A great Day on a New Trail

The original plan for yesterday was to get early and make the drive to Kachees Ridge. However, after getting up a bit late, taking my time eating breakfast, and wrenching on the Spyder it was too late in the day to attempt Kachess. (BTW....there is STILL snow on I heard later!)

In its place I decided to give the Middle Fork of the Snoqualmie a try. After a quick drive up the 90 to North Bend and a bumpy, dusty drive of FS #56 I was at the trailhead. I really had no idea what to expect, but from the start this trail was excellent. Semi techical with rocks, roots, and tight corners with good flow. With in the first couple miles I passed across a BBTC (local MTB club) group ride that was finishing as wells as a few hikers. After about 3 miles I was pretty much on my own and it was great.





Banana stop:





I was feeling pretty worked for the last couple miles. The rollers sure seemed bigger. I guess 3+ hours and one banana wasn't enough. The ice cold Coke back in North Bend was sure good and needed.

Review--GoLite Hydration Pack

I have owned several hydration packs from the original Camelpack to a recent Platypus model. One complaint I have with all these packs has been that they sit high off your back when even moderately filled. This seems to cause them to flop around on your back while even riding basic terrain. For a while I have been looking for a pack that sits closer to your body, has enough space for an all day ride, but, is not cumbersome when you just need water, tools and a vest. Somehow I came across the GoLite Tailwind and it looked like just the hydration pack I was needing.

The Tailwind has a nice tapered shape that rides well on your back whether you have just water and a vest or a full load for an all day epic. The air foam mesh back keeps you from getting overly hot. The shoulder harness is very comfortable and simple to adjust. The Tailwind has an insulated internal reservoir sleeve which kept water noticeably cooler than other packs

I do have two minor gripes with the Tailwind. The first is that the open side pockets aren't deep enough. Bananas, pumps or anything else can and has fallen out. There is an elastic loop for a pump or something else tall, but I use a Crankbrothers mini pump so it's not much use. The second gripe is the location of the key catch. GoLite placed it top inside of the pack which makes it easy for your keys to hook and snag on items going in or out of the pack. I think placing on the the side half way down may be better.

In all, this is the best fitting and most comfortable hydration pack I have used. I've only used for a good four months, but it shows no wear so I think I will be solid for years to come. It comes in black, blue and orange in sizes medium (tested) and large for about $60.