Don't Forget Your Bike

Poor Unknown Local groaned when he lifted the tailgate on his minivan last week. He had loaded his front wheel, but no bike. As none of us brought a spare, he hightailed it back home. Though, Fro was still the last one ready.

Tonight promises perfect riding conditions (again): grippy dirt, bright moon, temps in the 40s, no rain, and tacos as fat as your tires. 

ONE

Full set from the January 2012 winter classic with lots of helmet free pedaling: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QEEPfB7b6kX3idjE9

Pollywood Drifting

Some FT3ers have seen the recent snowfall as an excuse to slide around on boards instead of rolling on two wheels as nature intended. Those of us that made it out last Tuesday were greeted with a shallow, untracked blanket of snow that made for perfect shredding. Sure climbing was tough, but the descents allowed for woop-inducing rear wheel drifting.

Thanks to the previous weeks's coaching, our tacos were properly thick and we even got a "you guys are early" when we arrived. That means we get to show up late tonight. The snow must be gone by now and presumably the soils are mostly drained. And temps are well above freezing. Should be glorious riding.

ONE   

All the Dirt That's Fit to Shred

Last week saw us comically over-ready for adverse conditions. We pulled rain jackets on over layers of shirts, donned boots and shoe covers, and hopped on our mud bikes equipped with fenders. Except it didn't rain and was quite mild.

This week may be the same, with a "chance" of a couple hundredths of an inch of precip and temps well above freezing. We should be able to find a few lingering drifts to keep things sporty.

We addressed the current taco bitty's thin tacos, so expect meatier servings. And the owner is still forbidden from showing up on Tuesday nights, so we got that going for us.

ONE

45% Chance of Radness

As any true FT3er knows, weather is never a factor.

Nonetheless, those of us who wish to enter the mountains, at night, in the dark, on bikes, in the winter this evening will be watching the hourly updates, hopeful they will trend in our favor. Who has stood in the lot with mounds of gear, anticipating torrential rain, and cold temps... when much to our surprise, the sky's part and our ride window opens to a bright moon and the warmth of an inversion layer rest upon us like a mother's bosom.

Remain hopeful friends, only a few hours and climate phases stand between you and the most shred ready trails, or the need for a rain jacket.


If you need additional reasons why you should be riding tonight, consult the all knowing bike radar, who can offer ten reasons why you should ride in the rain: https://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/10-reasons-why-riding-in-the-rain-is-awesome-47896/


But then, who really knows if we will have to ride in the rain tonight?

ONE!

New Season

Last week was so fun, I wonder if I'm remembering it right; inspired rideleadership, hard charging, conversations both topical and comical, and spirited taco service.

Been over a month since any rain drops hit local dirt. And the last week has seen hordes of lowlanders recreating in relatively smoke-free Pollywood. Tonight should be the last of the ultra-fine, brown pow, that we've come to know so well.

Holiday week, so no one is really working. Can we better last week's seven strong?

One

Business as Usual

Last week's ride was overshadowed by taco uncertainty. I checked in at the taco counter before the ride and received a who-the-f-do-you-think-you-are-? kind of look from the bar back when I asked if we could order tacos at 9:30. But Market Guy assured me that he had our backs and wouldn't let them shut down until we had eaten. Out of an abundance of caution, we made it in by 9. The taco maker usually works the weekend early shift, so late night Tuesday wasn't her idea of a good time. Still, she was courteous, poured well, and, without Mother Rye looking over her shoulder, heaped the meat. A four order had the heft of eight. The cheese and meat filled the shells, so she piled the lettuce on top and served it with a fork.   

The owner was there, in slightly better than normal form. 

He insisted on shaking all of our hands as we left. UL refused, saying something about making deals with the devil. 

Sunday saw the 2018 running of the classic LRP, Strawberry Kirkwood. In case any of you have forgotten, its a long and difficult ride. 

We encountered several spotters around Carson Spur who thought we might be riding the "Full Loop". By which they meant the Thunder Mountain Loop. Nothing was more fun than saying we started in Strawberry and watching their faces contort in utter disbelief. After catching a sweet patch of freshly made snow we rolled into the Kirkwood Market.

Refreshed, we easily beat a jeep on the route from Schnieder Cow Camp to Strawberry, and finished up just as it got dark.

Vote the Light, Ride the Dark

As we enter the dark days of winter, FT3 must remain hopeful for sweet pithy core rides and positive political times. The rain and snow shall arrive and we will switch from tires to boards, as tepid nights make way for cold fingers and toes.

Will the *insert taco handle here* run the beloved Knott Hole into the ground before the years end?

Hopeful we remain, for country and for rain, voting is not a game, I know this poetry is lame. 

##

For those of you who missed it, which is all of you, 2018 Folsom Rodeo Cross was a blast. Last week's Halloween race hosted a slew of costumed riders having the time of their life. Take a moment and view the amazing photos here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/jn56/albums/72157673107087277

Here are a couple of your own FT3er, representin

Like a kid in a candy store. 

I voted. 

UNO!!

While last week's ride was filled with the hijinx we've come to expect of a night out with FT3,

(leg wrestling under Hwy 50)

the Taco Table was burdened with somber news. After enduring yet another round of in-her-face, spittle-drenched screaming, Tacolicious quit. She finished her shift and tossed all our tabs. In protest, the Hot Shots pulled their group photos from the wall, leaving the empty frames. We now have a taco disconnect, as neither owner nor staff are familiar with FT3. 

DOS

Deep Dark Hole

Halloween may be tomorrow night, but the spookiest bike ride went down last week. Taking advantage of the maintenance period for local infrastructure, we rode uncharted parts of the ditch.

The rowdiness of the evening built from our arrival when Fro deliberately bashed his truck into the Lot recycling dumpster. By the time XT led us out the gate we were raging. Route choice was, once again, rich with hike-a-bike, with the hardest stretch occurring far from any familiar trails. After a little re-orienting we whipped down some steep switchbacks straight into the dry ditch at the eastern extent of FT3 exploration. We immediately encountered a tunnel which, without hesitation, we entered.

The further we rolled, the pool of water got deeper and the ceiling got closer. Big fish flashed in the crystalline water, ours lights shimmered and reflected in all directions, and the echo of our voices ricocheted off the walls. Hub deep, the outlet became visible. A little jump and the buoyancy of the niner tires covered the last couple feet to get out of the pool. We kept rolling the ditch, throwing in wall rides and indifferently splashing puddles, through the slick wooden flume back to familiar territory.

Late, late, late we took the frigid descent on Sly Park pavement to the Knot. First in, I was greeted by an icy "Get the Fuck Out!" "Not even a quick rye shot?" "Get the Fuck Out, its almost 11!" That quickly thawed and we received taco service as per normal. 

Seven Reasons to Ride Tonight

1) Big moon

2) Return of XT

3) New t-shirts?

4) Route that has never been done

5) Heckling Cap'n

6) Shredding

7) Important Taco Table discussion

I'm riding tonight, are you?

After weeks of travel, I am returning to the dirt tonight.
Who will join me?

Just for fun I googled "Sly Park reservoir bike" and found a picture that I'm pretty sure is not copywrite protected from 2012.



Hope to see you there.

One!

Is Summer Finally Over?

The first showers of fall blessed the Pollywood dirt last week. Luckily, the rain didn't come until Wednesday, so last week's ride was as loose and dusty as possible. As I was Ride Leader I wouldn't have noticed except for the billowing cloud that enveloped me after an unplanned dismount. I enjoyed starting the ride, choosing the route, and going swimming without the burden of dissenting opinions. Temps were perfect and I never felt alone as owls repeatedly burst from the canopy, the brush flashed with eyeshine, and the forest floor scampered.

The owner [train wreck?] [hot mess?] was in typical form. The new Taco Bitty made it back and both of the Taco Service Staff proposed that their husbands start riding on Tuesdays. 

Summer may be over, but that doesn't mean we are shut out of the High Country. Another LRP coming soon.

Precipitate

Its been pretty bleak in Pollywood lately.

But Look!

Not the most promising forecast, but its the best we've had for months.

All will be relieved to know that the Taco Table is getting back to normal. We arrived casually late  last Tuesday and met the new Taco Bitty who seems competent and eager. The owner didn't bug us at all, and the rye pours barely fit in the tumblers. 

One

First Tuesday of Autumn

Still warm and dry, but it gets dark earlier and a big harvest moon will cast spectral shadows in the dust.

Last week set a pretty good precedent with the new taco proprietor: we treated his drunken ass with thinly veiled irritation and he bought us a round of beers. Hopefully he found another taco bitch, especially one that knows how to make the meat.

Always something new.

One

Questions of the Taco Kind

Another week is upon us - the news came through early Monday that our taco needs will be met this week in spite of new ownership at the Knott Hole. Jolly good. As Even Keel and the Taco Mom settle in for their first week of relative worry free life and contemplate trips to Michigan for a grand baby fix, we ponder the important things like - "Will the tacos be different? What about the shells? Will I still have red hot Wednesday? Will the prices skyrocket? Will there be PBRs? Will they be warm as we expect them to be? What about the sauces? Will FT3 get the respect it deserves? Will I EVER be TacoStrong again???

And that 's just the taco part. Will we be charged for parking? What about the dust? Will it rain, ever? Will the ride leader make me ride my MTB on the road?

If you want answers to these questions and more, you have to come out and ride tonight.

If anyone expects to ride lead and actually intends to take the group on the road please declare so in the HCF so we can bring the appropriate bike!

In other news, we need to put this adventure on our LRP ticker, our friend from Folsom who recently joined us (what was his taco handle?) has offered to take us on this super sweet journey:

https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php/293407-Into-the-Royal-Gorge?p=4535147#post4535147


Also, remember how XTeric wanted to ride the Rubicon Trail, well someone did it on a Fat Bike and wrote about it and posted a video, check it out here:

http://reviews.mtbr.com/video-biking-the-rubicon-trail

ONE

Not at the Knott

Well, my brothers, the time has come. The Knott Hole changed hands, and I was just informed by Mother Rye that there will be no taco Tuesday tonight. And the market isn't even open. Hopefully next week.

We sure have had some good times at the old Knotty, hopefully the party won't stop.

At least for tonight, we are untethered from our tradition, free to ride wherever we want and eat whatever we can scrape together, because nothing will be open.

Not sure what to propose, but I'm IN.

Air quality seems good, hope winds continue from the south

With another fire in Placer County, air quality could be questionable but winds from the south keep the smoke away from the trails.  It'll probably be hot and dusty but still a good evening for cycling.  Will RG make a come back from retirement? Is Nocar going to ride up? Will Cappy and NoSauce make an appearance?  Who's in tonight?

-One

Missing me some FT3

Remember the days when our DRL would post up great long call outs, the anticipation of who all would chime in and the fun on Wed. as your relived the ride through the writing of the "Ride Report".  Remember when Councilman or NoCar would write a witty poetic post filled with inside jokes and good humor. 

Remember when we were 6 strong, at a minimum, Remember waiting for the post to go up and who would chime in.  Remember when the "hidden" comment field grew to 20 or 30 comments.  Remember it?

When was the last time you had Chicken bake (not me, but you lucky ones) or a "Lady and the Tramp" taco share nearly happened.  When was the last time PC pushed a tree over all by himself or RG cleared the RG.  When was the last time someone slept in their car in the Knot Lot?

OK, so times change, i get it.  At least Long Rides and Very Long Short Rides are still happening (sorry, my attendance is abismal).  But, will the Knot Hole be the same this time next month or next year?  Will our DRL return to the blog or his place at the front of the rides on a regular basis (from personal fitness stand point I hope not).

Where was I going with all this?  Oh yea, I'm missing me some FT3.  I know it is dusty and my attendance has been shit, but I'll be there tonight.  Hope some of you can join.

One,
NoHandle.

Dusty Ride Expected, Long Rides Projected

Hello FT3ers -

The long and the short of it is that it is Tuesday and I would like to throw out some concepts for future longer than short rides.

1) TAMBA Rose to Toads is nearly full (7 spots left for ride only) , shuttle definitely full. If you haven't registered... like I haven't... it's may be too late without dealing with some logistics on your own.

So depending on your perspective, that is a challenge or opportunity. Opportunity to plan our own, challenge to register right away and deal with logistics. I am going to throw out Sept. 29th for "planning our own." I am sure we can get a shuttle and if someone can help me secure (NoCar) a spot at Big Meadow (NoCar) on Thursday the 27th (NoCar) we should be good to go. Thoughts?

2) Newb a while back said we should do the 24 hours of Old Pueblo ride in February 2018. I like the idea, Lars liked the idea, do others like the idea? Sprinter van trip to AZ? XTeric?? Early registration ends in October. Think about it.

Declare your interest for both of the above and charge your lights for tonight.

ONE

Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups

If its not the DTI, then its the AQI.
We started out 8 strong last week for a spin on dusty trails under smoky skies. Unfortunately, the sensitive group had to peel off leaving only 3 to finish the ride. Got a big batch of sauce from our new sponsor, unfortunately they are too hot for our more sensitive riders.
More of the same tonight. Who wants it?
One

Tahoe Dispatch

Afternoon monsoon storms have refreshed the Tahoe trails each day and they are sweeeeet. Pollywood probably hasn't been so lucky. At least its outside of the Excessive Heat Warning. The post-ride swim should be exceptional. And our El Yucateco order is supposed to arrive at the Knot today. So, we got that going for us.

Last week Fro proposed riding up as he is without wife or kids tonight. As I am also without wife or kids I totally agreed.

ONE

Widespread Haze

How often does the weather forecast also work as a ride report summary?

Reaching back two weeks was the prime July 3rd Tuesday. Since attendance was low, its worth a recap. Newb and I did the Full Ride. Leaving straight from our homes on bikes, we took the scratchy route up to Pollywood: 8 Mile Road to FT3 Road to Ridgeway Court to Ridgeway across Sly Park Road to the trails up to the Radio Tower to Nap Time etc... to the Knott. The place was packed and we got a few looks in our kits, and comments about our early arrival, it was only 9. But, it wasn't taco time, yet. We picked up a few beverages from the market and retreated to our familiar spot under the cedar. Refreshed, we hit more trails that were remarkably dust free to low dust. And with only two riders, it really didn't matter. Back at the Knott we sat at the bar. A grim asshole sitting next to us got pissed that we were behaving so familiarly with the taco staff and told us that locals didn't like our attitude and we could step outside to discuss it. Newb and I were dumbfounded. Fortunately, staff quickly pointed out that we were waaay more local than him. Then he wanted to be our friend, which was worse because he kept shoving videos at us of him training people in MMA. As the Knott closed he tried to get us to load up with him and go to the Pine Lodge. Hell no. After quaffing a complimentary booze ball, we got back on the bikes. Rolling past the Pine Lodge we hollered out to our new least favorite friend who was waiting for us outside.   

Some interest has been shown for repeating the Full Ride format, as an easy way to get miles while staying off the dust. Although, it sounds like last week's riders also consumed a big serving of miles. RideLeader Councilman cooked up some grand plans that left everyone ride satisfied.

RG recently picked up some dirt candy. Maybe he's ready to return to the warm bosom of FT3. And back channel chatter about long rides will be the hot topic at the Taco Table. 

ONE

Dog Days of Summer

Well, it's definitely heating up in the 'Wood. I'm told they are having an actual "shoot out" up there on Saturday.

I can't honestly say I've looked beyond the title page of the site, but IMHO, I can't see paying $ to share my local trails w/1000 other riders. Especially, if I can ride them unencumbered after dark. Which is what I have planned for this evening.

I hope that our party of 2 J4FT3 riders have (and will share their) stories from last week. Please post pics, if not in violation of the modesty code.

1!

Long Ride Season Heats Up

Busy, busy times for FT3. Quick on the heels of the Carson City 50, Meyers hosted the Tahoe Mountain Bike Festival. Disappointed by last year's easy route and lack of beers, FT3 decided to add a crown and stash a cooler.

The next LRP to be determined at the Taco Table.

Remember July 3, 2012?

Gonna be another big night. Don't plan on getting home until tomorrow.

ONE

The Return of Lars

Founding member and original DRL has made his return the the Pville region. While he is still into alternative footie related athletic endeavors, I understand he intends to ride this evening and is in good fitness and looking forward to good cheer. He may be just in time to reclaim the Mt. Tek and receive an update on new ownership and departure of the Spawn to Michigan.

Table conversation should include planning for Tuesday July 3rd.

ONE!

CC50 Race Report

You put XT at the helm of his Sprinter, and fill the rest of the seats with FT3, and point that thing towards Nevada, and for damn sure its going to be a good time. We received nothing but the kindest hospitality from the residents of our neighbor state, from Cappy's family friends who hosted us, to the waittresses at Red's Old 395 Grill.

Race day was beautiful, mild temperatures, busting wildflowers, and mountain bikes as far as the eye could see. We each settled into our own pace; Cappy, Nocar, XT, Counselman. We rode at about middle to back quarter of the pack, not fit enough to hang with the shredders (Levi Leipheimer finished 24th), so we were constantly frustrated in the technical sections where all manner of mountain biking ineptitude was on display. No cramping, retching, mechanicals, or missed turns. Everyone finished strong enough to crack a beer at the finish line. All in all a great day in the saddle.

Triple Crown is just around the corner. Gotta keep those handling skills sharp. Is anyone bringing a new bike tonight?

ONE

Next Stop Carson City

Its going to be a warm one tonight, with light to moderate dust. Good prep for the Carson City 50. An event so important in the Pacific region that PG&E is giving today off for anyone who plans on racing.

One

Pollywood Dreamin'

Pollywood has been the stuff of fantasy lately.

Last week saw the running of a super sweet new downhiller trail in lip-smacking perfect conditions. Rolling back to tacos, a few of us glanced longingly at the lake, but it was late, no time for a swim. The taco table was way spicier than normal with new sauce offerings that made brows sweat like back in the day.

Should be more of the same.

ONE

Miracle Mountain Bike May

Remember the trails last week?

*sigh*

They should be almost as good tonight. And temps warm enough for an RG showing.
ONE

All the Bicycles

Its bicycle season. Conditions are so good that RG made it out last Tuesday. And damn near every man, woman, and child in El Dorado County got out on a bike last Friday.

For a minute, Buttons and his crew had the biggest undertaking. But they were run off the road by a pack taking the long way to South Lake Tahoe.

The premier event of the weekend went down on Sunday, when FT3 kicked off Long Ride season with a return to Rock Creek.

It rained again last night. So trails will be perfect again tonight. And rumors are swirling that two (2) riders may be coming off of the injured roster and back onto the dirt.

ONE