One of the perks of making bikes for a living is riding them. The cannery is located two blocks from the beach, but I never go that direction. Its down the tracks for two hundred yards, then onto the levee for a mile, then back to the tracks for another one, up U-Con trail – a little singletrack climb to where fun lives. And then descend. And repeat. Day in and day out. I love being able to get on a bike from home and go hit dirt. I’m not really a driving to ride bikes hater (I’m are driving to moab to ride on friday for crissakes), but still, its great to live close to work, and have both close to fun trails. And today it was great because a previously injured bike designer who works with us getting back on dirt for the first time in several months. It good having Nick back riding mountain bikes again. I hope he can keep it upright for awhile, maybe decreasing the caffeine intake before going out or something…
But I digress.

When I was riding on this trail Saturday, this carcass was in the middle of the trail. I’d seen a bobcat near this spot a week before, but that’s not really cause and effect is it?

i think it might be hurt

When we rode by it today it was off the trail, and there was only a rib cage left. Looks like the homeless are getting hungrier and camping further out these days, you know, with the economy and all.
A little ways of swoopy singletrack covered in poison oak later, this little gem of a pasture showing its spring greenosity. Ocean waving in the back.

mmmmm

The other good thing about working at a bike company is having Josh.

Not just because he’s a nice guy, but because he builds and maintains the engineering fleet. Which is no small task, especially as we approach summer DH season, and uh, yeah, he has a bunch of other crap he’s supposed to do too. But our fleet is pretty amazing, from singlespeeds to 2010 carbon drippin’ spank machines. Anyway, this was one of Josh’s permutations: Freeride Blur XC, or FRXC for short…

120 fork, joplin post, edge rims and wide bar, 24 lbs. my favorite bike right now

and then more descending singletrack radness, some fire road, bike path and taking in the scenery along west cliff drive on the way back to the shop. Stopped for some salty snacks at the BMX park

and then back to work….
somebody’s gotta do it.