The Fun Machine is even More Funnerer!

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get out until Friday this week, but I guess it's good I'm busy at work, and it is the holidays...
Friday I decided to make the Fun Machine more offroad capable. Ditched the 30's (which I thought were 32's) for some nice fat 35's, and slapped a 19t cog on the back to give me a better offroad gear. I had to swap the chain for a 1/8" due to the cog, and ditch my fenders to fit the fatties.

I wasn't crazy about not having fenders, especially after all the rain we had this week, so I thought sticking to fireroads would be the best plan.
Did I mention how much rain we got this week?
Well best laid plans and such the fireroads were a flooded mess, but I was loving the tires and the gear. So much fun! I got a little wet (read soaked), but the fun factor was off the scale.

Saturday was more of the same. After a half day of work I met James for a blast around White Memorial in Litchfield. I can't believe I used to think WM was lame when I lived up here. It might be mostly double track, but what beautiful trails! Lots of ice, but most was crunchy or granular; not to much glare. James wasn't about to let me have all the fixed fun so he spot welded a freehub to make his 1x1 fixed. Temps were in the 20's, and our water was frozen solid within an hour. Mental note: hydrate early!

Look Mom, No Brakes!







Buena Vista

Sunday was a busy busy day. Church and parties, and CCD, and of course we had to get a tree. But what if I accidentally put my bike in the back of the truck? Well you can't have a tree and a bike back there so I guess I'll just have to ride it home. I've never been a fan of of "bike paths", but I figured this time of year traffic would be light so why not give them a shot. Being mostly a paved route home, I swapped the cog for a 17t. A little smaller gear than I'd like, but I wouldn't have to change the chain. I rode down from New Hartford into Collinsville and picked up the Farmington River Greenway. Beautiful views along the river in Collinsville, got to go over a converted railroad bridge and through a tunnel. Need to bring kids along for such excitement! It always surprises me how tree roots f' up bike paths. Everyone I've been on seems to be cracked and swelled by the surrounding trees.
Part of the Greenway was unfinished but the Fun Machine, even with tires inflated hard, still made short work of it. Go to play "Hardmen of the North" as I hammered over gravel, ice, and puddles.
I was so fun blasting down the dirt, I couldn't just ride home, I had to take a quick spin through the res. for a little fireroad action. Still damp, but not nearly the deluge aftermath of Friday. Now the gear I was worried about being to small, was feeling awfully tall, but the nice thing about a tall gear is the climb is over that much quicker!
Fixed and fireroads are quickly becoming quite dear to me.
Fat comfy tires and bike paths; I must be getting old!
I hope the weather keeps up for Christmas break!



Res.