If you took my advice and visited Rangeline Nature Preserve (see other post for RNP review) you will definitely need to venture down to French Lick, Indiana for a day's worth of riding.

I was pretty unsure if I was going to put up with a 2.5 hour drive just for one place but let me give you some insight as to how wrong I was. - For the drive, bring a friend - Mountain biking is no fun alone anyways. It's better if you can make your friend drive so you can catch up on some light reading.

When you arrive in French Lick DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT stop at the Subway; unless you like veggie sandwiches or COLD steak and cheese. Seriously. Horrible.

You are going to want to park in the golf course parking lot. It's near some trains and it's past the first resort into town a little bit. When you get there, go into the golf pro shop and sign in on the clipboard on the front desk.  Then check out all the fancy golf outfits and wonder why you are wearing spandex. Next, suit up.  There's no need to drop trow in the parking lot. The pro shop is very courteous about you using the restrooms (which are SUPER nice) by the way.

When you are ready to hit the trail follow the sign down the gravel path and turn right over the covered bridge.  Straight across, through the practice greens, and over the road will get you to the trail head. My suggestion to begin your adventure is to stick to the right when starting out.  Either way you go uphill but I guess if you go right you are following the trail how it is "supposed" to be ridden.  Now climb!!!!  You'll climb your ass off for a while (not too steep, or difficult, just long and gradual). = at some point after the top of the climb you will cross a fire road - take a minute and travel towards the actual road that you can see (to the right if you are traveling the "correct" direction). Climb up the small grassy hill there and check out the sweet view that overlooks the valley and golf course =
Head back over to the trail and get ready for a nice lengthy downhill. You did all that climbing for something right? Now enjoy the fruits of your labor. For those that are more mountain bike savvy and want something a little more entertaining (or if you aren't that great but don't mind walking your bike occasionally) you will want to hit up the blue loop.  It's a straight ahead as you are making a left bend on the downhill.  It's pretty well marked.  The blue loop is AWESOME.  DO IT.The intermediate loop will put you back onto the green and you won't actually miss too much.
If you absolutely MUST know what you missed, well...enjoy the rest of your downhill and as you come to the bottom head back up and do it again.Worth the 2.5 hour drive?  You bet and all I did was a green + blue and an extra green. Was a total of about 2 hours easy wheel spinning time.

Oh, when you are all done. Indulge yourself with a shower in the locker room and put on some clean clothes for the drive home. Remember, you've got 2.5 hours and no one wants to smell you.

Have an afternoon and need a quick adventure?  Look no further than Rangeline Nature Preserve!

 These guys did an amazing job out at this trail. No matter if you are a beginning, intermediate, or an expert there is something for you at this park!  It's a quick 45 minute drive from Broad Ripple up to Rangeline and the drive is 100% worth it.

Need beginner trails?  Stay on the green loop.  Rolling, smooth, just enough to get you some fun experience at a new location besides Town Run.

Need something more challenging? Take a jog over on the blue loop and test your speed and handling. Watch out for the two trees just before the bridge, see if you can sneak through without knockin' em!

Think you're a BAMF?  Hit up the entire expert trail. Climbs, drops, rock gardens, everything you could ever want so you can finally answer that question, "Am I good enough to do this?"


The great part about RNP is that you can mix and match.  You can start on the beginner and add in some intermediate or when the expert section is taking it's toll you can hop onto the blue for a section and take a breather. Just follow the signs!

Enjoy!

I have been fortunate enough to spend the last three days in the woods with two professional trail builders and a few really great co-workers. There's nothing like a good bit of manual labor to put life into perspective and give you time to think about the little things, the big things, and all the things in between.

For starters, I am fortunate. This is realization number 1 as I reflect back on my week.
I have a job, actually two or three depending on your perspective. I have a home filled with a loving family. I have food in my cabinets. I am healthy and able to work.

...I don't really know what else I had to say besides that, but I am excited for the future! There are amazing things happening in the Wefler Household and I know that none of them are possible without God's grace and our trust in Him. 

Great Race, Horrible Finish

June 2, 2012. 

Eagle Creek Crit. 

Cat 5. 30 minutes (12 miles)

As I sat in second place, feeling great the entire race, I started to wonder what my finishing lap would look like. As they announced "Last lap," I was beginning to think about my ending strategy to get out from behind this guy in front of me. Unfortunately it was on the last climb of the course that I realized you need to attack early when you  have an uphill finish. Luckily the guy that pulled me around the course the entire time only finished two places higher than I did, so that made me feel slightly better.

Thanks to my family and friends that came out to cheer me on. Glad I could give them something interesting to watch for the first 11 laps.

The first blog. I have officially started a blog. This creation now classifies me as a "blogger," although I don't feel any different. My goal of this blog is to have a place for people to learn life lessons - the easy way.