Rode Tower and Big Rock (FATS) today (pics)

[neal1975]

I took a spin on Tower and Big Rock today. I started not to ride today as it was pretty hot, but then couldnt help myself and went anyways-

If you guys havent tried Big Rock and Tower yet, and are used to the standard skinny / brown wave ride and are getting bored with that. . . go try tower. Tower makes skinny seem like a parking lot in comparison. It has some brutal uphill sections.

Big rock is a challenging climb, but tower has some hard as tits uphill sections . I rode it CCW and for the first 1/2 of it, its fairly boring and flat and featureless, and then you go down a long descent, and after that you are faced with a 1 -2 mile absolutely soul crushing climb. Each time you think you are ascending the last ridge you are greeted with a new one thats even nastier. LOL. Definately makes a good workout-

Here are a few shots from my tower / big rock ride. Go try these trails, they are fun and challenging. I dont think people ride them that much, i never see any cars in the north lot.

A nice straight downhill section on BigRock


A weird tree i found


Big Rock


Here is the "Big Rock"


And the curious feature on Big Rock rock. It is split right down the middle of this 15 foot rock. It is just split wide open, and if you look at it up close, it looks like a perfectly clean cut, almost like a laser beam went through it. Pretty Cool!


A little technical spot on Big Rock


Part of Tower Trail

[neal1975]

i forgot to mention - there is one un-ridable tree down on both big rock, and tower. the one on tower is in a semi-dangerous spot its at the bottom of a downhill section and on a corner. If you were flying through that section it would be pretty ugly

[dgaddis1]

Glad you had a good time. Tower and Big Rock are my favorite two loops. When you're ready to step up to a harder ride, park at the main parking lot and ride Deep Step, Tower, and Big Rock. That's the toughest 20 miles at FATS.

If that's too easy, do it twice ;D

[ted]

Aug 8, 2010 20:18:45 GMT -5 neal1975 said:

hard as tits uphill sections .

I feel like I'm reading a review from a british motorcycle magazine.
I'll bet you've got some "trick bits" on your bike too?
Stay away from those fags. They'll give you cancer!
Jolly good! Pip pip!

If the first 1/2 of Big Rock CCW is boring then you're not going fast enough. Go faster!

Good write up, nice pics. Thanks.

[seenvic]

Aug 9, 2010 7:27:34 GMT -5 ted said:

Aug 8, 2010 20:18:45 GMT -5 neal1975 said:

hard as tits uphill sections .

If the first 1/2 of Big Rock CCW is boring then you're not going fast enough. Go faster!

Good write up, nice pics. Thanks.

I read that as Tower Trail from gas line to near Firetower is the boring part. It is a grinder that direction, but a hoot CW. Very flowy. It is the surprise section of Tower CW.

Been riding alot, but I haven't ridden FATS since late June. Where is it again?

[neal1975]

who can explain the perfectly vertical cut in the "big rock" , in the 4th/th pic? It looks like a giant razor blade went stragith down through about 15 of rock. What did this?

[brianW]

It looks like a fracture caused by a freeze/thaw cycle that you see in the northern parts. I have seen many rocks up there just like that.