TR: Labor Day Weekend in Tahoe

[lph]

Couple pics from the weekend. Arty and I doing a couple car shuttle rides on Saturday and then Arty, I and K doing Gnardanelle's on Sunday.

Views from the start of Saturday's car shuttle rides.





The ride begins. Arty is convinced he sees a line.


But, can't pull it off. "I almost had it!", he says. "Next time.", he says.


Ride #2




At the bottom of ride #2 we find a nice little drop, which after a little maintenance deserves to be sessioned. We each hit it about 4-5 times.


Arty on attempt number one. He told me later, "I wanted to see just what the new 888 could suck up." I believed him. He did manage to ride out of it.








View from our seats at lunch Day 1


Day 2, Dardenelle's including the out and back to the lake. Taking a break before the downhill fun begins


Trying out a new line, the traditional line requires turning.




Some techy little rock gardens on the way back to the Christmas Valley DH.






Arty doing what he can to avoid even a small bend in the trail.


The start of one of the nastier sections, of course, it gets nasty just out of frame.


Little rock at the bottom of the ride


Dardenelle's claims another victim, about half way down. This time K's rear derailleur, allowing Arty and I to make it a single speed.

[Kellie]

Looks pretty damn sweet . . . it's amazing what a few years on a bike can do to one's riding - way to continuously step it up Arty!

[Arty50]

YES!!!!!! Great TR, lph! Except you forgot the pics of me actually landing that sucker properly.

Looks pretty damn sweet . . . it's amazing what a few years on a bike can do to one's riding - way to continuously step it up Arty!

Thanks! It should be noted that I wussed out on that last rock lph is hitting. He might be half-dead, but he's killing it more than ever.

[CS]

Yeeaaahhh!! Solid work fellas. Those trails look freaking fun. It's cool to finally see some pics of the infamous Gnardanelles I've heard so much about. Next summer you'll have to give me a tour. It's good to see you two puting good use to those big squishy rigs.

Oh, and next time on this line, just air it all ya nancy.

[Arty50]

Oh, and next time on this line, just air it all ya nancy.

You'll have to teach me how to air to an 80 degree turn. I swear I'm gonna bag that line next time. It's just a matter of finding enough speed to rail it but not too much to go flying off the corner. Hmmm...then again maybe I can air it...damn you and your crazy ideas...

Oh and those pics don't do Gnardanelles justice. I'm gonna miss that trail when they reroute it. Maybe winter will come a little early and stay the execution a bit...

[Trackhead]

Why not include some more photos of the chica in the background?

[Telenater]

Very nice!

[lph]

Riding in my backyard I see, looks like the trail starting by the old lookout, and the one further up the road, That one was a been there done that kinda trail for me.

LPH, ever try that other trail I sent a map to you for this summer?, I still have never bothered to check it out yet.

Yeah, I knew you would figure out exactly which trails we were on.

No, I haven't looked for it myself, in asking around most people have no idea what i was talking about. Never even heard of Johnson Grade. It was actually on our agenda for sunday, but we were pretty wiped and didn't bother to go looking. We will probably go back and try and find it though.

[Alpine Dreams]

Looks like a great time, thanks for sharing.

[kidwoo]

Why not include some more photos of the chica in the background?

Oh shit here we go again.



Goddammit I want to go ride that stuff with you guys. Looks like a blast.

[kidwoo]

Your going to miss a nice Epic in your neck of the woods this friday also

Heal up Mang.

.

thanks

Where you guys going?

I'm hoping to pick up a road bike today to get this thing rolling a little faster and to find out if I'm anywhere near functional.

[kidwoo]

Martis->Baldy->u-turn->Watson->Then it gets fuzzy
Maybe continue past Cinder to Tahoe City, then throw in a Standford rock loop variation.
or
Missing Link->Scotts Peak->Tahoe City.

"epic?" That's just a good after work ride.

Wish I could join you.

Done ALOT of rehab on the road bike, beats the Gym anyday!

Yeah no kidding. I'll take outdoors on a bike over sitting in a room with a bunch of sweaty guys in tank tops any day.

[Arty50]

My guess it's similar to the first trail you took down to Fallen Leaf, so I have not been in a hurry to check it out, looking forward to your report though

I have not been on the trail from the lookout since spring, there was a lot of deadfall back then requiring lots of getting off the bike, has it been cleaned up any?

Similar to the first trail...sweeeeeet!!!!

The lookout trail definitely got cleaned up. There was one big tree across that you had get off you bike for, but otherwise it's good to go.

Forgot to ask, LPH/Arty any sign of trail work going on at x-mas valley, rode the trail a bunch this spring, but have not been back since the higher elevation melted out.

lph noticed a bunch of tags on trees marking the new route, but it doesn't look like they've started work yet. My guess is the old trail should be fine for the rest of the season, maybe even early season next year too.

[lph]

Yup, can't wait to get back to that first ride. Didn't take enough pics; i was kinda holding on for my life.

CS, Dardanelle's will likely be gone next summer and the reroute probably just won't be the same. The only thing that might allow it to live on another year is the lack of volunteers on trail days, resulting in some delayed trail construction. (the rumor is, no way they will build upper corral loop this fall).

Ja, no we have never been over to kingsbury. I think it sounds like we need a guide. Talked to an LBS guy and he went there with a map and still couldn't find the trails.

[Arty50]

But, can't pull it off. "I almost had it!", he says. "Next time.", he says.

Next time indeed!!!

Too bad I gaped the rest of the "easy" stuff.

[lph]

so that is it in red? Did you do it? If so, how was it?

No, I still haven't done it.