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RLAB* - Nov 6-13, 2022 - aka "8 days of R&I"


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*(Ride LIke A Bear - looking for fun, diligent paced, essentially no drop but not beginner pace either ... but not like a cat 1/2 racer ... and always with social time after)

Ok, whitewash the rocks, line up the goatheads, get those cactus spines in line, and by all that's holy keep the cedar trees in check .. Bear's coming to visit and weather permitting there will be a big bite taken out of the smorgasboard of your trails.

Itinerary is not fixed but i'm going to try to stay a day or two ahead and post up here in case anyone wants to join in (well, and show me the new stuff of course).

  • Sun 6th: Nando's Choice; 2 other special guests coming from PA (probably)
  • Mon 7th: AM event TBD; PM event Bear & 1xPA person ... where?
  • Tue 8th: AM "social diligent" locus TBD; PM Nando's Choice
  • Wed 9th: TBD excessiveness
  • Thur 10th: : AM "social diligent" locus TBD; PM Nando's Choice
  • Fri 11th: TBD excessiveness
  • Sat 12th: Nando's Choice
  • Sun 13th: AM event TBD

There will be mandatory visits to a few of my old haunts ... BCGB & CP of course.

There will be days with morning- and afternoon/evening sessions. There is the potential for super-epic rides. There may even be r**d rides.

There's a few in the audience with priority access to influencing my direction ... you know who you are ... for the rest, love to see your thoughts.

Areas of interest in no particular order and potential combinations include BCGB, CP, 360, Walnut, St Ed's, Thumper, LGT, Lakeway, (I hear about another L word has trail), Suburban Ninja, Muleshoe, Pace Bend, Further out stuff includes Spider Mtn, Reveille Peak, Rocky Hill, Flat Rock.

What should be axed? what should be considered?

Looking forward hugely to see old friends, make new ones, and recharge my mojo-battery.

Keep the rubber side down.

Edited by bear
updating dance card
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  • bear changed the title to RLAB* - Nov 6-13, 2022 - aka "8 days of R&I"

Rocky Hill has had a significant makeover. Folks seem to be liking the new loop's flow and challenging climbs,... but it could use a few Bear prints here and there.

Come get some trail time in the Lost Pines while you're visiting your old ATX stomping grounds.

 

Edited by Ridenfool
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When was the last time you were here and what did you ride?  I generally know how long you've been gone, but don't know when you were here last?  IMHO the BCGB has developed some much over the past 10+ yrs that if you've not experienced it to the fullest, then it might require more than a day.  The "death march" that goes on out there has something like 40+ miles of trail.  Likewise, the entire Brush Creek area has had so much trail developed out there that it too should be a must-ride if you've not done it yet.  Oh oh oh...and what about the 100+ miles of the SATN network??  So much riding, so little time...   

Cheers,
CJB

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Thanks all ... good inputs so far ... was going to ask where start for Ninja was but then I noticed a brewery close by? Duh.

Ridenfool ... I did see the renewal activity out there (here and on FB) and it's on the radar, we'll see what happens.

CJB, it was '12 last I visited (yesss, too long) and my memory is most foggy, but it was short and likely only got CP and GB. You've had a ton of new stuff arise since then and I plan on getting a good sampler this round. I noticed the SATN stuff on MtbPrj & TrailForks, in case I'm at ends for a ride buddy one weekday can you suggest a good route or message me one? I'm eyeing the 30 & 40 milers on MtbPrj as possible guides.

FYI, one of my favored longer trail rides here in NC that's (kind of) close to home is a variation of Uwharrie Full Tour from mtbproject. Doesn't have as much fun tech as some but is honest trail with some lovely downhill sections and climbs that make you earn the flow.

Edited by bear
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Yes, Ninja starts on the east side of RedHorn brewery and was built by guys at Peddlers bike shop right next door to RH.  The southern end of it ends in a neighborhood at the tip of Kati Ln and you can hop on the street go south for about a mile down Walsh Hill Trail and there's a tunnel under hairy man rd that connects to the Brushy Creek hike & bike. The hike and bike is the hwy that connects it all. From there you can hook up to Gum Drop (Gnargasm drop is closed for now) then up & over the dam to Peddlers Pass, then passed the ball park to mulligan, picnic, deception, double down, rim, snail all the way out to the YMCA on 183.  Since it loosely follows the H&B you can bail to the concrete path every couple of miles depending on when you've had enough!  Ninja, Peddlers, Picnic are more WC than BCGB, Gumdrop, then everything from Mulligan west except Picnic are more BCGB in a very condensed footprint.  

BCGB...you won't recognize. It has 3+ times the techy trail than when you left and part they're turning into a multi-county walk for a week trail.  Definitely want a guide, it's easy to get turned around out there now. And if you want some techy climby stuff there's a few hidden gems not far from City Park now.  They recently started building on the old slinky trail but there's great stuff just across the street.

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12 hours ago, bear said:

Thanks all ... good inputs so far ... was going to ask where start for Ninja was but then I noticed a brewery close by? Duh.

I noticed the SATN stuff on MtbPrj & TrailForks, in case I'm at ends for a ride buddy one weekday can you suggest a good route or message me one? I'm eyeing the 30 & 40 milers on MtbPrj as possible guides.

 

I'm really not all that familiar with the trail system down there.  I always make sure to rope in a local southie to drag me around.  @Barry while he's not a southie, he's prolly got some good route options to share.  

You're going to really dig your time spent here on the bike.

-CJB

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And there was a couple days and nights in transit and then there was a great GB tour just like the Dr. ordered.

Stupid rain all the way across Louisiana tested RainX to the extreme but eventually got out of the way.

GB was all that I fondly remembered, and i'm likely to hit it again later this week to get the fully-dry trail experience again as it was just a touch on the moist side Sunday. Still, no complaints from me.

Only problem I had was forgetting to stuff icewater in my camelbak, i'm blaming "road fatigue" but between driving 1400 miles to get here and crappy sleep once the ride was done I was TOTALLY COOKED. Just pounded beverages & electrolytes to recover (and yes I had that and multiple tabs on the ride). Clearly i've just been gone too long!

Rounded out with a nice recovery at Pinthouse and then some more recovery later thanks to Nando & Rocio!

Trip Total: 1 ride, 16.2 miles, 2249 ft up.

 

 

Baton Rouge RainX.jpg

Crew.jpg

Dont Jump Chuck.jpg

Edited by bear
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Mother gives and she takes, Sunday was beauty, Monday ... iffy, so while there had been Plan A involving more dirt wisdom yielded to Plan B so urban it was. Met up centrally and John bonus-surprise Dawn (!) kept us out of trouble and we had a good tour roaming down Shoal Creek and around the lake.

We enjoyed intermittent sun with strong rain punctuation, cowering under the bridges when available. I gawked quite a bit at how much the city has so crazily changed, but there's still a bunch of things just as I left them so thanks for that.

Today, looks like clouds are blowing through but it'll be a nice day, just going to roll my dice on where I can nab some more wheel time before this afternoon's shenanigans ... whatever those turn out to be.

Trip Total: 2 rides, 36 miles, 3536 ft up.

 

Rain under 35.jpg

Sun under 360.jpg

Wet Happy Crew.jpg

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This is after riding a third of the way through. 6. I bailed at the power line cut through. The first Tar Branch Crossing was wet going down into it, but the trail before it was dry save for two small puddles. The trail between Tar Branch and .6 was sticky in places.

The Inner Log Loop has seven or eight unavoidable wet spots. I can't imagine that the Windy Loop and the BMX Loop would be any better.

It needs another day in my opinion.

2022-11-08 12.54.57.jpg

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Dunno what you're talking about,  it was bone dry at the ranch.

(Actually, mostly was ok but for low hanging cloud. 90% of mess I picked up was from low down and near parking field. No pb&j that I saw. Still, probably not good for a crowd.

Still, going with the flow here and based on hydromet and noaa rain totals it was tossup between trying RHR & Pace Bend; ended up going RHR since that'd leave me possibly better set for return to N-Austin trail for R&I should that come together (which clearly, not, at this point).

Wasn't raining, didn't look like it had just done so either, but certainly morning dew or ambient moisture was a thing as the top surface of the grass and shrubs in the open a bit moist. Under cover, nada, just not as much cover there as one would like? Today, just some mist hanging in the air ... just ... hanging ... so glad I had my big shields in front of my eyes. In motion kept clear enough for fair vision and good protection. Not much wheel kick at all honestly, just ending coming down back into the field. {shrug} Didn't get as much miles as i'd have liked, and honestly I had in mind to ping-pong some of the trail to add but with the hanging mist I just wasn't into it. 

What-evs, tomorrow comes with fresh options.

I would have loved to play on the built features but as I was riding magically through a cloud, solo, chose not to.

The added whoop-dips before & after Wall are a great addition.

I think it's great the place is back "on" and getting some love, I hope that it continues to do so.

SOO, many memories tied up with RHR brought back today. 6 hour events, 24 hour events with chunky peanut butter jamming everyone up, or the drunks shouting "do a trick" at the top of the hill before the reg building, bunny hopping my first rattlesnake - much to the consternation of those following me, Torture Test.

You get it, or you don't, i'm not going maudlin here.

Ended the ride with a classic cool beverage to recharge a bit, then worked my way back to town and found a post ride snack at an old standby that i'm happy is still standing and jeepers but have we missed that brisket! The Mrs is working up recipes to try, now that we have a smoker, but we haven't gotten "there" yet.

Trip Total: 3 rides, 49 miles, 5190 ft up. (and dang-nab it I SHOULD have backtracked some trail just to hit that number)

Hopefully Wed will be better for trail time.

 

Lunchtime.jpg

Moist Conditions.jpg

Rehydration.jpg

Edited by bear
Grammar
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Nice day out with Dewayne yesterday, rolled out and headed over thru neighborhood wiggles and connections over to Crgstal Falls trail, had a whoopy-fun ride there, wiggled our way back, and chilled out.

Naturally we stopped at the Good Lot and it was good, I think it could be "correct" to have stops like that in middle of many rides. 

Trail conditions on the falls were perfect, some neighborhood connectors were damp & black but not surprised. Nothing problematic though.

I followed it up with a very late getting down at Radio Coffee & Beer, hopefully that was enough of a recharge for today!

Trip Total: 4 rides, 73 miles, 7869 ft up.

20221109_124048.jpg

Edited by bear
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Okay, today's total becomes: 6 rides, 97 miles, 10693 ft up after adding 2 rides.

Morning Session I connected up with John and Matt, we had a good tour of Ninja - albeit with more moisture than we'd liked - so not as much playing with the wooden features as maybe properly treated (but the visit isn't over). Still, was a great morning run with great company followed by a fine Belgian style WIT and snacks at Red Horn.

Evening session with Nando was well anticipated and started out well enough - playing with marbles so to say - but in the end led to a little bike carnage and not as much riding as intended.

Still, the hard work to that point of the ride was well worth the time, and the end DH run on lights through the winding night and drops between the juniper was great. Followed up with snacks, beverages, great conversation, and a fun barkeep at Waterloo.

Would have been nice to get away this week without any bike carnage, especially one of the spare parts I didn't bring (cassette), however it looks like we have a line for replacement in hand so tomorrow all will be right as rain (just like the rain and hail that's going to fall) so the adventure WILL continue. And with neigh- onto 100 miles of Austin trail *something* had to break, right?

ps. both my chain and my cassette are FUBAR; it's possible my derailleur and hanger are also but it's too late to care ... and I have spares for those so I don't care right now.

 

Carnage 1.jpg

Mid Marbles.jpg

Post Ninja.jpg

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Apparently the rules have changed.

Used to be that it required a new bike purchase to call the rain but today all it took was a bit of drive-train replacement and *whammo* - sorry about that kids, wasn't the plan, but it was necessary after shredding the cassette, chain, & derailleur last night. 

Still, had a good time last night with Nando, hope to try that trail again before I leave town ... nothing is impossible ... not going into likelihood though.

So, rest up, and maybe look for a less rain enhanced activity on the morrow.

(and no, 'riding' around in the car today doesn't count correctly, but it doesn't stop me from "i" tonight)

delerious_drivetrain.jpg

ugh.jpg

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8 hours ago, Tree Magnet said:

Great meeting you out at Central Machine Works during your cruise.  Sorry the weather didn't cooperate but it looks like it didn't slow you down at all!  

Assuming you're who I think you are, I agree! Was good to have a few minutes during your SS journey - thanks for your "un-needed" support.

@Chongo Loco - you are TOO RIGHT! After I thought about it, the odds of me fubaring something through stupid action after 100+ miles of trail was near certainty! I'm just thankful that it only slowed me down a little.

End total for the 8 day run was 8 rides, 136 miles, 12952 ft up. Took 2 trips to one venue to not screw it up.

Just to keep things saucy the battery in my car died, so Sunday after the ride there was another round of true OG Mojo support as Nando & Matt schemed on the best way for me to get the replacement and made it possible and it worked out.

Now I just need to recover and handle a few days of not biking. Probably my body will appreciate the down time while i'm attending this silly tech conference.

Cheers all, until next round!

messages_0.jpeg

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10 hours ago, bear said:

Just to keep things saucy the battery in my car died, so Sunday after the ride there was another round of true OG Mojo support as Nando & Matt schemed on the best way for me to get the replacement and made it possible and it worked out.

I am a big fan of these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07Z1D26CS

Charge lasts 6+ months (never tried to go longer) and starts a car perfectly on the first try, no second vehicle or danger involved.

Of all of the cheap stuff I have bought on Amazon, this is one I will never give back. The fact that this can also be used as a massive USB battery is a nice side benefit. If you are road tripping or riding alone at remote trailheads, it is a life saver.

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