The Tip

Policeman: "Note to self; keep notyal's address on file."

Ha! Y'all know what I meant.

Meaning gravity only.

I'm pretty sure that they'll catch on and soon be everywhere. Why do I say that? Because of reviews like this one: He's just a kid, but like everyone that has ever gotten on one, he starts laughing with joy as soon as he takes off on it. A big selling point for him is being able to get to the top of the mountain with ease. No need for a lift, just power up the hill, then enjoy "real" mountain biking down.

No kidding. After the last entry's build up I'm not exactly "hanging."

Which leads back to my initial thought about the article about the e-bike race. How in the world would they regulate that? It would be like the classes of race cars. They are always catching cheaters that get their engine just a little bit bigger than the regulated size. So, yeah, that would be dumb I think.

Electric golf carts didn't kill golf like they surely were predicted to by all the traditionalists when they first came out. I would guess that E-bikes won't kill mountain biking. I do agree that the access problem is a major issue though. It's ALWAYS a major issue. It was interesting in the article about how the results of the survey were different when the respondents' were divided by age. You youngsters tune's of "I'll never own one" will change when you get to a point in your life where you envision the end of your "acoustic" (unplugged) pedaling abilities. It sucks having the thought during a ride, "Am I temporarily out of shape or is this an irreversible getting old thing now?"

The times they are a changing. IMBA changing their tune: https://www.bicycling.com/news/a20033561/imba-supports-e-mountain-bikes-on-some-trails/

The Hielscher Tract Greenbelt. There are three east-west trails through there. Phoenix North, Phoenix South, and Digo's Shortcut. Phoenix North is on the north side of the small creek and three retention ponds. It runs past Clayton Elementary School on the west end. Phoenix South runs along the south side of the creek. Both of these trails have a water dispersion system that dumps water on their west ends causing swamp like conditions. Long after rain events. Digo's Shortcut is the most southern route. This is on higher ground that is right behind the houses. It will also get too wet to ride, but it is the first to dry out, but you still have to look for puddles. Crank and Drank went through there Tuesday. We took Phoenix South. It was soft but okay.

Austin Diagnostic Clinic is in the building behind ATX Bikes. They are open 7 days a week. They are concerned that we mountain bikers are parking down close to their building during their business hours which impacts their business. They are asking us to please park further away from their building. This should not be a problem for us to do.

I took pictures of both entrances, the Self Storage driveway and the brush blocked jeep track, on the 1826 side yesterday. Neither entrance is posted with a no trespassing sign. I'm pretty sure there are no postings on the Slaughter Ln. side either. So I am going to continue to use that cut through until they do put up signs. I can't think of what other trails we would be jeopardizing by doing so. I am certain that the jeep track is on the storage companies property. The brush blocking might be done by the homeowners that butt up against the jeep track acting on their own volition.

WRONG! Check now. Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy. That moist sheen is going to be gone in an hour. No weather station in the area got more than .01 inch. Ride while you can!

I have to say that I'm giggling and laughing out there a lot. I'm going to ride out there at 10 am Saturday morning if it rains less than a 1/4" in the morning. It was fine this afternoon so that amount won't hurt it at all. I'm parking on Espina in front of the elementary school. I probably will be there two hours or so.

And don't forget the wild and unabandoned trampolining that happened there. And yes, Strava is having a hard time distinguishing between the runs. They are just too close and too similar to each other.

This is not a bandit trail system. So far we have permission from the landowners. I have shared maps with the landowners that they were very appreciative of. But again, I am torn about talking about this area. I want to share the information with the mountain bike community, but I don't want it to get overused, and possible shut down from that overuse. Hopefully the homeowners will appreciate that they have a fantastic and unique facility and will tolerate we riders. People pay premiums to live on golf courses with golfers literally in their backyard all day long. Loud, beer drinking, cussing-at-their-bad-shot golfers. But even non-golfers pay that extra amount to live in a house on a golf course. Same situation at some ski resorts. Crossing fingers that this will be the case here.

By the way, the cross trails were not part of the original vision. But they started appearing organically so steps were taken to make the mergers safer than they were. The real education here is that there ARE cross trails so be aware at the intersections. No matter what direction you are going.

I hope my post didn't imply that the downhill rider was absolved from all responsibilities. I just want to emphasize that these trails allow you to go fast and that everyone should show extra cautions. Everyone. This area is not unlike all downhill facilities, be it skiing or mountain biking. They all have converging trails. This is not a new thing. I've seen lots of hikers on Rim Shot, but speed is not a problem there. I have yet to see one out on the fast trails. They are not as forest-y or pretty on that exposed slope. Again, even when parking a car there, be pleasant and wave to passersby when next to your car. Fortunately the two best parking places are not next to any houses. And don't try and talk to any kids out there! Yesterday there was a group of five of them, all about eight years old? I had passed their Walmart mountain bikes on kickstands at the end of Dam Straight then encountered them at the beginning of Rim Shot. I said, "Hey, I saw some cool mountain bikes up there. Are they yours?" One kid muttered something affirmative, and they started to run off. I said, "Do you ride these trails out here?" One of the girls started shouting STRANGER DANGER! At first I laughed because I thought she was just being funny, but then I thought, geez, was that for real? I'm pretty sure she didn't see my ankle monitor so I don't get it. (yes, I'm kidding about the monitor! Geez, et tu Brute?) But please please please, remember that we are guests there.

The Meridian Bowl. Or Meridian Mountain. Or Little Spider Mountain. Call it what you want, but this is a special area, unlike anything in the SATN and pretty much unlike anything else in town. If you want to see if a lift assisted area is appealing to you, as in doing the same downhill trails over and over, then the Meridian Bowl would be a nice low commitment test run. The side benefit is that the climbing will make you a stronger rider. There are cross trails now that intersect the seven main trails. The good thing is that there are now untold combinations to get down the hill. It literally will take hours to ride everything, every way. But the bad is that the intersections can be potentially dangerous. An effort has been made to insure good sight lines, but a greater effort will have to be made to LOOK and use those sight lines. The area needs some rules to insure it's continued accessibility to us: -Be respectful to the homeowners. Thank them if you see them. Be pleasant. Don't give anyone any reason to turn against us. -Local rule: Yield to downhill riders at all times. Especially intersections. It will be very difficult for the downhill rider to stop when they are flying over a ledge at 20 mph! -Take those earbuds out while there. Sight lines are good, "Rider!" shouted by the downhilling guy is better. Be able to hear that. -Assume someone is coming downhill at all times. -Most trails are designed as downhill only. If you are riding uphill on anything other than Ski Lift and Up or Down, assume a rider going 20 mph is coming at you head on and be ready to bail. -Take care your first time down a run. Some big ledges pop up quickly. I'm concerned about someone getting hurt and making a stink about it. The liability thing is a big reason land owners deny access to their lands. Of course an HOA has insurance as there is a much greater risk of some kid drowning in a pool then dying on a trail. But still it's a worry. So if you do get hurt, suffer in silence! lol I was torn whether to post this or not. The area does not need promoting. One reason I have always pimped the SATN is to get enough wheels on all the trails to keep the vegetation beat back. That is not going to be a problem here. So my two concerns for the area are in conflict. Those being the need to promote safe use of the area but at the same time hoping that overuse does not cause access problems in the future. Did I mention the being respectful to the homeowners thing yet?

So your personal best is three endos. Fine and good, but what is the KOM amount on that segment? You can do it!

So it's true. You do always remember your first.

Oh, your route back is much more interesting and fun. I was just giving the "other shortest route" way. PS, lol, I see we crossed paths yesterday on Stroller Roller. "Beautiful day"

That is the shortest way. That's how you approach the Slaughter Creek gate from the north. If you don't want to repeat trail then when you exit your Slaughter Creek ride you can turn south on to the single track that continues along 1826. Then turn left onto Spruce Canyon. Continue until it intersects with LaCrosse. Enter the Hielscher Greenbelt at the swimming pool. Travel eastward on one of three trails there. Phoenix North (very muddy and impassable right now by the way), Phoenix South, or Digo's Shortcut (next to the houses). This comes out at another part of LaCrosse. Continue straight, or go up LaCrosse to Escarpment and down back to Circle C.

I rode past some newly poured concrete that was part of the Violet Crown Trail a couple of days ago. The city had a guy sitting in a truck guarding it until it was dry enough to not screw up. Not exactly watching paint dry but a hell of a job to have anyway. But at least the powers that be realized the level of stupid out there and tried to prevent harm to the new concrete.

I have saved as favorites three Strava rides where the rider attempted to do all of the SATN. Here is one: https://www.strava.com/activities/1677023345 "behind ATX Bikes" is Circle C Metro park. The gravel trail around the soccer fields is where you most likely rode before. The playground is on it. There are three trails that go under Mopac into the Veloway single track trails. More flowy fun stuff. Not much tech, not much elevation. There are also several dining options in the shopping center there.