Spring in the Fort

Well, it has been nearly a month since we relocated home to Fort Wayne, and I must say it has been great being back.  We left the town as a relatively cycling friendly town, but in the past two years it has improved immensely.  I now have a great commute that consists of maybe 10% road, 80-90% depending on which bike I take, and has tons of amenities along the way.  That in itself has been motivation to ride, but the mountain bike trails that we love really put the icing on the cake.  Racing has unfortunately taken a backseat to life, and I just can’t seem to get in the mileage or specificity that I need.  But, I am loving riding my bike, just to ride my bike.

The weather has been nearly typical Spring in Northern Indiana, albeit with slightly milder temps.  What “typical weather” means is that the sky may be perfectly clear, but rain could come down on you anytime.  Wind is also present in droves, with 10-15mph constant winds being “slightly breezy.”  At a shop event this past weekend, it alternated between perfect and hard rain for 4 hours; not so friendly for a women’s demo day huh?

That brings me back to mountain biking, with the weather being relatively dry, the trails have been absolutely dialed.  My hometown trail has been more than perfect, with just a bit of loose material over the top of super-tacky loamy soil.  It’s the perfect mix of traction and drifting, and sprays your calves with bits of the world at every corner.  It is also some of the narrowest singletrack I have ridden in the Midwest.  I would have to say that it averages 12″ wide throughout the entire system.  It has a great mix of flat, fast, twisty bits, but also some steep little climbs that are lined with roots and rocks.  The system is only 12ish miles, but it’s home, and it is perfect by me.

There are actually about 5 mountain bike trails within 40-60 minutes of us, and all of them have their own qualities and traits, with some being fairly large systems with many options, while others are in city parks that have been around for years.  One of them is a fairly rough and rocky system around a large reservoir, with another being a swoopy, flowing Midwest classic trail.  That one has “magic dirt” according to us around here, because it stays ride-able in nearly any condition.  It has been the site of many races over the years, and is well-loved in the region.

Winston’s Brand has also made some inroads into the local cycling community by supplying primes to Fort Wayne’s Men of Steel Racing Team.  They are a group of folks promoting cycling and racing for all the right reasons, and we’ll be supporting them for as long as we can.  After getting to know some of the main folks, I can say that these guys are doing everything right.  They have a nearly full calendar of races for the season, and are looking to grow the cycling community here in Fort Wayne.

That seems to be all I can think of for now in terms of updates, but I know that I’m leaving a lot out.  It has been a busy transition here, with moving into a house, painting and cleaning up said house, jumping head-first into a new job, and trying to run Winston’s.  Mary has been equally, if not busier with work, and taking care of our new pup, Penelope.  Keep an eye out for some new summer products, I’m hoping to have them ready for the heat when it comes.

Tags: Franke Park, Men of Steel, Morsches Park, Mountain bike trails