Scalpel Demo

So my weekend was pretty awesome, Lets see if I can recap it all.

Friday I’m leaving work to drop off some maps I printed up for Jay of Six Mile. These things will help new peoples get around the trails without having a search and rescue team get them out every time. I call Chris earlier and ask if they have any FS29er demos available, anything. I’ve always been curious about them. I know that they had a demo Anthem X which would have been cool. I show up and guess what was just built?

They finished the Alloy Scalpel 29er. This would be the second time I demo a bike, brand new from Halters. Talk about awesome. I’m going to write a review of the bike in another post, so I won’t clog that up here.

Ask nicely and anything is possible!

With 2 beautiful days of weather, I would have a great opportunity to hammer this thing. Head straight home and meet Mandi ready to ride. We decided to do a Semi-JimV inspired ride and ride to Six Mile. It is a quick 20-25 minutes on the canal path one way, and a mile of road to the path. Obviously this wasn’t the best place to demo a FS29er bike, but a great place to start as it is my local trailhead. I could see if I could whip this thing around.

The only things I really remember is that it was extremely dusty and all I wanted to do was go faster. That and the bugs. So many bugs on the canal path. I wanted to die. We couldn’t talk to each other on the canal path it was so bad. You had to put your hand over your mouth and talk, otherwise you would be picking these things out of your teeth.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/170040691

Riding from your front door makes the trails seem even better than they really are. You don’t feel like you wasted an hour in the car. Got to work on that tan line and enjoy the sun that much more.

Saturday Comes around and I think it is Sunday. Yesterday was a ton of fun, plus whenever I have a dream, it takes place as a full day. Weird I know. So I will wake up plenty of times and think it is the next day. Sucks hard on weekends because I’ll think it is a work day, rush around and get all my stuff together for work, Only to realize its Sunday.

Originally had plans with Jared and the Doc to head to Wiss for some MTBing, but found out some festival was going on. Meaning it would be mobbed. So we changed plans and decided to ride from the Barn with Capers. Mandi wasn’t 1000% present so she decided to stroll the town and catch some rays in Lambertville/New Hope. Capers and I both decided to punish ourselves today and do the full Lambertville Epic loop.

This is where the FS bike and geo really helped. It loved the Water Co trails and techy rocks this place had to offer. The bike really takes the edge off the rocks/roots that you encounter out this way. Capers saves a couple of OTB moments by not landing on his face. We don’t get too turned around in the Water Co trails, but I feel like we may have missed some stuff when I was leading

Head out down the Greenway and man, this bike just took over. Not sure if the extra weight + the FS took over, but I felt like Danny Hart. everything felt paved underneath me and I felt extremely fast. We run into a group of hikers and turn it down for a second, but then right back into it. Woo! I would love to just session this trail. I know I said that before, but SaD.

Into Bald Pate and after about an hour of techy goodness. Capers wants to hit two big ass climbs, and I’m down. The first one he sends us up is an eroded trail which was a straight shot up. Not too fun. Even with the 2×10 its just too much for me, and I have to bail about 70% up. Doc does the same. We later find out this was the wrong trail. oh well. We hit this switchback trail which was pretty dope, twisty and tight, then right back up the same ridge. I do miss the lockout on the lefty now that I’ve tried it again.

We this trail called “Steps Trail” or whatever, thats what Doc called it, and I looked mad fast:

We head out of the Pate and cross into Washington Crossing and out to the Canal Path. This to me is always the hardest part, mentally on this ride. You just want to be home now. For some reason Capers takes me through this dumbass doubletrack at the end that goes around some big ass field which was stupid. Capers senses this and asks me if I like this. I immediately told him I did not like this and GMTFO of here. He complies and we head back. I tap my water in my Camelbak about 10 minutes from the barn.

Almost run over a couple of people on the canal path and BAM, we are back at the barn.

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/170364157

Head out to Lambertville Station for Burgers and shit. Nice day to sit on the patio and smash some buuuuurrrrgers. I make Capers walk home from this point and head on my way back home.

I finally part ways with the Scalpel in Bridgwater and drop this off to Mr Kirt. I throw the plastic pedals and I know my time with this thing is over. I am very impressed by this machine and I’m sure he will too. I was glad I was the first to christen it.

Sunday comes around and I feel pretty sore, but not as bad as I thought. Today we started painting the apartment, but took a lunch break to meet Dustin, Jamie, Bill and Lisa at Stuff Your Face in New Brunswick. Dustin showed up 30 minutes late in honor of Lou, so I was even hungrier than I originally was when I showed up. I proceeded to Stuff My Face along with everyone else in a nice delicious boli. No photos as I was DYING. As we are walking out I try and give some advice to Dustin about gearing for SSaP, but he isn’t interested. I tried giving him the out on blaming his gearing on me, or taking all the pride in choosing his own. Sunday can’t come soon enough, I can’t wait for this race.

Walk back in the rain to the car and back to painting until 7PM. Blah. This will all soon be over.

That is good enough for now; Gotta start talking about the Scalpel somewhere….