RR: A National Classic

GWood said:

Nice. As previously mentioned, the camera seems to mellow out stuff and
make it look a lot more ridable than it might be.

This one, tho, looks particularly nasty.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

[Another] GW

Actually, that was one of the more rideable ones had I been going the
opposite direction. I would have attempted it (yeh, that's it).

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Paladin said:

"gabrielle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

Now I remember who I'm riding with. Gary aka "The Sadist Hill Climber".

His nickname at AMB-ID05 was something like "Thighs of Steel".>> Gary
stops to assess what lies ahead.
From the photo, looks like a migraine.

Quoted message said:

Then he makes a nice technical step up.

Impressive.

Quoted message said:

More fun technical [censored] (that I walked up).

Nice RR!
gabrielle

You bring back some good memories. Gab. I remember Gary kept saying stuff
like, "I'm not a good technical rider" then he'd pull off some cool stunt.
"I'm not a fast descender" then he'd shoot off like a rocket. After half of
day of that B.S., I finally called [censored] to just let him show me what he
could do on that Switchblade. A month later I bought one for myself...
proving once again, boys and girls, it's the bike, not the rider.. heheh

CDB

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You should have seen him today. Made me climb the same hill twice!
Then he drops down over this jumbled mess just to make me do it, too!
He's good to draft off though. I didn't peddle the whole way back from
the bridge to the car at 34 mph!

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Nice. As previously mentioned, the camera seems to mellow out stuff and
make it look a lot more ridable than it might be.

This one, tho, looks particularly nasty.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

[Another] GW

GWood said:

Nice. As previously mentioned, the camera seems to mellow out stuff and
make it look a lot more ridable than it might be.

This one, tho, looks particularly nasty.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

[Another] GW

Someone probably does, but I doubt it would be me. I might give it a
shot if I was having a good day.

Matt

"GWood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nice. As previously mentioned, the camera seems to mellow out stuff and
make it look a lot more ridable than it might be.

This one, tho, looks particularly nasty.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

Watch some of Pete's videos.

Greg

Got a link?

"G.T." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Watch some of Pete's videos.

GWood said:

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

Quoted message said:

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

I've seen it cleaned up to the 2/3 mark (left hand
turn where the trail disappears from view in the
above picture) and know from locals that it's been
cleaned going up by some folks.

Creeping down does work just fine.

http://www.paradigmhosting.net/images/wf2.jpg

Ride-A-Lot said:

Now I remember who I'm riding with. Gary aka "The Sadist Hill Climber".

His nickname at AMB-ID05 was something like "Thighs of Steel".

Quoted message said:

Then I come around a steep switch back with a step up. Ok, I'm going to
try it. I get the front up but the back gets hung up and my foot goes
down to hold my fall. It goes right into the middle of a "man eating"
cactus. I look down and start pulling the needles from my ankle.
Within seconds it's hurting like hell and my ankle is swelling up. WTF?

Sounds like you fall like I do - find the nearest prickly thing (in my
case, usually the only thorn bush/stinging nettles for miles) and land in
it.

Quoted message said:

Gary stops to assess what lies ahead.

From the photo, looks like a migraine.

Quoted message said:

Then he makes a nice technical step up.

Impressive.

Quoted message said:

More fun technical [censored] (that I walked up).

Great greasy griddlecakes, Batman! Not rideable by mere mortals such as
us.

Nice RR!
gabrielle

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[Inline version avalable at: http://tinyurl.com/53wkf]

11/8/05 National Trail / Desert Classic

Met up with Gary (Geedub) at the east entrance to South Mountain after
riding passed the entrance for a half hour. I guess they don't put up
signs when the entrance is next to a gated community.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3069

It's getting warm without cloud cover as we head up the fire road to
National Trail.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3070

I am getting excited about riding a trail I hear so much about. Trying my
luck at some technical challenges on what I thought was a downhill. I stop
and watch some bikers bomb down Mormon Trail (I think).

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3072

We reach the trailhead and I am looking up. Up?!? Huh, what's up with
that?

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3074
http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3075

Now I remember who I'm riding with. Gary aka "The Sadist Hill Climber".
OK. I head up and hit some of the technical sections, but Gary is doing a
better job lifting the front end of his bike. I do better going down
because I just don't have the strength to get the front wheel up high
enough. None-the-less, I am trying at least. Here's a look back after
some sweaty climbing,

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3077

Then I come around a steep switch back with a step up. Ok, I'm going to
try it. I get the front up but the back gets hung up and my foot goes
down to hold my fall. It goes right into the middle of a "man eating"
cactus. I look down and start pulling the needles from my ankle. Within
seconds it's hurting like hell and my ankle is swelling up. WTF? I take
one for the team, suck up the pain, and trod on.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3078
http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3079

Reaching the first ridge, I'm feeling good. I've walked a few spots and
ridden some things I never thought I would even try. I am a little more
daring today than usual.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3080

Gary stops to assess what lies ahead.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3082

Then he makes a nice technical step up.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3083

If only I could have ridden it going in this direction.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3084

More fun technical [censored] (that I walked up).

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

Then some climbing that I actually make.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3089
http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3090
http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3091

The second ridge of National levels out a bit with some exposure, but very
fast.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3093
http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3094

We then need to get down to the Desert Classic trail. It seems Telegraph
is the way down. Down is an understatement. Straight down 800' in less
than a mile with 1' - 2' high steps that would surely lead to my death. I
don't have pictures because I was too busy using my bike to keep me from
plumeting down. Gary tells me that people ride this. I want to see that
(no dual crown or body armor allowed).

The Desert Classic trail is similar to McDowell Mountain. Not much
altitude gain or loss and mostly buff singletrack.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3096

With about two miles to go, the heat is starting to get me and my water is
running out. I suck down an Energice which gives me just enough of a
punch to finish the ride.

Great fun, but I would love to try National going downhill.

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Nice RR and that terrain looks like a great time.

Seems we have something in common.

--

CP

"CP_1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[Inline version avalable at: http://tinyurl.com/53wkf]

11/8/05 National Trail / Desert Classic

Nice RR and that terrain looks like a great time.

Seems we have something in common.

And what is that? That you also ride a bicycle?

Greg

GWood said:

Nice. As previously mentioned, the camera seems to mellow out stuff and
make it look a lot more ridable than it might be.

This one, tho, looks particularly nasty.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/sete/IMG_3086

On a good day I might try creeping down something like that, but I can't
imagine making it up. Couple of those steps look two-footish to me, with
little chance to maintain any speed. Does anybody clear this stuff?

Going up and down it, yes. My first go at it was January 2001, second
ride on the Freak bike and rode down the upper part (shown in pic)
without even looking at it first. I looked at the lower part before
attempting it and had to take two tries to ride down it clean. Lesson
there kiddies? Yup, Just Shut The Hell Up And Ride! Then again, it
was on sandstone and we all now very well know that *all* sandstone is
crumbly and couldn't possibly be ridden as well as grass with our
knobbly tyres. We sure are lucky to have a robotic engineer who has
never been to the Western United States to ride advising the group.

JD

"gabrielle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

Now I remember who I'm riding with. Gary aka "The Sadist Hill Climber".

His nickname at AMB-ID05 was something like "Thighs of Steel".>> Gary
stops to assess what lies ahead.
From the photo, looks like a migraine.

Quoted message said:

Then he makes a nice technical step up.

Impressive.

Quoted message said:

More fun technical [censored] (that I walked up).

Nice RR!
gabrielle

You bring back some good memories. Gab. I remember Gary kept saying stuff
like, "I'm not a good technical rider" then he'd pull off some cool stunt.
"I'm not a fast descender" then he'd shoot off like a rocket. After half of
day of that B.S., I finally called [censored] to just let him show me what he
could do on that Switchblade. A month later I bought one for myself...
proving once again, boys and girls, it's the bike, not the rider.. heheh

CDB

--
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Unlimited Access, Anonymous Accounts, Uncensored Broadband Access

"G.T." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"CP_1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[Inline version avalable at: http://tinyurl.com/53wkf]

11/8/05 National Trail / Desert Classic

Nice RR and that terrain looks like a great time.

Seems we have something in common.

And what is that? That you also ride a bicycle?

Greg

"G.T." <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"CP_1" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[Inline version avalable at: http://tinyurl.com/53wkf]

11/8/05 National Trail / Desert Classic

Nice RR and that terrain looks like a great time.

Seems we have something in common.

And what is that? That you also ride a bicycle?

Greg

Close Greg, but just not quite there. Much like Cher used to say to you.

--

CP

"Paladin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"gabrielle" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Ride-A-Lot said:

Now I remember who I'm riding with. Gary aka "The Sadist Hill Climber".

His nickname at AMB-ID05 was something like "Thighs of Steel".>> Gary
stops to assess what lies ahead.
From the photo, looks like a migraine.

Quoted message said:

Then he makes a nice technical step up.

Impressive.

Quoted message said:

More fun technical [censored] (that I walked up).

Nice RR!
gabrielle

You bring back some good memories. Gab. I remember Gary kept saying
stuff like, "I'm not a good technical rider" then he'd pull off some cool
stunt. "I'm not a fast descender" then he'd shoot off like a rocket.
After half of day of that B.S., I finally called [censored] to just let him
show me what he could do on that Switchblade. A month later I bought one
for myself... proving once again, boys and girls, it's the bike, not the
rider.. heheh

CDB

I was comparing myself to riding with JD, MattB, Angry Man and a group of
riders here in AZ that bomb down stuff that's in these pictures, not to
mention most of the guys in Pete's videos. And what technical stuff did we
ever ride? The only true tech thing was the wood bridge that Gab
rode.....and I walked. The rest was mostly smooth. My claim to fame has
always been my climbing strength...up smooth, not so rocky stuff.

and thanks for the beer, man. You trying to fatten me up? ;-)

Gary (over the bars) Williams......video out soon at your local AMB news
server

GeeDubb said:

I was comparing myself to riding with JD, MattB, Angry Man and a group of
riders here in AZ that bomb down stuff that's in these pictures, not to
mention most of the guys in Pete's videos.

I will never ride knobbly tires in AZ ever again because they just
don't stick to the rock well enough...

JD

Since you put it that way. Glad the brewskies survived the
journey.....! Cheers.

CDB

"Ride-A-Lot" <"mitchel[nospam]"@schnauzers.ws> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[Inline version avalable at: http://tinyurl.com/53wkf]

11/8/05 National Trail / Desert Classic

Snip Good Ride<

The first and only time I have riden that trail was at night with an HID
light. The color of the light made the white dirt/decomposed granite very
hard to negotiate. Lots of fun though.

TJ

TJ said:

The first and only time I have riden that trail was at night with an HID
light. The color of the light made the white dirt/decomposed granite very
hard to negotiate. Lots of fun though.

The first time I rode desert classic we started at
sunset with a bunch of beer in our packs, after
driving for 12 hours straight. We met a bunch of
Fruita lads about half way out DC in the dark,
sans lights.

We killed the beers and rode back under the
reflected glow of the Phoenix metro area on the
other side of South Mountain.

p e t e f a g e r l i n said:

TJ said:

The first and only time I have riden that trail was at night with an HID
light. The color of the light made the white dirt/decomposed granite very
hard to negotiate. Lots of fun though.

The first time I rode desert classic we started at
sunset with a bunch of beer in our packs, after
driving for 12 hours straight. We met a bunch of
Fruita lads about half way out DC in the dark,
sans lights.

We killed the beers and rode back under the
reflected glow of the Phoenix metro area on the
other side of South Mountain.

Sometimes the Beer Light is all you need.

JD