Jail Break Riding

With the bad weather this last week, getting in a ride feels like breaking out of jail. You keep watch on the guards and when they change shifts you make a break for it and hope you don't get gunned down before you make it safely past the last barbed wire.

With my wife and older daughters at camp, and Friday looking like the only break in the weather for 2 more days, after work I bolted for the trails. I left my house and went up the Water Tank Road, then down Cliff, cut through the Race Course then headed up Provo Canyon via the pipeline road. At Nun's park I came down on a fun little trail then a bit of the paved trail until I peeled off on the Bridal Veil section of the BST.

It's been a while since I last biked this trail. It's as fun as I remembered. The climb is just right with enough features to keep it interesting. I was annoyed I didn't make the last switchback before topping out.

Crossed the Squaw Peak road (after startling an iPod-ified trail runner) and went up trail 219. I made it over to the freeride area and hoped to find the proper trail down into the Timpview neighborhoods (Chris Holley told me about it). I've dropped down these hills before, but usually ended up in someone's backyard or horse pasture. I think I found it, but it was sure steep and loose in spots. One time I thought for sure I was going to crash, but somehow stayed up. I poped out near the tiny East Lawn cemetery. I'll have to try going up it one of these days.

I sped back home and picked up the younger two at grandma's house. Just for kicks I took them to Bridal Veil Falls then up to the Squaw Peak Lookout (aka Mt. Honor Code Violation - good one Ryan) where we played "can you spot our house?" and "annoy the amorous couples".

On the way down I discovered the special thing I do for my kids. Dug has the whoosh. And ever since I read that I've wondered what tradition my kids will remember about me. Turns out it's Crazy Driving. And Squaw Peak road is a perfect place for it. I turn the car sharply left or right randomly as I hit the brake and gas. The goal is to make the ride as unpredictable as possible so the kids are slamming into the doors and each other. And I yell excitedly that we're being attacked by ninjas, or crazed deer, or whatever bizarre inspiration hits me at the moment. It's a simple thing, and silly, but the kids get laughing uncontrollably and they love it. It just costs me some life off my tires and brakes, a little extra gas, and the bewildered looks of other drivers.

Saturday morning I went for a little road ride with my neighbor up Provo Canyon. The sky was dark and threatening rain, but we went anyway. We made it half way up South Fork when we found ourselves like salmon swimming against a flow of runners. We turned around and made our way in front of them. It was a 10 mile run event.

Back at home there was a phone message from my wife. After loading the van at girls camp, it wouldn't start and when they tried to jump start it the cables smoked and melted. She got a ride back with others and when she got home I found out she had been sick the last 4 days with a fever, chills, aches, and a bad cough. It was bad enough we went to the InstaCare where the doctor diagnosed her with pneumonia in her right lung. She went to bed and I got her some meds.

With Jolene settled I put together a plan to rescue the van. My Dad and I were ready to go when I got a call from Jolene that the camp would be closed for the rest of the weekend. Had I missed the call we would have driven all the way up Fairview canyon only to find a locked gate. So the plan is to go tomorrow (Monday). Such fun.