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