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Bentonville - Think about it now, you can't ride today

AustinBike

By AustinBike,
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AustinBike

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21 hours ago, RidingAgain said:

Hey AustinBike, where in Jamaica did you ride? I lived there for many years.

Can't remember, it was 20+ years ago, before I was really documenting everything. It was 90% double track, nothing of note, very forgettable, it was part of a side trip on a planned vacation

 

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RidingAgain Newbie

RidingAgain

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2 hours ago, AustinBike said:

Can't remember, it was 20+ years ago, before I was really documenting everything. It was 90% double track, nothing of note, very forgettable, it was part of a side trip on a planned vacation

 

 

Yeh, mountain biking didn't really start gaining real traction anywhere in JA until maybe ten-fifteen or so years ago I've heard. Back in the late '90s someone I knew, and American who owned a scuba shop in Negril, Rusty Jones, was one of the first to get something official started and introduced a Fat Tyre Festival that would later be taken over by other folk (with government involvement I think). I remember another American friend of mine who had migrated from Balitmore to Negril coming back with a red Cannondale bike that he told me was called a mountain bike. Except for the fatter frame tubes it looked like a regular road bike design with flat bars and fat tires. Mike, who had been a road rider for some years, said mountain biking was growing in popularity back in the US. This was back in maybe '93. And here's a little unusual sidebar... Mike and I used to get into some pretty deep conversations about stuff and one evening I remember him telling me that I should go spend time in... Get this... Austin, Texas. I asked him why and he told me when he was a young hippy back in the late '50s, early '60s he lived in some kind of commune in Austin and thought that it was somewhere I'd fit in. I didn't remember that he'd said that until I'd been in Austin for a few years. Funny how things work out. Anyway, Mike, Rusty, and his partner, Bill, used to do a lot of road riding around the Negril area and I guess it somehow led to mountain biking. But I don't think any real trails were built until years later. It was probably done as you experience on mostly double-track and maybe some walking paths.

I came across this article earlier this year... The video is worth a watch...

https://www.pinkbike.com/news/video-two-wheels-one-love-mountain-biking-in-jamaica.html

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RidingAgain Newbie

RidingAgain

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Clearing out old photos on my phone and came across this one I'd taken one morning during my trip to Arkansas. Spent the night in Fayetteville and got up in the morning to go get some coffee, saw this while driving and had to stop and take a photo of it. At first glance it doesn't seem that unusual... But when you realized it's in the morning... And the sun is behind me... Then it's kind of strange, at least for me. Normally you'd see this kind of thing with a setting sun. Just thought I'd share it.

IMG_1211.jpg

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RidingAgain Newbie

RidingAgain

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So this place isn't going to win any awards... But my wife and I stayed two nights back in May and it was fine... Great price, nice staff, clean room, kitchen, bike friendly, everything you need. But it's cheap, so you'll get a mixture of people who stay there.

https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?hotel=4063&arrive=12/20/2018&nights=1&adult=2&currency=USD&start=availresults&src=goog&utm_content=mapresults_20-12-2018_1_4063_US_desktop_default_514371743&gclsrc=ha&gclid=AA80OswlqU1Z5kqL8PWnlk5xnuUOTBA3KRrfigR_UbiIYcMRa-ymi2LOq3AC_LwjXcmfcPaEhWvpe4wnLM3fts4KfMlwuQoi49SPJw

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Big_papa_nuts Newbie

Big_papa_nuts

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On 11/14/2018 at 7:39 AM, Seths Pool said:

really though? best bike trails you've ridden anywhere in the world??

don't get me wrong that place is fantastic. but not quite THAT good.

 

Agreed. I only spent a day there but I'd rather ride SATN or Walnut then the Back 40. Honestly I enjoyed the landfill trail in Hot Springs I did on the same trip more then the Back 40. Thought I will say the campground that's on the trails in Bentonville is something special.

On 11/14/2018 at 11:34 AM, Anita Handle said:

 

 

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deadtokevin Newbie

deadtokevin

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2 hours ago, larlev said:

So GF and I are planning a June trip. Those of you that have been, any places to stay that would be ideal? We found several AirBB's that look nice. Pricing is great at under 100 a night.

Curious if hotels are close enough to ride from room to trail. 

 

Stayed here and it was great! Big bonus, to me, was you get access to a 2 car garage for storage of bikes and etc. Price has gone up since we were there last June though(still worth it IMO). I think we paid around 115 a night and its now around the 140s. I was just up there for Thanksgiving and it wasn't available for rental and we ended up staying at another place that wasnt as good in comparison. The kitchen at that house has a lot of pots and pans and they supply GOOD coffee, lol, not Foldgers like most places. You can ride Slaughter Pen from that house and downtown is 2 or 3 blocks away if you want to walk or ride for meals. The house supplied a wagon and we walked to the Walmart to shop and walked home. 

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larlev Newbie

larlev

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6 hours ago, deadtokevin said:

Stayed here and it was great! Big bonus, to me, was you get access to a 2 car garage for storage of bikes and etc. Price has gone up since we were there last June though(still worth it IMO). I think we paid around 115 a night and its now around the 140s. I was just up there for Thanksgiving and it wasn't available for rental and we ended up staying at another place that wasnt as good in comparison. The kitchen at that house has a lot of pots and pans and they supply GOOD coffee, lol, not Foldgers like most places. You can ride Slaughter Pen from that house and downtown is 2 or 3 blocks away if you want to walk or ride for meals. The house supplied a wagon and we walked to the Walmart to shop and walked home. 

Ha, she found that one last night.  It's on the list. Thanks

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larlev Newbie

larlev

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5 hours ago, AustinBike said:

This one is a little pricier, but we had a big group. Very comfortably slept 8 and the bike accommodations were second to none. Rode 1/3 mile to drop in at Slaughter Pens, starting at Red Barn.

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/24646050?guests=1&adults=1

Highly recommended.

Thanks for the write up on the area on your site. I've read through it couple of times. Pretty damn excited to go

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Big_papa_nuts Newbie

Big_papa_nuts

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3 hours ago, endo_ said:


Back forty is the weakest of all of the trails in Bentonville and still significantly better than trails around here.


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I have to strongly disagree. The Back 40 had almost zero technical challenge, which is a big part of what I enjoy. It also lacked senic appeal and had very little flow, both of which would have made it better.

 

If you like steep climbs and wide gravel trails you'll probably love The Back 40, but if I'm making a drive I'm going to El Paso where they have chunk and vistas.

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fontarin Newbie

fontarin

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7 minutes ago, Big_papa_nuts said:

I have to strongly disagree. The Back 40 had almost zero technical challenge, which is a big part of what I enjoy. It also lacked senic appeal and had very little flow, both of which would have made it better.

 

If you like steep climbs and wide gravel trails you'll probably love The Back 40, but if I'm making a drive I'm going to El Paso where they have chunk and vistas.

I didn't have that feeling at all.  There was great flow on the downhill sections and the climbs were very mellow.  I'm not a great climber and I never maxed out on any of the climbs, setting a fairly decent pace.  No technical challenge I'll agree with it, but I don't mind that since I ride tech here all the time.

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Anita Handle Newbie

Anita Handle

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15 minutes ago, Big_papa_nuts said:

I have to strongly disagree. The Back 40 had almost zero technical challenge, which is a big part of what I enjoy. It also lacked senic appeal and had very little flow, both of which would have made it better.

 

If you like steep climbs and wide gravel trails you'll probably love The Back 40, but if I'm making a drive I'm going to El Paso where they have chunk and vistas.

There's definitely a lot of machine cut stuff, and some people don't like that very much, but I can't see how it's not flowy. It's not rocks but I do consider jumping to be a technical skill and there was plenty of opportunity for that. I like our chunk but it would be nice to see better flow on some of our trails. There's a lot of trail here that just shoots down the steep part (instead of milking it on the contour) and them comes to an abrupt stop at the  bottom and turns.

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endo_ Newbie

endo_

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One day is a short time to ride all trails on back forty. I’m wondering if you hit the good stuff. We spent several hours there this year and still only got about 15 miles in. Ledges has very challenging sections. Plus there are some very fast, Flowey and long downhill single tracks that get the blood pumping. I personally cannot see how someone would rather ride walnut. To each his own I guess!


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Teamsloan Contributor

Teamsloan

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I have to strongly disagree. The Back 40 had almost zero technical challenge, which is a big part of what I enjoy. It also lacked senic appeal and had very little flow, both of which would have made it better.
 
If you like steep climbs and wide gravel trails you'll probably love The Back 40, but if I'm making a drive I'm going to El Paso where they have chunk and vistas.


When was the last time you were there? I was there in Sept. and there was plenty there to be entertained by. Taylor Homestead DH, Flow Ride, and Ledges all had some great flow. Ledges definitely had some fun stuff.

Was it as technical as some of the stuff round here? Maybe not, but I don’t travel to trails looking for the same thing.

The back 40 is evolving too, they were working on it when we there. Coler is probably unrecognizable to me now with the amount of building they were doing then.


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larlev Newbie

larlev

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5 hours ago, Ridenfool said:

VRBO has some listings there as well. We're renting a small house with fenced yard for $99 a night next week for six nights. It is 2 blocks from the downtown Square area, also near Crystal Bridges, and right between Coler and Slaughter Pen trailheads a few blocks away on either side.

 

Will look. Will you let me know how the house is. We are getting ready to book. 

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