Damn VA Fireroads...

Gary (in Va) says:

Quoted message said:

Gary in VA (dreaming of all that cool singletrack you lucky guys get to ride)

Ya know..... I could occasionally go for some of what you've got there, rather than the rooty-rocky,
mixed up cr*p that passes for 1-track in RI. It's kinda fun, but just every now and then, I wish for
something smooth and fast and un-paved.

Steve "the grass is always greener over the septic tank"

Stephen Baker said...

Quoted message said:

Ya know..... I could occasionally go for some of what you've got there, rather than the
rooty-rocky, mixed up cr*p that passes for 1-track in RI. It's kinda fun, but just every now and
then, I wish for something smooth and fast and un-paved.

Me too. We have a few decent trails in these parts (N. Indiana), but it would be nice to go on a
nice long ride through real wilderness for a change.

Yep sometimes I enjoy the Smooth stuff too. We have a good mix here abouts where I live. (Vancouver
Island BC canada) but some long flat stuff is non existant.

KSlater "Super Slinky" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Stephen Baker said...

Quoted message said:

Ya know..... I could occasionally go for some of what you've got there,

rather

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

than the rooty-rocky, mixed up cr*p that passes for 1-track in RI. It's

kinda

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fun, but just every now and then, I wish for something smooth and fast

and

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

un-paved.

Me too. We have a few decent trails in these parts (N. Indiana), but it would be nice to go on a
nice long ride through real wilderness for a change.

KSlater said...

Quoted message said:

Yep sometimes I enjoy the Smooth stuff too. We have a good mix here abouts where I live.
(Vancouver Island BC canada) but some long flat stuff is non existant.

There are some long, flat trails around here. Unfortunately, they are the designated trails for
geezers on Wal-Mart bikes. There are some politically active cyclists in the midwest who are behind
the 'rails to trails' movement. What they do is use old abandoned railroad right of way as the basis
for long trails. They spend many thousands of dollars grading and resurfacing the new trails only to
end up with something that is not very fun to ride. They always use a crushed stone surface which is
about halfway like riding in sand, only dustier, and if there is any standing water you get a thick
sticky mud that you don't want to ride through, mountain bike or not.

They could have something much better and cheaper if they just trimmed the weeds back, carved out
some single track, or even double track if they must have it, and built some cheap boardwalks over
the boggy stuff. But I guess it can't be any good if you don't spend close to seven figures. The
Calumet trail by the Indiana Dunes is a perfect example. A few years ago it was overgrown and
abandoned. Parts of it got swampy and almost impassable after the spring rains. But it was still a
good exercise trail for a mountain bike. Some of it even was even paved. Then the politicians
finally caved in and shelled out the money to rebuild
it. It was out of action for a season, and now it has a new surface, lots of mile marker signs, a
covered bridge and so forth. And it is a dull ride in a highly artificial environment on a truly
awful surface, but I guess that is progress.

Progress it is but useless progress to me. I like the more active riding. I have to admit I'm not
what MBA calls a "passive" rider.

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

Quoted message said:

Went out for a ride today on a local Virginia fireroad wishing for some singletrack.

{Essay/photos snipped}

OK, in both these AND JD's pics there's stuff I just don't recognize: smooth dirt...and greenery!

Bill "jagged rocks and earthtones" S.

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

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Went out for a ride today on a local Virginia fireroad wishing for some singletrack.

{Essay/photos snipped}

OK, in both these AND JD's pics there's stuff I just don't recognize: smooth dirt...<snip>

You've been here this time of year.

JD

<nice stuff snipped>

Hey, Gary, where is that? I don't recognize it. It looks nothing like Big Levels... 😉

johnnyhouse.comDSC00113.JPGOpen ↗

from johnnyhouse.combig levels.htmOpen ↗

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

Quoted message said:

<nice stuff snipped>

Hey, Gary, where is that? I don't recognize it. It looks nothing like Big Levels... 😉

johnnyhouse.comDSC00113.JPGOpen ↗

from johnnyhouse.combig levels.htmOpen ↗

Peaksview Park in Lynchburg. It's a group of trails built by a bunch of guys for the LBS. It's tight
and smooth but it's close so it's nice to have it in town.

Gary in VA

Quoted message said:

Gary in VA (dreaming of all that cool singletrack you lucky guys get to ride)

Gary, Gary, Gary,

Those trails would be WAAAY more fun if you'd leave the monster truck bike at home and rip 'em up on
the MB-2 instead. Or a road bike, for that matter...

-Andrew

Super Slinky said:

KSlater said...

Quoted message said:

Yep sometimes I enjoy the Smooth stuff too. We have a good mix here abouts where I live.
(Vancouver Island BC canada) but some long flat stuff is non existant.

There are some long, flat trails around here. Unfortunately, they are the designated trails for
geezers on Wal-Mart bikes. There are some politically active cyclists in the midwest who are
behind the 'rails to trails' movement. What they do is use old abandoned railroad right of way as
the basis for long trails. They spend many thousands of dollars grading and resurfacing the new
trails only to end up with something that is not very fun to ride. They always use a crushed stone
surface which is about halfway like riding in sand, only dustier, and if there is any standing
water you get a thick sticky mud that you don't want to ride through, mountain bike or not.

<geschnipp>

Not to mention that the crushed limestone [censored] will grind your drivetrain and any other moving parts
to dust once it gets into your lube.

--
J'm

To Reply Direct, Remove Clothes. ...-.-

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gary in VA (dreaming of all that cool singletrack you lucky guys get to ride)

Gary, Gary, Gary,

Those trails would be WAAAY more fun if you'd leave the monster truck bike

at

Quoted message said:

home and rip 'em up on the MB-2 instead. Or a road bike, for that

matter...

Quoted message said:

-Andrew

The MB-2 may be getting some moustache bars this summer along with a B17 seat.

Gary in VA

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

Quoted message said:

Went out for a ride today on a local Virginia fireroad wishing for some singletrack.

Quoted message said:

The trail is so wide you could drive a train through it:
gallery.consumerreview.comVtrees.jpgOpen ↗

That bike is so red I bet you have to hang on for dear life...

nice pics, looks similar to the trails around here.

Chris

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

gallery.consumerreview.comVtrees.jpgOpen ↗

That bike is so red I bet you have to hang on for dear life...

nice pics, looks similar to the trails around here.

Chris

When I talked to the people at Ventana I told them I wanted the fastest red ano they could get.

Gary in VA

LOL and your hands if you hit it. "J'm Sm'th" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Super Slinky said:

KSlater said...

Quoted message said:

Yep sometimes I enjoy the Smooth stuff too. We have a good mix here

abouts

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

where I live. (Vancouver Island BC canada) but some long flat stuff is

non

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

existant.

There are some long, flat trails around here. Unfortunately, they are the designated trails for
geezers on Wal-Mart bikes. There are some politically active cyclists in the midwest who are
behind the 'rails to trails' movement. What they do is use old abandoned railroad right of way
as the basis for long trails. They spend many thousands of dollars grading and resurfacing the
new trails only to end up with something that is not very fun to ride. They always use a
crushed stone surface which is about halfway like riding in sand, only dustier, and if there is
any standing water you get a thick sticky mud that you don't want to ride through, mountain
bike or not.

<geschnipp>

Not to mention that the crushed limestone [censored] will grind your drivetrain

and

Quoted message said:

any other moving parts to dust once it gets into your lube.

--
J'm

To Reply Direct, Remove Clothes. ...-.-

"Gary in VA" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:%FnMa.74018

Quoted message said:

Gary in VA (dreaming of all that cool singletrack you lucky guys get to ride)

Gary, let me know if you want to come out to Douthat (1 1/2 hours west of Lynchburg) for a
guided ride on some of the greatest singletrack around. In the park and out into the national
forest. (long climbs _and descents_ are not optional) Always glad to show folks what's here.
Caution: "Nobody can eat just one," so you will be frequenting the highway to Douthat after one
good day in the saddle here.
--
Off to ride the mountains, D H Reply to newsgroup. Spam is out of control.

Get off the pipe and get out there and ride.

Fire up MTB 03