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Pace Bend Trail Sanitizing


cxagent

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1 hour ago, Moc 5 said:

I've walked that feature many times and have never noticed the "C" line. Of course, maybe that's because I don't mind walking something if I find it too technical.

Thanks for putting the tree back--this is one of those spots I would like to master.

I strongly recommend everyone walk something that they are not comfortable riding. There is no shame in avoiding injury.

When riding that area with a group, I usually jump out ahead so I can get off my bike and spot for people that want to try the A-Line. I can limit the risk for most people so they can try it and practice until they feel comfortable riding it. My offer of spotting for you is still available. I seem to remember a 4th of July ride where you nailed another such spot with me just being ready. You rode it perfectly and I never touched you.

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6 hours ago, cxagent said:

I strongly recommend everyone walk something that they are not comfortable riding. There is no shame in avoiding injury.

When riding that area with a group, I usually jump out ahead so I can get off my bike and spot for people that want to try the A-Line. I can limit the risk for most people so they can try it and practice until they feel comfortable riding it. My offer of spotting for you is still available. I seem to remember a 4th of July ride where you nailed another such spot with me just being ready. You rode it perfectly and I never touched you.

Spotting is exactly what I was doing for my son.  

Also, +1 on the no shame walking to avoid injury.  I'm all for shaming making short cuts or non-sanctioned lines, but not for shaming people walking a feature above their level.  I walk plenty of stuff.  Sometimes, walking it, and rolling the bike down it and seeing how it goes is what I need to get it the next time.

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  • 2 weeks later...

2 years ago, my riding buddy was training for his first beginner race at Pace Bend.  He was having trouble with one section of rocks and told me he was thinking about removing the big rock so he would not have to slow down and dab every time he went through.  I told him that since we live close to the park just keep practicing and pretty soon, he would have a home court advantage by being more skilled at all the technical sections than the out of town riders.  He was good with that until the day before the race someone removed the rock.  After that he felt like he had wasted a ton of time developing skills and timing for which in the end he received no benefit.

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1 hour ago, Manster said:

After that he felt like he had wasted a ton of time developing skills and timing for which in the end he received no benefit.

I think that this is at the heart of the problem with trail sanitizing.  He didn't waste time developing skills!  There is no such thing as wasting time developing skills.   If people only care about racing and getting around the course as fast as possible, they are going to modify the course to make that happen.  They should care about riding the course as fast as possible and the course is not something they get to change.  It's the same for everyone so it's a level playing field.

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Hmmm. I will be putting the finishing touches on the course this week.

Moved rocks??? Expect them to be back. And locked into place.

Cut trees? Expect them to be back too. And reinforced. Rebar, concrete, and steel cable in the truck already. Oh, don't forget the game cameras. It is fun to see & document the "trail sanitizing".

Want to "sanitize the trail" (aka cheater line)? I have a surprise for you. And I will make an early lap on Sunday morning.

Want an advantage over your fellow racers??? Develop your skills so you ride better than they do. Anything else is called "cheating". Don't do it.

Edited by cxagent
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The tree is back in place and locked in. I am thinking of adding a sign to make it very clear that damaging or killing a tree is a bad idea no matter what the 'reasoning". (See the picture of the 5 or 6 cut tree roots.) Maybe something like "If anything happens to this tree it will be replaced with a steel pipe filled with concrete. Do NOT damage the trail."

In order to hold the tree in place, I blocked the "C Line". That would be the line to the right of the tree. It would be blocked for any events such as the race this weekend. So I left those in place and will add more before the race.

Now for the surprising part - I will be 'sanitizing' parts of the trail. The one drop FJsnoozer mentioned above has to have a 'B Line' since the kids will be on this part of the race course. There are two other drops I will have to add a B Line or a rock or two below the drop. Any body can still huck the drop. But kids are less likely to endo if they try to roll it. I prefer a longer/slower B Line but I may not be able to create new trail in such short notice. Call me a "trail sanitizer" if you want.

PB Tree Fixed.jpg

PB Tree Roots.jpg

Edited by cxagent
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That’s the tree being discussed? That tree is not in the way. WTF?

I need to get back out to PB. Haven’t ridden there in years.


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That tree is in the way if you have wide bars and tend to look at objects you are trying to miss. That’s probably why it was “sacrificed.”


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The tree is back in place and locked in. I am thinking of adding a sign to make it very clear that damaging or killing a tree is a bad idea no matter what the 'reasoning". (See the picture of the 5 or 6 cut tree roots.) Maybe something like "If anything happens to this tree it will be replaced with a steel pipe filled with concrete. Do NOT damage the trail."
In order to hold the tree in place, I blocked the "C Line". That would be the line to the right of the tree. It would be blocked for any events such as the race this weekend. So I left those in place and will add more before the race.
Now for the surprising part - I will be 'sanitizing' parts of the trail. The one drop FJsnoozer mentioned above has to have a 'B Line' since the kids will be on this part of the race course. There are two other drops I will have to add a B Line or a rock or two below the drop. Any body can still huck the drop. But kids are less likely to endo if they try to roll it. I prefer a longer/slower B Line but I may not be able to create new trail in such short notice. Call me a "trail sanitizer" if you want.
1172342779_PBTreeFixed.thumb.jpg.954cb7eccb2942027b0c47103a5a45b5.jpg
457689036_PBTreeRoots.thumb.jpg.727600b0a276db5bfd661da63cfa56d4.jpg


I would put an official sign about unauthorized removal of trees and what the code is.


I’m torn now. The line is fine IMO with this tree gone. The only tech it adds now is leaning the bars to the left. It causes traffic every day im out there, race or not. There is also the fact that people have been preriding for weeks and this has not been there. This is going to really screw with peoples head when they come through there. At that point in the race, the lead packs are still all together and there will be some big crashes.

I disagree about needing the B line. The kids rolled harder mandatory drops at Flat Rock Ranch. Again, we are inducing significant danger on the course with that b line present. And the trail is getting widely eroded there. That step down can be rolled on a 20”. A sign with drop arrows for the course markings would be my preference.

This is all just me voicing my opinion. I’m fine with others disagreeing.




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Then I disagree,

There is now a sign on that tree. In my experience signs never make much difference. People tend to be so entitled and self righteous that they do whatever they want  with or without a sign.

This is about 2 to three miles from the starting line on an eight to nine mile course. It is after several climbs but before much technical. I suspect the "sprinters" will have separated themselves from the pack. But this is not the first minor technical they will see.

There is not currently a drop arrow on this location. It is the riders choice to ride the skinny past the tree or the completely rollable line to the left. I don't think a drop arrow (one or three down arrows) is appropriate here.

You rode it today. What is your opinion after riding it?

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The tree is fine. No biggy and less in the way than it used to be.

 

I was talking about drop arrows on Well Worth it where I blocked the B line.

 

Ive raced pace bend It is high traffic until you get out of Wookie and doesn’t break up until approaching the hill.

 

Last year had a bad start on the Jeep road and didn’t get around into 1st until the end of the wookie. It’s been an extremely tight group through there every year I have raced. Packs stay together longer because there are no climbs until “the hill”

 

The tech features actually bunch groups back together more than they create separation. If one person makes a mistake, everyone regroups on that person.

 

 

 

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All of the "trail sanitizing" for the race is done.

I had to remove some blockage that someone had put on the B line near the top of Well Worth It. I added three down arrows to the left and one down arrow on the B Line. Kids and Cat 3's can roll it. They will be slower than anyone who hucks the drop. As it should be - more skilled riders have an advantage but everyone can race without fearing for their life.

The drops on the back of Well Worth It are about the same. There is a B Line that is slower than anyone who will huck the A Line. Both lines are marked.

The drop near the end of Well Worth It has a couple of rocks added. My wheels will never touch those rocks. Only a rider who rolls the drop S L O W L Y will ever touch those rocks. But those rocks will prevent most riders from going over the bars. We watched probably ten riders session this area while we were working on it. The plan worked perfectly - slow riders rolled it and most riders never touched the rocks. The added rocks were locked in place with nails and construction adhesive.

Also - the race course has been leaf raked from the start of Wookie Way almost to the North Quarry. I hope to hear if we need to send people out to rake leaves off the rest.

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