

This is where Walnut shines. No matter how hot it gets, I'm comfortable there. It's almost entirely shaded and doesn't need any power moves to further tax the heart rate in the heat. It makes it really great for early hot season acclimatization.

I should start waking up early and riding then. It was brutal yesterday at 5pm. At least one spot with dried deep ruts on 1/4 we'll have to fix. And @GreenMTBrider let us know when the next time for some scree work. There are several areas that have slight widening and loose rocks on the center path.

I have time to volunteer.

Rode Rim, DD, Picnic, and 1/4 Notch this morning. Despite the oppressive humidity, it actually wasn't that bad out there between 8:30-10. I consumed around 50oz of fluids and stopped once to cool off. Also have discovered great value in carrying a face towel in my pocket this time of year, since there's never a dry spot on my shirt to wipe my face / goggles. It's amazing to me how long it is taking for some of the muddy spots to dry up! We've had several days with little to no rain, but I guess given the amount of rain we had over a period of a couple of weeks, along with the clouds and humidity, it's just going to take more time.

Haven’t been on the bike since last summer. My Banshee is park-worthy and has AF, Vail, WP, 512 trips/trails under its belt. It’s currently getting fresh sealant and a brake bleed. Bike is no issue. I’m physically in better shape than I was 1, 2, or 10 years ago, but my ass hasn’t touched saddle in a while. I can handle a bike and I shred so hard that my nickname is Coleslaw. How does Spider compare to AF? In this heat, how trashed am I going to be after getting rad?

Come find out.

FWIW, I've read it and I've not ridden any of the features until I sign the waiver and throw some $ at FR512.

I think you've got the right plan. We typically try to get there early, but it's often 10 or 10:30 before we're on the lift. Sometimes people will ding Spider for how short the runs are, but in a way I think that's a plus - especially when it gets hot. The runs are just long enough to have a great time but not feel like you need to take a 30 minute break at the bottom. I'll be there Saturday too - hoping to get an earlier start and be on the lift by 9:30ish. I would say that I'll wear my TMW jersey, but I think if I tried to cram myself into that thing I'd pull a muscle and then probably couldn't breathe. Damn thing must have shrunk over the years...

YAY HOSS!!!! Nice to see his bike in there. Two things I noticed: 1. Lots of riders in their 50's and even 60's. Clearly there is an "experience factor" at play, but probably also those are people who can afford to be away for a few weeks. 2. Several singlespeeds. Interesting choice. Less maintenance, fewer things to go wrong. But, holy shit, that is tough.

the laps are so short i've never gotten worn out at Spider. But i've only ridden when its warmer and around 2pm, decide the hot seat up isn't worth another lap.

You're going to love it more than you expect And the Spitfire is good for it. Not ridden a bike in a while? Only the Green trail will tax you. You will not get saddle sores on the lift. How does it compare to AF? You know the first time you rode the chair up AF? And you think you're near the top? But then you notice that last final steep push up? This thing? That's more than 2× taller than Spider Mountain.

8:30am. It. Is. On.

They said it was "humid" here and I had to laugh. Made the right call to take the bikes into the city with us today. The the wife made the right call to stop and get a beer. Half Acre Beer's Daisy Cutter and Revolution Brewing Anti-Hero. Technically you can see a bit of the bikes over the railing, past the flowers.

Post-ride fallout after a humid early morning venture today.

Beyond good times in AZ

My bike is pretty sweet...too bad with all this rain I can never ride it again until at least August.

What is worse than being in Bentonville and only having an urban bike with you? Wife jacked her knee exercising and now instead of spending an extra day or two on the way home from Chicago we need to power through and drive home, so it's only a few hours at the hotel 😞