Monarch Crest

Ok, this one is presented without much writing. I mean, it’s an IMBA Epic. Part Colorado Trail. Part Continental Divide Trail. It has open, high altitude riding and dense, tree riding. It deserves the Epic status.

  

On second thought, there is one part which needs a little descriptive prose. The part where Mark causes damage to the forest. And just like Fangorn, sometimes the forest strikes back.

There was a particularly narrow section of trail, sinewy maybe. Slight downhill grade, the kind that makes you accelerate without pedaling. The grin grows, uncontrollably, like the head turns when passing some roadside carnage. And that's how it happens, smiling, speed egging you on, just asking to come play, just out of reach, just a little faster. Gravity supplying an unending, unyielding application of energy. The bike providing the catalyst of conversion, potential to kinetic. The trail acting as the test tube, shaking up the elements of motion, just waiting to see what happens.

Huh, then it happens. A little off balance, maybe a slight change in surface friction, and you get the trail equivalent of baking soda and vinegar. First some foaming bubbles, then the overactive reaction leading to a mess.

Tree or steep drop off? Tree is for sure damage due to sudden and impactful deceleration. You remember calc - third derivative of position? No? Come now, physics is life - postion, velocity, acceleration, then that magic - jerk. From physics book: "As its name suggests, jerk is important when evaluating the destructive effect of motion on a mechanism or the discomfort caused to passengers in a vehicle". Or when one has left the vehicle?

There's a little more chance in the steep drop off. Mark chooses to auto-rotate down the slope. Play the Helicopter Man if you will.

The Tree:

The Slope:

The Ice on damage inflicted by Forest:

It was an awesome ride. Level 1 Fun.