Lunch: Singlespeed on Hawes, Hold the Suspension

Lunch rides are going to turn into pre-breakfast break-of-dawn rides soon here in the valley of the sun. Today I had lunch with the converted Avalanche onespeed out on Hawes. No reservations required.

Hawes dished up a healthy dose of desert singletrack painted high with wildflowers and cactus. Riding a hardtail singlespeed is giving me a new perspective on XC trail riding. Hawes seemed flatter today, where were the hills? Hawes isn’t all that technical to begin with, but as I was riding along feeling every rock on the trail I got to thinking that full suspension absorbs the essence of the trail.

It’s funny, years ago I dreamed of riding in the plushness of full suspension, now all I want is to feel the entire trail under my wheels. It feels like spending time with an old friend. It feels so good in fact, I’ve been considering going all natural with a rigid fork! Hopefully this is just a phase, because I surely don’t want to be one of those guys riding National on a hardtail singlespeed…hey, that actually sounds fun…especially if it’s a 29er.

I better get to South Mountain and let the Fuel EX 9 free down Geronimo, that should cure the singlespeed craze I’ve been in and get me thinking about how great more suspension would be. El Guapo?

For dessert I chugged a Lime Gatorade. I love lunch.