# Nassahegan - 6/22/09



## Greg (Jun 22, 2009)

Met up with MR. evil for a ride out of Stone starting at 2:30. I cleared both climbs leading in, well sorta. The first one has a big tree down almost at the top, but I made it to that. Cleared the second climb. We cranked through the Stone East trails, hardly stopping and riding that I think as fast as I ever have. We skipped the far SE loop and also skipped the Caveman drop trail. Tim sessioned a few rollers. I OTB'd in the Tunxis rock garden landing squarely on my feet...love when that happens. All the trails we rode over there were fine except for a few muddy spots where we pedaled lightly. We cruised out and headed up towards the Devil's Kitchen.

The Kitchen isn't just wet. It's a veritable river. I expected wetness, but there were ponds 2-3 feet deep on it and the main rocky descent was a fast slowing river of water. We basically walked the whole thing. The bypass is in fine shape. We should have descended the bypass and rode the Fat Kid back up. Upon getting back to Stone Road it started raining moderately. It then got heavy. And heavier and heavier. Already soaked we decided to session the roller after that big rock and down ramp. Well, Tim sessioned it and cleared it a few times. I just rode up to it trying to pick a line that I'm sure I'll eventually take. got back to the cars and we then went back up and did a quick loop through there again which didn't turn out quite as planned, but oh well. Rain was over by 5:00 pm when we finished. 6.9 miles. Good ride Tim:

http://crankfire.com/trails/data.php?dataid=576
http://crankfire.com/map/index.php?tid=7&t=576&w=0


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## MR. evil (Jun 22, 2009)

Good ride Greg, though I could have done without the hike through Devils river. It was insane how much water was up there. Greg was not joking when he said there were pools 3 feet deep, large pools at that.

Greg was really killing it today and I did my best just to keep him in sight. I have only done some short easy rides with slower groups in the past couple of weeks and that really came back to bite me in the ass today. The thick heavy air didn't help either. By the second half of the ride I was feeling much better. Thinking back it wasn't the best idea to sesion that roller in the pouring rain but it sure was fun. I also really enjoyed that new stunt after the dirt jumps. We sessioned that one for a while too.


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## o3jeff (Jun 22, 2009)

Good to hear the trails are trying to dry up between the rain showers. I told you the DK was like a brook i my TR, I almost didn't recognize it at first with the water ponding up in spots!


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## o3jeff (Jun 22, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> I also really enjoyed that new stunt after the dirt jumps. We sessioned that one for a while too.



Is that the one with the new ramp onto a dirt pile, then it just drops? I rode the drop like a roller and it was probably the hardest hit my fork has ever taken!


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## MR. evil (Jun 22, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> Is that the one with the new ramp onto a dirt pile, then it just drops? I rode the drop like a roller and it was probably the hardest hit my fork has ever taken!



Thats the one. Its a pretty small drop, but very fun the ways its set up. The whole approach to it with the bermed turns is also alot of fun


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## MR. evil (Jun 22, 2009)

o3jeff said:


> I told you the DK was like a brook i my TR, I almost didn't recognize it at first with the water ponding up in spots!



Its not like a brook, it is a brook and will be for some time. The entire DK downhill had running water coming from the large pool up top.


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## bvibert (Jun 22, 2009)

Nice, glad the ride worked out ok for you.  I stopped by Biker's Edge today and was surprised to hear that their weekly Monday night MTB ride was still on for tonight.  They were riding out of Scoville too.  It's gotta be wet over there.

Instead of going for the ride I wanted to go on I was busy getting diagnosed for Lyme disease. :smash:  I guess that Penwood ride wasn't as nice as I thought..

At least I got some new tires at the Edge thanks to the Specialized warranty.  Though I guess Specialized is ending that soon...


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## o3jeff (Jun 22, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Instead of going for the ride I wanted to go on I was busy getting diagnosed for Lyme disease. :smash:  I guess that Penwood ride wasn't as nice as I thought..



That sucks to hear Bri, though it sounds like you caught it early enough. Hope you have a speedy recovery.


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## MR. evil (Jun 22, 2009)

That really sucks Brian, hope you feel better soon. Would you mind sharing what kind of symptoms you had so the rest of us will know what to be on the look out for.

On a different note, what tires did you pick up? I have been using a Spesh Purgatory in the rear and don't like it so much. Do you have any idea whan Spesh will be ending the tire replacement program. Just so I can time a new tire before it ends.


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## bvibert (Jun 22, 2009)

MR. evil said:


> That really sucks Brian, hope you feel better soon. Would you mind sharing what kind of symptoms you had so the rest of us will know what to be on the look out for.
> 
> On a different note, what tires did you pick up? I have been using a Spesh Purgatory in the rear and don't like it so much. Do you have any idea whan Spesh will be ending the tire replacement program. Just so I can time a new tire before it ends.



I found a tick on my abdomen the night after the Penwood ride (6/10, my birthday).  By the time I found it it seemed dead, so I took out the sharp tweezers and pulled it out by the head like I always do and didn't think much of it.  Then about a week later I started to get a rash around the bite site.  It's not too unusual for me to get some irritation around the bite, this seemed more than usual, but I brushed it off at first.  It just kept getting worse though, I kept putting off doing anything about it because I removed the tick within 24 hours and it definitely wasn't engorged with blood.  They say it doesn't transmit the disease until after it's filled up on your blood (a couple days after it attaches), so I wasn't too worried, since it clearly hadn't.  I think that whatever caused it to die must have caused it to transmit the disease.  Anyway, by today I knew something was very wrong as the site had gotten very large and very red, and was starting to hurt.  The doctor at the walk-in clinic took one look and confirmed Lyme disease, which I had already figured since there was a picture hanging on the wall of an example of Lyme disease rash that looked exactly like mine.  :roll:

So, in short, make sure you check yourself for ticks regularly after being outside.  Remove them promptly using sharp tweezers and pulling as close to the head as possible.  Just because you found the tick early don't rule out Lyme disease, especially if you start seeing any symptoms.

I don't feel terrible, though I have a sinus infection on top of it.  I plan on riding again this week as the weather permits.

As for tires; I got 2 The Captains (2.0) and a Purgatory (2.2).  I guess they'll be ending the really good warranty in 2010, though it sounds like they might already be putting some restrictions on it.


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## Greg (Jun 22, 2009)

Bummer. Brian - glad you caught it early. Get well soon.


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## WoodCore (Jun 23, 2009)

bvibert said:


> Instead of going for the ride I wanted to go on I was busy getting diagnosed for Lyme disease. :smash:  I guess that Penwood ride wasn't as nice as I thought..



Sorry to hear Brian!! Get well soon.


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## bvibert (Jun 23, 2009)

Thanks for the well wishes guys.

Sorry for douching up your thread with my tales of woe...


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