Bitsy the Jeep

Earlier this month, Pat and I bought a car! It wasn't a purchase we had previously put a whole lot of thought into, but once my beloved Scion started having more mechanical issues than we could handle, we set out in search of the perfect adventure vehicle.
An extensive Craigslist search led us straight to this 1995 Jeep Cherokee, which we half jokingly decided to go look at one evening. From the moment we pulled into the car lot, I was pretty much sold.

There were a couple of noticeable things we'd have to fix right off the bat : replace a door handle, install a hitch and bike rack, and find her some new tires Nothing we couldn't handle! And a '95 just 100,000 was something that couldn't be beat.

So, she came home with us about an hour later!

We've already managed to fix all the issues that needed immediate attention. By we, I definitely mean Patrick...but, I'm learning!
Once she was in perfect running order, we installed a hitch and ordered the perfect bike rack. We decided on the Saris Freedom Superclamp. It's a platform rack that holds 4 bikes, folds up when we're not using it, and tilts away from the back so we can easily access everything.

We've lovingly named her Bitsy. Partly because I just think it's a funny name, partly because you sometimes find new little bits on her that don't work very well.

The bright side, though, is that by having such an old, popular car is that parts are like $3 on Amazon.

We're slowly making upgrades to her and turning her into a full adventuring machine. I'll be tracking her progress on here as we go.

Waiting patiently for the weather to officially break so we can take her camping!

Coldwater Review....Kind Of

I had kind of expected to get this review written much sooner, but by the end of the day, I realized it wasn't so much of a review as it is a self reflection.

Camouflage bike 

Last week, I set out with two friends to conquer Coldwater Mountain in Anniston, Alabama. They've ridden the trails too many times to count, always coming back raving about how much fun they've had. I've heard these trails are some of the best the Southeast has to offer, so I won't water down it's amazing reputation with my "I had a bad day" rambles.

Instead, I've decided to realize that, sometimes, it's really nice to have yourself humbled in order to take a very real look at your strengths and weakenesses. Coldwater was definitely a humbling experience for me.

Between not properly eating (what else is new?), having an incredible fear of rock gardens (don't worry, I'm over it now), and never having done any sort of sustained climbing, it was one of the hardest rides I've ever done. From the time we left the parking lot, I knew I was in for a rough day.

What was lovingly referred to as "The Death Berm"

Once I psyched myself out after the first climb, that was it for me. My least and most favorite aspect of mountain biking is how pertinent a positive mindset is. There are some rides that I come out of feeling on top of the dang world or, as with this ride, I feel like finding a new hobby.

On the positive, my Surly held up amazingly. I can't imagine having tackled that trail on anything less. The brakes were amazing, which I put through extensive testing that day. The shortened fork proved for better climbing. And she handled falling over over and over again with dignity. 

Although this past week wasn't my day, I'm excited to continue to build up my strength and endurance in order to have a better experience next time I'm out there

Pat's bike is all geared up for his upcoming adventures & it looks so dang cool

Surly Instigator 2.0

Few days late, but now that I have a couple of rides down, I feel it's a proper time to talk about the new love of my life - the Surly Instigator 2.0!

I got my new bike as an early Christmas gift from Patrick. It's my second mountain bike and while I initially made the decision to get a new bike simply out of wanting a "tougher looking bike," I was not prepared for the night and day difference between my old Specialized and the Surly.

I started out with a Specialized Jynx, which was a wonderful beginner bike. However, my one and only resolution for the year (if you can even call it that) is to become a more serious mountain biker, so a new bike was in order.

Now if you've ever ridden with me or read any of my other posts, you know I'm the first to admit my beginner status. At this point, I'd rate myself at almost intermediate because I can finally make it down hill without slamming on my brakes at every turn, get off the ground on most rollers, and make it up most climbs. Whenever I'm talking about my riding experience, I feel like it's necessary to point out what phase of the game I'm in, because there's been many a times when I'm talking to someone about something they consider "easy" and it kicks my butt, or visa versa. Mountain biking is all about perspective anyway. ~~right, man?~~

I had heard a lot of other reviews talking about the Instigator's weight. With its stock 26+ tires and all its original parts, it weighs in at just around 31 lbs. So far, I've only done one ride with the fat tires on. It's a given to say that downhills were a BLAST, but the second there was any sort of elevation, I tired faster than I ever have. Granted, it might have been mostly mental as I watched my friends speed up the hill without any issues, leaving me to slug up a minute or two behind.
The day I got my bike, we put in an order for Mavic Crossride 27.5 wheels.
With the new wheels on, the bike's weight dropped to 26.5 lbs and man, it fliiiiiiiiiies now.
We paired the Mavics with Maxxis Ikon skinwall tires (because matchy). As my first pair of Maxxis tires, I can see now why people prefer them. When descending, I can feel the tread lock into place when cornering. There were several times that I think I should have ended up on the ground, but the tires kept me up. On climbs, these tires could crawl up rocks and roots without issue.

The Instigator has definitely already made me a much more confident rider, but with its aggressive geometry, climbing still wasn't as fast on it as it had been my Specialized. To help with that, we shortened the fork from 140 to 110. I haven't gotten to ride it with the shortened fork yet, so no reports on that. We are heading out for a long day of riding tomorrow at some trails I've never been to, so I'll be reporting back with a fresh trail review as well as updating on the fork.

To summarize, I would definitely recommend the Instigator to anyone looking to get rad. It's a machine that you just get on, hold on, and have fun on. It definitely delivers just that with no disappointments.

I'm stoked to continue testing it's limits, as well as making some additional upgrades to. Next up - dropper post!