14.5 Miles
35 Degrees
Today was a lazy Saturday and I needed it to not be. After finally getting myself moving, I decided to go for a ride. The weather this week was great, for January in Montana anyway, so I thought a mountain bike ride to Two Moon Park would be appropriate. After gearing up for cold weather, I was finally on the road. On the way there I rode through Colson Park and the 1/2 mile trail that parallels the paved trail. This should have been a sign to change my plans. Colson Park was a muddy, sloppy mess. I couldn't even enjoy the few jumps that are on the trail because I was sliding all over before I could get to them. My bike was caked in mud and when I was able to catch some speed, chunks of mud flung off my tires and pelted me in the face.
Two Moon Park wasn't any better. If anything, it was worse. I trucked along slowly down the switch backs covered in ice, anticipating that the trails at the bottom might be better. I couldn't even turn the bike. It just slid straight ahead as I was trying to corner the switch backs. The trails along the river were saturated and icy. It was slow moving through there. I made it deep into the park and gave up. I needed to get out of there.
On the way home I decided to try the new Swords Park Trail (paved). It was pretty nice but I was too spent to enjoy it after the sludge at Colson and Two Moon Parks. It's a three mile climb to the top of the rims ending at the airport. On the plus side, it was a fast ride down 27th Street to get back home, but being tired and wet, 35 mph in 35 degree weather is a little cold. I enjoyed the warm shower afterwards.
