more eklutna photos

good-bye to september

We started pedaling a little after six
the light low in the sky
Among the golden leaves
kicked up by tires
aromatic.
Would anyone think it strange
if I hopped off and lay on the carpet
of grass, leaves and soil,
breathed in the scent of fall?

Someone says, "no moose."
Shhh, don't say anything.
Another says, "can't believe we haven't seen any."
Hush, don't say that
afraid that if they hear their names
they will emerge en masse
trot like dogs to a master
onto, blocking the trail
sending us skidding, double-back
u-turn on the wide trail

Birch and cottonwood
spruce and alders
berry bushes and devil's club
all surround us as we race along
Warming on the climbs
cooling our faces, hands and toes
as we descend.

Soon, snow will arrive
we see it across town on the mountains
but now we merge into the scenery
Ten riders become part of the park
We become the moose
Block the trail
swing our heads from side to side
Snort our noses
exhales of steam.

I start down another hill
upshift
let out a whoop
hang my butt back
follow the leader into the chill.

posted by rose

still life with divas

Divas enjoying a warm fall day on the trail to the elusive Telchina Falls

p.s. more photos and stories soon from our great trip to Eklutna

may it always be fall

Earlier this summer I professed Powerline to be my favorite Divas ride of the summer. Now I must profess that fall may be my favorite time to ride in the parks of our fair city. Last September the woods seemed to glow. Maybe it just seemed that way after the gloomy summer we had, but I think the up-side to all that rain were very healthy, happy trees that were ready to end the season with a golden bang.

I don't know if the colors are as vibrant this year and it's hard to tell with a bright, sunny, glorious evening like we enjoyed on the STA trails on Wednesday evening. Ten of us pedaled 'backwards' up the Queen Bee and the Hive (okay -- there is no specified direction but we've always gone the other way). Four of us descended on the red trails. For the second time this summer, I've heard this singletrack network referred to as Disneyworld for mountain bikers. Amen!

Gloria, always smiling, especially on some lovely singletrack

A line of Divas pedaling up to Prospect Heights

daylight goes

With the dwindling daylight, 10 divas left the Airstrip Trailhead parking lot last week for a little adventure in Far North Bicentennial Park. Though rain threatened, we made it through the ride without feeling any sprinkles. I don't recall many dry September rides; we certainly didn't have any last year, did we?

Since it was dry, we charted a course that included rooty singletracks just north of Campbell Airstrip Road, some wider trails, a little jaunt up & down the STA trails and finished by racing the sunset down Black Bear Trail, to Moose Track and the Tour trail. Whew!

No mud holes to slip through (much); no puddles muddying our backsides. The fall colors are turning and the park smells wonderfully rich right now.

The tough part about our rides this time of year is that there's very little time for chit-chat on the trail. It's down to the fun of riding or get caught in the dark. (Also, you'll notice, no stops for photo taking). I guess that's why Jo-Ann has requested that we change the ride location for next week to the Hillside Trailhead. I think she wants to lead everyone back up the STA trails. Can't blame her - they are addicting.

Okay, well, I had a great time leading last week - thanks for following and thanks Karen for the tips on that one corner... I think I need to use a higher gear... carry on!

posted by Rose

Singletrack Diva

We may have to dub Lori the Singletrack Diva. Two weeks in a row she volunteered to lead a singletrack ride on the Hillside. Last night's ride was not as long or as adventurous or as calamitous as the previous Wednesday ride. No one's bike broke, no body parts broke, no accessories broke as we pedaled around the STA trails again. The rain did start falling in the latter half of the ride.

We were treated to that phenomena that so many of us on the east side are familiar with - rain drops falling as the sun breaks through under the clouds from the west. We made it back to the parking lot in a down pour at 9:00.

singletrack & bad derailleurs on the hillside (w/ pix)

see the derailleur at the bottom of the wheel,

instead of the center?

Lori and Gloria had an aggressive singletrack route mapped out for our Wednesday ride. From Campbell Airstrip trailhead, they led us up Black Bear. Lori claimed this was the shortest route (other than the closed Rover's Run) to reach the STA trails by Hilltop. The first derailleur literally bit the dust on the lower portion of Black Bear when Bev's popped off. We helped her loop her chain around her pump to hold everything up for the long walk back to the trailhead. (Thanks, Anne and Wendy, for assisting her out).

Bev is still smiling, even though we've wrapped her chain

around her pump to keep the deraileur from dragging

as she walks back to the trailhead.

Maggi already knew that her derailleur had been bent but hoped to make it through the ride. Somewhere on the Queen Bee Loop, with a slipping seat and grinding gears, she realized the bike wasn't going to make it easy. The rest of us pushed on; and that did mean pushing the bike up and over some rooty and/or steep sections on the climb toward Prospect Heights.

With the various delays, the evening was getting late and the sun low. Lori and Gloria conceded a little bit of their plan and when we reached the Gasline, we headed down the Red trail instead of continuing up and around on the Blue. Jo-Ann said she did all the rock obstacles (but not the half log bridge). We reached the Hilltop parking lot at 9:30. Jo-Ann and I headed home on the street and the other five Divas pedaled back to Black Bear to descend to Campbell Airstrip.

Thanks, Lori and Gloria, for a challenging and fun ride!