Summer Shoes , Frozen Feet & A Big Buck Stare Off

I really think I should just give up and ride the fat bike I mean maybe if I wore the proper Winter attire like say... shoes.  I may have been ok as it wasn't that cold but if I had on the 45nrth shoes I'd be a lot warmer than the Summer Sidis.

They were really not that cold. I was just using drama to try to gain reader attention with uncut raw emotion. Mind you they did hurt in the truck ride home so I don't know kids... I mean they didn't sting when they were warming up which was a plus. That's signs of super cold and it really sucks. 

Ok, enough about feet already. The Cameron Heights start took me through Bottle Rocket and the bike handled quite impressive in the snow covered trails. That really boosted my confidence and some steep hills were descended with zero issues. A steep climb gave me big trouble in Mooseknuckle or Moosestang and I fell three times trying to climb up. I was happy to come back the other way and descend it with no issues. 

It was just a short 11 or so km ride. Pretty sure it is under 12 but my feet were getting cold as I talked about in the beginning. 

The ride was pretty cool. Yes I could mean that in the literal sense. Have I mentioned my feet got cold yet? It was a short but special ride, three separate deer sightings including a Buck that was standing his ground on a trail I was coming back on. It was pretty cool and I wondered if I was gonna have to turn back. Which would have been a very big shitty detour.

I yelled at him.

I swore. 

I even waved my arms like a maniac

Then I threw a grenade at him.

Nothing. We stared at each other for a bit and he eventually turned and did that famous Whitetail deer jump and was gone through the trees. It was pretty cool to watch and now makes another cool memorable moment all thanks to bikes. 

This could be the last Moots ride of the year. sigh... 
 

To Fat Bike or Not to Fatbike

 

It was a fine ride after our first snow fall of the season and I chose the Moots thinking we need more snow to warrant riding a fat bike. 

After an unspectacular 17 kilometre jaunt through some of Edmonton's finest singletrack from the Mill Creek pool  through OldTimers and Capilano Bridge and back the snow was not much of an issue. I did find some of the extra rooty sections below West Coast trail quite sketchy as fuck. What is that trail... It must have a name. Hold on. I'll look... talk to each other about that crazy American election while I look this up. 

Americans are a bunch of hosers. 

Reckless Abandon? That might be it or it it the conclusion to Dirty Mattress?

The valley was the kind of quiet that I like thanks to the colder weather and snow. It really wasn't that cold but the snow make it feel worse than it is. Lots of signs of fat bikes out and even saw a couple. They were the only ones I saw on the trails today.

The ride was great but not spectacular. A definite winner after two straight in Leduc. 

A fair amount of singletrack was ridden and I did avoid some thinking of my poor rear tire and steep snow skiffed climbs. 

Now if I head out again do I open up the fat bike season? I just feel we need more Winter. 

Another Attempt at Breaking Riders Block

Well here we are after a small break from riding and guess where I end up.... Yes, Leduc.

I know you the reader expect nothing but top notch bike blogging from one of the best bike bloggers in the Beau Meadow neighbourhood of Beaumont Alberta! 

Bitch. 

Actually I think I might be top dog in these parts. I see an older dude ride by on his e bike quite a bit and he might have a killer blog about giving zero fucks anymore because that's what I see when he rides by is zero fucks and I stand at my desk and salute you sir.

Imagine if he has a blog? It would be tits up Lonebiker!

So anyways... A ride finally happened after attempts going back to Wednesday and I diverted to Leduc because of a somewhat decent snowfall in the morning and for some dumb reason felt it was safer. 

I did almost fall on my ass when I got out of the car as my once super cool Sidi's slipped on the Winter like day. I figured I would try the bike and it felt fine so off I went around the lake and down Main street wearing black clothing like a complete moron. The gravel bike is black which helps blend into the night kindly. 

In a land full of truck nuts and angry lonely housewives I took a chance and rode it anyways. It's always a tame road so it was not a big deal. Yes these might be the ramblings of a complete moron so take heed.

In the end the snow or ice didn't get me, neither did the Dodge Rams. The gravel bike was flawless yet again in uncertain conditions. 

An Attempt at Breaking Riders Block

After about an eleven day absence from riding it happened today and we have Leduc to thank for it. It is pretty much the easiest route to ride and it's super easy to get to. It is a shame to go through a rough patch as things have been pretty top notch in the valley as of late. 

A family emergency kept me off the bikes last week and when I had time to ride it was a struggle to get out including two aborted rides and multiple excuses not to go. 

Today was not great but it was a ride. The immediate cold Albertan November headwind on Telfords Lake open area heading east was not the welcome back to riding I was hoping for. The nice thing was having the energy to power through and keep going around the bend with power. I had a bad feeling I would blow up on this one somewhere but I didn't.

The trails around Leduc were very surprisingly busy busy given the weather. Not a bad ride overall, Leduc has us French Beaumontarioans beat in terms of decent local rides. 

Happy Remembrance Day kids. 

Beer Friday. Blindman Brewing, Shelter Belt Blonde Ale

 I am writing this with now nine days into a non riding drought and not without trying. I had equipment issues Thursday and Friday and today I drove out to Fort Saskatchewan to find signs of heavy rain had hit where a quick look at the trails was had and I knew it wasn't good to go. 

I sat in the car in Turner park pouting and wondering what to do. I had the Moots and have ridden countless miles of road and paved on it before the gravel bike came and decided to just do that for a bit. The ride killer was having my GPS fall in between the seat and side console and I spent about a half an hour on my knees hunched over trying to find it. 

Yes... ridiculous. It somehow got hung up by the tether and was suspended under the seat I later found. By then the ride was dead.

So now here we are with Blindmans Brewing Shelter Belt instead of a glorious ride. Sometimes life can be a real bummer cause damn... A ride write up would have ruled but I'm hoping this Blonde Ale will make up for lost ground. 

Lacombe, Alberta is home to Blindman Brewing and also is home to the Lacombe Generals hockey club in the North Central Hockey league... whoop whoop.  

We poured this Blonde Ale and it performed as should, it gave a nice light golden look and sported a one fingered head that slowly dissipated. Yes you get sexy lacing on the side of the glass as it is downed which adds to the flair of a fine beer. It had nose palate notes with light traces of wheat and light hops.m 

It also tasted much like the nose palate notes. Yes that's an actual phrase used in professional beer blogs. As this one is enjoyed I can say it is quite nice and enjoyable,  I do enjoy heavier beers in the craft beer world but this one has won me over to the light side. A nice refreshing mild beer with a nice pick me up on each sip. 

Seek this one out. 

This beer gets 4.5 suds out of 5. 

Happy Wednesday

Beer Friday. Dandy Brewing, T2G IPA

 Well here we are on a rideless Saturday and considering the shite weather in the region I felt justified in my decision in the early afternoon and I think I have a no go for tomorrow as well. The Specialized was the bike to ride in these conditions which was kind of replaced by the gravel bike but it turns out I love my gravel bike and don't want to abuse it more than it has been. 

Oh yes, I also pussed out.  It was cold and gross.

Today, we have Dandy Brewing's T2G IPA which is in celebration of their neighbourhood which is pretty cool.  The brewery is located in Calgary which is home to the Flames and Lanny Mcdonald. 

What more is there to say? Calgary rules. Plus you got those foothills to the mountains right next door.. damn. 

We poured and it gave a nice dark and dirty look in the Bubba Gump beer glass. It did have a citrus like aroma to it which they say is its big feature. I assume the odd name is the postal code of the brewery which makes sense as they are paying homage to their neighbourhood with this beer. 

There is a lot going on with this one and it is downright delicious. It does have an obvious citrus taste of grapefruit with a slight tinge of mandarin. Or am I crazy? It is very hoppy and that mixed with the citrus taste it is quite delightful. It's nice to have an IPA that tastes like an IPA. Lots mask the hoppiness but Dandy does a fine job of showing that IPA love. 

Slight lacing followed it down the glass as I had the last of the notes and I would say grapefruit is the big one here as I had a phantom grapefruit pulp feel to it and guess what. No old school IPA aftertaste.

This one gets 4 suds out of 5.