I always thought the trails in Devon were a bit nasty in regards to the climbing aspect.
Hilariously. I thought I would see how they were in the Winter time thinking things would magically flow in a Winter wonderland setting with all the hills harmoniously joining hands together and creating a setting of mutual flowy awesome, as me and my fat bike would fly through in a tale of unicorn like fairy tale Winter riding madness.
It appears I was wrong.
Devon ate me up and spit me out leaving me a barren shell of the mountain biker I once was. When I got home I sat in the corner of the shower, arms crossed, eyes affixed on my feet, and weeping at what I just went through.
If you live and ride regularly on these trails your fitness must be through the roof. I knew the hills were rough, but hitting this system on an overweight monster of a fat bike.... In the snow yet....
This place is a challenging ride due to the climbing in the Summer on nimble Summer bikes. I still can't find any singletrack except what is near the golf course road, which was ridden and was the highlight of the day. Otherwise, multi use rules the trails in Devon.
The day started out on the lower trail from the bike park parking lot and I quickly met the monster badass hill taking you up to the top. Given the previous bullshit weather conditions the trail was naturally ladened with ice. It was impossible to make it up the main trail so I clambered up the side where there was less ice impeding my progress.
I felt I should have turned around.
I didn't.
Fuck me, why don't I ever listen to that gut feeling?
I slid down the steep unforgiving hill on my ass holding my bike falling about twenty feet twice. I didn't learn the lesson the trail was shoving down my face and kept trying to go up. Eventually making it up the hill. At the top I was deflated. Not even 2 km's in. I was done. I was eventually riding my bike up a steep climb followed by a downhill followed by steep climb and down hill, and so on and so on...
Devon laughed at me vigorously.
5 kilometers in, I was done. How sad. I rode Devon residential home and eventually found the Jeep.
You win this round Devon, you win, but I'll be back...
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| midway up ice madness hill, slide two, the aftermath |
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| the top of the hill, deflated and worn out, a potty break was had |
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| the last climb out (which ended up with a walking end) where around the corner was met with more hills.. |
