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HA! Me too. Not trying to go back down that rabbit hole with you. I was referring to the people that came out of the woodwork and bought a bike or started walking around the trails out of covid boredom and have no sense of muddy trails, how to know if/when they are dry, and/or don't give a crap.

Riding the couch with a roaring fire, gonna dip into the vodka right after we have Via 313 for dinner. Then settle in and watch something mindless until I fall asleep. Urban for the next couple days.

got some new tools so gonna dig a bit this weekend

For me it’s gap jumps. A table or ladder drop I’ll launch, but if there’s open space between the takeoff and landing I get timid which never ends well. Ramps with curved up lips/kickers I’m also sketchy at. I was never a bmxer so no air skillz. Trackstands were actually one of the better skills I brought over from my college roadie days. Riding in traffic with snug toe straps and riding rollers make you learn to trackstand or kiss the pavement a ton. I cringe when I hear all the push/pull counter balance stuff people like to preach. To me the key is learning to keep still. The more you bob the more you have to focus on fighting to keep the bike up and can’t look up at the obstacle. Learning to keep your head and upper body still and only moving your hips let’s you look ahead and doesn’t pull your focus. From that you can easily do a back pedal to get your dominant foot up. Then to go up, squeeze the brakes, drop your shoulders and yank back to get that front wheel up as you do that power stroke. On multi ledges you can tap the brakes and repeat the trackstand to power stroke if you aren’t doing at that bobbing. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Not too long ago. Hoping we have more fun in 21. ✌️.

This weather seems like a fitting end to this dumpster fire of a year. 😟

Found this to be interesting IMG_0159.mov

So many choices

Even when the parking lot is full, that place can still keep you fairly isolated from everyone else. I've been there with the lot full and only ran into a couple of riders on the trail.

Thinking about starting out the year right with a ride out at RPR tomorrow. Will be wet and a bit cool, but the sun is supposed to be shining!

Looks like I hit Monster both directions but missed the other 2. I was just exploring solo with a paper map in hand. I will try to make it back up that way sometime, with the intention to end up in VT for a few days as well (some excellent riding up there of course).

Is this Andy Bernard?

I would like to be able to manual. In my eyes, a manual is a lot like juggling is to soccer. You may not juggle (with rare exceptions) in a soccer game, but it teaches you touch, balance, etc. I can’t manual, but would like to learn because the riders I have seen that can manual well have such fantastic balance and bike control. Not saying you have to be able to manual to have balance and control, just an observation. I personally would like to get more comfortable on wooden features. They freak me out. As previously mentioned, going in timid is when you get hurt. Safe & Happy New Years to All!

Manuals are good for maintaining or assisting increasing speed through dips/undulating terrain (watch a BMX race). Effectively rear suspension is increased by your legs, very cool. On flat it’s all for the steez

I dont know how ESI grips might be different, but with regular grips I use an air compressure and a needle inflator. Put compressed air into the grip and they slide right off. Also makes putting them on easy.

Are we talking aerobically or skill or both? If you can do a 3 hour or less GW loop, a 4 hour GW loop feels like torture. IMO slower feels worse when you ride chunk. If you can only master a 4hr GW loop as your best time, then it's going to be way harder than a loop at WC. Now a person that can only manage 4hrs at GW probably won't be doing a sub-hour loop at WC. For me, doing things at the maximum effort for that distance feel almost equally hard. A 24hr race may be the exception, but a 12 hour race at maximum pace to me feels just as hard as a Cat 2 XC race with my HR >170 for the whole race in which you feel like you're seconds from dying or blowing chunks or both.

I didn't notice the Pinthouse until I looked at Google maps. That place is doing well, it doesn't surprise me. It makes sense Meanwhile is from out of town, starting off with a top of the line facility like that. I am getting around a fair amount now but am very conscious of covid. They had some of the best protocols I have seen. No indoor seating, can order from an outside window, glass partitions, a foot operated hand sanitizer by the inside bar, foot opener for restroom door, plenty of distanced outside seating, 100% mask compliance from what I saw, and a new one, a giant coaster of sorts on each outside table that indicated if it had been sanitized. When you sat at a table you flipped it over so it could be cleaned after you left. Another extra step I saw was at Humble Pint Brewing in Leander (also nice with good pizza, but with fairly limited outdoor seating) was that they would put saran wrap over the credit card machine each time so you wouldn't have to actually touch it. I think some places are really making it about as safe as possible although we are creating a ton of extra waste in the process.

I've had great success buying bike stuff on Ebay. Just scored these 5-10 Trail Cross LTs for $85 via bid as I was the only bidder. Interestingly they shipped out of Spicewood, TX. If you're out there - THANK YOU! Even with tax and shipping they were around $40 under retail.

Like @mack_turtle said,they're useful for a few feet but after that they're only used for showing off--or for fun, both of which are acceptable. But as a skill for quick drop-offs they are essential to technical trail riding because you don't always have time for a bunny hop or a pedal assist wheelie. Sometimes the drop-off is bigger than you think and you only have a moment for a quick manual. It is an essential tool for not breaking my "never go OTBs" rule.

My welding shop would give you ptsd then. This Barry guy is insane tho. 4 laps? how believable is that even?

Ditto. Going to finish out this weeks prescribed indoor rides by Saturday and hope the trails clear out for a long MTB ride on Sunday.

Yeah I may not make it on the trainer today. Just enjoyed a cup of coffee while eating a beef pot pie from Tiny Pies (OMG so good!) and reading Texas Monthly from a few months back. It may be a late ride for me, needed since I haven't ridden much this week.

Currently watching endless Youtube videos about places I want to visit some day. Barcelona looks pretty interesting. Accompanied the viewing with a coffee donut from Wheatsville and some cheap whiskey.

🙂 The words by themselves sure don't, but as an experienced rider doing similar things, I get it. Thanks! I'm looking forward to normality and hanging out more and picking your brain over drinks at some point in 2021.

City park tomorrow morning and maybe flat rock later if not Saturday. Sent from my moto g(7) supra using Tapatalk

looking like RP will be popular tomorrow

Nice! Very ballsy. I was just happy to get in a walk around the 'hood. I had ridden 9 days in a row, so I am fine chilling a couple days.

Trainerroad today I think. Though I did a 27 mile sock ride yesterday. Started dry and cloudy upper 60's. I thought we'd get drizzle. I didn't expect a downpour. I was not wearing the right glove and needed a base layer. Was supposed to be 60+ miles ride. It was an interesting ride home, riding down Adirondack amid white waters, taking shelter at First Honda, annoyed at how noisy these Shimano brakes are when wet. It was an adventure and that was awesome for me.

.... Sent from my SM-A115AZ using Tapatalk

Darn! Hope you are joking.

Ha, no, sorry. Just a joke about derailing the thread 😄. 30 miles is a spectacular ride at Blie! Blue is a bicycle playground the type of which I haven't seen equaled outside of Hartman Rocks. We'll see if I change my mind when I make it to Sedona. Blue's standout trails are My Favorite Trail, Monster, and the rarely ridden by anyone, (because hard) Debacle. Blue has nice knee to hip level doable tech, punctuated by huge and optional steep rock rollers. I just love the place.

Glad to hear this! I have only ridden 1 trail in NY and it was Blue Mountain/Depew back in 2016. Looks like I missed quite a bit of trail even in 30 miles but remember it being awesome. Is Derail a trail in that park?

I'm largely talking effort--so aerobically. But yeah, that can be done anywhere including GW or the road. And really I think you'd have to put out 2 hard or one easy and one hard WC loops to equal an easy GW loop. And while GW's rocks are easier at speed, like sub 2:30, they're also easy at a stop and go crawl pace like 4:30+. For me It's the non-stop in-between pace of 3ish hours that I think is a little harder on the rocks. All just the opinions of a guy who spent well over 2000 miles at WC this year, and has completed 30 GW loops in 3.5 years.

another trick for ebay is to use a bidnapping service (I use bidnapper.com). They use bots to place a bid on your behalf in the last few seconds to prevent bidding wars. You can also chain auctions together so if you dont get one, it will bid on the next one. I have a high win rate with no bidding war.

I need to get back to Cameron, I go about once a year and always think why don’t I come here more often. Post vaccine I’ll schedule another group road trip up there.

I've never done Cameron or Dana Peak. I actually stopped at Cameron Park on the way back from Dallas once in 2010 and I took my bike with me just for this purpose, but I had some sort mechanical which I hadn't noticed until I was parked at Cameron Park.

I had a one wheel for a few months. Very fun just not as fun as the ole two wheel machine by any accord . I also couldn't see myself using it as often as needed to make the price tag worth it. It was alot fun running down to the liquor store on it though doing 15 mph [emoji2957] Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

Maybe you need to switch to a One Wheel? But I feel you man, Coming back to town from BVille seemed anti climatic for sure.

Will be watching this post. The folks at AB World Headquarters are all over me about not getting new trails on the site. As soon as it is safer to be out and around I need to get back on that horse. Have a short list under consideration.

I thought everyone just used lockon grips now, seemed like a no-brainer game changer to me. 🤔

That’s a great idea. I’m assuming you’re using a rubber tipped air chuck like this? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Should we change over this group to a dirt roadie thread? Asking since I can't ride right now has nothing to do with the above comments. Jkjk i totally have gotten out of the desire to grind EVERY trail. When you go to parks across country or trail systems like they have in B ville it really makes you loose interest in the constant grind for minor pay offs. Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

WT Kentucky Spirit is generally very good. And that's to be expected considering that it's effectively a single barrel version of WT101. But for about the same money, I always reach for Rare Breed instead.

Staying on the local tip. We made some killer porkchops and broke out a bottle of this rum barrel aged dark cider we'd been holding on to for a year. Pretty tasty combo. Also, anyone try this temp? I'm a sucker for a good tempranillo and this barrel aged one was surprisingly good.

I think any skill that a rider wants to learn is important. It at a minimum boosts confidence, and thats just as critical as anything when it comes to MTB. Timid riding will get you just as hurt as being reckless. IMHO, any time you can push your neuroplasticity it staves off some of the pitfalls of getting older. My wife's mom died from dementia at 72 so she really looks at MTB, and learning new skills a whole different way than I did. Also funny how things stick with you. I hadn't ridden a skateboard in over two decades and within a half hour was able to ollie and do tricks I learned 30 years ago. My ankles also made it known I was no longer a youngster the next day 🤣

100%^ Stopped by there to buy some dunkel and a gift card for a buddy. Place is awesome, staff is friendly and on the ball. Heard they were from portland. Can't wait to get this covid shit behind us and spend some more time there. Also, did you see the new pinthouse theyre building just east of 35 on 71?

This is very true. There's a spot on 1/4 Notch at Brushy Creek where there's a small log inserted across the trail on a fast, flat section. While you can simply roll over it at virtually any speed, I like to come in hot and either bunny hop over it or use it as a bump jump. Yesterday I decided to manual over it and then tried to hold the manual coming off. Miraculously I managed to hold it for around 10ft or so but in the process lost my side to side balance. I dabbed my left foot to keep from falling, and quickly realized I hadn't dropped my saddle all the way down. Took a mild blow to the nads but it was worth it for that moment of exhilaration. Probably something I could get much better at if I practiced consistently, but I prefer riding over practicing. Haha I thought 20ft was looking farther down the trail.

For those with kids... Sent from my SM-A115AZ using Tapatalk

It's not backwards. Front wheel drive is the latest tech for getting maximum traction.