GFisher

9 minutes ago, mack_turtle said:

Lock-on grips feel really weird to me. twice the price, half the confidence- inspiring feel. no thanks.

Funny. I feel super comfortable with them. I can think back on some rides back in the day where regular grips broke free (like at City Park) and it was death defying trying to finish a lap with the grip trying to slide off every 100' ,that or try to grip the bare slippery bar. I may give some silicones a try though.Comfort is good.

On 12/28/2020 at 6:57 PM, ATXZJ said:

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? 

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

4 minutes ago, throet said:

Would you say that Cameron Park is worth the travel time? How about Dana Peak? Given your number of visits to Flat Rock, I think I know the answer there! Do you normally stay overnight when you go?

Cameron Park has long been one of my favorite TX trails. Total blast, but a bit of navigation required (good maps and signage - you just need to figure your way around all the trails). Think Walnut Creek but with 10x the elevation. I was running about 120 ft/mile for a while last time I was there. Dana Peak is also well worth it. I went for the first time a few weeks ago. Don't miss the stuff in the middle and they are building some new stuff on the far East end by Stillhouse Park (I may park over there next time). These 2 make a good overnighter. In November I rode Cameron one day stayed in Waco and then hit Dana Peak on the way home.

Flat Rock is also awesome and also combines well with Kerrville Schreiner Park. I also did this as an overnighter in November. Kerrville Park is super fun (I think) and expanding, the last couple times I have been (only about once a year) there was some new trail. You can also add in a nice scenic pathway along the Guadalupe River for several miles. For this trip I rode Kerrville, stayed there and then rode Comfort the next day. I would have reversed that but it was super windy the first day and you are much more in the open at Flat Rock.

Hell awaits....

2 hours ago, ATXZJ said:

Keepin' it local on this one. Jesus boys, that barrel aged middle trinity is the best texas beer ive ever had. Period.

 

 

I guess I had better try it. That was a very strong endorsement.

Meanwhile Brewing Shadow Gate Schwartzbier. Pretty tasty. Had never heard of this place but it was the only brewery open on Monday on the way back into town from riding the eastern trails (Lake Bryan and Beuscher State Park). This is a solid place. 

6 minutes ago, ATXZJ said:

Okay, where is this badassery located? 

Probably somewhere that shouldn't be promoted.

1 minute ago, mack_turtle said:

It's a Continental product. no joke: a warped Conti tire is very common. take it back and buy something that does not suck.

Yep. I would play with it a bit before I yanked and returned it (deflate a bit/play with bead/over inflate a bit/ bounce-rotate it on the ground, etc) to try to get it to seat, but yeah, sometimes they are defective (especially if you bought it off ebay).

Recently I just decided to cut the tire off, which wasn't as easy as I thought it would be but it worked. Temperature has to be a factor, next time I will try to heat it up a bit with a blow dryer.

Please keep it legal cowboys... 🤠

25 minutes ago, Barry said:

Thanks for this. I have removed both of those from my "Places left to ride in TX" list. 

I'm not sure I will totally write off BLORA, I will just try to get some recent beta and make sure it is good shape. Worst case I'd bail to Dana Peak (which exceeded my expectations).

Probably my most painful COVID loss (so far anyway) is Cap City Comedy. You get on the mailing list and get free tickets (usually Wed or Thur). We would go a few times a month, almost every week in winter. Have a couple ABW cans and maybe some chips and salsa and be home by 10. I will miss that place,

Went out to the Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area last Friday. I hadn't been in probably 20 years. called ahead to make sure they were open. The parking area was really well maintained. The trails didn't look like they had been ridden in months. Way more cow and deer tracks than tire tracks. Was still marked well and fairly clear, but a fair amount of small branches down (and a couple big ones) had to stop twice to pull little sticks out of the rear D. It wasn't really enjoyable. They want you to call the office when you leave so they know if anyone is still out there (which is cool), I asked if maybe it had been closed for hunting for a couple months or something and the lady said no, it is just that not many people had riding since COVID. Seems like the exact opposite of every other trail. Maybe it is just too far under the radar (not on MTB Project and little info on Trailforks). Bailed after doing the intermediate loop, I could see the 'expert' stuff was in even rougher shape as I passed it a few times). I started on the green loop but lost the trail in some spots so bailed on that too. Went over to the Miller Springs area, there is some tight, steep fun stuff on the hillside as you come in off FM439 (not mapped) . Overall very flat and smooth, would be good for a beginner, cross bike or if you just happen to be in the area. The gate getting back there next to the spillway seems designed to keep bikes out, but bikes are allowed. With some effort you can finagle your bike through the slats. Went to the Nature Center on the north side first but it looks like some of the trails are hiking only so I went to the southern trailhead. Some pretty cool cliffs and caves back by the spring and historic bridge. I enjoyed it much more than BLORA but it was still only about a 4 out of 10, would have gone to Dana Peak but time was running short. Good brewery in downtown Belton - Bold Republic Brewing - for a good pint and decent pizza before heading home. The brewery and short ride at Miller Springs helped save the day as BLORA was a bust in my mind. I'd recommend getting some recent trail conditions before heading out.

https://www.mtbproject.com/trail/7048275/miller-springs-nature-center-tennessee-valley-tour

14 minutes ago, Hugh said:

Was Bitter End the first brew pub in Austin?  I was trying to remember the name of this place recently 

I believe so, maybe even Texas from what I gather. The adjoining B Side was a good spot too (both on the swankier end) but great for their time back in the 90's. There was a fire at one point and that was the bitter end so to speak. 

Recognized now as the oldest brewpub in Texas, The Bitter End is one of the Warehouse District's anchors. It has a reputation not only for producing good beers but also for experimentation, often brewing once-only batches or beers only for special events. Style guidelines are also stretched a bit, like their recent Noble Weiss.

4 hours ago, TAF said:

I miss Lovejoy's - oh wait, that was a bar.

It was awesome. Bitter End as well. 

4 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

Sambet's.  It was one of our work team's weekly lunch haunts.

Still my favorite crawfish etouffee of all time. That place was a trainwreck as far as the husband/wife and employer/employee relationships though.

4 hours ago, AntonioGG said:

Our Ace Hardware store?  It had some stuff you couldn't get at HD or L but man, when I went in there it sure felt like I was fucking up their vibe.

Yep that is the one. It was definitely an old school vibe/setup.

Not bike related but there was a neighborhood Ace Hardware store super close by that was awesome for quick things in the middle of a project. Of course the big L and HDepot came along and their days were numbered. Now getting 2 bolts or a paintbrush takes an hour+.

20 minutes ago, Barry said:

And I didn't hate Performance. It was pretty good for nutrition, clothes and consumables like lube and chains. 

Totally. It sucked when they opened stores here and had to start charging tax though, their advantage pretty much went away.

I also want to say they could sell Shimano stuff cheaper than what an LBS had to pay at one point, but my memory may be slightly off.

Supergo was the shit! At the end of the year they used to buy all the remaining Specialized stock and blow it out the door. Pickup up a 1999 SWorks hardtail for $1099 or so (retail was like $2350 - dealer cost was like $1600) and a 2000 SWorks road bike for $1950 (retail $3250), each one came with a swag bundle too (like a cycle computer, camelback, etc) only catch was you had to have someone physically pay in the store , then they could ship it. Had a connection each time that I floated some cash for their time. 

For the hardtail I literally was about to fly into LAX, spend the weekend in Santa Monica (and visit that store) then fly home and still save a few hundy less than I could get it locally, but a buddy was about to head to San Diego for an ailing relative so he hooked me up.

I remember it as Austin Bowl O Rama. Ad plays at the end of this clip. It was still there in the mid 80's for sure. I think the building may have been vacant for awhile. I remember when BSS moved in they said they used some of the old wood from the lanes to build the work benches.

13 minutes ago, Barry said:

 And for a bike shop MJs is pretty big as well.

Yeah, BSS Lamar can definitely skew your perceptions I think. It used to be a bowling alley.

I haven't done the 'Tour' but rode it back in late 90's. Stayed in a BandB in Aspen and then rode back the same way. I hear Star /Taylor Pass is a good alternative one direction. Epic back up there at 12700ft+ it got cold and rainy and we were not prepared (white cotton socks, fingerless gloves, shorts, light wind jacket). Rained the whole way back, V-brakes fried, cleats packed with mud, crashed once. It was tough, I think about 25 miles of climbing from the CB side up but only about 15 miles from the Aspen side. Some nasty chunk hike a bike at the top***. Be prepared, but it is an awesome ride for sure.

***probably all rideable on a modern rig

On 11/24/2020 at 2:41 PM, Yosmithy said:

No, that that's a trail the county shutdown out at Wilco Regional park

I know there isn't much out there to begin with but how much is closed off? Is it still worth a visit for an easy spin?