Winter Storm JONAS !!!!

Friends,

Weather forecast has been really bad for the east coast, all media has been focusing on the impact this winter storm will have on areas from South Carolina to Massachusetts, specially Washington DC and NY as forecasts are throwing historical numbers on accumulated inches of snow.

Well, while the storm is still going on now in the area of NY, Washington and Boston, being specially hard as I write in the Big Apple city, the southern states have been left with a white layer that we don't usually see down here.

And being a biker, owner of a fat bike, this is like finding gold. I got all I have been dreaming for some months, something that I miss for some weeks last year when my fat bike project started.

I'm going to start explaining that, as I also like photography, so the first thing I did when the storm hit Greenville SC last Friday night was to drive my car to shot some pics on the most popular places we have around this city. From Main St, to Falls Park including some pics close to my house.

 Augusta St

Main St

Michelin on Main ... well Michelin is not there any more

Ready River falls @ Falls Park

The Old Cigar Warehouse @ Main St ... the best building in Greenville SC.

But the storm didn't finish on Friday night, and kept going providing a nice Saturday morning. I wake up really early, and the first thing I did was to look through my window to look for how many inches we have ... and oh surprise, it was clearly a good 3 to 4 inches of nice white powder ... and this was not coming from Mexico :)

I got my Go Lean cereals and Cafe Latte to wake up my body, then dress up with my biking apparel. I got my winter Specialized tights, my Flanders Castelli wind base layer, Freedom Catalonia jersey and Capo Pursuit Thermal Jacket ... I thought it was enough, but Jonas was throwing cold air to the South, and so I also needed one of my winter skying jackets, so I decided for a Millet soft shell, Castelli winter socks and Bontrager RXL shoes were coming to the adventure too, despite the shoes are not the best option for a snowy day, since I live in South Carolina I don't have a real winter boot I can use in such conditions.

It was early Saturday morning, and Greenville SC had this picture we all love to see at least once a year, and even better when this happens on a weekend, where no work or schools are interrupted and we can enjoy the white element. Ready to ride, I think I was the only biker in the City ... well, maybe there was one or two more, but I never saw them. So I left home, to enjoy the next hours on a unusual environment for my fellow friends of SC.

Told my daughter to take a pic when I was leaving ... thanks !

Sun rising on the front porch :)

So I decided no need for weird routes looking for no traffic, the main areas of Greenville where my target, including some of the main busy streets ... for one day free of cars and people.

This is kinda of a big tree ... and just two blocks from my house

Ventana on her element

McDaniel Av, yes I respected the speed limit.

I continued towards the Swamp Rabbit trail, the access from McDaniel it was just some yards away from the previous picture, so I was expecting almost nobody to be there, and honestly, I found more tracks than I thought will be, but all them of avid runners.

Swamp Rabbit, note the runners track ... and no bikes :)

Some yards after that picture, you have to cross one metallic bridge, I like the place, but is not the best one for a pic, today it was different, as the white, black and silver tones were mixed on a perfect mix for a winter day.

Slippery metallic bridge by Church St, better on the bike than walking.

Calm corner this morning

It's a typical downtown ride, but a must stop place is around the bridge and falls @ Falls Park, just yards away, after some turns and a small ramps from here. 

That's why you need the fat tires ... 

 Bridge and falls view from the south side of the park

Ready River falls ... mid downtown.

Here I am :)

And still here almost nobody other than the public workers trying to clean main roads and paths to avoid issues during the day. Not sure why, I was hoping nobody will be cleaning at least the park, big mistake, as is one of the main spots to visit in Greenville. From this point I went up and down main street, busy on any other day, almost desert this winter morning ... have to love to ride on this days, I will move to the north.

 The Old Cigar Warehouse ... so nice 

Happy rider on Main ST.

Main St., who said there was too much traffic?

So after some laps for for the most beautiful city you can visit in the South East of the US, I went back home, redoing some of my previous path to avoid dirt streets, being able to enjoy the 3 to 4 inches of new snow. I arrived to Cleveland park, closer to home but on a valley without any other escape than climb towards my home ... and it was nice, but it proved me an easy hill on normal conditions can turn in a Tour the France version with snow, as the bike is continuosly slowed down.

Cleveland Park, here I found tracks of another fat bike ... 

 Frozen water, not the best option :)

Stone Bridge close to Cleveland Park

On my way back home, I saw people walking or running, a lot of thumbs up for me when I was close to them, everybody was surprised about a guy on a bike on such a day. I even cross a couple that were asking me if the ttracks they saw on the park were mine...and of course they were.

From Greenville SC, on a white and snowy day, from a happy biker.

Javi Paricio

No serà, crec

Un Vol avui per Cap de Creus, i sí que podria ser que avui fes un Drac, i de ser, de fer-ne un primer, que ara m'he despertat a les quatre de la matinada el pensament és de fer-ne un segon, crec que el què no serà és un tercer, seguarament tampoc el segon, i veurem si el primer consolidarà, veurem.

Les temperatures ara, aquests darrers tres dies són molt suaus, i més sortint al migdia, entre 15°C i 17°C, OMG, i per avui el pronòstic és de 14°C, està prou bé. 

MTB, MTB, MTB.

No estic emocionat pel nou Drac, renoi, les demores en les contestes del fabricant HM no ajuden gens a estar motivat, llàstima que l'alumini no és el material que vull avui pel meu quadre perquè una Ventana seria de justícia que estés rodant des de fa mesos pel Montalt, seria de tanta justícia que em  cou. 

Waterfalls ...

Waterfalls

Last Sunday was a perfect day to ride, sunny and warm, ready for St. Patrick's Day ... the Ireland guys were everywhere, most of them having some beers, I decided to drive to DuPont Forest in NC.

Love the roads in the NC mountains

Dupont Forest is an interesting place, it's been on the MTB magazines different times as one of the top destinations on the SE, located in the western NC mountains, close to Ashville NC and Greenville SC can attract people from both states, but also some northern guys looking for warm weather at the end of their winters.

In DuPont Forest you can find a mix of hikers, runners, MTBikers and also just families looking for some fresh water and a nice wild space. Sometimes it's crowded, but worth a visit. If you're just curious about click the attached website http://www.dupontforest.com.

Bridal Veil Falls

I arrived there around 11am, parking lot was pretty full, but I was able to find a spot. On my left side a car with some German guys living in Aiken SC, on the back a minivan with 6 people from Ontario (Canada). Was interesting to see the different set-ups, the young German guys with their enduro double suspension (Pivot, Trek, Trek, Trek, ...) wide pants and T-shirts, ready for jumps. The Canadiens were all about racing, fast and light carbon fiber bikes, top of the art components (Specialized, Scott, Cannondale,...) all them with bib shorts and racing apparel, I later discover they were from the Ontario racing team.

I was there too, the crazy Catalan with a FatBike, no fork, aluminum frame, and my new Castelli equipment...funny though nobody was asking about their bikes, or frames, but all of them came to ask me about my El Gordo ... I love it, it was clearly the singularity there.

I started my ride on the parking that has access to Covered Bridge trail, this is a wide gravel road that gets you closer to High Falls, an spectacular waterfall it's been captured in numerous videos and pictures. From that point I moved towards the south of the park, to arrive to Bridal Veil falls, another spot it's worth a visit, both pictured in the movie The Last of the Mohicans https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Last_of_the_Mohicans_(1992_film)#Locations.

Covered Bridge

 El Gordo in Bridal Veil Falls

 

Once you leave Bridal Veil, there is not a lot of options as you have to ride back some of the same trial, but one facing west is especially nice, a tight and cornering one called Corn Mill Shoals that later turn into Barn Trail, a mix of forest and finally open area once you arrive to the barn.

 

Corn Mill Shoals



Barn Trail

From Barn Trail you basically have to go east to look again for the main gravel road "Conservation Road", then north to look again for some nice trails, before you arrive to Three Lakes Trail, you cross the bridge over Little River, once this is done the trail is on your left with a very narrow entrance that clearly tells you this is going to be fun.

 

The trail is similar to all others in DuPont, tree roots, some big stones and basically a 3 feet wide trail with twist, corners and some wavy areas ... perfect place to have fun. When I was there the Canadian crew came on the opposite direction, I stop to allow them to pass, they were really fast and clean, no dirt jumps.

Little River

 

Lake Julia view from the Three Lakes Trail

Lake Dense

Three Lakes melts into Pitch Pine Trail, and this one goes back to the main gravel road close to Covered Bridge, true there is plenty of other options, but I have to explore the forest deeply to feel comfortable to go alone far away of the main areas.

 

When you arrive to the main gravel road, there is a need to visit the main falls, the ones are widely famous, High and Triple Falls. These two spots deserve you leave the bike on the side and try to walk to the base, I have been there plenty of times hiking with the family, and the overwhelming feeling of being in front of a nature beauty it's always on my mind. As I said these where locations used on "The Last of the Mohicans" movie, but also other movies, like recently "The Hunger Games" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Hunger_Games_(film)#Filming.

 

This section is a small loop but it's where you will find the stiffest ramps, this is not a small trail, maybe a 10 feet wide mini gravel road, mainly used to access the falls by lots of people on the weekends, but something looks easy walking gets some times complicated on the bike, especially with a 1x10 with a 32 in the front, thanks good I have the x10 on the rear derailleur, not sure how I will be doing on a SS.

High Falls  

The Scorpion is back ... new Castelli bibs

Triple Falls ... just amazing !!!!

The climb from Triple Falls is a good test for where I'm physically, but also how the bike feels, and to be honest, I like the rigid feeling, it's the same I got on the past with my F3000 when I was able to completely block my lefty fork and get this rigid position, no energy is lost on suspension systems, no extra weight it's carried, it's a great feeling, and I like this so far. My Ibis is asking my why I don't love her anymore, why I change my mind ... tough times for the Mojo, but maybe my son will pick her up again.

From Greenville SC, looking to the north ... Waterfalls !!!!

Fat Bikes: Ventana El Gordo

It's been a while since my last post, and even I'm there I would say I was in the dark corner. Light is coming back, and new projects are lining up ... what's next, not sure, but maybe is fat :)

 

The original picture is from cylclemonkeylab, but I thought it will be a good idea to show at least one here. I'm not planning on a front suspension, rather I will go with a rigid fork. The rear derailleur won't be a Rolhoff ... unless they give me a great discount !

From SC, Javi Paricio

Merry Christmas :)

Nova web de Ventana

Aqui teniu la nova web de Ventana

Ventana El Cuervo

Building a Ventana El Cuervo from Luca Marinelli on Vimeo.

Dues joies

29er vs 26", Alumini vs Titani, Rancho Cordova vs Steamboat Springs, California vs Colorado.

Aquest matí, dues joies Made in Usa sota la pluja. Materials diferents, diàmetres de roda diferents, procedéncies diferents.

Moots i Ventana Bikes