Running on the red line. It’s a steamy Saturday in VT. Ralph sends us blind up a sick only-in-VT road climb to try a section of new single track trail built last year. We start from Stowe Village and ride north. With an easy non-speed pace, Nate and I make small talk. We carve a right turn in to a WALL. I’m not sure if they “belay” the paving machines or what. The road goes right up the fall line farther than you want to be able to see. Ugly. One of the most intimidating first 1/2 miles of a road I’ve seen. And I’m riding 32/16 with 26″ wheels. Should kill a road climb with that gear, eh? Damn.
Forty minutes of suffering witness the pave turn to gravel briefly, then NICE fireroad. Some easier climbing. HOT. The road is muddy in spots. I like mud like that. We turn left and right, then go straight up again. Fading beyond overgrown double track to jungle, the road goes away. Next it gets swampy, and then there is an interminable straight up hike-a-bike. REALLY HOT. It keeps going up. Ridable maybe, if the many springs that seem to be right in the middle of the road ever dry up, possibly in September? Fortunately we have many excuses pre-approved and walk most of it. We top out finally. We can’t immediately find our way. Then, we see it. The beginning is really leafy, and the trail is new last year so we knew it would be faint. Fired up.
We drop in almost immediately. This is a made by mountain biker trail. Rocks and rolls, left and right. Very technical, with off-camber rooty sections. Sketch drop options. Stair steps. It’s rough from the beginning. I’m getting pounded and I’m thinking I’ve got more air in the rear tire than I’d like. I decide to try a STEEP drop in. I get in well. But I’m pogoing and leg locking in the middle. I get gripped in the stutter stair step at the bottom. I decide I can make it by lettin’er run. So I let go of my only brake. Didn’t make it. Over the bars. Landed on my bike. 
I walked away without a scratch….
I’m getting a new Vulture steel frame. I’ve got a Vulture cross bike that has really dorky features that I spec’d myself. Anyway, there was no question I was going Vulture. I’ve known Wade since ‘98. We’ve done some riding together. He took me in once when I had to move on 2 days notice. We go back a bit. He can even make tele turns that look like a vulture. Seriously! Anyway, I decided on another 26′er. I’ve got both a scorcher and a commutin’ fendered fix that are 29′ers. But I’ve been on a 26′er single speed coaster since ‘98 and I’m good at it. So, I chickened out on the fixed specific. Wade had some thoughts about building the ultra simple braze-on free frame. I’d like such a frame for sure. But 29′er that would be. Maybe someday! Fork will be Wade specific. I’m not sure what he’ll make. I left it up to him. Steel, that all I spec’d. Not ISO. Canti bosses, baby. Clearance for 2.4 tires and I’m good to go. Got most of the terrible old kit ready to go back on. Only the seatpost and BB are going to get changed. I’m going with a fatter seatpost to see if I can keep one straight for more than a season. Maybe if I just lost some weight?
I got some filming in tonite with two local scorchers, Jeremy and Ralph. Jeremy fixed an Indy Fab short-1″-headtube-p23-ish, finished it with a cross check fork and 29′er hoops. Smart. Tonite he was working an iffy magic gear, but he’s on the ENO hunt. He’s a shop mech so I think he’s just waiting for the right time. Ralph’s deal is well documented elsewhere in previous posts. He killed it, as usual. I suffered the post walking-pneumonia blues, but slugged it out on the Kona. That bike has been so righteous in my neglect, coming off the proverbial couch to rock any ride that i manage to get my sorry ass through.
I’m fed and fading.
Over and Out.
G.