[Trainwreck]

So this old motorcycle buddy invited my family over for dinner a while back. He tells me there will be another couple there as well and the husband rides mountain bikes. I enjoyed meeting the other couple, we had a pleasant chat, talked a lot about riding and promised to get together for a spin one of these days. This guy was probably real close to my age and was talking about riding with toe clips. I figured, okay, this will be a nice slow paced outing.

Well today was the day we finally got together. I met him at the trailhead (he rode from home) and here he is- on a new Santa Cruz Superlight with toe clips, sporting the first Bell bicycle helmet ever made and a tie-dyed Venice Beach tee shirt.

It took about 5 minutes for him to hand me my ass. His technical abilities were unbelievable, he was riding stuff I would never never even dream of... in toe clips. I have ridden with a few sponsored riders before but they had nothing on this gentleman. We spent the next two hours with me doing a lot of struggling on impossibly steep climbs, walking down loose, rocky switchbacks and him doing a lot of waiting.

I apologized for a boring ride, he apologized for being off his usual pace having ingested a lot of bourbon and beer the previous evening.

Jesus!

He gave me an out at this point and I pedaled off for the parking lot while he was on his way attacking another steep switchback.

Just goes to show you when you make assumptions...

 

[H8R]

and a tie-dyed Venice Beach tee shirt.

:nonono:

 

[justsomeguy]

Beware the toe clip mafia.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Awesome story, Trainwreck!

Toe clips rule. Did he have ano barends too?

 

[Ciaran]

Awsome.

 

[narlus]

that's great. totally unexpected, then the hammer comes down!

imagine if the dude actually started riding w/ clips?

 

[Trainwreck]

Did he have ano barends too?

Nope, pretty much a stock Superlight with the exception of the toe clips. He was way old school relying on his abilities, not his equipment. I don't doubt he could have done just as well on a rigid.

 

[brungeman]

Nope, pretty much a stock Superlight with the exception of the toe clips. He was way old school relying on his abilities, not his equipment. I don't doubt he could have done just as well on a rigid.

that is a great story, and reminds me of a few guys I ride with from time to time! one of them is noted (on their timeline) as the first subscriber to DirtRag Magazine. I think he still rides with the same pedals he did back then! He can still kick my ass no matter what. He did the "Punk Bike Enduro" (a race put on in December by Dirt Rag) on a chopper concoction that was bad ass. as a matter of fact, here is a pic of Lee and his chopper! this guy is BAD ASS ON ANY BIKE, and usually riding flats or toe clips
http://www.pbase.com/mountainbiker/image/53249160

 

[MisterClean]

Beware the toe clip mafia.

That Foote guy is an incredible rider. The other half of the two charter members represented quite well yesterday. Porter will probably have some pics up on that soon. Lotsa crashes in the group, though the TCM rep only banged their head on a low Live Oak branch.