Morealice

32 minutes ago, jcarneytx said:

First time I'd ever been to that ditch, some younger guy/kid was about to go down that first lip, with some friends waiting for him. I didn't see what exactly happened, but the green slime gave me a clue. All I heard was crash/thud/Uhnghhh!!! Nope, not going down there.

Lol @ Uhnghhh!!!

1 minute ago, Cafeend said:

I've riding almost daily at BC. Rode this evening and was pretty surprised at the amount of loose rocks in the trail. It was as if someone placed hundreds of rocks on the trails.
I know it's because of the weather being drier and the ground somehow births rocks and rocks come loose but damn there are tons of rockage.
And the weather was amazing

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Yessss. That autumn-like cool edge to the air. I’m sure tomorrow will be right back to blast furnace. But it was oh so delicious tonight. 

I just went to CO for 10 days. Rode Durango, Salida, Boulder, and Lake Pueblo. Played a lot of disc golf. It was ONE HUNDRED degrees in Denver. I played disc and never had to towel off my hand from copious sweating, used one water bottle as opposed to killing 2 32oz bottles in a round, and shirt was barely damp in the center. 10% humidity

This humidity thing is REAL. 

51 minutes ago, Yosmithy said:

Ok, after thorough testing in El Paso, I've concluded that humidity sucks far more than altitude, but that El Paso still sucks.

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Temps early this morning were cool but daaayammmn that humidity was THICK. It was hard to keep my F it attitude and still ride, but I did. Glad I rode. Got three hours before the kids were really even up. 

This guy flies past me going up the dam by avery ranch lake (whatever it’s called) and he’s like 50s all geared up with pads n stuff not holding onto the handlebars...real casually fast, real fit looking. I let him go, but then he slows down at the end of the dam by the lake park and asks if there are any real mountain bike trails around. He tells me he’s moving here in a few weeks from Albuquerque and that he will miss “real mountain bike trails” and elevation wants to see what he’s in for...I tell him to follow me and I hit Peddlers, did 3/4 of that then onto Mulligan (where he struggled) and Picnic. He was wigged out by Basket but rode it really well. I waited on him a few times. Then after Big Ravine in the back of Picnic, I waited a bit then decided to peel out. Hope he can adapt to these fake trails. Teehee. 

1 hour ago, gotdurt said:

Well now, that was a dumb thing to do... next time you get an idea like that, run the dishwasher and stick your head in during the drying cycle... you'll get the same reminder, without the wasted time of gearing up and trying to ride.

Humidity is just too high for me this year.

Man I’ve just taken a f*** it attitude this year and been riding anyway. I’ll ride a bit slower and definitely re-water at YMCA but still doing about 3 hrs per ride. Until I can move in 7 years I’m tired of being at the mercy of this Texas summer weather. I prefer the 6pm-9pm window over the morning, but if I wanna ride regularly, then sometimes I gotta suck it up and ride in the shitty morning humidity. But getting a bike I absolutely love riding has changed everything for me. I think riding that slow ass, energy sapping Devinci for three years was a great thing perspective wise. 

3 hours ago, jcarneytx said:

They had some good beers, for sure. Once they moved over to Heineken, though, switched to others that were still 'craft.'

Damn you Jcarney...

your profile pic popped in my head as I slowed down in the mooseknuckle and wondered, “wonder what he’s doing here to hit these ....” and then i hit a tree coming up out of it...there’s your definitive answer...you’re going too slow. You got in my head jMFingcarney!!! 

Hey guys...headed to Durango in a couple weeks with 3-4 riding days. Overwhelming amount of trail there. 

What are “must rides”?  I’m assuming the 45min drive to Phil’s World is obligatory?

thanks in advance 

8 minutes ago, Browndog said:

 

Deception and Picnic were perfect yesterday. Even the big puddle on upper Picnic that was there Sunday was gone. We did not ride Peddlers because we assumed it was still wet.


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This is great news for these cool, soupy conditions today. God I can’t wait to move (in 7 years, ha). Gonna go get me some. 

8 minutes ago, GreenMTBrider said:

Based on the amount of rain I’d recommend another day. I’ll be at COTA tonight so unfortunately can’t verify, but if you go use caution. 

I cx’d up the BCRT last night. It all looked “souper” soupy to me. I don’t think any of it would be ready today, but I’ve been wrong about Deception before. If I don’t see anyone post up with a report I’ll assume it’s too muddy and just cx again. 

I think that you’re talking about something technical when it takes that long to describe it. There can be varying degrees of difficulty/technicality, however. There’s a rocky/watery part on Peddlers Pass East at Brushy that I don’t consider difficult at all but I’d say it’s technical. 

5 hours ago, TAF said:

Fix-It Sticks attach under the cage mount: https://www.backcountry.com/fix-it-sticks-original-tool-with-bracket

This bad boy will hold your tube, tire tools, CO2, band aids and probably your phone. Mine is mounted on the top tube below the saddle.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/top-tube-pack/p/155212

At this point, it's just down to the water. I've been riding all our central Texas trails, including the Green Belt, without a pack for 2+ years now.

I also have a waist pack, and it's way better than a backpack - you really don't notice it. Cons: less water volume, and they haven't figured out how to clip the tube on properly (I tuck it through the belt strap).

On topic: go for it - get a HT

Pack discussion: I’ll never go back to a full backpack style unless in a remote place with cool temps.  I have the camelbak palos waist pack and carry 50oz water, levers, snack, tube, pump, patches, plug kit, garage door opener. I don’t notice it any longer. 

1 hour ago, jcarneytx said:

Was just out there. The climb up to it also is a pain. Might have to ride W-E then stop to session that spot. Rode my normal E-W and  again was really tired when I got there, heat really got to me today for some reason. 

I hear you. Maybe rest a bit before that section...after the Altar (bigish step before that section) and then push yourself harder going up the hill approaching it. I’m betting more momentum will help. In my experience, more speed/momentum mutes out those kinds of hits. As you come down the hill to the hard left preceding it, try to use your brakes as little as possible and already be in the gear you want when you hit the approach...I dunno. That sharp left used to be decently bermed but now that turn has to be finessed a lot more. It really must be fatigue because the Altar and Dub Step and The Trap are all more technical in my opinion. Anyway, I’m probably a shitty teacher and good luck broseph!

17 hours ago, jcarneytx said:

I normally do just that, and do fine on just about every other ledge.  This one always jacks me, though. 

I don’t mean this too dickily, but I’ve never considered this a ledge. It must just be in your head, or maybe it’s where you start to get tired? I have spots I start to get tired based on whatever my fitness level is...when it’s real bad I get tired at Big Flats (E to W)...a flat slab of rock where the previous skinny bridge now resides...a little ways before Lloyd Bridges. That’s how I know I’m in pathetic shape compared to the past. Yesterday was my first actual day where I slowed down and enjoyed just being able to pedal a bike. Fitness and 29” wheels definitely make a lot of those pesky steps and ledges and whatnot kinda disappear. 

22 minutes ago, Kobra Kai MTB Guy said:

Trick I’ve found is sight in between the trees on your approach and ride straight for it rather than trying any turning. Then focus on getting your wheel over the first small ledge and second ledge in one motion rather than individually. 

This. You should try to ride trail focusing about 10-15 ft in front of you. That way you have already mentally “ridden” the stuff immediately under you and right in front of you. It’s tough to do but really works. I’m decent at it until I get to a feature like EBD or something more daunting. 

2 hours ago, Chief said:

He's talking about the switchback after Dub Step and The Alter, before Pre Plunge. It's the one you go right down a ledge and switch back left up onto loose limestone with the ledges through the two trees. I think it's just at/after Moose knuckle in the video.

Bingo. 

All trails are boobs. 

Remembering that riding is fun on the new bike...even in this shitty humidity and mushy legs. Still so fun and glad to be back on a 29er...and more glad to be on one that rides like a hardtail. Unngh. 

11 hours ago, First-Blood said:

The key is indeed straight up. You need to get a good burst upto the first ledge and try and be as light as possible up to the second ledge. Then place front tire on face of second ledge and as long as your momentum is good you just shift weight and lunge hips to bars and stand up and pedal out. Simple right?

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Any time I have approached riding this way...all first you do this then that... I have never cleared a tough spot...for me, it goes more like...ok, now I shift my weight, then I...fuck...*gets off bike and shakes head

41 minutes ago, tomreece said:

How are the trails this evening? Last message from the Twitter feed says things may still be wet but I was hoping to ride tonight.

Has anyone been out there this afternoon?

Also curious about this. 🤨

Yeah let’s not forget Gotdurt is a really really good bike handler and rider.

Going up Spongebob is really tough to do when tired because when you make the left before it you gotta step on the gas but be in the right gear in case you do need to ratchet pedal to get over the top. I always ride East to West and never ride back West to East on Deception like I did once upon a time.  I now take the fat guy way of doing all trails East to West and then BCRT and easy stuff back East toward home. 

4 hours ago, GreenMTBrider said:

Just FYI, this morning I rolled out to 1/4 Notch and Picnic. Ground was still very soft, with caking and rutting occurring. Exposed areas may be dry, but other areas will be muddy. Riding not advised. This afternoon some of the trails may be okay, but I’d wait until tomorrow. 

Made my apres work decision very easy. 

Disc golf! Think I’ll try that course near the  skate park. 

10 minutes ago, AntonioGG said:

Did you ride the right line or the left line?  It used to be only the left line was there.  Endo's sketchiness goes up and down with how it wears. There was a point where I thought the original steep line was less sketchy than the right line.

Ah ok. To be fair I feel like I rode the right side. Next time I will remember to stay left. I just kinda followed my friend down it (whom I have witnessed ride stuff I would never ever try)....that bitch probably thought I couldn’t handle the left side! Eh, I doubt he even knows. His ass didn’t even know how to follow the main loop. We were pretty boosted, however. 

Quick Side Note:  Kinda funny about the quarter notch moniker thing and DBuratti and all that. I rode Walnut for the first time in forever the other day...first ride on the new bike, and granted it’s a 29er...no dropper post...and my friend had to tell me we had just ridden down endo valley. I don’t know if it’s gotten easier or whatever over the years because I don’t know if I’ve ridden it previously, but I got a good laugh after my friend told me we had just ridden the Beast known as endo valley. Spongebob is way dicier than that crap. Just my 2 cents. 

Does anyone have any experience with folding bikes to take on trips just to tool around a city? Does the bag end up being some weird oversized checked bag on the airlines? Which are the best ones?

about to start research but curious if anyone here knows about these things or has experience with them. I’d love to have a bike that I can have just for the occasion where I am flying to a metro area as long as they aren’t totally cost prohibitive or the reality of them blows vs the idea

2 hours ago, Yosmithy said:

You realize you hit enter after you typed that, right?

LoL...

I said almost...I sometimes get jealous of their ability to ride virtually all the time. I have a brand new bike that can’t be ridden on trails, and I refuse to do concrete rides on a mtb. That’s probably why I’m super fat right now...and the voracious snacking.

MIGHT even dust off the cx rig. I gotta do something. It’s out of hand. 

This has been a shitty stretch of months going back to last “fall” for riding. Almost makes me wish I were a roadie...or could at least stand the monotony of road riding. 

5 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

Wow!  Lawson Craddock!

 L

I saw that. From Brushy to the TdF. Haha. 

9 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

You can check the recorded segments to see if there is some of that going on.  For something like Mulligan, it's awful.  But 1/4 has a big distance between the start and the finish, and the finish (at the bailout) is not close to a parallel trail on 1/4 notch (which is usually what triggers Strava to end a segment sooner).  Ultimately, if you have a GPS recording every second you'll have a very accurate path recorded, and even better, you can always just hit the lap timer on start and finish and leave Strava out of it altogether.

I did notice those were all set in 2012-2014 @CBaron.  I'm sure you're right, the trail has gotten slower.

I mean E-W.  I was traumatized by an endo at Thumper years ago in a similarly benign ledge with a little rock below it.  It just unnerves me.  I will try it at some point, and I installed the dropper back on my bike just so I could get over it.  The little amount of Brushy Creek riding these last 3 months isn't helping either.

The far right side of Spongebob E-W is VERY easy to roll...it’s virtually smooth on a 27.5” wheel.

give that a shot, just don’t catch your bar on the sapling to the far right...stay a bit left of it and you’ll see how easy it can be