Leaderboard

A facebook update from Bikepacking Roots. Bikepacking Roots is working to make the language of this act be more specific to dirt routes (single track and 4-wheel drive roads) and exclude primarily gravel routes. "In refining this language, the BOLT Act will be more specific to dirt oriented, off-road bikepacking rather than paved or gravel trails. We recommended this change because we currently can create exceptional gravel and road routes without substantial land manager involvement, but singletrack routes require much more of land managers like the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management." Statement More details on the BOLT Act Updates and Announcement page on BikepackingRoots.org

New Mexico is all over bike packing and bike recreation, so not surprised that they are promoting this as well as a Republican senator from WY. NM Senator Ben Ray Lujan in an IMBA press release: BOLT=Biking on Long-Distance Trails Act. This bipartisan bill has advanced enough that there was a Senate hearing by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on Dec. 2. From Bikepacking.com: New Bolt Act Could Fund 20 Long-Distance Bike Trails in the US This article has a link to the full text of the bill. Many states are realizing the economic benefits of cycle specific tourism, especially for out of the way communities with depressed economies. Maybe more bills like this could create better guidelines to expedite the currently cumbersome process of creating new trails on BLM and Forest Service lands.

Austin Ridge Riders' Pace Bend Race just popped up on the TMBRA calendar for April 9-10, 2022. No other details or link to Bike Reg yet.

Public dig day - Sunday February 20th, 2022 10 am - San Gabriel Park - easternmost low water crossing Georgetown Trails Foundation is a newly formed non-profit with a mission to create more natural surface trails all over GTX. We have city approval for a master plan that will add 25+ miles of singletrack and this project is one of the first on our plate. Once completed it will be a solid loop with amazing river views, nice flowy lines and options for fun at all levels. If you have tools, feel free to bring them. We will also have plenty to loan out (Thanks ARR!). Water, Gatorade and tacos will be provided. Follow us on Instagram for updates @gtxtrails or peruse our website at https://georgetowntrails.org GTF dig day.heic

Right? Some folks name their kids after names they hear in films like Ezekiel.

I thank Quentin for exposing me to this. The funny thing is that $5 is actually cheap for a milkshake these days, even without bourbon in it or nuthin'.

We heat our home almost entirely with the wood stove in this picture. It was a huge plus during last year’s Snowpocaalypse/power outage! With ten acres of brush and trouble we always have potential firewood, it is just a matter of cutting it, splitting some of it, storing it, and bringing enough into the barn before prolonged cold and wet spells. We had an epic ice storm the year we moved out here (1997) which prompted me to buy my first chainsaw, a 14 inch Echo. On the same day my dad bought an almost identical Echo which eventually became mine when he passed. Last year after that ice storm my wife bought a Black and Decker cordless chainsaw, and just a few weeks ago I got the Black and Decker pole saw. I was skeptical of the battery powered chainsaw, but have found it really helpful for my private trail network on a neighbor’s property. I lust after a slightly larger and much newer gas chainsaw but haven’t pulled the trigger yet.

I have two high pivot bikes now so I can compare a bit better. The druid was way quieter and seemed to have less drag than my commencal. The latter is also 8lbs heavier and has full DH tires with inserts so it hates to roll regardless. Compared to a traditional bike, high pivot bikes are noisier and have some noticeable drag. Particularly if you use chain guides. IMHO, I wouldn't recommend one for CTX. The above mentioned drawbacks and additional maintenance isn't worth the headaches. These bikes shine when the trail point downward and there's less than enough of that here.

My first on image dead sailor...