Yosmithy Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 SMH...so now the thing to argue about is whether they should blow the leaves off the trails....SMH Pro - Safer for the riders, it lessens the demand on the local medical community. It's better for the local economy because out of town riders like it more Con - It causes erosion of the soil. It exposes more rocks. Sooo, are you for or against getting blown? WTF!!!!???? Sorry, I just saw this argument on the Slaughter Pen (BentonVille AR.) FB page and still shaking my head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First-Blood Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 If you can't ride through leaves you ain't shiiiitSent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yosmithy Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share Posted November 12, 2020 This is some of my favorite SMH comments (from the same poster) "Leaf blown trails are safer for our locals and our visitors, in turn lighter load on our medical system, and makes for a better trail experience. Rider safety and health > erosion and trail health. Full-stop. " " I think it takes experienced riders like you to appreciate and embrace the sketch. For many others, it's just dangerous. If you're a visitor from 100-800 miles way, you likely don't have the luxury of waiting to ride a month or two later when most of the leaves get broken down to the point where traction is more predictable. Also, if you're on small knob tires or a beginner bike these conditions are likely to be very scary. We have record numbers of new riders with bikes that might not quite be dirt worthy, let alone leafy rock dirt worthy." SMH... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Slip slidin' away.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Some of my better wipeouts have been while cornering on leaves. Started in the forests of Belgium in the 70s, and hasn't changed much since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted November 12, 2020 Share Posted November 12, 2020 Some of the trails at Pace Bend were originally defined with a leaf blower removing oak leaves. The same trails were prepped for mountain bike races by raking/blowing the leaves off the trail. Blow away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yosmithy Posted November 12, 2020 Author Share Posted November 12, 2020 I'm from the PNW....we just called it fall. Because that's what the leaves do, and what the rider does while riding on them. Just seemed like it was expected part of the game. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cafeend Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 NWA is offering $10k plus a mountain bike for qualified people to move there.Freshly blown trails..10 grand and a bike?EnticingSent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATXZJ Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) Wife and I hit the trails in northern Georgia and Chattanooga, TN thanksgiving of 17 and they covered in leaves. Like can't see the trail, stuck in the fork arch and BB kinda leaves. Also did these runs on nobby nics F&R in the damp, and the high speed sketch made for smiles for miles. As a bonus, neither of us crashed more than usual😁 IMHO, any time i can be on the bike when its below 80* is a good day. Everything else: no factor. Edited November 13, 2020 by ATXZJ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider3141 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 1 hour ago, Yosmithy said: I'm from the PNW....we just called it fall. Because that's what the leaves do, and what the rider does while riding on them. Just seemed like it was expected part of the game. Me too but live oak leaves are dry, waxy, slippery death traps. PNW leaves are never dry and make a nice mat over the soft loam and get pulverized by the 10th rider. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 16 minutes ago, RedRider3141 said: Me too but live oak leaves are dry, waxy, slippery death traps. PNW leaves are never dry and make a nice mat over the soft loam and get pulverized by the 10th rider. Live Oak leaves never decompose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tip Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) I have never gone down faster than on a corner sliding out on live oak leaves. It was like I was pulled down with wires. I am super cautious with them now. But the only time I would remove leaves would be when the trail was so obscured that a rider couldn't find their way. And if anybody ever does clear a trail, use a weed eater not a blower. Weed eater will clear wet leaves and trim trail encroaching vegetation too. Much more efficient than a blower. Probably would dislodge less dirt too. Edited November 13, 2020 by The Tip 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 blown trails don’t suck, but I like them a little bit slickyer. Critter Alert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notyal Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I’m gonna be soooooo pissed if I travel to Bentonville and there are leaves on the trail. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cafeend Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I'll be there soon..I will leave the leaf blower at homeSent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St.Bernardo Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Worried about leaves??? Go ride pavement. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATXZJ Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Leaves on an off-road trail are certainly first world problems. All this during a global pandemic? We are doomed. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRider3141 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 2 hours ago, TheX said: Live Oak leaves never decompose. No joke. I've got a compost bin and when I overload it with too much grass/kitchen scraps I've got a big open tub of oak leaves to balance it out. After one of our drenchers where we got several inches over a few days I was digging through it and 1.5 inches down was bone dry. And untouched. I finally had to run the whole thing through my blower/shreader to get them to start breaking down and get some moisture into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St.Bernardo Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 22 minutes ago, ATXZJ said: Leaves on an off-road trail are certainly first world problems. All this during a global pandemic? We are doomed. Less than 1% of MTB'ers die from this. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chongo Loco Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Wife and I hit the trails in northern Georgia and Chattanooga, TN thanksgiving of 17 and they covered in leaves. Like can't see the trail, stuck in the fork arch and BB kinda leaves. Also did these runs on nobby nics F&R in the damp, and the high speed sketch made for smiles for miles. As a bonus, neither of us crashed more than usual[emoji16] IMHO, any time i can be on the bike when its below 80* is a good day. Everything else: no factor.I was at Coldwater Mtn east of Birmingham over Thanksgiving couple years ago. Their big downhill trail, bombdog, had 2’ piles of big sycamore oak and maple leaves on the inside of the berms. Nailed a couple of basketball sized rocks and some of the exposed roots are about a foot high. Had to take it much slower than other times I’ve ridden it. Used to go on bike/paddle trips to Asheville/Smoky Mtns every fall in mid to late 90’s. Leaf covered hazards in those old growth heavy canopy forests is a whole different thing. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ATXZJ Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) Yeah, the leaves were deep enough to cover features in certain spots and various rocks. For us it was just the nature of the beast. Landscaping in AR? I cannot imagine we've gotten so soft as a species. 10 ply Edited November 13, 2020 by ATXZJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St.Bernardo Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 Yall 'member going DH when there was mulch on the mulch hill? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gdog-1992 Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I was at Hobbs State Park many Thanksgivings ago. They have the nice flowy trails cut into the ridge so speed was great but they were covered with leaves so it was hard to see the trail. Upside is when I accidentally clipped a tree with my bar, they were nice and soft to land in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 I don't miss pine needles, they can really suck also. They stay wet for a LONG time...slippery bastards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.