Go forth and ride, then bring back pics

[RootSkier]

Damn klar, that looks awesome.

[adrenalated]

^^^ seriously, that looks super fun

[milestogo]

Sick. See y'all out there. NNEMTB? If so, which division? Whatevs though, HS MTB is super sweet, congrats!

Yes! NNEMTB. I don't really know anything about it other than the website. Basically, we have a new principal coming in next year, so rather than ask permission in the fall, I set it up this spring so that it is a "done deal" in the fall. Just had an informational meeting this morning, and I have 20 kids interested, several parent volunteers on board, and a couple locals who are/were pro riders willing to help out!
Pretty stoked. I'm gonna send you a PM about getting together to talk/ride about it so you can school me.

[Dantheman]

Yeah, klar! Epic!


Little man raced Super D and DH at the Sundance Showdown last weekend. Put down some very respectable times on both runs, and even managed to make the podium at the DH in Cat3 9&under.

[gravitylover]

woot woot little man!

Dan you know you're gonna have a problem in a few years right? That kid is mighty cute and gonna have girls all over him...

[altachic]

It was an epic weekend for Sam. I am one proud Mom, that's for sure!
So proud of him for going out and racing again Sunday, despite being insanely bummed out about a 7th place finish Saturday.
I mean, there were only three others racing on 20" wheels AND he's on a hard tail still. We had to keep talking about how you have to put in your time and race A LOT to start placing.
So many super fast groms out there, it's crazy!

[sb]

Canaanistan, first ride kicked my butt however I brought home the pics.

[WaistDeepGroomers]

Just finished the east coast move. Two overnight drives. Delirious. But got to add two Brevard rides in in between!



After three years in the West, the lushness of Appalachia looked like the damn jungle.



The wife at a pond stop in DuPont. Rode the "best of DuPont" ride from MTB Project which was more like an awesome start on Jim Branch and awesome finish on Ridgeline with miles of gravel roads and doubletrack in between. Will have to come back and find more of the better single track.



A bunch of big creek crossings. Tried to Bomb into a shorter one to cross, ended up completely soaked and in the middle of the creek up to my thighs in water. Whoops!



No shortage of pretty flora. Plus Bojangles, my favorite fast food ever, on the way home. You can order a HALF GALLON of sweet tea, good lord.



Next day did the "Hella Climbing to Heartbreak Ridge" loop in Pisgah near Black Mountain. 24 miles and 3800' feet of climbing. Started on a nice gravel grinder. Wanted to disabuse myself of the notion that big vert epic rides were only happening back west.



Rode gravel, road, through a booming Jesus summer camp, hike a biked some steep doubletrack, then some REMOTE grown in and really pretty singletrack. You can really get out there in Pisgah.



This old road used to be used to ferry balsawood off the top of the mtn for use in WWI airplanes. Non stop bumpy rocky spinning for miles. Tailbone was not enthused.



Ended at an old logging camp that would be pretty prime meth lab. Also passed a few hunting camps for hunting beers. Nuts.



Heartbreak starts on the right. Fast, fast, chunky loose narrow and grown in. Sweet! Started raining as soon as I summited for maximum grease root effect.

After being solo for the first 3.5 hours, ran into the entire Pisgah enduro operation that were running stages on the DH parts of Hearbreak. Fast, narrow, off camber and with plenty of roots, it was super fun riding. Didn't seem like enough descending for how long the climb was, but does it ever? Humidity tripled in the valley bottom, perfectly timed to add a layer of grease to the roots on the final set of steep switbacks. Learned with my shoulder that when you ride across wet roots that are off camber you're probably going to slip out and tumble.

Anyways, fun intro to the area. Will have to get down there again and wig someone who knows the area... truly endless options. Plus, Bojangles!!

[panchosdad]

[sb]

Not too far south from WV there Ryan, come up iffin you get the chance.

[Dantheman]

Ended at an old logging camp that would be pretty prime meth lab. Also passed a few hunting camps for hunting beers. Nuts.

[muted]

Nice, I saw you guys riding Sundance the week before. I guess it was practice laps?

[Dantheman]

Yeah, getting some practice laps in and just enjoying the trails there before the summer heat really sets in. That lift ride becomes pretty unbearable once things heat up.

[DolphinSki]

[Dantheman]

Pro tip: As your kid gets faster you need to pay less attention to the kid and more attention to actually riding the trail.

[jackstraw]

^so true rudolph!

I've f'd up quite a few times over the years being more concerned about my kids (who were always more than fine) and crashed or almost crashed, whether skiing, biking, or just about anything that involved some level of danger. I went full kook scuba diving with them It is a hard one to overcome.

[Dantheman]

^so true rudolph!

Heh, direct quote from the little shit: "We should get you some antlers, Dad!"

I laughed pretty hard. Based on the soreness level of my septum and the amount of skin removed, I came damn close to breaking my nose. Also sprained my right index finger badly enough that I won't be doing any real riding for a while, either. Unbelievable.

[homemadesalsa]

One of my most favorite trails in the valley is almost clear to the top. One spot with a Teton view. Some amazing singletrack, never to be fully groomed and bermed, and access to the big rides.

[muted]

One of my most favorite trails in the valley is almost clear to the top. One spot with a Teton view. Some amazing singletrack, never to be fully groomed and bermed, and access to the big rides.

What long-time XC trails in that area have been bermed or groomed? Is that a problem out there?

[alias_rice]

Was able to sneak out for a lunch time ride in Park City. Trails are in good shape.

[yeahman]

Scratchgravel Hills singletrack just north of Helena. While the riding does not compare to our South Hills trail system, the Scratchies have the advantage of being right out my back door and virtually empty--you will never see a soul. The Montana Bicycle Racing Association holds a race here every year in early May, usually the first event of the season because these are some of the first trails in Western Montana to dry out.

[jamal]

Think that was the first mtb race I ever did, still the only trails I've ridden out there. This year it was the same weekend as a local road race I kind of regret doing because it was raining and muddy.

Missoula XC is this weekend, I crashed pretty hard at beer league last night so I'm probably not racing. Will be up there watching and possibly voluteering though. Should be a fun time, there are currently 40 pro men and 20 pro women registered. Last year turnout was a little low, possibly because it was the same weekend as carson city offroad.

[homemadesalsa]

What long-time XC trails in that area have been bermed or groomed? Is that a problem out there?

I guess I am just being reactive to the stacked loops that are so popular over at Targhee. They are great fun but don't really get you anywhere. I like long wild backcountry rides that are still pretty raw (but rideable). This one, the South Fork of Horseshoe Canyon, did get some badly needed reroutes about 5 years ago, but overall kept the wild character of other Bighole rides.

[kingsskier]

Love riding Moab

[evasive_MT]

GF and I made an impromptu Tetons run for the weekend.