Tour de Webster 2

I haven't been feeling super excited about muni lately.  I like to have some kind of goal to be riding for.  Sometimes my goal has been riding specific trails successfully.  Maybe that's wearing out. Upcoming races are good motivation, but there aren't a whole lot in the month of May.

Though there are a few events this month in Pennsylvania, including The Six Hours of Brady's Run.  I was very close to doing this race on Saturday and even had hotel reservations, which I canceled.  Registration was open until Thursday and I hesitated because rain was looming, and because it was in Beaver Falls, PA.  It's a 5 hour drive which means staying the night before and likely the night of the race.  Time and money add up quick and by Wednesday I was feeling like it wasn't worth it. This race is most similar to the local Suicide Six race I've done in August.  I've only ever been able to do two laps in that and I've left the race well before it officially ended.  Again, maybe not worth the costs of a weekend trip to PA.  Sure I'd see some muni friends, but not much during the actual race.  I really wish it were local.  But the Brady's Run race was able to get 8 muni riders and I don't see that happening locally.

Anyway, I didn't feel much motivation for riding this weekend.  Yesterday was crazy windy.  So today was the day to ride, despite a headache.  Looking for motivation and a good place to ride, I remembered the Tour de Webster ride I did in 2012.  So that was the plan:  road from home - Webster Park - Whiting - Gosnell Big Woods - Big Field - Vosburg - Hojack - road to home.

This time I rode my geared 29 which made the roads and Hojack more exciting, as I rode between 10-13 mph.  The trails were good, but I often wished I was on a smaller wheel in the more difficult sections.  Parts of Webster Park where I entered were swampy as expected, but I'm not sure of a better entrance on the east side.  Unlike last time, I didn't respect the "Pedestrian Only" rules and rode through the Big Woods.  It has some nice features and I don't see why bikes aren't allowed.  In any case, my 24 would have been better on some of the rooty climbs and descents.

ended my ride at the photography studio

At Vosburg I stopped and called home to see if my family wanted to meet me at North Ponds Park, which I'd soon be passing on the Hojack.  It's Mother's Day after all!  Amy already had a plan to go to the Webster Arboretum for some photo shooting of the kids.  As I cruised down the Hojack at breakneck speed I thought I'd possibly extend my ride and head to the arboretum instead of home.  That's what I did, and after meeting up with my family, I ended my ride with a loop around the arboretum "trails", and hitched a car ride home.

It was a good ride and I feel more into the sport than I had during the week.  My lower back muscles got rather fatigued, but that's often a problem.  It looks like I rode close to 17 miles.