- Joined
- Nov 12, 2015
- Posts
- 6,357
I guess Nate Hills was here in VT last week. Looks like some kind of Yeti event. J-Bar trail at Burke Mountain.
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Mountain Biking 2017!
Ahhhhyesssss
Holy cow, time to rip!
Zippity do Dah?
Joe's ridge.
Also this:
Also this:
Lunch loops in junction today. I am normally a very cautious rider and as a result don't go down too often. But not here....never here. My fatass couldn't clean a semitechy climb (which looking back I should have dismounted), resulting in a slow rolling fall onto some rocks. I used my left hand to brace the fall and wouldn't you know it i planted it square into a cactus type thing. I've been picking these godamn things outta me for a half hour. I need to medicate!
Hot Tomato is awesome!
I've told Phil to go here as we both seek out quality pizza which can be hard to find out here. They do such a great job although their obsession with new Belgium drafts is a little weird imo
Can't "like" this.
LOL, I landed my ass in a cactus in Moab a couple years ago
, I feel your pain!
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2015
- Posts
- 8,479
Joe's Ridge FTW!
Did you get onto the Kokopelli Trails? Moore Fun might be the toughest, ground-level tech trail I know of anywhere.
Moore fun I a bit much for me...
Anyhow ride #2 went down up on the mesa...there's a ton of good riding up there and there's little talk about it.
Anyhow ride #2 went down up on the mesa...there's a ton of good riding up there and there's little talk about it.
Kind of an odd ride today. I decided to ride Betasso, which was I think the first trail I ever rode in Colorado (and the second or third trail I ever rode, period). In the last few years, Betasso has been expanded to include the Benjamin loop. There are a number of sections that have much more aggro rocks than I recall from several years ago ... dirt erosion, I suppose.
I finally cleared the rock section that was just too visually intimidating all season! Did it twice. I just told myself I can ride everything there, and then I did.
I nearly ran over a squirrel with a death wish. It ran out across the trail, stopped when it saw me, and ran back across as my wheel approached it. I'm pretty sure I ran over its tail, or at least tail fur, as it crossed the trail. But at least I didn't run over the dang thing's body. I choose to believe he's perfectly fine and that he just has a few pulled hairs off his tail.
On the Benjamin loop, I didn't clear a switchback (in retrospect, though I didn't recall that section, I doubt I ever clear it) and ended up slowly landing on my knee. Yup, that knee. Always that knee. It's bloody and stings, but no real damage. Those impacts have historically angered my knee for a few days, though, which should make Loveland opening day ... interesting. I finished the loop and did a second run of the main loop as well. God, I love riding in fall temperatures - I feel like a superhero! (Comparatively. Don't ask me how many people passed me.)
On the climb back out, there's a nasty rock and root climb that has gradually gotten wider over the years. A lot wider. I was planning to test my mettle when ... wait, what are those little flags? Oh. They've come through and completely rerouted the trail. There are two roots, but otherwise it's smooth. There were two Boulder employees there, checking it out, and we chatted a bit. They pointed out that the "singletrack" trail had gotten as wide as 20 feet in places as people avoided the technical sections. So now it is still wicked steep, but smooth and flowy. (For now - our rocks have a way of asserting themselves!) I asked them to please leave the rocky sections alone on other parts of the trail. They said that it's fine when the technical section is constrained by trees or rocks - it's when people can go wide (like in this field) that, well, they do.
I finally cleared the rock section that was just too visually intimidating all season! Did it twice. I just told myself I can ride everything there, and then I did.
I nearly ran over a squirrel with a death wish. It ran out across the trail, stopped when it saw me, and ran back across as my wheel approached it. I'm pretty sure I ran over its tail, or at least tail fur, as it crossed the trail. But at least I didn't run over the dang thing's body. I choose to believe he's perfectly fine and that he just has a few pulled hairs off his tail.
On the Benjamin loop, I didn't clear a switchback (in retrospect, though I didn't recall that section, I doubt I ever clear it) and ended up slowly landing on my knee. Yup, that knee. Always that knee. It's bloody and stings, but no real damage. Those impacts have historically angered my knee for a few days, though, which should make Loveland opening day ... interesting. I finished the loop and did a second run of the main loop as well. God, I love riding in fall temperatures - I feel like a superhero! (Comparatively. Don't ask me how many people passed me.)
On the climb back out, there's a nasty rock and root climb that has gradually gotten wider over the years. A lot wider. I was planning to test my mettle when ... wait, what are those little flags? Oh. They've come through and completely rerouted the trail. There are two roots, but otherwise it's smooth. There were two Boulder employees there, checking it out, and we chatted a bit. They pointed out that the "singletrack" trail had gotten as wide as 20 feet in places as people avoided the technical sections. So now it is still wicked steep, but smooth and flowy. (For now - our rocks have a way of asserting themselves!) I asked them to please leave the rocky sections alone on other parts of the trail. They said that it's fine when the technical section is constrained by trees or rocks - it's when people can go wide (like in this field) that, well, they do.
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2015
- Posts
- 8,479
^^^
http://www.jensonusa.com/Troy-Lee-D...MI3dSBoqL-1gIViqJ-Ch35KgNwEAQYAyABEgLoZvD_BwE
https://www.backcountry.com/7-prote...MIy5SktaL-1gIVEpN-Ch19DAktEAQYASABEgKfNvD_BwE
http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/best-mountain-bike-knee-pads-360439
I personally own the 7iDP Transitions and Troy Lee Speeds. The 7s are cooler, and the Troys fit a bit more transparently.
Just saying!
http://www.jensonusa.com/Troy-Lee-D...MI3dSBoqL-1gIViqJ-Ch35KgNwEAQYAyABEgLoZvD_BwE
https://www.backcountry.com/7-prote...MIy5SktaL-1gIVEpN-Ch19DAktEAQYASABEgKfNvD_BwE
http://www.mbr.co.uk/news/best-mountain-bike-knee-pads-360439
I personally own the 7iDP Transitions and Troy Lee Speeds. The 7s are cooler, and the Troys fit a bit more transparently.
Just saying!
I'm taking a mountain bike clinic on Saturday. To me it seems like a strange thing to do, since I've been riding a bike since I was four; but I could use some tips on technical sections. I'm looking forward to it, and I hope we actually do some riding too.
I own knee pads and full knee/shin combo armor!
I don't generally wear it on green trails that have a couple of more noteworthy sections. Or anywhere requiring climbing. It's *annoying* having something at the crease of my knee. Sometimes downright painful if there's enough pedaling. I couldn't say if that's because I'm overweight, have delicate skin, or what.
Do you wear knee pads on XC rides you've ridden for years? I know some people do wear them all the time. For me, ugh.
I haven't followed your links, but my knee guards are Troy Lee. Shin/knee armor is Kali, but I only use that for lift serviced.
I've learned a lot at mountain biking clinics. Please let us know how it goes and if you found it worthwhile!
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