2112Greg

Yep, Crank and Drank is on Tuesdays, leaving from behind ATX Bikes at 6. As for Thursday rides, it leaves from Texas Cycle Werks , leaving at 6.

Yep. We rode to Coler, which is pretty flat-ish, but several miles back and forth. So that dropped the ratio some. Just getting up to the top of Coler, it's just under 200 feet for the privilege of riding down. Payoff is pretty sweet, but you have no choice but to climb to make the payment. Riding the Greenway to Blowing Spings/Back 40 will likewise lower the ratio. When you're on actual trails, you will be climbing...it's just a function of how the trails work. All I'm suggesting is that if someone wants to go, be prepared for that and prepare yourself by doing stuff around here where there is legit climbing - Lakeway and the backside of HOL being great/close choices for that. All of our last day this trip, hitting a ton of stuff in SP and then we rode to Coler, we had a little better than 100ft per mile. That's more the rule than the exception...in fact, I can't see it any other way.

Making the trip with The Tip, I'll add a couple of cents as well. This was my second trip to BV, went last year in June. It was hot but not intolerable. Go now, it's perfect weather in the Spring or early Fall. Before the last trip last year, I watched a ton of videos, read about the trails and how they are in contrast to much of what we ride in a lot of central Texas systems. It's almost ALL flow, very little technical bits and rocks are the exception, not the rule, as they are here on our local trails. The Back 40 is my favorite section out there, it's a ton of fun...but you have to climb. I prepared this year AND last by hitting the BCBG a lot (Ed's Bowl, etc) and Lakeway as much as possible. You HAVE to have climbing legs to make the most of BV. It's essential to having a good experience there. The Back 40 is a giant loop, but it also has a number of inside segments that are great. Floride is absolutely AWESOME. All of them are fun in their own way, but Floride is just out of this world. If you hit the Back 40, that's a MUST. If you want to get your technical/janky fix, then the Ledges is for you. Not only is it technically challenging, it's got some pretty serious consequences for a mistake (like falling down a cliffside). Definitely the most difficult segment of the area systems. That said, I love this kind of riding. It keeps you on your toes and your skills sharp. There is something for everyone, but it's overall I'd say it's aimed at the intermediate rider and above. Some of the flowy fun stuff in Slaughter Pen would be fun for a beginning rider, but overall it's for experienced riders. And climbing, you will be climbing. It's not sustained slogs up hills, much of the Back 40, going CCW, you go up berms/wide switchbacks which sounds weird, but it's a pretty efficient way to get up a steep climb. And there are lots of them...but almost all of them have some sweet payoff. If you're thinking of going to BV, research it, study the trails, watch videos of trails, look at Strava rides, see the kinds of elevation that will be expected and then train by doing Lakeway, Ed's Bowl and stuff that requires climbing around you. If you can't climb or don't like to, then BV isn't something you'd enjoy. I did 103 miles which is just about everything in the whole Slaughter Pen, Bella Vista and a little bit of Coler and did about 8,000 feet of climbing. Prepare yourself! Our group of 10 riders loved just about everything about it. My gf and I are planning on going back later this year. The entire culture of the city is centered on bikes...and not just mtbs (but that's it's focus)...but BV is a biker's dream. And it just so happens that for mountain bikers, it's AMAZING.

What's the over under for someone saying 'get off my lawn' on the next page?

Awesome...thanks everyone. Not sure how I've missed it because I've seen it in a number of videos...gonna hit it next time I'm out yonder!

So here's a question, how do you get to Dave's Ditch? I've looked for it on Strava and it doesn't come up since maybe it goes by a different name. But if someone could tell me how to get there, that'd be grrreaaaat, thanks..

I'm looking at using this mapping software to create maps of other trail systems...just gotta start with a GPX file, I finally figured that out. haha Any tips/tricks on using this would be much appreciated. This is going to be super useful for me and my crew...!

When will you be doing that? I can lend a hand if our schedules line up...

I thought that looked BCBG-ish, in fact, I liked that little step... 😞 The Tip and I were out at Meridian the other day and put this fun little jump in. I don't know wtf is going on with this laugh, but watch this and make sure the audio is on so you can hear this giant goober at the end as I land. Holy shit this is funny. lol That may or may not be The Tip. I can neither confirm nor deny. Jumping at Meridian I.mp4

^^^ I can't place where that is...but yea, DON'T DO IT! As folks may have noticed, I removed the pics that were of Meridian Bowl. If you want me to send them to you, PM me with your email and I'll shoot them over to you. I don't personally see a problem with posting them here, but that's not my call to make. Hit me up if you want them...they may be helpful.

I'm happy to remove them if you want to...no big deal.

Yep, you can come that way, too. The jeep road that is at the bottom of all the Bowl runs will spit you out where that trampoline used to be. The new construction messed up the path we used to have there, so you end up going to Bernia by going northish and up and thru some fields, etc...and taking that to the end of Escarpment (or vice versa depending on what you're doing). At the end of Escarpment, there are 4 little out and back trails called Avana Escape. The first two are the best, but the first one is my favorite...

Yes, The Ski Lift is the jeep trail... To get to the Meridian Bowl, there are at least 2 ways that I can think of. You can come down what's called School Daze, which is found going down 1826 at the end of 45. See the map. From Stroller Roller in the middle of 45, you can go into the golf course and get to the bowl. Just stay left at every chance and you'll get there. You'll be very close to riding on the actual golf course at one point, but that's how it goes. You'll cross Alcanza and then you'll be on Meridian Dr. Go in where the big square rocks are and either go left to hit Dam Straight or go straight which will take you around Bear Lake to the entrance of Four Ledges and all the other segments on the hill there. Hope that helps...

Here's an image of the trails 'almost' as they are today. There is one new little trail that goes from the bottom of Up or Down, across The Ski Lift and down a pretty big/fun ditch, then up to Rim Shot (take a right to go to the bottom of it...going up Rim Shot sucks, it's doable, but it sucks). Off of Four Ledges, there are 3 new little pieces that provide another way down the hill. And I think those are the parts that Carl's most concerned about. You can now session the two smaller drops on Double Drop and the bigger one on the right (as you go down DD) by going up and around Up or Down. There are tons of different ways to put all these segments together. From the highest point on Four Ledges to the bottommost point, I'd say it's about 85 feet, so you'll be doing some climbing if you do lots of laps. Totally worth it... There is also a fun jump off a big flat rock by taking the second spur off Four Ledges down the hill. You land on a slight decline, so it's pretty sweet...you can bypass the jump easily, as well.

I was out there with The Tip yesterday and we talked about his concerns about collisions and trail merging. I get his concern, but I also think he's erring on the side of caution. There may be a blind-ish merge or two, but overall I think it's going to be fine. True, there are now lots of connectors but sight distance is generally pretty good. My concern, as his is, that hikers with earbuds might get onto the trails and that could be a problem. I would hope that hikers realize these trails are built and for MTBs and I don't think they'd be particularly good to hike (then again, I don't really hike that much, so maybe I'm not the best judge). That said, I think it's going to be fine. Perhaps we just let things stay this way for a while and let people get used to things. I don't know how much COULD be added, but leaving it be for a while could be a good thing. It's really great now...so get out there, use your bells, make noise around corners and merges and have some fun. The last thing anyone wants is someone to get hurt and the neighborhood getting the willies and shutting the whole are down. Just play safely and we should be good...IMO

Yes, unless there is rain this afternoon, we're on for tonight...working on a route now. :)

And that sucks because it's clearly too low. Already has shit piled up under it. I wonder how they'll solve the problem...but it could have been easily prevented...

I just posted this on the Austin MTB Trail Conditions page on Facebook... On yesterday's ride, we did 45 from the golf course to Meridian, did all the Meridian Bowl, up School Daze to 1826 and 45, up 1826 to Spruce Canyon, then Phoenix to Bandit, Disc Go Disc Go, then we bailed because I lost a brake pad. The only wet spots were on School Daze, everything else was great. Trails are drying out nicely and should be hero dirt today for the next several says. Only a slim chance of rain on Tuesday...cross your fingers!

Slalom has taken it in the shorts several times since the monsoons started a few months ago. 😞

I've thought this many times watching their videos. It's hard since GMBN films in the UK and conditions are so shitty there almost all the time that they have to ride when it's muddy or wet. And then people watch it here (love the channel personally) and people think that it's how it's supposed to be here. I would love to see them differentiate between what they ride there and what we ride in the States.

Well, if you feel up to it, come join us for Crank and Drank on Tuesdays and the Texas Cycle Werks ride on Thursdays. Both rides are wheels down at 6. CnD leaves from behind ATX Bikes on Slaughter and the TCW ride leaves from the shop on 290 at Monterey Oaks.

On the Texas Cycle Werks ride last night, we did the route that's in picture below. No trouble spots except for a little mush on Drip Drop and on Drop, please take the bypass that cuts that right hander which is still got a lot of standing water. Things were slick in a few places, but overall it was great...hope the rain holds off tonight.

The Tip is a lot better at trail names than I am. lol Ah yes, I mixed up Bowling for Glory with Ski Lift, it's the most fun way back up the hill.

YW. The most recent ride with did with Crank and Drank took the group thru some of the Meridian section. The four trails in the'bowl' are Rim Shot, Sky Lift, Four Ledges and the latest is Tommy's Tribute Trail. Other trails of note in that area is School Days (Daze? I can't remember) and then there are four new-ish sections along Escarpment that start right at where Escarpment ends/begins. There is some construction in the area which has forced some recent changes and there are some other trails that go around Bear Lake, too.