Under The Bridge
- Thread starter 1engineer
- Start date
1engineer
Moderator
Not too bad. The whole trail is about 5 miles long with stuff like this thrown in every 1/4 mile or so. I used the hardtail singlespeed. The hardest parts of the trail were the "short steep up hill lots of roots" sections where you have to pull up to get over the roots while still maintaining momentum, which is your friend on a singlespeed. I just posted the pics of some of the man made stuff because they did a ton of work. I tried to take a pic of the biggest jump but could not get it to come out. It was basically an 8 foot tall dirt ramp with another dirt ramp 30' away. Big Big air. I rode over the first hill, saw what it was about and calmly puttered down into the gulley and coasted over the next hill lol. It's always a challenge when riding a trail for the first time (and this was a trail - not a park) is what is around the corner or over that tree laying across the trail.
In the last pic I posted, the one that shows two boards to the left of the pic, is not about the boards. It is about the rock in the lower right. I could not get a better pic of it but it is a blind turn onto the rock with a 4' drop off the back side. I pushed. Maybe next time in drier conditions lol because the drop was into muddy area with a rock garden right beyond it.
I consider myself to be an intermediate rider. I go slower now, as I have proved time again that gravity is not your friend in certain situations. I have a few rules to remember when I ride:
1. I am NOT 12.
2. Mistakes REALLY hurt.
3. I don't like broken or leaky body parts.
With that said I love to ride and ride as often as I can. I hope to ride for another 20 years, hence the rules!
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nw_4Runner
New member
It'll happen sooner than you know ... seems just yesterday my daughters were that young. Now we're at 9 and 11 - a whole lot of fun, but every time I blink it's another year.
And yes, 1E proves there is light at the end of the (sometimes very long) tunnel.
Titanpat57
Senior Member
I have to say that biking, like many other things in life, has been pussified...warning labels..WOOD BRIDGES...scary crazy bank turns...oh my..the horror!
I'd just like to throw this out there..(don't get mad yet buddy! :lmao
When I was a kid (here we go..)and had a Schwinn 3 speed with big fat knobby tires..we'd ride to the top of big ass hill type mountain (sometimes pushing half way up) and ride down through the woods as fast as possible..TRAILS!?...we didn't need no stinking trails!!... we were possessed careening through the woods like maniacs... I had more fun then I thought possible..but then came...
CARS!!:car:
and then I lost my love for bikes....
but when I see you guys talking about the technology and equipment behind it...and the type of riding going on..I'm just really enjoying, and blown away by it!:hail:
I know you ain't no spring chicken...and I don't think they make a bike big enough to hold me now...lol...but I do admire you getting out and hitting the trails, and reporting back...:director:
I' guess I'm still out there riding....just through the web...:cheers:
I'd just like to throw this out there..(don't get mad yet buddy! :lmao
When I was a kid (here we go..)and had a Schwinn 3 speed with big fat knobby tires..we'd ride to the top of big ass hill type mountain (sometimes pushing half way up) and ride down through the woods as fast as possible..TRAILS!?...we didn't need no stinking trails!!... we were possessed careening through the woods like maniacs... I had more fun then I thought possible..but then came...
CARS!!:car:
and then I lost my love for bikes....
but when I see you guys talking about the technology and equipment behind it...and the type of riding going on..I'm just really enjoying, and blown away by it!:hail:
I know you ain't no spring chicken...and I don't think they make a bike big enough to hold me now...lol...but I do admire you getting out and hitting the trails, and reporting back...:director:
I' guess I'm still out there riding....just through the web...:cheers:
1engineer
Moderator
Thanks guys! I love to ride and will document all I can! And guys - enjoy the little ones while you can. Time goes quick lol.
JB.
New member
1984
As a mass produced product, mountain bikes were 1 year old. Got a Specialized Stumpjumper. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Took it to every hill, mountain, and trail in the vicinity, most of which are long since off limits to bikes.
This brought it all back. Thanks for that.
As a mass produced product, mountain bikes were 1 year old. Got a Specialized Stumpjumper. Thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Took it to every hill, mountain, and trail in the vicinity, most of which are long since off limits to bikes.
This brought it all back. Thanks for that.
Dusty Driftwood
New member
Sounds like the kind of story like you were going up hill both ways, kind of like walking to school every morning when you were a kid in 3' of snow (even in the summer) uphill both ways having to deal with raging bears and lethal mosquitos...
Sorry, just remined me of the tall tales my grandpa used to tell us when we were kids to illustrated how "easy" we had it
mikey's2010SR5
New member
I WANT TO RIDE THOSE TRAILS!!!
ok no more caps.
ok no more caps.
1engineer
Moderator
Being close to Pat's age, I know what he means. When we were kids it was the fun and adventure that drove us. Now that I am an older adult and have gotten through the age of "I'm tougher faster smarter better bigger stronger than you" we simply are doing this for the fun and adventure just like when we were kids. Who cares if I'm faster or slower than you. The guys I ride with now, when we get through with a trail we just look at each other and grin because it was fun! Going to different places and riding different trails is adventure!
I encourage everyone that likes to be outdoors and have not ridden a bike in awhile to try it. I think [MENTION=65614]Antman[/MENTION] is even riding again!
1984 eh? My first was a big chrome Ross Mt. Whitney. Anyone remember those?
Had to have it after seeing it in Field & Stream. Same timeframe 1983/4.
Used to have my parents drop me off at Stone Mountain (Atlanta), back before the park was so commercialized. It was covered in trails. On weekdays, very few people were on the hike-up trail on the mountain and you could ride up to the top then bomb down the service road. Lots of fun. Rode all over the backside of the mountain too. Mountain bikes were a curiosity and the park hadn't banned them at that time.
My boys are getting old enough that I've started taking them on some trails...hopefully they'll get the bug too.
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Antman
Elite Member
Why yes, yes I am. Lately work has been getting in the way, but I did manage to take my 5 yr old out with me bike riding last week. She rode 2 miles on the running track at the local H/S, training wheels and all. A new milestone!
I even went clipless (again). This summer should be fun.
Anyone from around Delaware ever road a place called White Clay? I met a fellow on the trail about a month back that told me about it. Supposed to be awesome- pics I've seen look like 1engineer 's post.
Titanpat57
Senior Member
lol..well put..guess that's "something" we aquire with age..:twitch:
Well put Sir...and I'm gonna take you up on what you said!
We need signs like that on some of the OHV trails around here. Too many guys trying to tackle tough obstacles and ruining them for the rest of us because they had to dig out, move rocks, or dug deep ruts from spinning their street tires.
Yeah us too! I'm a C.L.I.M.B.org (Concerned Long Island Mountain Bikers) member and also an IMBA trail patrol member and those signs are pretty nice and get to the point. Cant stand when people go out on their own and "dumb" down the natural trail features becuse they feel its to tought for them.
I'd swear the trail builders where I ride try to find the most difficult feature or path possible. :lol: But it definitely made me a better rider.
I'm planning on tackling the Seneca to North Fork run this spring. Listed in IMBA's "epic rides".
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area | International Mountain Bicycling Association
I'm planning on tackling the Seneca to North Fork run this spring. Listed in IMBA's "epic rides".
Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area | International Mountain Bicycling Association
1engineer
Moderator
Well I have been really busy the past few days working on a (work) project so I have not had much time to check in here. Attached are a few pics from this weekend's excursion down south again.
I met with [MENTION=51868]MeBe4running[/MENTION] for a great dinner! My wife commented on what a nice young man Ollie was and my daughter (her and Ollie are close to the same age) just couldn't understand how I could meet up with a guy whom I had never met for dinner! She was worried he might be some "bad" man lol. My wife had no such worries. Hey Ollie, if you are reading this, did I look like a guy who would be worried about something like that? Anyway, as I said it was a great evening and we did talk about this fine community of 4Runner owners and how much we all had in common.
I went riding my bike both Saturday and Sunday (girls went shopping) and included a few pics of getting ready to ride, one of the trail and finally arriving back home Sunday evening. I take my singlespeed 29'er down there as there are not much in the way of long climbs on the trail. On Sunday it was 60 degrees and sunny when I rode in SC and 20 degrees and snowing when I got home Sunday night as you can see in the pic. Another great weekend lol! Anyway, here you go!
I met with [MENTION=51868]MeBe4running[/MENTION] for a great dinner! My wife commented on what a nice young man Ollie was and my daughter (her and Ollie are close to the same age) just couldn't understand how I could meet up with a guy whom I had never met for dinner! She was worried he might be some "bad" man lol. My wife had no such worries. Hey Ollie, if you are reading this, did I look like a guy who would be worried about something like that? Anyway, as I said it was a great evening and we did talk about this fine community of 4Runner owners and how much we all had in common.
I went riding my bike both Saturday and Sunday (girls went shopping) and included a few pics of getting ready to ride, one of the trail and finally arriving back home Sunday evening. I take my singlespeed 29'er down there as there are not much in the way of long climbs on the trail. On Sunday it was 60 degrees and sunny when I rode in SC and 20 degrees and snowing when I got home Sunday night as you can see in the pic. Another great weekend lol! Anyway, here you go!
