On The Beach #2

Again, from an isolated, undisclosed location.  Today with full load-out.  Tried for a redfish, no luck.  I was a little late on the tide.  Anyway, it was a great bike ride.

Fear the fat.  It'll roll right over you, leave your back looking like a waffle.

Took one route out, one route back: first on a patchy washed-out road down the center of the island, then returned via beach.  The beach way is slightly easier but a boring ride, while the center road is extremely varied: gravel, sandy double-track, wet sandy double-track, soft sand drifts over whatever was still there, wash-out!, more gravel, then damp bayfront hardpack.  Way more fun.

Interestingly enough, another rider was right at the trailhead and on a vintage Surly Cross-Check no less.  This is the direct ancestor of my Straggler, though his was set up as a flat-bar singlespeed.  He made a good effort of it, making it maybe 3/4 of the way there before the sand drifts got the better of him.  It's good to know that I could probably pull this ride off on the Straggler – however the ICT is far better suited for the job.  The 4.8" tires handled the fluffy stuff without drama, though I'm sure that something down to 3.8" would work nearly as well.

Finally, here's a profile shot of a blue heron keeping watch on me.  You know, just in case.