MTB skills course

I'm about to start building a skills course in my Dad's backyard, and was wondering what
experience/info anyone had to share. I'm not going too crazy (my sissy Sugar can't even manage 5" of
travel...what crap) but am looking at the obvious logs, smaller dirt ramps/bumps, and wooden
bridges, like Canada, only not lethal. My elevated skinnies will be about 8" off the ground.

I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere, and
Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt Camp,
I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.

So if there are any sites I missed, any pics anywhere, I'd appreciate the help...I need this so bad
- like heroin, only biking makes you look good. I get on dirt about 1 day a week anymore
(work/college/living in MD) and I have vague permission from Pops to set this up. I don't think he
knows what he agreed to. But, if he gets 7 cars in the garage, I get to muck up his land...

Chris

 

Chris wrote:
> I'm about to start building a skills course in my Dad's backyard, and was wondering what
> experience/info anyone had to share.

<...>

> So if there are any sites I missed, any pics anywhere,

Improve your skills no end. Install one of these:
http://www.skateparklist.com/img/ca_sd_miss_MINIseries.jpg

--
a.m-b FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/ambfaq.htm

b.bmx FAQ: http://www.t-online.de/~jharris/bmx_faq.htm

 

Chris wrote:
> I'm about to start building a skills course in my Dad's backyard, and was wondering what
> experience/info anyone had to share. I'm not going too crazy (my sissy Sugar can't even manage 5"
> of travel...what crap) but am looking at the obvious logs, smaller dirt ramps/bumps, and wooden
> bridges, like Canada, only not lethal. My elevated skinnies will be about 8" off the ground.
>
> I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere, and
> Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt Camp,
> I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.
>
I've got a bunch of pics of both the bike camp course and the course my friends have built in their
back yard. Should I post them or rmail them? let me know ASAP

> So if there are any sites I missed, any pics anywhere, I'd appreciate the help...I need this so
> bad - like heroin, only biking makes you look good. I get on dirt about 1 day a week anymore
> (work/college/living in MD) and I have vague permission from Pops to set this up. I don't think he
> knows what he agreed to. But, if he gets 7 cars in the garage, I get to muck up his land...
>
> Chris

 

Chris wrote:
>>
> I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere, and
> Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt Camp,
> I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.
>

http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/backyard.jpg
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/course.jpg
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/ramp.jpg

I've got a lot more, I'll put them up.

Some are from my friends backyard,some are from Rossland trails.

Penny

 

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Chris wrote:
> >>
> > I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere,
> > and Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt
> > Camp, I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.
> >
>
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/backyard.jpg

That's so cool. I wish my back yard was like that!

Unfortunately I wasted my youth messing around with computers instead of power tools. I'm just not
that handy, but I'm trying to work on my skills and change that.

Matt (one day I'll be able to create another kind of erection)

 

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> Chris wrote:
> >>
> > I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere,
> > and Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt
> > Camp, I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.
> >
>
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/backyard.jpg
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/course.jpg
> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/ramp.jpg
>
> I've got a lot more, I'll put them up.
>
> Some are from my friends backyard,some are from Rossland trails.
>
> Penny

Cool. I particularly like what looks like the all-important-beer-bottle at the end of the ramp just
to the left of the tree trunk!

Westie

 

try this site for some ideas.
http://www.woodhillonline.com

 

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
| Chris wrote:
| >>
| > I remember Penny posted some pics a while back after she took a course or something somewhere,
| > and Google and web searches have either led nowhere or to businesses, and if I could afford Dirt
| > Camp, I'd have been to Moab and Whistler and back by now. Twice.
| >
|
| http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/backyard.jpg
| http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/course.jpg
| http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/ramp.jpg
|
| I've got a lot more, I'll put them up.
|
| Some are from my friends backyard,some are from Rossland trails.
|
| Penny
|
|

I've been trying to introduce this very idea to Erin's parents. They have a couple acres to work
with which includes a corral out front which wraps around into the back where there is a steep
descent and a creek. Following the creek will eventually take you into a nearby park with rideable
trails. There is also an excess of felled trees and unused wood piles to the sides.

So far I've been bringing it up jokingly... trying to plant the seeds. I think it has a chance of
one day going through since last time I took Erin into the corral for some skills practice (riding
planks, over logs, jumps, etc), her dad said when we were about to leave, "Oh don't worry about
cleaning it up... you can just leave it there for now..." Of course, I've recently gotten HIM into
mountain biking as well... Mwahahaha.... So hopefully soon I'll be able to build something a little
more extensive.

--
FlyingCoyote http://www.boarsgut.com
--

 

FlyingCoyote wrote:
> "Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/backyard.jpg
>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/course.jpg
>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/des/ramp.jpg
>
>>
>
> I've been trying to introduce this very idea to Erin's parents. They have a couple acres to work
> with which includes a corral out front which wraps around into the back where there is a steep
> descent and a creek. Following the creek will eventually take you into a nearby park with rideable
> trails. There is also an excess of felled trees and unused wood piles to the sides.
>
> So far I've been bringing it up jokingly... trying to plant the seeds. I think it has a chance of
> one day going through since last time I took Erin into the corral for some skills practice (riding
> planks, over logs, jumps, etc), her dad said when we were about to leave, "Oh don't worry about
> cleaning it up... you can just leave it there for now..." Of course, I've recently gotten HIM into
> mountain biking as well... Mwahahaha.... So hopefully soon I'll be able to build something a
> little more extensive.
>

I''ve got about a half dozen more shots of stuff like that that I will resize and post oh,
sometime soon.

Penny

 

> I've been trying to introduce this very idea to Erin's parents. They have
a
> couple acres to work with which includes a corral out front which wraps around into the back where
> there is a steep descent and a creek. Following the creek will eventually take you into a nearby
> park with rideable
trails.
> There is also an excess of felled trees and unused wood piles to the
sides.
>
> So far I've been bringing it up jokingly... trying to plant the seeds. I think it has a chance of
> one day going through since last time I took Erin into the corral for some skills practice (riding
> planks, over logs, jumps, etc), her dad said when we were about to leave, "Oh don't worry about
> cleaning it up... you can just leave it there for now..." Of course, I've recently gotten HIM into
> mountain biking as well... Mwahahaha.... So hopefully soon I'll be able to build something a
> little more extensive.
>
> --
> FlyingCoyote http://www.boarsgut.com

I have brought the idea of "complex training areas for intense sports" up to my Dad before, and he's
always changed his mind...he was all for me putting in a bouldering gym (rock climbing) on the
second florr of his garage, unitl he saw my plans. Likewise, he has intimated that my proposed MTB
course is a great idea, but if I show him Penny's pics, maybe he'll sing that different tune again.
I should probably buy all the lumber first, then use the "what, you don't remember o.k.'ing this?"
defense...except he gets lumber dirt cheap.

I think if i promise to cut the grass around the structures we can work it out...he's in to climbing
and biking too, but at almost-48-years-old, he's not about to try drops and seesaws.

If I do get to start construction, pics will follow...

Chris

 

"Chris" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| | I have brought the idea of "complex training areas for intense sports"
up to
| my Dad before, and he's always changed his mind...he was all for me
putting
| in a bouldering gym (rock climbing) on the second florr of his garage,
unitl
| he saw my plans. Likewise, he has intimated that my proposed MTB course
is
| a great idea, but if I show him Penny's pics, maybe he'll sing that different tune again. I should
| probably buy all the lumber first, then
use
| the "what, you don't remember o.k.'ing this?" defense...except he gets lumber dirt cheap.
|
| I think if i promise to cut the grass around the structures we can work it out...he's in to
| climbing and biking too, but at almost-48-years-old, he's not about to try drops and seesaws.
|
| If I do get to start construction, pics will follow...
|
| Chris
|
|

Erin brought it up with her mom this morning as they stood out on the back deck. Her moms is of the
opinion that if I help tear down the old shed (falling apart and a hazard) and offer to maintain the
area of the course that Erin's dad may just go for it. He would fully understand what I'd be talking
about... and although he'd probably avoid the platforms himself I think he'd enjoy the smaller jumps
and obstacles.

Now, to see if I can recruit some people for a few weekends. We'll need to tear down the shed and
relocate its contents, uproot some remaining blackberry bushes and then the fun begins... cut some
trails, build some platforms...

A problem we've thought of though is that neighboring houses have a good view of that area and we're
afraid local kids may try to help themselves to the course when no ones home. That's no good. We'll
have to make the platforms mobile so we can take them down when not in use.

There used to be a rope swing back there over a small ravine area we used to play on. Then local
kids found it... didn't want the insurance liability or any other problems so the easiest thing to
do was cut it down.

--
FlyingCoyote http://www.boarsgut.com
--

 

> Erin brought it up with her mom this morning as they stood out on the back deck. Her moms is of
> the opinion that if I help tear down the old shed (falling apart and a hazard) and offer to
> maintain the area of the course that Erin's dad may just go for it. He would fully understand what
> I'd be talking about... and although he'd probably avoid the platforms himself I think he'd enjoy
> the smaller jumps and obstacles.
>
> Now, to see if I can recruit some people for a few weekends. We'll need to tear down the shed and
> relocate its contents, uproot some remaining blackberry bushes and then the fun begins... cut some
> trails, build some platforms...

My dad bought me my Sugar as a "going back to college present"...the only hook was that I help him
clear one corner of the yard of sticks, bushes, and other detritus, and move our shed back there. A
few hundred feet. Shed-moving seems to be a universal theme.

>
> A problem we've thought of though is that neighboring houses have a good view of that area and
> we're afraid local kids may try to help themselves
to
> the course when no ones home. That's no good. We'll have to make the platforms mobile so we can
> take them down when not in use.

There are some kids with BMXs near by, but we're in a pretty laid back place, and they'd probably
come up to me first...I'd ask their parents, and make sure they know they could get hurt. If the
parents know what's up, they shouldn't get mad at me.

> There used to be a rope swing back there over a small ravine area we used
to
> play on. Then local kids found it... didn't want the insurance liability
or
> any other problems so the easiest thing to do was cut it down.

In the neighborhood where I grew up, we had the sweetest swing ever...a collaborative effort between
all the different waves of kids that ever grew up there. All the launching spots were platforms
built between trees, ranging from 8 to 20 feet high...they were all interconnected, so you only had
one ladder to climb to reach them all. It looked like Ewok village. One day, some kid Ray moved in.
He was the biggest sissy and tattle-tail who ever lived. Seriously. So this kid Rusty was back there
swinging by himself (a good toss could get the swing stuck around the lowest platform, enabling
one-man swinging). Thinking he's alone, he spits off a platform. It accidentally hit Ray's foot - he
had been too shy to say hi to Rusty (after living two houses away from him for over a year). So Ray
goes home, tells his Dad people are spitting on him, and his Dad runs down there, with a chainsaw,
chases Rusty out - chased out an 11 year old with a CHAINSAW - and cut down ever portion of that
swing, even the trees holding up platforms. It was the saddest day of our young lives.

Chris (we made Ray's life hell after that, though)