Snow Ride

Having to work during the 5th round of the Mud, Sweat and Gears cyclocross series had me bummed enough on Saturday and it didn't help matters when it began to snow. I love riding and racing in sloppy conditions. By the time I got off work, the race was over but the snow was coming down pretty good. Since I am usually prepared to ride at any time, I took advantage of the moment and headed over to Steele Creek Park for a really short ride.

Part car, part closet, part storage building, there's just nothing to not love about an Element.

By the time I got to the trails and got ready to ride, the snow was coming down pretty good. The trails were starting to get covered with a heavy, wet covering of the white stuff. Steele Creek is a city park in Bristol, Tennessee and the trails there are actually pretty bad. It's a shame too because the place is really beautiful with a lake and a lot of potential for some really nice trails. Instead there is a few miles of poorly designed and built trails that suffer from advanced erosion and if it wasn't so close to where I work (less than 5 minutes), I probably wouldn't even bother.

Any port in a storm they say.

There is a lot of steep fall line trails at Steele Creek like this one. It is much steeper than the picture shows.

Somebody actually thought this switchback was a good idea. It is nearly impossible to ride.

Don't eat the yellow snow.

The lake and the dam.

I call this one Jabberwocky in Snow.

Gratuitous Duckman shot.

The day wasn't a total success though. On a steep and rocky section in a fall line descent, I crashed hard and sprained my thumb. It hurt like a ****** ****er and made me mad but really I shouldn't have been riding it in the first place in those conditions. It was so slick that I fell again just walking down the rest of it. Nothing like a swift kick in the balls to top a bad day.