Damn VA Fireroads...



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Gary In Va

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

Here's the start of the fireroad:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Trailstart.jpg

Wishing it would rain so some stuff would grow around here:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/TrailS.jpg

The trail is so wide you could drive a train through it:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Vtrees.jpg

Blah, blah, blah: http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Greenery(1).jpg

Trail is so straight you can fall asleep:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Switch(3).jpg

And it's pretty darn flat: http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Trailrunsthruit.jpg

Trees: http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Lotsoftrees.jpg

End of the ride because it's starting to rain:
http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Greenery2(1).jpg

Close-up of trail: http://gallery.consumerreview.com/webcrossing/images/Self(5).jpg

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

>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...

> 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 protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Stephen Baker 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.
 
KSlater 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 protected]> wrote in message
news:%[email protected]...
> 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.
 
>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 wrote:
>
> KSlater 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 **** 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 protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> >
> >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

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

Gary in VA
 
LOL and your hands if you hit it. "J'm Sm'th" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Super Slinky wrote:
> >
> > KSlater 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 **** will grind your drivetrain
and
> any other moving parts to dust once it gets into your lube.
>
> --
> J'm
>
>
> To Reply Direct, Remove Clothes. ...-.-
 
"Gary in VA" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:%FnMa.74018
> 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
 
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