After setting that up and becoming used to the horrible heat, I decided I needed to mountain bike, and of course decided way too late. I headed out at around 4:30, en route to one of my favorite places on earth, Willowdale.
Willowdale is the place that made me love mountain biking. I think for its mix of more adventurous/technical stuff mixed with super fast trails and less hilly terrain, Lowell Dracut Tyngsboro State forrest is officially my favorite place to ride, but Willowdale has a magic to it that no other place comes close to having. I used to drive past it every day when I worked up in Ipswich, and I always thought the woods looked great for riding. I always thought it was funny that years later, when I finally discovered mountain biking, this would be the place that changed me. The place is big (my full route is like 17 miles), vast and isolated (I am usually completely alone when I ride here), beautiful (there are ponds, thick green forest sections, and a huge and incredibly green section I call Gnarnia- it truly feels like you're in another world at times out there. I also see deer almost every time I go. This was always MY place, since I was the only one I knew who rode it, and taking friends there have been some of my favorite moments in biking. I tackled my first incredibly thin bridge there, got over my first incredibly thin and steep, straight up-straight down bridge, and rode my longest ride (last summer when I did the full 17) there. Mountain biking has taken a back seat this summer, but it was time to go, so I put on some Mars Volta (my usual get pumped for Willowdale music) and headed to Ipswich.
I am nowhere near in the shape I was last year, but I did my best, doing a solid section and then turning around, probably riding about 7 miles. I immediately was the happiest I have been all summer on a mountain bike (except for the absurdly awesome trails at Kingdom Trails). The history I have with this place just makes it all around wonderful. I know every inch of these trails, and I love coming here, especially for the first time in the summer- it's just instant memories and reminiscing. Willowdale is like happiness spread out through trees.
Generally smooth and super hard trails through thick woods. mmmm
One of the very few technical sections, which I am happy to say I made it through just fine.
This is at the top of a hill, all which looks like this. I never make it up this. Way too rocky on a steep hill.
One of the very few hills I like, because you're riding towards a pond, and, when riding as late as I do, a sunset.
There was a group of about 8 riders in front of me. I've only seen that many people here probably once. The girl in the back was wearing a pink tank top and regular shorts. I don't think she knew what she was signing up for when she said she'd go on a ride, since everyone else with her was super decked out- to the point of having shin and arm guards. Hilarious. I caught up to them a lot, but also stayed back and rested when they did, so it worked out nicely.
I love this part.
In typical Willowdale fashion, I didn't get out of the woods until like 8:45, riding back in some pretty thick darkness. And to add to that, my brakes stopped working towards the end of the ride- so badly in fact that I had to ride off the trail and basically into a tree down a hill because I realized I wasn't slowing down at all. So, not only did I have to ride back in the dark, but I had to walk down the fu downhill sections. Pbbbttt.
I then stayed over at Tobin's and tried to get up early, do a laundry and head out to ride more, but was screwed over by a dryer shutting off and me sleeping an extra hour. Oops. I then decided to drive all the way back home, and another 40 minutes north to Ellacoya State Park on Lake Winnipesaukee to do some swimming and B-throwing. Being away from Massachusetts made me forget just how much I hate Massachusetts. At 2:30, the highway was so backed up, it took me nearly an hour to even get 15 miles. Does anyone work in Massachusetts? Or do they just drive places at the same time? Because of this, I also hit the traffic in Hampton/Portsmouth, and it took me 3 full hours to drive what should have been 2 at most, leaving only a little more than an hour for swimming. I made it worthwhile though, and even stopped for a Moose Tracks frappe on the way back to go BACK OUT to see a Captain America midnight showing.
A solid 2 days that would have been better with better planning and Massachusetts not being such a crappy state.
currently listening to: Skrillex- various stuff
haha those people were wearing body armor at willowdale? Did you tell them to lay off the sissy levers?
ReplyDeleteyes, as I laid on mine so hard they disintegrated
ReplyDelete