Snow Ride

I know I've preached the gospel of riding in the snow before. It's time to bear witness again. I went up the Green Canyon singletrack today with G.W. It was one of the best rides I have ever done. It was so much fun coming down, every turn a controlled drift. There was about 4 inches of fresh powder, enough to slide around on, but not so much that the tires could not find the trail after the perfect drift though each turn. Fun, fun, fun.

It's a shame people stop riding as soon as it snows. Riding in the snow is not hard to do, and it gives the old familiar trails a complete new perspective. And, the scenery is incredible, with several inches of snow hanging on the bare maple branches that form a canopy over the trail, creating the perfect winter wonderland.

As soon as the snow gets deep, it will be impossible to ride up the Green Canyon singletrack. The road, however, gets groomed for skiing, so that it can be ridden under certain conditions for most of the winter. Anyone want to come along? Here are a few hints for those who are interested:

• let some air out of your tires
• steer with your butt and hips, keep the bars straight
  
• layer up, wear booties or double socks, put on a balaclava, and wear winter gloves
• go a little slower and gear down
• have fun

Sorry, I did not get any pictures.