2012 June 23 - Lake Sawyer MTB Fun!

One of the many bridges along the trails

The ride scheduled for this day was a 152 mile ride from Kent to Centralia and back along the STP route.  Due to safety concerns brought upon by the wet and unpredictable weather, the team decided to cancel at the last minute.  However, they couldn't just sit around - they still had to ride their bikes and get those juices flowing.  Ergo - mountain biking at Lake Sawyer near Black Diamond.

Faced with technical terrain inside a wet and slippery forest, the team found most of the trails extremely challenging, yet also super fun.  They even met a guide, Rick, and his dog, Howie, who took them around the best trails inside the area.  After about 3 hours of frolicking in the mud, roots and rocks, the team called it a day.  They were met with a heavy downpour as they made their way back to their cars.

Hanging out after the ride

The ride was capped with a spaghetti meal - courtesy of Harry - and about 2.5 hours of "timangan" - i.e. storytelling, joking, encouraging, shop talk and just having fun hanging out with each other.  

Here's a video recap: http://youtu.be/ElbZqLSwoMA 

2012 June 16 - Iron Horse Trail and Picnic

The 4 guys who completed the whole ride

The team decided to do a break after the Flying Wheels Classic and take some time to relax.  They scheduled a supposedly "easy" 22 mile ride from RattleSnake Lake in North Bend to the Snoqualmie Tunnel along the famous John Wayne Trail, AKA - the Iron Horse Trail.  The journey up to the tunnel was an uphill slog - hardly noticeable because the pitch is ever so slight - until you're tired from spinning your wheels.  Not all of the team made it to the tunnel but since it's an in-and-out ride, there was no chance of being left behind or getting lost.

Picnicking with the families after the ride

Some of the women did a hike up Mount Si - yes, that mountain: 4 miles of hiking each way.  Both  the lead bike team and the women made it back to Rattlesnake Lake around 1:30 PM (they started out around 8 AM).  The ride was tiring but it was a good way to unwind.  Some of the team members who didn't ride secured a table and got the food ready for the whole team to hang out, eat and just have great conversation - all this in spite of the weather - a few showers here and there.

Here's a video recap: http://youtu.be/30r1W7-u9wI

2012 June 9 - Flying Wheels Century - 96 miles

Team Mang at the first rest stop at mile 28

Team Mang joined the rest of LAFBLs, Trangko, Tamaraw and thousands of other riders in the annual Flying Wheels Century Ride put on by Cascade Bicycle Club.  Weather was cloudy and cold with some sprinkles.  The ride had several crashes with at least one being serious enough to require medivac but all of the Team Mangs completed their goal of either 65 or 100 miles  Here's the ride info:  http://soc.li/UQ3HDCU.

And here are the Garmin stats: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/187732725

With more LAFBLs at mile 75

And here's a video summary: http://youtu.be/WvELVGNixRg

2012 June 3 - Peninsula Metric Century - 64 Miles

Posing with Team Tamaraw in gig Harbor after the ride

Team Mang decided to do the Peninsula Century - an attempt at 100 miles with over 3300 feet of hills (7000 feet of actual climbs).  But some delays early during the ride and a crash that took down 3 riders (1 bad enough to be taken back to base with an unrideable bike) slowed them down.  They opted to do the 66 mile route instead and shoot for the actual century at the Flying Wheels Ride the coming Saturday.  It was still the most hilly ride aside from the 7HOK they've done so far.  Here's a video summary: http://youtu.be/1Or7V_8sd-4.

And here's the official route map: http://soc.li/ssN6Obi

Stats from Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/185427830