Autumn is here again. Prime riding Summer season and my quest for more Century rides is over for this year. With the colder weather comes lots of trail riding. As I am retired from Cyclocross racing but love to get out in nature, the many trails of our area beckon.
Our Long Island moderate climate makes it possible to ride most of the year. Winter and XC skiing/snowshoeing will be upon us soon enough. For now, I enjoy the shoulder seasons of early Autumn and Early Spring in an off road mode. I have had 13 good seasons on my Jamis Nova 700 x 32c tired bike. My son has asked that I ship the bike out to California where he lives, and I agreed. I am sure that the bike will be a legacy possession for him. In the meantime, I am enjoying it on the easier trails of the North Shore of Long Island.
Of course, this gives me an excuse to build the next bike! It will be a Velo Orange Piolet, with a rigid front fork, drop handlebars, and 2.4" mountain bike tires. This steed will be more suited to the type of trail riding that I am doing at the current time, and will be adequate for more challenging trails. Bucket list...Iceland.
For now and through the early Spring, I will be almost exclusively trail riding. No cars, less wind, and a chance to hone my bike handling skills. If history is an accurate predictor, I will be back on the road as soon as the weather turns warm.
