The riding season started early this year with the 2 week head start of Daylight Saving Time back in March and my first ride was a highly anticipated ride. It was the maiden voyage of my new fork that I recieved from my wonderful wife at xmas. A Manitou Minute 130mm that was an instant improvement over the old Black 120mm.
Then Easter arrived and with it came a stunner of a gift. After 10 years of teaching at my school, myself and my other 10 year colleagues, each recieved a check for $1,000.00. Wahooooo!! I had that baby spent before I pulled the stub flap off. Santa Cruz Heckler...Here I come! Sals was a completely new experience on my Beowulf (yep, that's what I call him if you remember).
Later that month I was on one of my favorite rides this entire year that Don organized up at Jim Thorpe on the "Green Blaze Trail". What a fenominal ride. I wish I paid more attention to direction, because that may be my favorite ride in a 50 mile radius. As a result of being on this ride it was agreed by the group that The American Standard be the next ride. I was jazzed, because I had never ridden the Standard. Beowulf and myself were up to the challenge. This is also the ride in which I take partial credit for introducing Tony D. to real mountain biking. I actually had 2 rides in one. First phase of this ride on the Standard was getting Tony to survive the first few miles and teach him some technical tips to really ride. Second phase was letting it rip with the big dogs. It was so exciting to see that urinal for the first time. Once again, a killer ride, my second favorite of the year.
Gotta run. More year in review to follow.