RR course inspection

[Penny S.]

As always Thursday is ride day with my pal Kathleen ( aka Kamikaze #2) The usual, meet at the
Esmerelda lot for a ride around Beacon Hill. Funny, in the parking lot I have a nice chat with a
rotund golfer lady, could I please park my car on other side so they can have room for their gold
cart trailers? I'm thinking she needs to get rid of the cart and walk the course...

Dang it's going to be hot, I'm wishing I'd gone for the tank top instead of the Jersey. Ah, summer.
I feel good tho, crank it up the two miles to the top. Rats I was so ON on Sunday, now the ruts at
the tire turn just seem to intimidating. We come up on the markings for the new XC course... hmm,
maybe we should go check it out... we follow the fresh trail to where it there's a loose sandy (what
looks like) drop-off, and we decide that must be part of the DH course. ;-) As we follow the usual
route, we also see that there's new (XC?) route off to our left. but... all of a sudden, I don't
feel so good. What is up? I rode this same ride the other day midday, and now I"m nauseous and
dizzy. ****. What's going on. Heat? Dehydration? nope,nope... I suck it up and try to just ride
through it.

Both of us are curious about where the course has been re-routed to, so we just follow the arrows.
No real surprises, except that at one point "expert" splits off. Because I'm feeling icky, we decide
to explore that part another day. Remember this rock?
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/bike/penny6-03.jpg The course goes up it. Me? forget it, but
Kathleen attempts is a few times but can't clear
it. Some guy comes along and asks us if we are racing Sat. I smile and say no, we are just farting
around. He cleans it ok, but I'm thinking in some of the classes this will be a carnage spot. I
tried to take some photos of these riders, but my timing is off and I won't post them since
their heads got cut off in the frame. I decide I"m OK to ride as long as I don't have to climb
at all. The course traverses the lower part of the area here and when it goes up into a newly
built section I park under a tree in the shade while Kathleen goes up to check it out. It's just
a loop and I see her stall out up the way. She appears a moment later shaking her head... "man,
that is tough.... I don't know how people are going to ride that...? And she is one of the best
riders I know.

then I decide I really do feel like ****. I was going to push for the climb back up to the ridge for
the return, but every time I stand up I"m dizzy, so I vote for the road return. I feel a little for
having to bail on my buddy but oh well.

So I go home and it's dinner time and I still feel like ****, must be a bug. I think I"m going to
head over to spectate Sat am for a bit, now that I know where the carnage spots are!!

Penny

 

[Dave Stocker]

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> Remember this rock? http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/bike/penny6-03.jpg The course goes up
> it. Me? forget it, but Kathleen attempts is a few times but can't clear
> it. Some guy comes along and asks us if we are racing Sat. I smile and say no, we are just farting
> around. He cleans it ok, but I'm thinking in some of the classes this will be a carnage spot.
> I tried to take some photos of these riders, but my timing is off and I won't post them since
> their heads got cut off in the frame.

what is the angle on that rock? About 45°? The photo flattens it out, but judging from the angle
between you and the bike, that would be my guess.

> So I go home and it's dinner time and I still feel like ****, must be a bug. I think I"m going to
> head over to spectate Sat am for a bit, now that I know where the carnage spots are!!
>
I hope you feel better.

-Dave

 

[Technician]

Penny S. <[email protected]> spoke thusly... <snip nice RR>
> Remember this rock? http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/bike/penny6-03.jpg The course goes

ok, just a request, perhaps a shot from the side of it to help define the angle of attack.

This is definitely a case where the camera flattened the terrain. through the ambient clues, i would
have to say the step from top to bottom is about 2', with a different angle facet in the middle of
perhaps a 6" drop, though i cannot tell the exact angle, but given the angle of the shadow, i would
hazard a guess of maybe 30 - 35 degrees on the lower slope.

My opinion of attack is to get enough speed to ride up and soak up the hit (have something slightly
similar that i ride). the slower alternative is lean forward (way forward if needed), and as you
ride up the slope, poor on the power in a slow 'n steady manner.

But then too, i have quite a bit of weight (230#) over my tires, so traction is not really a problem
for me. i would say the fast approach would work best, based on my limited knowledge of the nature
of said terrain.

<snip more nice RR>

Sounds like it was a good ride.
--
~Travis

http://www.megalink.net/~farmers/

 

[Penny S.]

Dave Stocker thoughtfully penned:
> "Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<[email protected]>...
>> Remember this rock? http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/bike/penny6-03.jpg The course goes up
>> it. Me? forget it, but Kathleen attempts is a few times but can't clear it. Some guy comes along
>> and asks us if we are racing Sat. I smile and say no, we are just farting around. He cleans it
>> ok, but I'm thinking in some of the classes this will be a carnage spot. I tried to take some
>> photos of these riders, but my timing is off and I won't post them since their heads got cut off
>> in the frame.
>
> what is the angle on that rock? About 45°? The photo flattens it out, but judging from the angle
> between you and the bike, that would be my guess.

it's steeper than a 45, maybe 60? What do I know, we go there all the time and I'll get the hang of
the new camera yet.

Penny

 

[Penny S.]

Technician thoughtfully penned:
> Penny S. <[email protected]> spoke thusly... <snip nice RR>
>> Remember this rock? http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/images/bike/penny6-03.jpg The

based on my limited knowledge of the nature of said
> terrain.
>

uh, yeah.

OK, sideways shot coming up... maybe at the races?

Penny

 

[Bomba]

Technician wrote:

> My opinion of attack is to get enough speed to ride up and soak up the hit (have something
> slightly similar that i ride). the slower alternative is lean forward (way forward if needed), and
> as you ride up the slope, poor on the power in a slow 'n steady manner.
>
> But then too, i have quite a bit of weight (230#) over my tires, so traction is not really a
> problem for me. i would say the fast approach would work best, based on my limited knowledge of
> the nature of said terrain.

Thank you for that wonderful piece of technical riding advice - 'ride up it fast, or ride up it
slow.' However, I should point out that you missed out the 'ride up it at a medium pace' option.

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

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

 

[Cinder Girl]

"Penny S." <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> As always Thursday is ride day with my pal Kathleen ( aka Kamikaze #2)
The
> usual, meet at the Esmerelda lot for a ride around Beacon Hill. Funny, in the parking lot I have a
> nice chat with a rotund golfer lady, could I please park my car on other side so they can have
> room for their gold cart trailers? I'm thinking she needs to get rid of the cart and walk the
> course...
>
> Dang it's going to be hot, I'm wishing I'd gone for the tank top instead
of
> the Jersey. Ah, summer. I feel good tho, crank it up the two miles to the top. Rats I was so ON on
> Sunday, now the ruts at the tire turn just seem
to
> intimidating. We come up on the markings for the new XC course... hmm, maybe we should go check it
> out... we follow the fresh trail to where it there's a loose sandy (what looks like) drop-off, and
> we decide that must
be
> part of the DH course. ;-) As we follow the usual route, we also see that there's new (XC?) route
> off to our left. but... all of a sudden, I don't feel so good. What is up? I rode this same ride
> the other day midday, and now I"m nauseous and dizzy. ****. What's going on. Heat? Dehydration?
> nope,nope... I suck it up and try to just ride through it.
>
Pregnant!!

 

[Technician]

bomba <[email protected]> spoke thusly...
> Technician wrote:
>
> > My opinion of attack is to get enough speed to ride up and soak up the hit (have something
> > slightly similar that i ride). the slower alternative is lean forward (way forward if needed),
> > and as you ride up the slope, poor on the power in a slow 'n steady manner.
> >
> > But then too, i have quite a bit of weight (230#) over my tires, so traction is not really a
> > problem for me. i would say the fast approach would work best, based on my limited knowledge of
> > the nature of said terrain.
>
> Thank you for that wonderful piece of technical riding advice - 'ride up it fast, or ride up it
> slow.' However, I should point out that you missed out the 'ride up it at a medium pace' option.
>
>

Ahh, but i left that for you to point out.

But seriously, it would appear that my limit is 2 bottles of Mike's Hard Lemonade before lunch...
--
~Travis

http://www.megalink.net/~farmers/

 

[Penny S.]

Cinder Girl thoughtfully penned: but... all of a sudden, I don't feel
>> so good. What is up? I rode this same ride the other day midday, and now I"m nauseous and
>> dizzy. ****. What's going on. Heat? Dehydration? nope,nope... I suck it up and try to just ride
>> through it.
>>
> Pregnant!!

nice try but not likely. That issue got permanently dealt with years and years ago.

Penny