The Tip

Please stop having fun while riding. I am offended. We all know that the reason we ride is to suffer. But seriously, this "my hard tail makes me get better" mantra I don't understand. I guess I don't understand because I don't race in competitions. I want to get better of course, just so I can ride a more varied assortment of trail, but I'll work on getting better on my FS so that I can have "fun" while doing so.

I drove down 1826 last night in my car. The grass on the side of the road was really high. I am assuming that the single track there is closing to being obscured. It is going to need a weed eater though. But it's only two miles from the Slaughter Creek Trail entrance to the end of 45. Machete work? I don't know where to send you. I don't know because I haven't been on the trails for friggin three weeks!!!!

Summer cold front also means rain usually.

Mostly agree, but I don't think a 'Local Trails" forum is needed. I always liked the trail-system-specific threads. Brushy Creek, Pace Bend, SATN had ride calls, trail work notices, trail conditions, uncalled for trail modification identification, etc. There is lots less work involved in only having to go to the one area's thread that you are interested in to get all the information. Some trail system threads were more used than others, but I think it was a good system. I thought it would be good to make them all stickies. But then I thought about it and decided it's not required. It acts as a "new post" notification when you see them pop up to the top of the first page.

Anybody lose a watch this morning? I found one on the Escarpment Spillway. And yes, the trails will not be ready for C&D tomorrow.

That's not all that video games have killed. My brother gave my boys a very nice HO Train set when they were younger. They played with it twice. And that was only when my brother came to play with it with them.

You had access to a video game? Luxury! Well when I was a kid... But seriously, things are changing, and not always for the better.

I don't know about you, but I'm getting pretty sick and tired of the comment about all the rain, "yes, but I we need it." Screw that! Stop raining!!!!! We need three days of sunshine to get anything good. And it's not looking like that's going to happen.

Don't watch videos. Go do trail maintenance. Now back to your regularly scheduled programming....

I say it all the time, housing projects, either homes or apartments, like to brag about their amenities. On their marketing material "Hike and Bike Trails" is almost always listed right after "Swimming Pool." They spend lots of money to have these amenities built. I'm sure part of that money goes towards liability insurance. If she's good with it I wouldn't worry at all. See if she'll allow an entrance to be opened up through the fence to Williamson Creek Greenbelt. Then you will really have it made! Tell her that will give the apartment complex (a much coveted) direct access to the 80 miles of the SATN. Pretty cool.

Well, if you're desperate... ...sign me up.

I might be wrong in always assuming an internet poster's intentions are good. But I assumed Schrute was just being funny and not attacking Bartman. I assumed that Bartman would be pleased by the imitation since it is "the sincerest form of flattery." Bartman's response, to me, was a "I see what you did there" acknowledgement. But...whatever. If this is biggest controversy we've had (yawn) we're doing alright.

I think this is true. Folks will say that Walnut and Brushy Creek are not good to go, but the SATN will be, for example. I feel we south Austin people are lucky in that regard.

Did the thread that Bartman was on just get closed, or did Bartman get banned? I appreciate the need for moderating, and the desire to keep things civil here, but I have always taken his remarks as tongue in cheek (which cheeks is ambiguously unclear!). I think his postings add color to the site. So I hope he was not banned. If people don't want to mess with him, they won't. Those that enjoy it, do. My two cents.

You speak excellent Bartmanese.

Asshole and Clueless are two different characters. A smile on a mud caked rider could mean, "wow, that was fun" not, "I know I'm wrecking the trail." So I would start a conversation with, "Do you know we are not suppose to ride the trails when muddy because it ruts them up and and causes them to erode more rapidly?" If the guy says something, "yes, but it's so fun" THEN I would light into him with, "Well then you're just an asshole, aren't you?"

The area is "meh" in regards to the riding. A lot of it is just gravel grinding. BUT, the scenery more than makes up for that fact, so it is indeed a great location. Maybe my perception of the area is skewed, to the positive, by how much fun I had at the two Desert Fests I went to. But I think it would be worth the drive for anyone.

I carry a couple of paper towels. These could sub for TP, but I've never had to. But I have used the paper towels more than once to stop bleeding. I also carry a square of mesh that I got from a tent. I use it when the gnats get so thick I can't breath without inhaling them. It has little hooks on it. Think surgical mask, but easier to breath through.

It's a pretty easy call to say no Crank and Drank tonight. I've gotten just shy of an inch at my house in the last 12 hours. We wouldn't sink in and tear up the trail, but we would be throw mud.

Another advantage showed up yesterday. I had the seat dropped to go down something. Then an unanticipated drop happened. If I had not been low to attempt the thing that I saw I would have for sure gone flying when that surprise came. I had a friend almost plead with me once to get a dropper. "It'll save your life!!" I believe him now.

Ain't you got no baling wire in yo' house? Worked for me for about four months until I finally broke down and got un-ghetto and bought some replacements.

There were some campers (homeless) set up in Mary Moore. I was wondering if it would do any good to call 311 on them. They were gone last time I went through though.

Pretty definitive answer to at least part of your question. This is at the entrance to Circle C Metro park. The park goes all the way east to Mopac. So if you see the girl on the horse I think it would be very acceptable to say, "Do you know horses aren't allowed in this park? There's a sign over there that says that." I would assume that rule applies to the Veloway trails east of Mopac too.

Yes. I like beer. I like beer a lot.