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On a light note...


RidingAgain
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14 minutes ago, TheX said:

When are we doing a WC night ride?

If by we you mean me and my bicycle, then we do WC night rides 1 to 2 times per week after the time change. Also there is a fun group ride that leaves Oskar Blues at 6:30 on Thursdays if you're interested. It tends to have 15-30 folks. With beer after and often before.

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8 hours ago, Leafkiller said:

Interesting. Night trail riding is something I want to try sometime.

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I particularly enjoy riding at dusk... Just after the sun has set, and with no direct light. I started doing this in Miami when I first began to ride as I would get in from work too late to get to Oleta Park with much sunlight left. Althought the park would close at sunset, since I'd ridden to the park I could continue riding, as long as the ranger wasn't huffy about it.

I found that I had to develop a kind of sensitivity to the trail that I didn't have rding during the day or even at night with a light. It's like you have to feel the trail under you. Your eyesight doesn't work as well since the shadows are gone and the dim light makes it hard to see detail. It's hard to describe... But it's a cool feeling. Especially if you're very familiar with the trail. You can't plan lines to take, you've got to react in the moment. Not sure if I'm describing it well though. I've done it a number of times down here on a few SATN trails. My favourite is the section that goes east from the cave area, heading to Brodie. It's a mixture of slight technical and flowy, with a lot of it under a tree canopy. I also enjoy heading north from Taco Bueno to Davis Lane... But you can begin to pick up speed and it gets a bit hairy.

Edited by RidingAgain
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5 hours ago, Anita Handle said:

PLEASE DISCLOSE ALL PERSONAL FINANCIAL INTERESTS IN THE LINKED COMPANY. VOID WHERE VOIDS ARE PROHIBITED.

I'm pretty sure those guys were filming at Coler last year when I was in Bentonville.   Not sure why since it was light out.

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Solo night riding at WC gives me the creeps. Seriously get that sense that somebody is silently following right behind me or that someone is going to jump out from behind a tree. I don't get the heebie jeebies like that when I'm with a group there for some reason even if I'm at the back of the pack.

My friend and I used to go on night rides in college with no lights when it was clear out and moonlit. We knew the trail very well and were able to keep up a decent pace. Still kinda stupid though.

My first light was a Magicshine when they first came out. Since then I've tried to find cheaper and cheaper knock offs because I'm cheap and only need them for the 50ish min R&I ride. I'm down to $2 +shipping. We'll see how well they work when they arrive off the boat from the east. 😛

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WC is fine to ride at night (people-wise).  I've live close by and have been riding WC at night for well over 12 yrs now.  Now that I think about it, I can't say that I've even see another PERSON (non-rider) out on the trail in all my time out there.  Heck, RARELY ever see another rider out at night.   That being said, probably half my night rides are at odd days/hours.  Fri-Sat-Sun from 8-11:30pm are not uncommon times/days for me to be out.  I've ridden all over north Austin at night and have had absolutely ZERO issues that would constitute a sketchy situation.

Later, -CJB

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On 11/17/2018 at 12:28 AM, CBaron said:

WC is fine to ride at night (people-wise).  I've live close by and have been riding WC at night for well over 12 yrs now.  Now that I think about it, I can't say that I've even see another PERSON (non-rider) out on the trail in all my time out there.  Heck, RARELY ever see another rider out at night.   That being said, probably half my night rides are at odd days/hours.  Fri-Sat-Sun from 8-11:30pm are not uncommon times/days for me to be out.  I've ridden all over north Austin at night and have had absolutely ZERO issues that would constitute a sketchy situation.

Later, -CJB

Same here, except I was out there Tue/Wed/Thur late at night over the summer. After getting the kids down, I'd take off at 830 or 9 from the Duval and 183 area, ride through Balcones Woods and the Domain and then head down to the bike path and on to Walnut. Really nice to have that path complete out to MOPAC.

The only strangeness I saw was on the bike path where it intersects a paved path to some apartments, as I was approaching I saw a guy in long pants and a heavy flannel. He kept his face pointed directly *away* from me such that I wouldn't be able to see it. It was probably upper 90s still and he was wearing a flannel jacket and he was in the pitch dark just standing there. Make me feel a little exposed as I rode away from him. Also saw a "guy" once during the day and once at night who l'm pretty sure was wearing a long white t-shirt, thong panties and a garter, some makeup. A little like Frank N. Furter but not nearly as cool as Tim Curry.

Oh, then there was that thing that looked like a very pale skinned child in an old fashioned night gown that ran on all fours and make pig/groaning/creepy giggling sounds.

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2 hours ago, Anita Handle said:

 

Oh, then there was that thing that looked like a very pale skinned child in an old fashioned night gown that ran on all fours and make pig/groaning/creepy giggling sounds.

I have always had this fear that I will come around a turn and there would be some pale , barefooted kid with red eyes and bloody fingers, just staring at me. Or even worse the twins from the Shining. 

I have never ridden WC at night,, just Brushy the last couple years, which is amazing 

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It's been quite a while since I've ridden WC at night, but has been some of the funnest riding when I did. That place is such a trip later in the year when the leaves have dropped off the trees and you can see flashes of other riders lights all over the park. The only thing that gives me the creepers is the thought of riding up on the ever present risk of tighty whitey romances.

 

 Eewww!!

 

Oh yeah, and Brushy is a total trip at night.

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When I owned the bike shop, during the winter months all I'd do are night rides.  I bet I could go 4-6 weeks at a time and never ride in the day.  I got to where a daytime ride began to feel awkward (re: sight, rhythm, trail contrasts, etc..).  Off the top of my head, the SATN is the only notable trail system that I haven't ridden at night.  Back during the HH Thumper Thursday rides, I was doing a mental inventory of my riding out there and came to the conclusion that I'd done more night laps than day laps.  IMHO the secret to night riding are TWO LAMPS....one for head, one for bars.

Later,
CJB

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