x1134x wrote:
> Paladin wrote:
> > JD wrote:
> > > x1134x wrote:
> > > > find the hardest
> > > > trail you can find, find a way to prove you rode it, and I'll ride it
> > > > with my "shiny" bike and my complete lack of skills. I'll sacrifice my
> > > > lungs for one day to show you up.
> > >
> > >
> > > You could never show me up on a bike, fool.
> > >
> > > JD
> >
> > Sorry to call your bluff, Mr. x1134x, but when I can watch you ride
> > *up* Bob's Trail (until recently, our most technical trail), like JD
> > did here one summer, on his fully rigid SS, then I'll have to hand it
> > to you. Until then, it looks like you're just starching the cuffs...
> >
> > CDB
>
> Do not be confused. I did not say I was as good a rider as JD. He
> just said I would fall of the trail and die. I took issue with that.
> I could ride the trail. Not as fast, not as gracefully, not on an SS,
> just simply I could ride the trail and not fall off the trail and die.
> I just challenged him to pick the trail in PHX that would "KILL" me.
> Never did I claim to be able to duplicate any performance, just be able
> to ride the trail on the "medicine ball" without falling off the trail
> and bouncing my head off the rocks.
>
> Where's this "bob's trail?"
>
> x1134x
First, there are some trails that simply can't be ridden without the
requisite expertise, that comes from years of experience. Even then,
natural talent and strong mental attitude play roles in there, too. I
wish it weren't so. That we all could freeclimb El Capitan or Half
Dome, just because we say we can. It is over most of our heads and we
don't have the skill, strength, nerves, equipment, or expereince. Just
like a lot of the trails really good riders ride.
I ride with a guy who doesn't pause to ride some reallyscary stuff,
that I'm just starting to ride with a spotter's help. He's good, he's
experienced, he's paid his dues, and he's been lucky so far.
To put all this in perspective, the now infamous Adam is the only
person I know personally who has ridden "The Waterfall" on South
Mountain outside Phoenix, without a biff, and he did it on a fully
rigid old Diamondback Axis. I know others have cleaned it, but most
walk it or biff on it. He is fairly strong, determined, coordinated,
experienced and lucky. Despite that, he couldn't climb over the
boulder in the video on his full suspension that JD did on his rigid
SS.
Just because "I want to" doesn't mean "I can" right now. Maybe never.
Some things have to be worked up to, earned, in other words.
And Bob's is between the motorcycle parking lot 7 mi up th street, and
the junction between Corral's and Scotts. Starts in about the middle.
I think it's trail 33 on the Ridge to Rivers map.
hth,
CDB
