Frosty mornings keeping that soil moist, afternoons that warm up to barely pleasant, these are the days.
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Weekly Ride Reports 12/17 - 12/23 Dry and cold
mtbrdan
1 - 20 of 33 Posts
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3,425 Posts
It’s frozen solid up here!
18 degrees!
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18 degrees!
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3,264 Posts
Got home last night at 10PM. Did a scouting hike this morning to shake the legs out from 18 hours in airports. Cows are back in, bike par season is over for the next 6 months. Booo 
I did get 2 days in at Bentonville this week, I'll post more later!
I did get 2 days in at Bentonville this week, I'll post more later!
Got a loop in this morning. Trail gnomes have been busy clearing out some trees that fell over the summer. Swapped to Specialized ground
Controls from a Nobby Nic and Wicked Will and really liking them so far. Need to ride more to see if it is new tire love or the feeling sticks.
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Controls from a Nobby Nic and Wicked Will and really liking them so far. Need to ride more to see if it is new tire love or the feeling sticks.
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3,046 Posts
Had a big week clearing trees on Bear mtn.
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After a little play date with the grandson this morning headed out over you see and out to the coast.
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dropping down Highway nine we stopped to evaluate some downed trees from the last storm on our favorite exit trail when a couple work friends came rolling up with some mini chainsaws and between the four of us we got that exit open. Four different downed trees through two switchbacks, all cleared out and ready to rip.
After a little play date with the grandson this morning headed out over you see and out to the coast.
dropping down Highway nine we stopped to evaluate some downed trees from the last storm on our favorite exit trail when a couple work friends came rolling up with some mini chainsaws and between the four of us we got that exit open. Four different downed trees through two switchbacks, all cleared out and ready to rip.
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7,501 Posts
Top of Demo was the wrong time to find out that I forgot to tighten the pinch bolt on the 36 (the bolt fell off somewhere on Ridge). Skipped Sawpit and did Flow instead to be safe. Dirt was perfect and the thru axle held.
Wow, I may put a spare one of those in my water bag. Weighs almost nothing. BTW, if anyone wants to trade their FOX 38 quick release axle for my Kabolt, I’m into it, in Oakland.
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5,979 Posts
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210 Posts
Rode Demo today. Ridge, Flow, Braille. Wanted Sawpit too but I started too late and ended in the dark. Dirt was primo except for one greasy spot on Flow section 4 where I lost traction and nearly got intimate with a tree.
Which reminds me: I put a Silky Pocketboy and my xmas list this year and my wife thought I was asking for a sex toy.
Anyway, Demo rules. I know we all complain about the braking bumps from so much use, I do too. But to think about the sheer amount of dirt that had to be moved and sculpted to build the three miles of Flow trail ... it's amazing and we're fortunate to have it. Though if I'm being honest I think I prefer Braille. Either way, I'm going to try to get out to some of the trail work days and help fill in some of those braking bumps.
Which reminds me: I put a Silky Pocketboy and my xmas list this year and my wife thought I was asking for a sex toy.
Anyway, Demo rules. I know we all complain about the braking bumps from so much use, I do too. But to think about the sheer amount of dirt that had to be moved and sculpted to build the three miles of Flow trail ... it's amazing and we're fortunate to have it. Though if I'm being honest I think I prefer Braille. Either way, I'm going to try to get out to some of the trail work days and help fill in some of those braking bumps.
Wait, they make emattocs?
Does anyone know exactly when Santa Clara County Parks lifted the bike/horse restriction for Calero after the recent wet weather? The current message was recorded Saturday 12/17 AM and it says it's open. A friend was hiking there with a group on Friday afternoon specifically because they thought it was closed to bikes, and they said they saw 14 cyclists. I was wondering if they had bad info or if it was just people ignoring the restriction. It's hard to imagine it really needed until Friday to be bike-ready.
Is it posted clearly when it's closed to bikes?
Is it posted clearly when it's closed to bikes?
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3,264 Posts
Cows are back in so bike park season is over locally. It’s crazy how fast and how much damage they can do in just one day. Now imagine what they do being out there for 6 months during the peak of winter…. I tell people, this place would be pure insanity if I didn’t have to rebuild most of it every year! It’s also why these trails simply are what they are. Cow trails with seasonal and mostly transient features.
After I got home my first ride I found an overnight deadfall on a popular trail. Honestly it really did fall across an existing jump and somehow the jump got even bigger, woot The only “protection” from cow damage is wood. Even rock stacks the cows will eventually **** up! So when I find stuff like this, I get excited haha!
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Bentonville was pretty rad. I only had two days and both days I had to ride early due to afternoon work conference calls. Both days the trails still had a bit of moisture so was a mix of hero dirt in the sun (still below freezing) and a little bit shmarmy in the shade and particularly sketchy on the rock berms lol!
The things I learned from Bentonville:
- Their trails are super short. While long trails are best, short lapable lines are still a ton of fun. If you go you will be shocked by just how short!
- Bentonville has simply done what any city in CA could do and probably do even better. They just put little 3-4 trail hubs in every little bit of open space / park and then connected them with a fun vertical pump track (All American or other traversing trails/connectors). See a jungle gym and you know there is a trail hub somewhere nearby!
- While the dollar investment from Wmart shows, most of the trails themselves are pretty “normal” with a focus on progression. Honestly if you don’t ride outside of CA you have no idea what the rest of the country is doing. Pretty much everywhere I go, I find modern flow / progression based trails that are basically non-existent (legally) in CA. I am bringing back some good ideas for features that I rode though as they have the money to be very creative in some spots especially with features on climb trails.
- Due to local lack of elevation, I really need to adopt the small short trail hub strategy. Several sectors nearby I haven’t really considered due to lack of length with a short lapable hub mentality start to look a lot more attractive for building.
- Oh and I need a few million to build stuff like this:
![Image]()
After I got home my first ride I found an overnight deadfall on a popular trail. Honestly it really did fall across an existing jump and somehow the jump got even bigger, woot
The only “protection” from cow damage is wood. Even rock stacks the cows will eventually **** up! So when I find stuff like this, I get excited haha!Bentonville was pretty rad. I only had two days and both days I had to ride early due to afternoon work conference calls. Both days the trails still had a bit of moisture so was a mix of hero dirt in the sun (still below freezing) and a little bit shmarmy in the shade and particularly sketchy on the rock berms lol!
The things I learned from Bentonville:
- Their trails are super short. While long trails are best, short lapable lines are still a ton of fun. If you go you will be shocked by just how short!
- Bentonville has simply done what any city in CA could do and probably do even better. They just put little 3-4 trail hubs in every little bit of open space / park and then connected them with a fun vertical pump track (All American or other traversing trails/connectors). See a jungle gym and you know there is a trail hub somewhere nearby!
- While the dollar investment from Wmart shows, most of the trails themselves are pretty “normal” with a focus on progression. Honestly if you don’t ride outside of CA you have no idea what the rest of the country is doing. Pretty much everywhere I go, I find modern flow / progression based trails that are basically non-existent (legally) in CA. I am bringing back some good ideas for features that I rode though as they have the money to be very creative in some spots especially with features on climb trails.
- Due to local lack of elevation, I really need to adopt the small short trail hub strategy. Several sectors nearby I haven’t really considered due to lack of length with a short lapable hub mentality start to look a lot more attractive for building.
- Oh and I need a few million to build stuff like this:
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