i'm just not very good at this "updating" thing...

Alright, here it is, end of Febuary, and this is my 3rd post of the year? Well done, sir, well done.
I haven't been riding as much as I'd like to, but I've been getting out there. The trails here have been unseasonably dry and dusty, 'cause we're in the middle of a fairly serious drought, so I've been experimenting with tires a lot. My two main "test" areas are pretty disparate- McAllister Park, which is smooth, fast, and tends towards dusty-over-hardpack, and Government Canyon, which is rocky as all get out.
I've switched between the Bontrager Jones XR, the Specialized FastTrak 29" prototypes, and the ubiquitous East-Coast combo of a WTB Exiwolf front/ Maxxis Ignitor rear. I tried this last set-up based on the fact that I'd be riding Gov't Canyon (or as we like to call it at the bike shop, Gubmint Cheese,) and Ricky D and the Mid-Atlantic posse seem to like it- and they know a thing or two about rocks.
So, the "review." The Bontragers worked very well on the smooth, fast hardpack, cornered very well considering their lack of knobs, and climbed well. They really surprised me on the rocks. Their large volume allowed me to run low pressures (around 20ish) which didn't hurt, but I also didn't destroy them on the jagged, hungry limestone.
Next, the FastTraks. First ride on them, back in July, I slashed open the sidewall of the rear on a piece of flint. Being the cheap bastard I am, I booted it and have continued to ride it. These tires require higher pressure (30-35) in order to not pinch flat, which does reduce their effectiveness on the rocks. But they are fast! Definitely a race-oriented tire.
Now, keep in mind that I only have one ride on the Exi/Ignitor pair, but I'm suitably impressed. These things are by far the best tires I've used at Gubmint Cheese, and I hope to further punish them at Madrone later this week.
Speaking of yesterday's G.C. ride, D has been getting more and more comfortable with the rocky, technical stuff. The last 3 times we've been out there, she's ridden stuff that I didn't think she could. I'm proud of her, and more than a little impressed.
So, yesterday, she's following me down Twin Oaks, after a really hairy section of Sendero Balcones- lots of big rocks, ledges, the full meal deal. On a somewhat innocuous drop (compared to what she just rode,) she gets her front wheel caught up on a nasty rock- endo into many, many rocks.
She's pretty banged up today, but fortunately nothing major. What a trooper!
That's it for me right now. I think I've greatly surpassed my monthly word limit.

Los