Good weather + long days = mtn biking galore

[vash]

I’m getting in 6 days a week! Longer daylight hours, I can ride until 7:30ish. Get home; fast walk my dog with some frisbee time, then I get dressed and ride my bike.

I found a shorter super steep trail. Technical. I have to thread between boulders and bunny hop the smaller ones. It is very difficult for me.

I have yet to make the climb without putting my feet down. Grr. Yesterday, front tie hit a rock and I stopped cold. Foot down! It’s a balance between leg strength and my balance and me steering strategically

Good times I love the spring summer days. I’ll be ready for the Inca Trail.

[wswartzwel]

Have you tried clips? For me they give me more power to get up steep rocky trails.

[crb07]

Mountain bike shmountain bike, hit some single track and dirt roads.

[Otter74]

All pavement for me this weekend, but great weather!

[Jandrews]

Not much interest here in Mountain biking? I know you get out often, Vash, and would love to see some pics of the trails you ride. I am getting back into it after 15 years off, and it is really rewarding in so many way. Incredible, low-impact (assuming you stay upright) aerobic workout with the climbs...exhilarating downhill flow, challenging technical maneuvers through chunk, rock-gardens, etc... the ability to enjoy being in the woods and the sights and sounds that accompany that...the solitude and time for exclusive focus on what you are doing and clearing your mind of all of life's other trappings...I am really enjoying it.

Trying to resist the temptation to spend a bunch of money on new gear, farkle, a new bike, racks, etc... and keeping the focus on just getting out there. Working so far (although I do want/need a new bike!).

I saw this thread pop up and thought it would take off...kind of surprised that it hasn't. Keep it going, Cliff!!

JA

[Arthropraxis]

I can go almost year round. The longer days help to get out there more. I got to ride Friday, Saturday and will go tomorrow. Would have gone today but a little run down from Sat night. I get some interested looks when I ride up to the 944, people are surprised it fits in the hatch.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Jandrews

Not much interest here in Mountain biking? I know you get out often, Vash, and would love to see some pics of the trails you ride. I am getting back into it after 15 years off, and it is really rewarding in so many way. Incredible, low-impact (assuming you stay upright) aerobic workout with the climbs...exhilarating downhill flow, challenging technical maneuvers through chunk, rock-gardens, etc... the ability to enjoy being in the woods and the sights and sounds that accompany that...the solitude and time for exclusive focus on what you are doing and clearing your mind of all of life's other trappings...I am really enjoying it.

Trying to resist the temptation to spend a bunch of money on new gear, farkle, a new bike, racks, etc... and keeping the focus on just getting out there. Working so far (although I do want/need a new bike!).

I saw this thread pop up and thought it would take off...kind of surprised that it hasn't. Keep it going, Cliff!!

JA

Here is the trail i’m Trying to solve. It’s steep and technical. Here is a pic of one of my rock garden obstacles. It’s a great time.

[vash]

The forum won’t let me download pics. I get a big “X”. Oh well.

[jorian]

Originally Posted by Jandrews

Not much interest here in Mountain biking?

JA

Pretty sure there's lots of guys who MTB on the forum.

I rode about 3 days a week from 91' - 06' then stopped for about 10 years until 16'. I used drive about 45 mins to get to the trails on Grouse Mtn. In 08' I moved to the street just below Grouse where I used to park to get to the trail head. This location was the stuff of my dreams back then. Of course by the time I moved here I had stopped riding. Problem was I got older and most of my buddies got old AND fat. So we bought dirt bikes but that's a whole other thread.

I'm 53 now and most guys I ride with are at least a decade younger than me. A couple of years ago I dusted off my old bike and went for a rip. Was instantly hooked again. Last year I sucked it up and bought a new rig. Norco Range - all-mountain bike. A little less travel, steeper head angle, 27.5 wheels, dropper post, carbon frame etc. A real modern bike. About 10 lbs less than my old rig with 80% of the downhill capability. I love it.

I still ride clipless pedals (clipped-in cleats) and can climb with all but the fittest young guys out there. When I started, most guys rode clipless. When the giant travel bikes started becoming ubiquitous and guys were hucking huge gaps and massive drops, lots of them switched to flats. A buddy who owns a bike shop says clipless are making a comeback. Now I'm trendy instead of retro.

The trails around my place are still legendary and people come here from all over the world to ride here. What I have noticed is that the trails are less sketchy. Gone are the 10' drops and 8' high skinnys. Trails are still technical but missteps are not career ending and most gnarly bits have a ride around section.

A friend of mine who pioneered a lot of the trail building you see at resorts and parks still heads up a couple of days a week to build new stuff and tend to his "garden." His local name is Digger and the guy is revered. Ladder bridges, berms, teeter-totters, step-ups, transitions, log rides - all of it incorporated into the landscape using simple hand tools and a lot of hard work.

Digger used to hide the entrance to his trails and riding them was a privilege; a secret shared with only a few. Once found by the municipality, his trails were often dismantled. Now they send young guys out with him to learn how to build properly. Times sure have changed.

If you haven't ridden the North Shore of Vancouver, put it on your bucket list.

[wswartzwel]

Our climate is such that we can ride pretty much year round. Lots and lots of trails all over the state. We have plenty of national forest land here, and a couple of the Walmart heirs are into the sport and have poured millions of $ into trail systems up in the Bentonville area. (Walmart home offices are in Bentonville, AR.)
IMBA World Summit was hosted there in 2016, and they just had the IMBA Womens' uprising national event there a month ago, which my wife attended. I am pretty lucky that my wife really enjoys mountain biking too, so we get to spend time together on the trails. Added benefit is after 30+ years of marriage she still weighs the same 102lbs she did when I married her.

[vash]

Originally Posted by Jandrews

Not much interest here in Mountain biking? I know you get out often, Vash, and would love to see some pics of the trails you ride. I am getting back into it after 15 years off, and it is really rewarding in so many way. Incredible, low-impact (assuming you stay upright) aerobic workout with the climbs...exhilarating downhill flow, challenging technical maneuvers through chunk, rock-gardens, etc... the ability to enjoy being in the woods and the sights and sounds that accompany that...the solitude and time for exclusive focus on what you are doing and clearing your mind of all of life's other trappings...I am really enjoying it.

Trying to resist the temptation to spend a bunch of money on new gear, farkle, a new bike, racks, etc... and keeping the focus on just getting out there. Working so far (although I do want/need a new bike!).

I saw this thread pop up and thought it would take off...kind of surprised that it hasn't. Keep it going, Cliff!!

JA

let em try again. this is about 30deg up..total granny gear. just a reminder that the bigger rock garden is up ahead. i dont have any pics of that, cuz in there, you just want to keep the pedals spinning, (without hammering them up against a boulder) good times!!

[wswartzwel]

looks like more people go left... I like the Maxxis tires too. I run the DHR and DHF on my Santa Cruz carbon blur XC... converted from 26" to 27.5" Are you standing or sitting going up that section?

[vash]

I have a no walk rule. no pushing my bike.

That’s why I can’t take pics of the serious rocks. I’m not stopping.

[Dantilla]

This rock is less than 10 feet from the back of my house, so of course it's the ramp coming out of the woods.

We love our new place out in the wilderness.

When I was 13-ish, I made lots of trails for my bike- A cheap knock-off of a Schwinn Stingray, with bent rims and a coaster brake.

That was long ago. I'm once again making bike trails, but a couple big differences:
- I get to ride a full-suspension Cannondale with hydraulic disc brakes, and
-I own the property!