A Weekend With Ed
Waaaaay back in May of this year, I launched a contest to raise money for LiveStrong: An Ibis bike of your choice, outfitted with awesome Shimano components, and then a trip out to Utah, where SLC Bicycle Company would professionally fit the winner for that new bike. And then we’d head out for a weekend of riding.
On June 23, I did the drawing for this contest, which I won. Sadly, I was not eligible, so I had to do another drawing. Ed Perrey of Austin, TX won, and then waited — oh-so-patiently — while I tried to find a weekend where I was both home and available to go riding.
Last weekend was — finally! — that weekend.
Where to Ride?
When we talked about where we ought to go riding, Ed had initially wanted to go to Moab. Then he saw my recent videos of rides I’ve been doing right at home. “Let’s just ride your local trails,” he said. “The singletrack you’re riding is like nothing I ever get to ride in Austin.”
An excellent choice, if I say so myself. Not to mention one that made my life considerably easier. And, as it turns out, cheaper, since we just had Ed stay in our guest room. In my defense, it’s a really nice guest room, with a bed and electricity and everything.
Oh, and free wifi, too.
Getting Fitted
I picked Ed up at the airport and we went straight to SLC Bike, where Ed’s bike was all built up and sitting on a trainer, ready for him to be fitted on.
Ed and I took a moment to just stare at it, giggling. The Ibis Mojo SL is a beauty, especially up-close and in real life.
I got a picture of Ed with his new bike before the fitting got going:
If you look closely at my reflection in the mirror, you can see that I was wearing my Ibis t-shirt (which is 18 years old, for reals), special for the occasion.
Then I took a couple minutes to get some close-up shots:
The current Mojo frame design has been around for about seven years. I’d say it’s aged pretty darned well. It’s just gorgeous.
Mmmmmm. XTR.
Mmmmm. More XTR.
And then the pro bike fitting — expertly done by John McCool — began. Ed talked with Joe about what kind of riding he did:
And got measured:
And got his cleat position tweaked:
Then John made adjustments to the bike, got Ed comfortable on it, and told him he was ready to ride.
As a testament to what a great fitting John had done, Ed was instantly more comfortable on his new Mojo than he had ever been on his previous mountain bike, and remarked as he was riding that he was easily cleaning things he would have had trouble with before.
So was it the fitting or the new bike that was responsible?
I’m going to go with the obvious (and probably correct) answer: both.
Bad News
My original plan had been for Ed and me to go from the bike shop straight to Corner Canyon and get a ride in right away.
But as we started driving south toward the trailhead, the rain began. And by the time we got to where the exit would be, it was raining hard. Riding would have been bad for the trail, and I’m a fair-weather rider anyway.
“Let’s put the first ride off for a bit,” I said, and we headed to my house to wait out the storm.
Bad News Becomes Good News
I was scared. Scared because I had brought this guy out for a weekend of riding, just in time to be here for the firs serious rainstorm in 60 days or more. Would the rain let up in time for a ride his first day here?
Would the rain let up at all?
And even if it did, what kind of condition would the trails be in?
I tried to calm myself the best way I knew how: with food. “While we wait for the rain to stop,” I said, “Let’s get started on boiling some brats in beer. We’ll grill them for dinner tonight.”
I dumped bratwurst and chopped onions into a pot, while Ed poured in can after can of PBR.
By the time the brats were done boiling, the rain had stopped.
“I think Lambert Park might be OK for riding,” I suggested. “It’s sandy soil and drains fast,” I continued, exuding a confidence I didn’t feel.
We headed out. I was stressed out about the possibility of mud bogs that would swallow bikes and passengers whole; Ed was just stoked to be riding his new bike.
As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. The rain had served to turn the previously dusty trails into perfect, tacky, grippy trails. And to cause most of the leaves on the trees to fall, creating an unbelievably beautiful carpet for us to ride on.
Looks like The Hammer was enjoying the ride too.
We got in ninety minutes of riding before it started getting dark. Time enough for us to ride most of the good trails in Lambert Park, time enough for Ed to absolutely totally fall in love with his new bike, and time enough for me to consider how lucky I had been in my random selection. Not only is Ed a strong rider who could appreciate a good bike and a good trail, he’s also an incredibly easy-going guy who was stoked to get in as much riding as was humanly possible during the weekend.
After finishing the ride, we ate bratwurst. Lots and lots of bratwurst.
I then forced him to join my family as we watched the second half of the second movie in The Lord of The Rings.
Sadly, Ed fell asleep. Which was probably a good thing, since — weather permitting — we had a big ride ahead of us the next day.
Day 2: The Big Ride
I woke up at 1:30am, to the sound of rain. I knew that American Fork Canyon was simply out of the question. We wouldn’t be riding there.
But — but — Corner Canyon was still a possibility. At least I sure hoped it was, because the thought of having someone fly all the way out to Utah to then go riding nowhere but in Lambert Park seemed a trifle . . . underwhelming.
I figured the trick would be to stall a little bit. Give the trail a little time to dry out.
So we went to Kneaders for breakfast and got their famous Cinnamon Bread French Toast, which — on Saturdays — is an all-you-can-eat proposition.
“I had kind of thought maybe I’d lose a little bit of weight during this trip, what with all the riding,” said Ed.
I snorted in reply. “Nobody loses weight when they hang out with me.”
We put Ed’s Mojo — no longer looking like a brand-new bike — on the Bikemobile’s rack (I have fork mounts for only two bikes in the truck bed).
It was overcast and cold, even though the forecast had promised us no rain for the rest of the day.
We got started on the trail, with me staring suspiciously at the trail, which was wet, but not muddy.
And that’s the way it stayed, getting better and better as the hours went by. Up Anne’s Trail, which is unfortunately very ugly right now, due to the fall colors:
And then Rush, followed by Canyon Hollow and Ghost, finishing up with Creek View:
Oh, and while I had the camera out, I took a self-portrait, too:
I like this picture mostly because I look very handsome in it. And also because it looks like my helmet is the exact same color as the sky.
In the end, we did 3800 feet of climbing in one big ride. Not at all a bad day for a flatlander / sea-level-dweller.
But that wasn’t enough for Ed.
After we got home, I grilled burgers, after which Ed suggested we head back out to Lambert park for a quick ride before it got dark.
I believe that Ed may like that new bike of his.
I’m happy to report, however, that after we got back from that second ride of the day, I countered any calories burned with The Best Cake in The World, topped with homemade ice cream.
We then watched the first half of the third movie in The Lord of The Rings, during which Ed fell asleep.
Last Day
Ed had a flight to catch in the early afternoon, but we still had time for a quick ride in Corner Canyon. We rode up Clark’s — the only trail Ed hadn’t been up the previous day — with the intent to continue on up Jacob’s Ladder, then down Ghost and back to the parking lot.
To my delight and relief, when we got to the top of Clark’s, Ed reported he’d had enough climbing. He was tired out.
Which was pretty much exactly the measure of success I was looking for.
We bombed down Rush one last time, Ed catching all kinds of air on the hundreds of whoop-de-doos on the way down.
We returned Ed to the airport on time and uninjured.
I’ll ship his bike to him once I’m finished riding it myself for a couple months.
Comment by Mark J. in Dallas | 10.15.2012 | 1:19 pm
Color me jealous. That is one nice ride. Very generous of you Fatty.
Comment by Erik S | 10.15.2012 | 1:22 pm
Congrats Ed (and Fatty) on a great weekend of riding.
If I’d not ridden my brains out this weekend too, I’d be jealous.
Comment by ChristyMcB | 10.15.2012 | 1:30 pm
Great recap, I hope we can hear Ed’s perspective soon.
Comment by TK | 10.15.2012 | 1:32 pm
I’m sure he’s totally fine with you moving the seatpost and saddle around on his professionally-fitted bike.
Comment by George | 10.15.2012 | 2:01 pm
Thank you Fatty for putting a great big smile on Ed’s face and a few brats in his stomach!
Comment by Matt | 10.15.2012 | 2:05 pm
Don’t forget to swing by the carwash to clean it up after you’re done with it. You would be amazed how much grease you can blast out of the bottom bracket with the high-pressure sprayer – even when the bike is brand new! Ed will thank you later when he isn’t getting all greasy.
Comment by cyclingjimbo | 10.15.2012 | 2:15 pm
Cool bike, and a nice way to spend the weekend breaking it in. Ed is a lucky guy on several counts.
And I am not the least bit envious. Well, maybe a little.
I agree with ChristyMcB – let’s hear Ed’s side of the weekend sometime soon.
Comment by Ed | 10.15.2012 | 2:25 pm
I can’t thank Fatty, The Hammer and their family enough for a fantastic weekend! They made me feel right at home. Also, thanks to Scot (Ibis), Dustin (Shimano) and Brent and John (SLC Bikes) for helping with the bike, it’s awesome!! It’s definitely a huge step up for me and I look forward to getting the bike to Austin (hopefully sooner than two months), so I can ride it again. Even though there are a lot of nice trails locally, I really enjoyed the climbing, descending and cool weather I was exposed to in Utah, I’ve never experienced anything like that before. Thanks again, Fatty. Keep up the good fight!
Comment by MattC | 10.15.2012 | 2:35 pm
oohhh…totally green with envy…green green green!
WAY TO GO Ed, and FATTY! This was a WAY cool contest btw…I just don’t see how a prize could be much better…
green green green. envy envy envy.
And just a little bit more envy.
OK..I’m better now.
envy.
Comment by Liz | 10.15.2012 | 2:38 pm
Congratulations, Ed! Enjoy your bike. It’s a good thing I didn’t win, in retrospect — Ed did a much better job of keeping up with Elden than I would have.
Comment by Liz M. | 10.15.2012 | 2:40 pm
P.S. I noticed there is another “Liz” posting so I’m changing my handle. See above.
Comment by rich | 10.15.2012 | 2:45 pm
sounds like a fantastic trip and a very lucky guy….
I’m actually really glad I didn’t win because I wouldn’t enjoy such a nice bike and I don’t like riding singletrack for two straight days in a beautiful area….I also don’t like hanging out with really great people and eating delicious food….
(ok, pretty much lying about everything….SOOOO jealous)
Comment by KevinM-Ind | 10.15.2012 | 3:05 pm
Congrats to Ed and to Fatty for getting the use of a sweet bike for a couple of months …… Hopefully it will be returned in one piece and still fitted properly for Ed and not Fatty. Nice write up and very jealous …. looked like beautiful trails to hit up in Utah.
Comment by Skye | 10.15.2012 | 4:16 pm
I’m with Liz… Ed did a way better job riding than I would have, and besides, I really like my bike already and can’t figure out what I would do with another one– my living room can only hold so many!
Congratulations Ed on winning such a cool prize, and thanks for looking like you thoroughly enjoyed it!
Fatty- I didn’t need another excuse to bake something, and I don’t appreciate your having made the world’s best cake recipe so easily accessible. Do you ever think that you should put a password on such links so that only people who rode a pre-determined big number of miles that week can see such a dangerous recipe? Yeah, yeah, oatmeal, good for you, whatever. You just want me to have to buy new shorts next year so I’ll get the Fat Cyclist ones when they come out.
Comment by Obstinate Roadie | 10.15.2012 | 4:27 pm
You look like a muppet for some reason.
Comment by Clydesteve | 10.15.2012 | 6:04 pm
Luh-Keeee!
Comment by Erin | 10.15.2012 | 7:08 pm
Please run this contest again and again and again, as many times as necessary until I win.
Thanks…
Comment by Dr.Bryce | 10.15.2012 | 8:35 pm
…riding it myself for a couple of months!”
I love it!
Comment by Mark | 10.15.2012 | 10:01 pm
Dream weekend, dream bike. Lucky Ed! (I hope Matt back near the top of the comments was joking about pressure washing the grease out of the bottom bracket; be gentle with bike washing).
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 10.15.2012 | 11:08 pm
Ed, you are one lucky guy! Congratulations!
The only way that bike is fitting Fatty without a re-fit is by putting wooden blocks on the pedals. Just remember to take them off before you ship the bike to Ed.
Like MattC and others, so envious! Not of the bike,(just got my own new 29r carbon Flash) but the TRAILS! Please, please, p l e a s e come up with a Utah event we can travel to! I’m more than happy to sleep in a tent in the yard.(the kids do have ‘doggie doodie duty’ don’t they?)
Lastly THANK YOU for the cake recipe. I have already been planning next year’s Davis CHoF dinner, and this will be our ‘just dessert’.
Comment by G | 10.16.2012 | 3:51 am
I snorted in reply. “Nobody loses weight when they hang out with me.”
Nearly LOLed at that. :D
Comment by FujiPixie13 | 10.16.2012 | 5:24 am
Major congrats to Ed for winning the contest. wicked cool bike! It’s awesome that Ed had such a great time with Fatty & Family!!!!! I’m jealous, too. The trails looked amazing and love the pictures taken. So cool!!!
Yes, please create a FC event so I can head that way and see these trails you’ve been writing about for years, Fatty!!!! I might even be good enough to ride on them by the time I get there! Lol
Comment by mykill | 10.16.2012 | 7:50 am
That’s a sweet bike, Lucky Ed! And i hereby volunteer to personally transport that Mojo to Austin, but it might add a couple more months to the delivery window. And it might get there with some Marin dirt on it.
Looking forward to the inevitable Fatty Fondo (one day of mountain, one day of road, two days of brats?) that will be brought about by popular demand. The people have spoken!
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 10.16.2012 | 9:02 am
@mykill
You forgot the third day where we hang out watching the Lord of the Rings triology and Monty Python episodes. (eating guacamole and pie …of course)
Comment by ClydeinKS | 10.16.2012 | 9:19 am
and surely we could add in a looping episode of Leverage and find a way to turn this into a week long festival, maybe Fatty’s Festivus Fondo??
Comment by Paul Guyot | 10.16.2012 | 9:47 am
Awesome.
This yet again shows why this is the best site on the Net.
Not cuz of cool prizes but because it’s about good causes, good people, good health, generosity, and fun.
Congrats, Ed. Well done all involved.
Comment by AKChick55 | 10.16.2012 | 10:19 am
I second what Erin said. :) Keep running contests until we win!
Also, would love a guest post from Ed’s perspective. :) If he was amenable and you were too.
Thanks for yet another awesome contest. I was very sad not to win this one because it’s my favorite of all the ones you’ve run so far.
Comment by AKChick55 | 10.16.2012 | 10:20 am
OH! Fatty Fondo!!! That would be AWESOME!
Comment by mykill | 10.16.2012 | 10:53 am
Good ideas DavidH and ClydeInKS… to maintain the running time of the LOTR trilogy, the Monty Python marathon,the Leverage Loop, AND to maintain the alliterative integrity of the event, i think we are up to Fatty’s Festivus Fondo Fortnight.
We are going to need a lot of avocados.
Comment by Brandon Banks | 10.16.2012 | 11:15 am
Pure Awesomeness!
Comment by wharton_crew | 10.16.2012 | 11:27 am
Cast my vote for the fondo! I propose naming it Fatty’s Big Fat Fondo. And since Fondo sounds like fondu, let’s have some of that as well!
Comment by Doug (Way upstate NY) | 10.16.2012 | 11:33 am
How about Fatty’s (it’s not that fat) Fondo?
Comment by Kukui | 10.16.2012 | 12:28 pm
Ooohhh… I am drooling over Ed’s bike! Congratulations, Ed! I’m sooo jealous of your bike and what sounds like a trip of a lifetime! =)
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 10.16.2012 | 1:09 pm
AT ALL (as opposed to et al.)
If enough of us just ’show up’ we could create a ‘Flash Fatty Fondo’ -no not that kind! think ‘flash mob’.
now to set a date. the challenge for everyone will find Fatty’s address. (hint-it’s on this site in the past…or contact MattC (he bribes Fatty with cookies))
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 10.16.2012 | 1:13 pm
then again we could ’show him ours! he’s already shown us his!
Comment by TK | 10.16.2012 | 1:35 pm
There MUST MUST MUST be a Fatty’s Festivus Fondo! Road, dirt and some form of eating (post-ride, please). This absolutely needs to happen.
Comment by Mark | 10.16.2012 | 2:05 pm
Fatty’s Fit Fat Fondo
Comment by B+L Bike & Sports | 10.16.2012 | 2:24 pm
Awesome post. You should get out to San Diego, we don’t have to worry about the rain too much out here!
Comment by TK | 10.16.2012 | 2:32 pm
@Mark – Fatty’s Fit Fat Fondo is an EPIC name for an event.
Comment by Kenneth | 10.16.2012 | 3:09 pm
So awesome!! Congratulations Ed! And thank you Fatty for giving my brother-in-law what was surely a once in a lifetime experience!
Comment by DOM | 10.16.2012 | 3:17 pm
The only thing that beats seeing someone with that big new bike grin is having one on your own face. Congrats Ed
Comment by Gumby | 10.16.2012 | 3:59 pm
Fatty’s Fit Fat Fondo medals could be shaped like mini pie tins, and actually have a pie in them, yum!
Comment by Geoph | 10.16.2012 | 9:31 pm
I’am in meet at fatty house for the fatty a fondo. Just set a date and All be there to ride and have pie
Comment by FujiPixie13 | 10.17.2012 | 5:55 am
Fatty’s Fit Fat Fondo!!! That’s great! Is there a campground nearby that will accommodate all of us? Since I’m certain there aren’t enough hotels/motels nearby for the size of the group that would descend on Fatty, The Hammer & family!!!! Lol. Pie. Lots & lots of pie. I make awesome guacamole from scratch. Sounds like it could be the most epic week of the year!!!!! :o)
Fatty, are you & The Hammer ready for this?!? Looks like you might not have a say in if it happens or not. LOL
Comment by TominAlbany | 10.17.2012 | 9:11 am
Congrats again, Ed! Nice ride!!!
Sounds like Fatty’s a great host. Even provides the drive-in movies!!!
Comment by Jenni | 10.17.2012 | 9:50 am
Elden, there really does need to be a gathering of the Fatties. Not for one organization and their event, just for us. I happily throw my hat in the ring to organize (or help) organize it. We can still do a lot of good, raise some money, have a live auction for something amazing, eat too much, and ride lots.
Comment by davidh-marin, ca | 10.17.2012 | 11:40 am
@Jenni
Great Idea! Let’s have a Famous Fatty’s Garage Sale!!! I bet The Hammer is willing to move some excessive Fatty product out of the house and into the garage just for such an event.
Where’s my checkbook?
Comment by Brian | 10.17.2012 | 10:41 pm
Fatty,
When you coming to Austin to ride the home trails here in our neighborhood! It was great to read about a friend in my own community on your blog :)
Comment by Dan O | 10.20.2012 | 1:48 am
Nice new Ibis! Great trip and story…