22 NE - Just get out and ride

[Peruvian]

I’m in Bennington for business and rode the BATS trails the last two evenings. I don’t know that I would drive 3 hours from Burlington as a destination, but if you are close it’s well worth it. I barely had to ride the same trail twice.

Also, Village Garage Distillery is a great place for a libation and bite to eat afterwards.

[biggins]

I’m in Bennington for business and rode the BATS trails the last two evenings. I don’t know that I would drive 3 hours from Burlington as a destination, but if you are close it’s well worth it. I barely had to ride the same trail twice.

Also, Village Garage Distillery is a great place for a libation and bite to eat afterwards.

I've become a big fan of BATS for sure. They're doing cool things with a beautiful mountain down there.

On another note: best of luck to anyone on here racing the EWS this weekend in Burke (amateur or pro). Anyone up there with a phone, please take and post pics. Rock!

[From_the_NEK]

I hit up the EWS yesterday. The crowds was decent but not overwhelming. Moving around was easy and Lawsons had plenty of beer available. Lots of close up action on the trails. Those guys can fly through the woods. I've never been to a big international bike race like this. But I feel like Burke is doing well as a host and the Pro stage, although shorter than most on the circuit, is certainly challenging the riders.

[Peruvian]

I forgot to post a pic of the Halloween Tree at BATS from earlier this week.

[Boreas]

Did you stop and check out the cave?

[MaineSkiAddict1]

I hit up the EWS yesterday. The crowds was decent but not overwhelming. Moving around was easy and Lawsons had plenty of beer available. Lots of close up action on the trails. Those guys can fly through the woods. I've never been to a big international bike race like this. But I feel like Burke is doing well as a host and the Pro stage, although shorter than most on the circuit, is certainly challenging the riders.

Those shots are fantastic! Nicely done.

[From_the_NEK]

Those shots are fantastic! Nicely done.

Thanks!
Full album here if anyone is interested: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA3hEW

[ticketchecker]

Thanks!
Full album here if anyone is interested: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA3hEW

Excellent work.

We’re getting ready to rumble here this weekend, game on




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[MaineSkiAddict1]

Any mags in the NEK this weekend? Headed up tomorrow for two days of riding

[Doremite]

Any mags in the NEK this weekend? Headed up tomorrow for two days of riding

I am in that area pretty regularly but won’t be there until Sunday afternoon and unsure if I can ride Monday just yet. If riding Monday morning shoot me a PM.

[From_the_NEK]

Excellent work.

We’re getting ready to rumble here this weekend, game on

Sounds like the race went pretty well a Sugarloaf. A quick peruse through various media and it sounds like the riders preferred the race setup at Sugarloaf over Burke. Fans liked that Sugarloaf was free admission with a low lift ride fee.

I'm FAAARRR from an Enduro series expert but here is the list of things I think Burke could do better:

Non-racer experience improvements:
1. Locally kept hyping/warning how big the crowds were going to be which kept a lot of potential spectators away. Make it seem like the race is somewhere you want to be instead.
2. I had no idea that many race venues have free admission. The nearly $60 I paid for me and my son to attend for 1 day now feels like a lot of $ to lay down (I missed getting the discount code). That high fee also probably kept a lot of potential spectators away (maybe on purpose?). If they wanted to charge, $20/adult, $10/kid seems like a more reasonable price ($30-$25 for 2 days).
3. Despite my son being really hungry, we didn't eat at the mountain. I love food from Libby's but the line was nuts. We just waited until we got home. Need more food options.
4. Allow spectators to spread out more along the course. The Pro stage spectating was isolated to the last 1/4 of the trail.

Racer experience improvements:
1. Replace two of the lower mountain stages with two upper mountain stages using the fall line more effectively, It sounds like the racers REALLY didn't like how much pedaling they had to do on the combined 3 lower mountain stages. Only to then have to pedal up the steep Toll Road to the summit.
2. Only make the racers climb the toll road once. Have the summit lift running or shuttle for the rest of the trips to the top.
3. Better location for the team pits. The lower level of the base lodge lot was a LONG way from the action.



There is probably a lot more that could be improved for both spectator and racer that my newbie self doesn't know about. Hopefully Burke can host again and improve the experience.

[Bushwacka]

they charged 60 dollars to watch?

what was to stop someone from riding in and watching?
not really easy to police all trails leading to burke?

some fun on the best trail in Stowe, which conversely are not maintain by Stowe trails.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Chh4dSTuftm/

these are actually from the mellow side, the harder sides of this systems make Joe and rasta look like beginner trails.

[toast2266]

2. I had no idea that many race venues have free admission. The nearly $60 I paid for me and my son to attend for 1 day now feels like a lot of $ to lay down (I missed getting the discount code). That high fee also probably kept a lot of potential spectators away (maybe on purpose?). If they wanted to charge, $20/adult, $10/kid seems like a more reasonable price ($30-$25 for 2 days).

I'm surprised they charged for an EWS, and I'm doubly surprised that they charged that much. At the one world cup I've been to in Europe, I paid something like $40 / person to get in, but that was for the whole 3 day weekend with both XC and DH, and there was a lot going on - our tickets got us into a bunch of parties with bands and that sort of thing, and I think we got some free beers too. It was well worth the price of admission.

[From_the_NEK]

they charged 60 dollars to watch?

what was to stop someone from riding in and watching?
not really easy to police all trails leading to burke?

some fun on the best trail in Stowe, which conversely are not maintain by Stowe trails.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Chh4dSTuftm/

these are actually from the mellow side, the harder sides of this systems make Joe and rasta look like beginner trails.

$45 for me and $15 for my 10yo son.

KT shut off all trails leading to the mountain. Only racers and race support personnel were allowed to have bikes on the mountain for the weekend. I suppose someone could have snuck in easy enough but they would have had to park somewhere to do it. The parking lots at the mountain were reserved for the race. Spectator parking was 2+ miles away in a field off of Pinkham Rd. They were running school bus shuttles to and from the base lodge.

Nice looking Stowe trails.

[From_the_NEK]

I'm surprised they charged for an EWS, and I'm doubly surprised that they charged that much. At the one world cup I've been to in Europe, I paid something like $40 / person to get in, but that was for the whole 3 day weekend with both XC and DH, and there was a lot going on - our tickets got us into a bunch of parties with bands and that sort of thing, and I think we got some free beers too. It was well worth the price of admission.

If you wanted to make an extended weekend out of it...
3-DAY EVENT PASS
includes Friday, Aug. 11th through Sunday, Aug. 14th
Adult (18+): $75.00
Youth (Ages 6-17): $35.00
Ages 5 and under free.

There was a DJ and and band that it sounds like only a few people stuck around for. The full list of events is on page 4 of the spectator guide: https://ews.skiburke.com/assets/Burk...ator-Guide.pdf

[HankScorpio]

I was going to take my kiddo to the Burke race but bailed once I saw the email about the expected crowds.

I can’t believe they were charging people $45 to spectate. I still dig the trails at KT/Burke but every year it feels more like an over homogenized resort.


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[bigwaterbird]

Sounds like the race went pretty well a Sugarloaf. A quick peruse through various media and it sounds like the riders preferred the race setup at Sugarloaf over Burke. Fans liked that Sugarloaf was free admission with a low lift ride fee.

I'm FAAARRR from an Enduro series expert but here is the list of things I think Burke could do better:

Non-racer experience improvements:
1. Locally kept hyping/warning how big the crowds were going to be which kept a lot of potential spectators away. Make it seem like the race is somewhere you want to be instead.
2. I had no idea that many race venues have free admission. The nearly $60 I paid for me and my son to attend for 1 day now feels like a lot of $ to lay down (I missed getting the discount code). That high fee also probably kept a lot of potential spectators away (maybe on purpose?). If they wanted to charge, $20/adult, $10/kid seems like a more reasonable price ($30-$25 for 2 days).
3. Despite my son being really hungry, we didn't eat at the mountain. I love food from Libby's but the line was nuts. We just waited until we got home. Need more food options.
4. Allow spectators to spread out more along the course. The Pro stage spectating was isolated to the last 1/4 of the trail.

Racer experience improvements:
1. Replace two of the lower mountain stages with two upper mountain stages using the fall line more effectively, It sounds like the racers REALLY didn't like how much pedaling they had to do on the combined 3 lower mountain stages. Only to then have to pedal up the steep Toll Road to the summit.
2. Only make the racers climb the toll road once. Have the summit lift running or shuttle for the rest of the trips to the top.
3. Better location for the team pits. The lower level of the base lodge lot was a LONG way from the action.



There is probably a lot more that could be improved for both spectator and racer that my newbie self doesn't know about. Hopefully Burke can host again and improve the experience.

I helped with Patrol at the Sugarloaf EWS and heard a lot of the same sentiment, both from racers and spectators alike. The setup at the Loaf was pretty rad; everything was right at the base lodge, free spectating with cheap lift tix, and a giant mobile kegerator at the lodge beer garden. The trails are pretty sick too…they did a great job on them.

[ticketchecker]

It was eerily quiet coming to work Monday morning at Sugarloaf




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[MaineSkiAddict1]

Headed to Loon Friday afternoon for their “Friday night bikes” series. Cheap lift tickets. Any mags planning on being up there?

[skinipenem]

45$ to hike around and watch a race? That is nuts.

Free + cheap lift is = more people to buy food and beer.



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[HankScorpio]

Visiting the in laws this weekend in Maine and I plan on hitting Carrabassett Valley early one morning. I haven't ridden there in a few years - any new trails to check out or route suggestions? I plan on 20ish miles or about 2.5-3 hrs of pedaling.

I've only ridden there a few times over the years and am not very familiar with it.

[MaineSkiAddict1]

This loop is what I typically do when I go up there. Depending on your pace it’s a solid 3 hours but hits most of the highlights. It bypasses “the real deal”, however, which can be a bit zesty depending on if there has been rain.

My only recommendation would be to CLIMB newtons revenge and descend Oak knoll. This has you doing it the other way. I just think Newtons climbs better.

https://www.trailforks.com/goto/route/41814/

[HankScorpio]

This loop is what I typically do when I go up there. Depending on your pace it’s a solid 3 hours but hits most of the highlights. It bypasses “the real deal”, however, which can be a bit zesty depending on if there has been rain.

My only recommendation would be to CLIMB newtons revenge and descend Oak knoll. This has you doing it the other way. I just think Newtons climbs better.

https://www.trailforks.com/goto/route/41814/

Thanks man, this route is super helpful. Already got it ready to go on my Garmin. Stoked to hit these trails.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Got out with team Old School Saturday for a quiet, only saw one other rider, ride at an old school zone. Fun was had

[Vt-Freeheel]

US OPEN at Killington this weekend.

Free admission