The first of several ride reports I’ll be posting from the MTB Oregon Ride. I apologize for the flood of posts here but lots going on in my riding world!
Waldo Lake was our second day at MTB Oregon and was not an actual sanctioned event. It was just a bunch of guys who got together for a bonus ride. I made a big miscalculation on this ride. Since my bike was having some mechanical problems, I decided to try out a demo bike, a fully rigid Redline Monocog Singlespeed. I’ve played around a little in parking lots and such with singlespeeds but, this was my first full length ride on one. I’d been invited to ride out at Waldo Lake, a “Mostly Flat Trail that circles Waldo Lake”. This was supposed to be a rest day between two challenging rides. When I first started riding, the Monocog and I got along just fine. It is a little harsh but it was also the most responsive bike I’ve ever ridden. The bike just carved up corners. The gearing was a bit high yet seemed rideable. The hills got tougher and tougher as the day progressed and I was really suffering by the end of the day. My legs were shot and I wound up walking quite a few sections I would normally ride. Also, my arms were sore from the constant pounding they were getting from the rigid fork. Ouch! So much for a rest day. This could have turned into a huge problem for the Middle Fork Ride I was doing the next day. Please enjoy the Pictures and Trail Report For Waldo Lake.