The Great Escape : Ventana El Gordo

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dilluns, d’abril 06, 2015

Out of order

I'm out of order ...

It's difficult to mix two sports as different as MTB/Road Bike and Soccer (Futbol for the people outside US). I love both, I've been doing both for years, but the physical demand is completely different in each one, resulting in my right calf damaged, to the point I was almost not able to even step my foot on the floor without pain.

That said, the pain forced me to some days of rest that I feel have been really good for my body, as I've been stressing too much on the last weeks to get back on track. I've been combining my return to sports with a more healthy diet and the result so far is I already lost 6 pounds in barely 3 weeks, 2 pounds per week is a fast pace to start, but I know it can't be maintained, the goal is to get back to my weight wen I was MTBiking a lot in Manresa, and then to be able to hold the gain there.

This entry though is not to talk about my illness or weight loose, but to rewind and review last rides, as I have some nice surprises.

Saturday last week, I had for the fist time a new colleague joining my rides, he was born in Catalonia as us, and lives in Greenville, funny I know him for years, but never ride together, this was our first time and hope it won't be the last, he is a great sportsman, but with a tendency to prefer American ones vs European. Oriol Paricio, my sun, is now riding with me, and I can let you know I was the proudest father, we did the full Swamp Rabbit Trail, and even next day we was sore as he is not used to ride for that long, he was always there, and in some areas even faster than myself. To say on my defense I was riding the El Gordo with the fat 4" and he was riding the El Mojo ... great bike to start I think :)

You maybe realize some similarities, the red Gore jacket I always used is now fitting a little bit big for his body, but almost perfect sized, one more year and it will be "the fit" ... I was not even close to that size at 13 :(

New and past bikes riding together

Spring time in SC is just a blossom of flowers and colors

Ventana El Gordo and the new Castelli gear

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

dimecres, de març 18, 2015

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 !!!!

dilluns, de març 09, 2015

Getting dirt :)

It was beautiful yesterday in South Carolina, these Blue Skies invited to pick my Sky Blue Ventana and went for a nice ride. Three on a row, Friday evening warm up in the Swamp, Saturday morning repeating on a cold morning, and Sunday finally hitting the dirt in Paris Mountain.

Old pictures that become new with the Ventana, old trails look like new as the feeling driving the El Gordo is just a new start. Back to the old times, no fork, 1x10, full rigid ... love it !!!!

The bike eats everything you put in front, the fat tires roll over each stone or tree root, the external 29" is just helping to go "over", like the terrain gets flatter, true that there is less acceleration, the feeling of having more weight to pull, but once the bike is on speed, you're fast ... fast to a point where you have to remind yourself you don't have a front fork ... I just need to be focused on that, as my head was on full suspension mode until just a few weeks ago, and now the front wheel needs more attention.

Still to early to decide, but the feeling is I will get faster with this bike, true it won't allow me to do some of the things I was able with the Mojo, but who cares ... not me. I decided a test Mojo vs El Gordo will take place in just a few weeks. Two different tracks, still to decide, one more XC the other an enduro version, then I will compare on same environment and day ... I can't wait :)

Getting dirt, getting dirt, getting dirt ... I love it !!!!

Do you remember this place ?

Fire Tower trail ... old places, new rides.

Kanuga Trail, a classic ride in Greenville SC

I love this view from the top of Kanuga

The Reservoir ....

North Lake reservoir ... SC blue skies :)

Our flag in SC

A happy El Gordo ready to go home

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

dilluns, de març 02, 2015

Flash back ...

Today I had a flashback ... sometimes called "deja vue", but I had one where we were riding in Terrassa, with our Orange and Green Pesto Ibis Mojo (and the Yeti if I'm not wrong) under the rain back to Terrassa after a full day of MTB.

It was fast, it was raining, we were laughing ... not sure about what, I'm thinking just about the stress, the fact everybody needed to be back "soon", and we were laughing, under the rain, happiness, is all I can say ... it was a rainy and happy moment.

I had a similar one today, again on the Swamp Rabbit trail, when I was riding down back to Greenville, the rain showed up, light rain, not strong as the Terrassa one, but it was nice to have a similar feeling ... this time the Orange Ibis was not there, I turned back to see if the Vicious and the Spotbrand were on the corner, or ahead of me, or just behind ... but you were not there.

It was nice though, it was nice to feel alive, to feel close, and to feel that friends are as close as you want them to be, and as far as live drives you away. But on my mind, I can tell you were riding with me today ... I was laughing, promise, and I was happy ... you were riding with me.

Crossing the rails ...

Downtown alive, old bricks and new buildings

Downtown Ready River Falls ... just beautiful !

Our Freedom jersey :)

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

dilluns, de febrer 23, 2015

El Gordo riding in Greenville SC

Finally riding with the El Gordo,

First impressions, bike is not as "fat" as I thought ... even if I compare with my road bike is like two different worlds, the bike feels light and fast, the 45North Husker DU's with the Bontrager Jackalope wheels help a lot on this feeling.

The ride has been using the Greenville downtown Swamp Rabbit trail, and old train track converted in bike and pedestrian path from Greenville to Travelers Rest north of the city. The first section around downtown and Cleveland Park had some more turns and corners to see how easy the bike moves, and compared to the Ibis there is a need for more work when cornering. It's clearly the result of the external 29" diameter (26" in wheels + fat tires) and the fact of moving more tire.

The geometry it's excellent, I felt perfect from ground zero and the ride finish the same way, no muscles with any feeling of pain due to positioning.

It's still early to judge, as I didn't use any gravel road or trail, it was almost all flat or ascending just to get a feel and my body up from winter.

Photos attached ...

Swamp Rabbit Trail.

Furman University lake.

Forman University Bell Tower.

Detail of the paved path ... donations.

My El Gordo doesn't look so fat in front of a train :)

Greenville downtown, Reedy River Falls park, the Bridge and Main Street on the left ... love this city.

The two fats of the family ... attention to the small adhesive on the rear of the car :)

From Greenville SC, Javi Paricio

diumenge, de febrer 15, 2015

Welcome home Ventana El Gordo !!!!

Dear friends

Finally we got the Ventana in Greenville. It's been a nice process, thanks Adam from Richard Bikes for the work, I always feel the time spent building a bike is worth, especially if you plan to have it for then next 10 years ... or more.

And yes, I said 10 years, the Ibis Mojo it's been with me for 8 years now, and I don't plan to sell the bike, I will still ride it. Then I have my Cannonade F3000 ... my old machine, actually in Manresa, in "El Rey del Bages" territory, but planning to bring her home, to have all the family reunited :)

Lets talk about the Ventana ... OMG, what a bike, if I was freaking out with the pictures and the info on the different web sites, I have no words to describe how good it looks when you're close to the real bike.

The color, the color, the color ... OMG, this Sky Blue with metallic flakes it's just amazing, the details on the logos, the weldings, the drop-outs ... what to say, I need more time to analyze.

It's night in SC, and you know how much I love nights, when I have a coke with me because there is something worth to spend an hour in front of the computer ... do you remember?

Anyway ... some pictures, this is the new baby, the Ventana El Gordo ... here we go !!!!