Bigger isn't always better

Oops, this one took me a long time to get around to. Elaine had to be at work for 11 so she wanted to be back by 10:30, just a little ride.
To start the day Jer and I left a little late and we met them when we were riding the Slade Connector. I rode the bump on Jessie's...or is it Watertower...at any rate I rode it!!!!!!!!
I had to turn around and just about died, riding what I had just ridden. The worst part was, I almost stopped to wait for them at the top, but I decided I'd have time to rest a bit first.
We took Washing Machine up to Northwind, then Northwind to Cold Deck up to Cliff. Up was a little tricky because my granny gear is skipping really bad. Judith took a look at it for me twice, but she wasn't able to completely fix it on the trail.
We stopped on Cliff for awhile in the sun and chatted about this and that. There was actually chocolate this time...but I didn't have any. It was just the point that I was promised chocolate to ride and I rode, but there was no chocolate.
On the way down we took Mr. Toad's Ride to Tadpole then Test Tube. There's a corner hidden by salal; Elaine warned me about it my first ride, but not this time and I forgot. The corner caught me by surprise and I didn't quite turn tight enough, my tire hit a tree/tree root and I fell. Not hard, just went down on one knee more than anything: a scratch and some dirt, not even a bruise.
From Test Tube we took Chris and Brad's to No Horses. I walked the really, really steep hill on Chris and Brad's. The combination of the corner, the narrowness, the steepness, and the gravel are a bit too much for me still. Elaine said that she had to be talked down it a number of times before she could do it.
On No Horses I rode two of the four crosses of the creek bed...well I rode over the creek, but I didn't ride down the slope on the other side for one, but the other I did. I rode so much more than I did before. I was so proud. Elaine said some ride soon we'd spend a day on Chris and Brad's and No Horses teaching me how to do it properly. That would be so much fun.
Good ride, not epic, but good.
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Twice in a Row!

I managed to make it two weeks in a row. It was tough to get going this morning. Jer drove me up to the top of Slade, which was super nice. Thanx Jer. Only Amanda and Judith showed up. Unfortunately I had to work at noon today, so we had to have a shorter ride than last week. The three of us decided to go up to the bench and then down the Way. We decided to go to the right on Colt's Foot at the top of Slade and take Washing Machine to skip the steep part on Northwind. I managed to ride most of Washing Machine up. I think it's easier than Colt's Foot, not easy, but easier. I rode up so much better than before. It was like a hundred times easier AND I rode it all! On Monday I even rode up the steep part of Northwind.

After a rest at the top we headed down, well I thought we were heading down, but first we had to go up Far Side. Then we hit Purgatory, the first trail on the Way. There were, I think, three trees down on Purgatory that we had to lift over. The trail was also pretty messy. I had a hard time with it. There were a couple of pretty steep bits, plus some drops over roots. I rode most of it though. Once the Way crosses Northwind it turns from Purgatory into Bitchin' Camero. The beginning was far too steep for me, but I rode about three quarters I think. We all walked most of Spasm Chasm. It was slick and apparently a lot of it was washed out. There was a big mess, of about four or five trees. Luckily they had fallen over a old downed log. We walked up the log and passed our bikes down. There were a few other trees down, but nothing horrendous. And then we were back on Colt's Foot, below the rocky, hard section. Again, I could ride most of it. Then it was smooth sailing out. We got to the shop about 11:15, plenty of time for me to cool off and change before work.

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To the tiptop of Mt. Crumpet

Well, Mt. Jeffery anyway. I put my rock on the top of the pile! I had no idea that was up there, I'm so stoked! I rode to the top of Slade from Water tower and Jessi's with Jer this morning for the ride. Liz, then Judith, then Amanda showed up. Amanda picked the route. We rode Colt's Foot to Northwind, then split to Four Dead Aliens.
Four Dead was tough! Not as technical as Jer led me to believe, but definitely steep. I had to walk some of the steeper bits. We cut a tree! It was about 6 inches in diameter. We used Judith's chain in teams. Judith and Amanda and then Liz and I. Liz wanted a pen so we could sign the end. Unfortunately nobody had one, next one.
After Four Dead we rode to Cliff and sat in the sun for a little while. I rode and walked Cliff and Outer Ridge. The edge made me a little nervous. After I walked down a steep section Liz rode behind me and I didn't walk any more. We took GFT to Summit. Summit was so much fun. I rode it all and only got scared like once or twice. From Summit we took Jessi's to Colt's Foot then out to Slade.
After the ride Liz rode home, Amanda drove to the Co-op, and Judith and I rode to the Co-op. We sat at Lix having coffee for a while, well I had a milk shake.
Liz got a picture of me beside the rock pile that I'll post when she emails it to me. I was so proud. All in all, a good ride, and just the start of my riding for the day.
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Sheepish

I wish I had gone on Thursday, but I just couldn't get out of bed. I stayed up way too late on Wednesday and I wasn't sleeping much before that. It was feeling like a chore to go and that's not what it's all about. I felt like I let everyone down. I was talking about that with Jer and he said I didn't. Everyone had bugged me so much about going that I felt like I had to. I'm worried that I'll seem like a poser. I really want this to be real. I want to be good. I want to love it. I'm pretty sure I want this for me. I'm going to make sure I go to bed early this Wednesday. I'll make it. I promise.