Weekend Roundup

What do you plant when all else fails?  Okra!

Obligatory bike-in-woods picture:

First ride on the new tires, Specialized S-Works Ground Controls (front and rear, same pattern each).  I must say, they work so well that they take a lot of the challenge out of mountain biking.  The new tread pattern has been tweaked using finite difference modeling, and brother do they grip.  Slippery roots, clay washes, damp logs, no problem.  Hardpack?  Pfft, everything works there, no challenge at all for these tires.  Loose sand?  Had one spill in a tight turn, but when I looked at where the tires washed out, it was clear that they'd gone down clawing for grip.  I'll take the rap for that spill.  (no damage, btw)

OK, I'm going to say it: these things, so far, seem to grip better than WTB Velociraptors.  THAT is something I thought I'd never see.