Pedaling For A Purpose Update

Response to my May 13th post (HERE) really blew me away. This is my first attempt at fundraising, so I didn't really know what to expect. Thank you so very much to those who donated and helped me achieve my goal. The response was so quick I was nearly at my goal by the end of May. Honestly, my whole riding season felt different, in such a positive way, because of this. It truly felt like I was pedaling for a purpose. Thanks to your support, more than $31,000 (Main Fundraiser Page) has been raised for this amazing organization: Vermont Adaptive

Another extremely enjoyable element of my purposeful riding this year is that I am honored to be an ambassador and team member for Rescue Project.  This is a national organization mainly comprised of competitive athletes with the mission of raising awareness for animals in need of rescue and support. We raise funds through donations and through sales of their VERY COOL clothing and accessories. I'm not kidding, this stuff is really cool, check out their online shop: Rescue Project Store. If you do make a purchase, please select "Leo Rescue Pals" from the drop down menu so that proceeds will be sent to Leonberger Rescue. For those of you who may not know, Dace and I have had two amazing Leonberger rescue experiences and still have Rosie who is now 8.5 years old. Dace is a New England representative with Leo Rescue Pals volunteering time helping dogs get placed in the forever homes.

Now, for the update: It has been a very fun filled year of mountain biking, my most enjoyable year I can think of. Largely because of what I have mentioned above, but also because my spring and summer have hit all the points of why I LOVE to ride: exploration, adventure, traveling and community. Please enjoy the photos and descriptions below that provide a flavor of what I've been up to. All that fun and adventure aside, this entire blog post is being typed one handed. Last weekend I crashed fairly hard resulting in a severely broken left wrist. I will have reconstructive surgery next week. The main point being, and largest source of my pain, is that Vermont 50 is very doubtful for me. That breaks my heart not only because I truly love this event and this would have been my 6th consecutive year, but also because this event was the basis for my fundraising. Funds were donated on the basis that I was making an extreme effort to warrant a charitable donation, and now I will not. The only compromise I can consider at this time is to at least make the effort to get to the starting line, start, and then immediately drop out. It has always been my philosophy that it's better to have the status "did not finish" (DNF), than "did not start" (DNS). I know you all agree with me. One way or another, I plan to be there. I CAN NOT THANK YOU ENOUGH FOR YOU KIND AND THOUGHTFUL SUPPORT.

This is what I've been up to since May:
Follow me on Instagram: AinaKai

I 💚 Vermont. This was the first trip of many in 2018, to my very happy place: Ascutney. The camping is great, the trails are spectacular. This was in May 2018.

I 💖 Northern California! End of May 2018, work trip and tacked on a couple extra days to enjoy the amazing (road) riding. Day 1: Marin Headlands, Day 2: San Francisco Peninsula

I 💚 the Pacific Northwest! 4 days of riding with my good friends Rob and Mark, including some BIG adventures such as Northwest Epic Series - Mission Ridge GranDuro (45 miles, 10k climbing)
and Kachess Ridge in the High Alpine

Then back to Vermont (💚!!!!) for a full one week vacation. This was an amazing vacation with home base at an a Very Cozy Cabin where I got to explore some hidden gems as well as some super well developed networks. Not to mention some serious quality time with Dace and the dogs. The final full day there I linked together several the rides I had done to create this massive epic Cady's Falls to Stowe.

Then to Southern California for some after work rides with my good friend Jason and on the absolute worse rental bike I have ever ridden (not sure what I was expecting for $20/day):

Then to Maine, and boy do I 💘 Maine!!

Back to Vermont for The Vermont Overland Grand Prix

And this happened one week later!

 

Pedaling for a Personal Purpose

I have been riding the Vermont 50 Mountain Bike Race for the past 6 years. I continue to be drawn to this event for a few reasons - largely because it's in Vermont at the end of September which means spectacular Fall foliage and quintessential New England scenery, and also because it's a grueling test of endurance and will. This race includes 50 miles of mixed terrain and ~8,000 vertical feet of climbing ( VT50 2017). Yet another reason for continuing to torture myself with this event is for its purpose. This event is a fundraiser for an amazing organization called Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports. It has been a very good feeling knowing this is a non-profit event and that a portion of my entry fee was going to a meaningful cause.

This year, I have decided to dedicate additional time and effort in making this a special year. I decided to raise the bar on my entry commitment by raising additional funds which 100% will go to Vermont Adaptive.

Adaptive sports, in general,  has a special and deeply meaningful connection for me. My brother, John, was very seriously injured in a biking accident with a motorist in 2004 which resulted in the amputation of his right leg just below the knee. With massive courage and strength, he returned to riding his bike about the same time I started riding the Vermont 50. He lives in Los Angeles with no direct connection to Vermont Adaptive, yet I feel the connection. He is not only riding his bike but really getting out there, back on the Velo LaGrange Bike Club and can routinely be seen riding the coast line north and south of the airport dipping into the hills of Brentwood and Hollywood. His mental and physical strength is a valued and much needed encouragement for me. Not just on the bike, or training for the VT50, but in everyday life struggles. Thank you John!

I am dedicating this year's race to John and am seeking support for this worthy cause and my goal of raising $1,000 before September 1st, the anniversary of his accident. Please visit my donation page to consider any donation possible. Your kindness will not only be appreciated by me, but more importantly to Vermont Adaptive and the those this organization serves.

MY DONATION PAGE

Back from Irene. A few days without power and thankfully nothing more. Her wrath changed a few things around here, namely mountain biking.  Big River was hit pretty hard. I havenʻt been in there for a few weeks - which makes me a crappy NEMBA member since so many people have been working hard to get the trails cleared out. Thanks people. Maybe next year I will buy a chainsaw. Or maybe Iʻll get one when I get my generator. I tell you this mother - there ainʻt no way weʻre gunna be without powah this winter.

Anywho, the focus now needs to be getting ready for ʻcross. My schedule is starting to come together. Looks like my first race will be October 2nd at New Englandʻs premier event Grand Prix of Gloucester. The following weekend Iʻm aiming for a Sat/Sun combo at Providence Cross Fest and then up to Maine for the Casco Bay Cross (as long as they donʻt cancel it again due to pending bad weather (such a non cross thing to do)). Following that start, the options are open. I would love to head back up to Maine the next weekend for the New Gloucester races. November is fairly open, but options are available every weekend. Itʻs just a matter of how far weʻre willing to travel. I hope to survive long enough to have my season conclude on home turf at the NBX Grand Prix of Cyclocross in Warwick in December, an event I hope to race both days. Like my first year racing in Seattle, it will be a learning experience. The events are much different, the terrain is different, the vibe is different, and I know the weather is going to be different. The reality sank in the other day while talking about tires - "well youʻll need some for snow and slush". Snow and slush, oh crap. Thatʻs right, this is New England.

I calculated my current condition to be that of about 30% of what it was this time last year. Someone asked my how I can up with the 30% and I just said "trust me, and Iʻm probably being more generous than reality". It basically comes down to this - I only started riding 30% into the year (May/June), Iʻm only averaging 3 workouts per week (at best), Iʻm 12lbs heavier, I just started running, mountain biking training has been way too few and far between. This is not some kind of sympathy request, Iʻm just trying to prepare myself mentally for the pain and suffering.

I did start running last week and am still working through those miserable aches and pains every time I start running again. I hope to increase my workouts. Last week the weather sucked, but I committed to the plan and worked out on both the stationary bike and treadmill. Weather is looking more promising this week, but wouldnʻt you know work isnʻt - hosting guests this week, and then potential travel the last week in Sept. I donʻt get this, all I want to do is ride/train. Why does work have to keep getting in the way. Stupid work.

Yesterday, I did go out for a killer ride. Some of my local roads but in a combination that I havenʻt done before. Iʻm getting closer to piecing together my epic workout ride, but I still need to eliminate route 102. It wasnʻt my plan to ride on 102 yesterday, but it was my only option for stopping to get some fluids which turned into a bit of an issue in the warm weather. Iʻm not sure if I am fighting a bit of a cold or what but every climb in the 4,500 vertical route seemed to wind me pretty good - thatʻs really what the epic rating on my "suffer score".




Pre Irene, I had a great ride up at Bradbury Mountain with Benjamin. Iʻm stoked that Ben is getting into biking (at the same age I got into back in San Francisco). Heʻs full of young energy and can motor on the trails - and make me work for my money to keep up. Iʻm loving Bradbury. This time around we first went up the "mountain", a 5 minute climb. On the way down Benjamin flatted, and of course didnʻt have a tube. Giving him one of mine wasnʻt an option as heʻs a studly 2-9er. But Maine being the incredibly friendly state that it is, someone in the parking log gave him a brand new tube. That made our day since it looked like it was going to be a very early end. We crossed the road and into the area we had ridden before, but checked out some new terrain. Namely, the "O" trail - a wicked fun, twisty, rooty, rocky, endless assault. If only I had access to this park more routinely....... maybe next weekend.

My Favorite Commute Route

My commute.....(when I have a little extra time at the end of a busy day).... days are getting shorter, noticeably. As cool as Fall is, Iʻm not ready for it. Oh well, Iʻll just log miles when I can....

Killer Thursday Evening Ride: Big River

Thank you Jason for accepting the challenge, definitely the best climbing Iʻve experienced in BR. Iʻm slightly shocked by the final numbers. I loved the "Allan Ave" area. All the new areas we explored were sweet. I wish I could have enjoyed that long flowy stretch with the killer burms a little more - had I only realized it was a stick in my cog and not my freewheel freezing up - the whole time I was thinking "itʻs a f-ing Chris King, how can it be failing on me?". Another thank you to Jason for pointing out the stick jammed between my spokes and cog that I never saw the 3-4 times I stopped to try to figure out the problem. Oh well, after that, all was good again.

This definitely is a loop I want to figure out, and even more so this is definitely a ride I want to be able to combine with last weekʻs ride. That would land us in the 20-25 mile range, and > 2K of climbing. I would consider that an epic. OK, Jason,  The Challenge is on!

My next big challenge is night riding. I thought I was totally prepared for it last night and had everything ready to go including a fully charged battery for my 10 lb Nite Rider except the damn handle bar mount. Oh well, at least I had a good excuse to end the suffering a little bit early last night. And the excuse to go out and buy a new light system. I never really got into night riding back in Seattle, for reasons I donʻt know. But with how quickly itʻs getting darker earlier now, I can see itʻs going to be a necessity. Iʻm really looking forward to it. I donʻt think Iʻll fear getting eaten by a cougar either (Iʻm pretty sure their arenʻt any cougars in RI). Iʻm pretty sure thatʻs the only reason "friends" were asking me to night ride with them back in Seattle - "you donʻt need to be faster than the cougar,  just not the slowest one in the group". Thatʻs usually me.

Tiverton/Little Compton

Definitely my favorite road ride so far into this East Coast adventure. I had heard before that this area was nice, but I guess I just didnʻt have that on my mind when setting out for the ride and therefore was unexpectedly impressed with the sweet scenery. Unlike Newport, Jamestown or other well known "desirable" coastal areas in RI, this area was filled with a completely different vibe. Beautiful old colonel farm houses with killer stone walls (hundreds of years old Iʻm sure) surrounding the property. Most of them seem like they could be in a photo shoot for some country living magazine.

We parked at the  Native American Pow Wow where the ladies went off watch, and I suited up and headed down Fish Road. Right on King and Left on Lake. A right on route 179 which is a busy road, but not too bad from a road condition and traffic stand point... blah, blah, blah. Picturesque roads led me to the point called Sakonnet Harbor. Yes, I would live here! Reminded me of Maine, like Southport Island. Or Washington, like Whidbey Island. I took in the sights for a few, ate some blocks, called The Wife and then was on my way. For the first time since riding in RI, my route took me into another state - MASS. I headed East and then south to one of the most spectacular beaches Iʻve ever seen (not including Kauai, of course). I have no idea what the beach is called or even what town itʻs in, but itʻs located right at the mouth of the Westport River. Itʻs not like it was undiscovered, there were tons of people there and all the signs around said "private beach". What is up with private beaches here in the NE? Stupid. Anyway this place was way cool so you need to go check it out. I followed River Road back up to 179 and onto Trierton Four Corners where the ladies were shopping around. Made a tasty sandwich in the back of the Aina-mobile and all was very good in the world. Dace mentioned going back to that area for open studios next weekend, I said, "hells ya".

Thursday Night NEMBA @ Big River

Big thanks to Jason C for leading Dave and I through my most enjoyable ride to date in Big River. DNA  is a fun, PNW kind of trail. Twisty and fast. OK Jason, the challenge is on - next week a similar route, but add just a tad more climbing, 1K is too little. RI dirt is starting to really work for me.... will be better when I get my hard tail niner....

Thursday Night NEMBA

Thank you Dave B for hanging back and waiting for me! Just as I was about to leave work I was hit with an "issue" that kept there much past my required departure time in order to hit the 6:05 NEMBA start. Prior weeks I had it down to the minute of when I needed to leave work and still leave enough time to get suited up in the car, check the pressure in my tires, lather in DEET, throw my personal belongings in my camelback, check myself in the mirror (style is everything!) and be ready to go with a minute to spare. But that came crumbling down on me yesterday. I was still committed to riding and just figured I would wing it once I got there. Although admittedly Iʻm not sure Iʻve really graduated to that level in Big River after only riding there 3 times. And all three times, the blood vessels were ready to burst in my eyeballs as I doing all that I could just to hang onto Jasonʻs back wheel (or at least even see it off in the distance).  But no need, as I was rushing to my car Dave called and said the group just took off and that he would hang knowing I was on my way. Now thatʻs a solid! Got to say - so far my mountain biking experiences here in RI have been very cool thanks to some very serious acts of kindness from both Jason and Dave.

Dave led us on some common trails, most of which looked familiar from the previous rides. I can actually remember some trail names this time (see, itʻs finally starting to sink in), but wait, itʻs no that impressive - I know we started out on Hero loop - a fairly mild well traveled loop that starts and finishes on Burnt Sawmill Rd. We pealed off of Hero, but really I had no idea where. I do know we ended up on a trail call Coaster - a fun, fast, banked turns down hill. Other than that it was just following Dave, who at one point wasnʻt sure where we were either. Thatʻs the beauty of this place - for 3 weeks I have ridded there with people who have been riding there for many years, and each week we managed to end up in an area that no one knew where we were. Itʻs simply huge with endless options thrown at you all along the way. It was starting to get dark so we cheated - I pulled up my map on the Garmin and we were able to at least figure out the general direction we needed to be heading in. "Felt like cheating" are Daveʻs words and I totally agree. It took the adventure out of getting completely lost, heading in the wrong direction for hours before you realize it, and wondering back to your car in blackness for at least an hour. Itʻs a situation thatʻs unfolded a thousand times for me in my mountain biking life, and each time the beer at the car tastes that much more worth it. This time, it was nice to get back to the car, but the thought  of wondering if we would be spending the night in the woods and possibly eaten by a bear never crossed my mind and that took some fun out of returning to the car! None the less, as I like to say, it was a blast and Iʻm already looking forward to next Thursday night. Hopefully Jason will be back - he was not as fortunate with his work "issues", and was stuck there.

Wicked Good In Maine - Bradbury with Benjamin

There were many great things about this ride 1) first time riding with my nephew Benjamin who just purchased his first mountain bike earlier this year - and is now clearly hooked, 2) A beautiful day in the Maine woods (low 80ʻs, not a cloud in the sky, 3) my first NEMBA ride as an actual member 4) A sweet, fast, flowy 12 mile loop set up and tagged by NEMBA. There is no way we could have designed a better loop within the existing network this fun. For me, these are my kind of trails, everything I miss from my typical weekend rides in Seattle - Banner, Black Diamond, Tokul. The only thing that could have made this ride more fun would be some climbs. There are short pitches here and there, but nothing of any substance. Other than that, I loved this park - I loved the tight sharp twisty trails that make your head spin, I loved the centuries old stone walls and trails that crossed over them. The roots, the iconic New England rolling slick rock. By no means was this an overly technical network of trails, but it definitely made me work in a few places. The state park map is perfect and every trail is marked with a trail number. The exploring capabilities are endless yet itʻs impossible to get lost. I told Benjamin several times I was jealous of how close he lived to it; this is an evening ride for him. I used to tout about county parks in Seattle built specifically for mountain biking. Now I can taut about a state park that has essentially done the same - not to the extreme as Duthie, but still with killer bridges and burms.  We completed the 12 mile loop and decided to ride the mountain another day (I had a long drive ahead of me). From what Benjamin told me, the climb up to the summit is fairly easy. There are several options for the decent, all fun but quite short. I look forward to returning to this ride!!

MTB Maine: Inland/Pine Ridge

Hats (or lids) off to Central Maine NEMBA! A sweet little network of fun, flowy trails with some technical and a decent little climb that put me into my triple for the first time since moving back to the East coast. I wish it worked out to meet a few of you folks, but I will be back for sure before too long. You guys should be proud of the work you have put into this place. The passion is clear, this is a well loved area. Even the potential is endless - I say that not knowing if there are any future plans of expansion. The network consists of a lot of single and double track. The trails are for the most part well marked, but I did end up on a few trails that faded into nothingness. I also struggled a bit to make the transition from the Inland trails to the Pine Ridge trails. There was a fair amount of riding on snowmobile trails, but Iʻm sure thatʻs just because Iʻm still stumbling my way around. I had hoped to end up on some trails that I once ran cross country on in High School (+25 years ago), but nothing look familiar.  My favorite part of the ride was the section leading to the Pine Ride area and the loop that found once I was there. There is a section of loop-dee-doos which were fun and keep me attentive. The surface was perfect as it rained through the night before giving it just a perfect amount of grip.  Overall, very psyched I rode these trails and I will be brining my bike up every time I come to visit. I highly recommend these trials if you are in the area, or even just passing through and you need to stretch your legs. CeMeNEMBA folks, I look forward to meeting you some day!

Big River Mountain Bike Ride RI NEMBA

Another killer (almost literally) Thursday night mountain bike ride with RI NEMBA. Headed out with fast group, paid the price 2 minutes in. There were just 4 of us in the group. Some similar trails, but lots of new stuff. Seemed like we ended up on road a little more than we needed to. None the less there was plenty of suffering. This ride, I dropped the pressure to what I thought was 28 psi. I knew as soon as we left the parking lot and onto dirt I was too low. The back end was wobbly and I was bottoming out on some roots and rocks. Eventually I hit a rock on an off camber slop and it burped. It felt like the tire came completely of the rim, but that was not that case upon inspection. Despite Stans fluid all over the sidewall, it resealed. Got to love Stans! Just a little CO2 and it was back to suffering. A great ride, nothing I wouldnʻt do again! Off to Maine this weekend to ride with Central Maine NEMBA.

MTB: Thursday Nights at Big River

Shout out to RI NEMBA , my first Thursday night ride. Gotta say, I was impressed with the passion for this weekly event. Despite temps being in the low 90ʻs there were still a good 25-30 fat tire enthusiast. I was told it was a "wicked reduced number" due to the weather. The group gathered by the gate at the route 3 parking lot around 6 and broke up into 3 groups based on level. My guide from the previous Big River ride, Jason, and I jumped into the B group. Iʻm guessing Jason can hold his own and is probably in the A group most weeks. Iʻm still fat and out of shape and working my way into this East coast riding so I thought the B ride would suite me fine. After taking off with the B group, I realized I will not be joining that A group anytime soon (as in most likely never). I wish I knew the trail names to describe this ride because it was awesome. About 10 mins in we ascended a decent climb, longer than I even imaged could be in Big River. I was psyched about the climb but feeling like crap. Seriously, Iʻm in horrible condition. So much for clawing myself back into shape with a couple of commutes a week and a road ride on the weekend. If I have any chance of even enjoying cross season this year, I need to get on it soon! Iʻm pretty sure this Thursday night gig is going to be a step in that direction. The B group comprised of about 10 dudes and a designated group lead. These guys are are pretty committed to this group riding thing to the point that the lead would pull off from time to time and bring up the rear. I was off the back hanging on for dear life. The trails were great, not too technical until we got to the classic New England rock garden riding. Eventually I need to figure this crap out, but on this ride I spent more time off the bike than on through this section. I just donʻt have the Trials riding skills for that. After one section the group was heading for another similar section so Jason and I peeled off from the group for some fast spinning. We went solo from there for another 1.5 hours of some sweet singletrack. By now the temps had drop what felt like 10 degrees and I had my legs back. We did a couple of trails from the last post, but mostly new ones for me. At one point we crossed over Hopkins Hill Road to grab a loop. The network in Big River is huge and the options are endless - which is good, because I suspect thatʻs where Iʻll be doing a majority of my riding. Local to RI there arenʻt a ton of options for fast flowy single track. So for now Iʻll just hunker down, hang onto Jasonʻs wheel as best I can and hope to Buddha I eventually get in shape! Oh and Iʻm not used to it getting dark so early during the summer - sunset is like 8:15 these days. It was pretty much black by the time we got out. Iʻm guessing weʻll be riding with lights before too long. That just doesnʻt sound right!

Overall great ride after the initial suffering. Already looking forward to next Thursday.

North Kingstown/West Greenwich to CT Line

Iʻm still figuring out my way around so this route unfortunately deals with a few crappy roads, but in return covers some killer country roads. Right now, my issue is that I rely on google maps to design a route the night before heading out. A flaw with google maps is that it doesnʻt indicate the non paved roads on the map view and itʻs too difficult to definitively determine using satellite view.

This route covers some of the same ground as my previous ride North Kingstown/West Greenwich ride but using my new "gateway" west out of Wickford Village and covers additional roads south and west therefore adding a few miles (like 20ish). This is a route I really want to perfect in terms of finding better ways around some of the less desirable roads. One day I will post a route called "The epic NK/WG Loop". That route will definitely include Mail Road, Escoheag Hill Road, and Plain Meeting House Hill Road. So far these are the best roads Iʻve been on, including some of the connections. Iʻm convinced Plain Meeting House Hill Road heading East towards 102 is THE best climb in the state. I know this sounds ridiculous for most of the other states, but itʻs a 1 mile grunt with pitches up to 15%. I would laugh too hearing that from my previous riding lives, but none the less this is the now and itʻs a real fun grind. Mail Road also has some nice rollers with a couple very short steep pitches.

My new discovery for this ride is Escoheag Hill Road, a beautiful newly paved country road with some decent short climbs. I just need to seek ways of approaching this road better. I crossed under 95 on Route 138 from where I got on at Stilson Road. Generally I would avoid all riding on 138, but there are also limited opportunities to cross 95 and this seemed like the best. It wasnʻt too bad, but it is a busier road that ever prefer. Thankfully I was only on it for about 1 mile before turning North on Route 3. My intention was to hit Skunk Hill Road off Route 3, which I did, but it turned into a gravel road a few miles in. I turned around and chose a new route using my iPhone. This time I headed North on Arcadia Road, a real nice road in good condition. All was good until I got to Route 165 (Ten Rod Road) which was my plan to head West. Despite the great climb on this road, overall it sucked. Shoulder was in horrible condition in many sections and itʻs a high speed limit road. My future attempts to get to Escoheag Hill Road will be via either Summit Road or Bald Hill Road (I know nothing about these roads yet).

Escoheag Hill Road eventually turns into Hazzard Road where I eventually turned onto Muddy Brook Rd and then connect onto my original NK/WG ride. I took Plain Meeting Road to Route 102 and then head South East on 102. Route 102 is another section I hope to eventually cut out of this loop. Itʻs not horrible, the shoulder is extra wide, but itʻs a high speed limit road and totally exposed. I took 102 to Route 3 and went South to Dawley Park Road and eventually connected back onto the roads that I was on earlier in the day heading the opposite direction and a sweet pedal home.

Again, one day I will have this loop dialed in to be comprised of [mostly] country roads. Until then, Iʻll have fun discovering new ones - some good ones, some sucky ones.

Big River Mountain Bike Ride

Finally, my first mountain bike ride here in Rhode Island. Yes, pathetic that we have lived here for more than 4 months and Iʻm just now getting out. Well, my excuses are: laziness in getting my bike unpacked and assembled, I will not lie. Also contributing is that once I did finally get it unpacked my drop out was bent beyond repair, so that took a week to get. For the most part the Moots is running well. But if I EVER suggest going for a ride with both brakes (front and back) rubbing on the rotors again, please kill me. The rubbing didnʻt seem too bad, you know on the rack and spinning the wheel with my hand. Holy crap, I seriously under estimated how that "little bit of rubbing" could affect my strength. For someone with not a lot of power in their legs, taking away just a few percent can really hurt. Thatʻs my excuse and Iʻm sticking to it!

Other factors not helping - temps in the low 90ʻs. None the less, I had a awesome guide - Jason Clark who is a hucker at heart but a beast of a XC riding with incredible power. Seattle folks think - Chris Green.  Granted Iʻm not in the best of condition right now, but I was run into the ground 2 miles in. I recovered well enough to have a blast on this relatively short ride.

I canʻt explain too much about the route since nothing is marked and therefore donʻt know the local names for trails. Rhodies familiar with Big River will be able to tell the loop we did looking at the course plot (clink on the image to zoom in). What I can comment on are 1) Big River mountain biking and 2) East coast riding...

1) Big River is sweet, and a HUGE area. Itʻs broken up into three major sections - Route 3 (or exit 6), Hopkins Hill Road, and Exit 7. We rode from the Route 3 main parking area and just barely hit 10% of this sectionʻs network. Since this area is only 20 minutes from my house (and literally right across the highway from work), I will  spending plenty of time here and exploring.

2) East coast riding - I was surprised to find the trail building similar to PNW - tight turns, burmed corners, steep short climbs, fast and flowy. The major difference is the surface. PNW is for the most part always packed and grippy (gee, wonder why). Here, itʻs soft and lose on top. I was pretty timid for most the ride just trying to get a feel for this kind of surface. I was probably running my tire pressure too high (35 psi) so I need to figure that out too. I lacked the confidence to charged into sharp corners at full speed or get out of the saddle on steep climbs. The terrain is somewhat similar with lots of roots, but a little more rocky than what Iʻm used to. And Iʻm not talking a bed of baby-heads, but larger stationary kind.

Overall a great ride. Thanks Jason for showing me a few killer trails. I canʻt wait to get back out there. The Moots is going into NBX for a reset of my break pistons. That will make all the difference!

Jamestown Loop

The only thing disappointing about this ride is the distance. I looked at someone elseʻs route on Strava and quickly read "38 miles", and thought to myself, "thatʻs the perfect distance for todayʻs ride" because hopefully Iʻm going on a long mountain bike ride tomorrow. Come to find out, as I reread the other persons upload, the 38 miles was 2 laps! Oh well, my legs are now extra fresh for tomorrowʻs ride. Yes, I could have gone another lap, but it was mid day and pushing temps in the low 90ʻs. I definitely will come back to this ride now that itʻs familiar and do multiple laps another time, in cooler weather.

Itʻs a nice island ride, but not quite the same as my favorite ride in Seattle - Vashon Island. It actually had more of a Mercer Island feel with the amazing waterfront homes and lots of them. Despite the profile, I consider this a flat ride with a few nice inclines worth working hard for. Itʻs fairly exposed, mostly on the West side so heat is a factor. Road conditions range from newly paved to horrible. Thankfully the horrible is fairly limited to the Northwest side, but then is quickly followed by the newly paved. Shoulder widths also range, but never a problem. Traffic was only noticeable around the town of Jamestown.

The highlight of this ride is Beavertail State Park on the South end. An absolutely beautiful park on the edge of the rocky coastline and stunning views out into the Atlantic Ocean. There is plenty of space for picnics and exploring on the rocks. Thereʻs a beautiful old lighthouse and a naturalist on hand to answer questions. A really cool place - it really reminded me of Maine. There were really nice sights throughout this ride - killer homes, cool farms, marshes with eagles, beaches, and Jamestown harbor.

When we were shopping for homes, we considered living on Jamestown but cost and the fact that I cannot ride my bike across the bridge made the decision for us. At least I now know itʻs a great place to ride and only a 10 min drive away.

Wickford/ South Kingstown Loop

The day after deciding to not ride so that I could FINALLY get all my bikes out of their shipping boxes. Until now, I had only been riding my Specialized Tri Cross commuter bike for both my daily commuting  to/from work and my weekend rides. Today I rode the Crown Jewel.

This ride is very scenic ride passing farms, a large lake and winds through the towns of South Kingstown and Kingston. This was my first time traveling these areas. Lots of beautiful homes and generally good road conditions. Iʻm not a fan of riding on Route 2, but it does have an extra wide shoulder and itʻs a designated bike route. Route 112 is in good condition, but with little shoulder and with some traffic (not nearly as much as Route 2). I had hoped to explore more on the way back from the routeʻs southern most point, but rain was a threat and I was feeling a sprinkle every few seconds. Thankfully the sky never fully opened up and I stay dry.  I enjoyed this ride. Iʻll do it again since it can provide as a good workout. A few short hills and lots of flat.

This ride heads South out of Wickford Village and then heads West on Hamilton Allenton Rd/West Allenton Road across Route 4 and onto Exeter Road. South on Route 2, then West again on Mail Road. The first hill starts at 10 miles with a 2 mile climb with a slope of 3-5%. Other than that, this is a mostly flat ride. Head West to Carlolina Nooseneck Rd via Old Mountain Road, Hoxsie, Gardner, and Hoghouse Road. Head South, cross Route 138 and continue South on Route 112. Route 112 intersects with Route 2 at its southern most point. Head North on Route 2 then East to Route 110 via Wordens Pond Road. North on 110 then East to S. Road via Curtis Corner Road (this route provides the best way across the upcoming Route 138, because you never want to ride ON Route 138). North on S. Road, North Road and Slocum Road and eventually back to West Allenton Road and Wickford Village.

Work Commute

My criteria for our new house - a good [bike] commute to work. (Daceʻs - yard space for a garden and compost, Ainaʻs - a much larger backyard than what we had in Seattle). So far we are all pretty happy, although Daceʻs garden or compost are not in yet.

My ride in follows really nice country roads. There is just one stretch on Post Road, but thereʻs a dirt path I can ride on which adds a touch of cyclocross into my commute. Stony Lane has a decent little (1 mile) climb. There is another little climb on Bates Trail. Nothing too note worthy, but much better than just a flat ride in. I can actually get my heart rate up since Iʻm towing my heavy commuter bike and backpack. Road conditions are sketchy in places which has me concerned for late Fall/ early Winter commuting (i.e. riding by headlight). Itʻs only 12.5 miles each way, but this area offers endless options to add as many miles I want along the way. The problem is finding the motivation to add those miles when I donʻt absolutely have to. Sometimes itʻs just easier to live 16-18 miles away so you donʻt have to decide to do more work, you have no choice.

Overall, a really nice commute. Very pretty roads, a lot of nice homes, few nice farms and very little car traffic! A great way to start the day, and not a bad way to finish it.

North Kingstown/West Greenwich

Since my first riding in RI was my commute, I would head out the same roads on weekends. It was my gateway to exploring the back roads. This ride is an epic of back roads. Narrow Lane, South Road, Middle Road and Carrs Pond road are beautiful roads for riding. The loop goes on Division for a few mile which isnʻt too bad. The road condition is great, just not a lot of shoulder and a fairly high speed zone. Route 3 is basically a highway, but with a extra wide shoulder and designated as a bike route. There is a nice climb on Route 3, but this route peels off on Weaver Hill road (passes under 95). Itʻs a steady, mild  climb for a few miles then a long decent to Route 102. Continue West across 102 for 4 miles on Plain Meeting House Road to the historic Plain Meeting House. There is a loop of a couple miles where you can return back to the same spot and back to Route 3 returning on the same roads. The best climb of the ride is within the next couple of miles (see on Strava): 1 mile long, average slope at 6.6% with sections exceeding 10%. Itʻs a "segment" on Strava that I currently hold second place (out of two participants :) )

Overall a very picturesque ride.  3,200ʻ of climbing, very few cars and well shaded. I will add, at times I felt like I was in a scene of the movie Deliverance. This was my first venture outside of the North Kingstown/ East Greenwich area. Let me just say - it goes downhill quickly once you leave these areas!

I will do this ride again.