Was able to get out and ride the 24 hour course today and learned the sad state of my fitness level after the long winter. The good news is that all snow is gone and the course is actually tacky without being muddy. Some of the big holes in the fire roads are still full of water, but that is pretty normal.
Another area called Little Vietnam for its jungle-like appearance is completely underwater for further than I wished to portage my bike. Judging from the rate of water flow we may have newly exposed rocks to contend with in addition to new terrain features when it drains. But at any rate it should be a long time before it is able to be ridden.
Maybe it is lack of practice, but it appears that Devil's Up and Devil's Down have eroded more this winter to make them rockier and more technical (which is to justify my crash over the left embankment when I stalled at the top of Devil's Up). The Rock Gardens appear rockier if that is possible.
Regardless of new challenges or old ones rediscovered it was great to be outside riding and bouncing through Riverside Park.
This just in from Ranger Rick's office: The "Little Vietnam" trail is CLOSED. Signs are taken down as soon as they are posted. Please respect the closure and do not ride LV until the river subsides. This is for your safety as well as preserving the ecosystem there.
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