Homer
Gear Masher
Posts: 47
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Post by Homer on Apr 10, 2011 20:09:26 GMT -5
I rode FATS recently (BW, Skinny and DS) and found the trails less than scenic. Compared to Wine, Turkey, Long Cane, HK, Bartram, etc, I just didn't enjoy my ride quite as much. Seemed like I was on a road ride in the woods looking at the same thing all the time. Now, the trails were great from a riding perspective, but a change of scenery every once in a while sure makes the ride more enjoyable to me. And yes, I do realize I did not ride all of FATS so flame away if you want, but I just didn't enjoy the view.
Is it me or do other riders enjoy seeing something other than trees while riding?
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Post by dparrott on Apr 10, 2011 20:45:24 GMT -5
Like a lot of things, it's a matter of opinion. But I'm with you. I don't count FATS as the most scenic. Local trails that have water, IMO, win hands down. HK, parts of Long Cane, Bartram, Keg, Rock Dam and north end of Wine have nice scenery. FATS is kind of like a roller coaster ride. The fun is huge but scenery is not an issue.
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Post by Angela on Apr 10, 2011 21:42:06 GMT -5
Scenery mattered to me the most when I first started riding and was slow and just riding along looking at everything. As I improved and began moving much faster through the woods I normally am not watching the scenery as closely as I used to but yes it does matter. I do love the water features along Horn Creek, Turkey, Wine, Modoc etc but my thinking is these were not built as mountain biking trails and hiking trails scenery is most critical because of the pace you are moving at... There are many parts of FATS that I find very scenic and very different (coming up Great Wall today (clockwise) before the final power line crossing is a stream that runs across huge boulders, at times of the year when the water runs heavily it is beautiful! There are other parts where the Palmettos are so thick down in the floor of the forest it looks like you are somewhere else. Areas of Brown Wave you are going from one section to another and the terrain changes and you are shredding through a pine forest with lots of needles down. Or on the Skinny counter clockwise after the first power crossing - a very cool downhill section. Many of them are really very cool late in the day just before the sun sets. You didn't get to ride Big Rock or Tower on Saturday but they are extremely scenic to me and have distinct parts that look very different. If you are really looking for water features, it definitely doesn't have a lot of those, but considering the lack of those water features I find the trails very scenic in their own right through the different seasons! And as they say, different strokes for different folks.  We do Century road rides once or twice a year and sometimes those long straight roads that seem to stretch for miles with no relief can get pretty boring so I know what you are talking about, but I always have the rush of pleasure when I'm out on FATS - I'm not typically paying too much attention to the scenery (keeping my eyes on those upcoming trees). |
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 10, 2011 23:50:22 GMT -5
Just like angela said - parts of FATS are really beautiful and scenic, some parts are featureless and bland. For instance, some of the sections on bigrock overlooking a very steep ridge, or the big rocks section, or the log bridge, etc... You really jsut have to catch it at the right moment, that can make all the difference.
There is one ride for me last year that stands out for me in paticular that blew my mind and i still think about it. It was a late fall afternoon, maybe in late october. A perfect day . . . deep blue sky with no clouds, dry and crisp weather, maybe 60 degress, . . . the kind of day that just begs you to go to the trail. The leaves on this one special day were at their peak color. I was riding CC on skinny, and rode through one section where it was just a solid wall of pure yellow, orange and reds - it took my breath away. I felt like i was riding through a postcard or a norman rockwell painting. It looked like an oil painting - It was a surreal experience, like i was floating in the air through the woods, on my own personal roller coaster through these shimmering walls of pure glowing gold and yellow, . . . with the only sound the constant crunching of leaves beneath my tires.
Sorry to sound homo about it. It was just one of those 'moments' where you feel touched by natures beauty, its kinda nice. Sometimes i just so badly wish i could show people how great riding is - if i could bottle it up and show them that one moment, it would open their eyes to the sport. Everyone thinks its too much work and too "hard", . . . but if they only know how much you long to be out there at those perfect special moments where its just you and the bike and the great scenery.
I dont know anyone can possibly stand to be a road rider, that looks boring as hell. (unless your int he alps or something) enjoy looking at your white line all day.
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Post by dgaddis1 on Apr 11, 2011 11:42:24 GMT -5
Scenery can add to the ride for sure, but I don't need it to enjoy the ride.
I'm bad about focusing ONLY on the trail anyways, and not looking around at all. I sucked at John Liebe's "Name that trail" game. We should start that back up.....
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Post by bikerpanda on Apr 11, 2011 12:52:51 GMT -5
Scenary matters but its not a deal breaker. I enjoy riding wine/turkey/bartrams/modoc at a slower pace to take everything in. Riding at FATS I just go. Both are fun, but a different type of fun. Im more likely to stop and take pictures at a more scenic trail than at FATS.
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Post by brianW on Apr 11, 2011 15:50:22 GMT -5
Scenery can add to the ride for sure, but I don't need it to enjoy the ride. I'm bad about focusing ONLY on the trail anyways, and not looking around at all. I sucked at John Liebe's "Name that trail" game. We should start that back up..... I was pretty good at it ;D..........by the way what every happened to the old "cash register" on Deep Step? |
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Post by wooglin on Apr 11, 2011 15:59:15 GMT -5
In the big picture, its all about the scenery. The reason to put in the miles on the local trails or roads is so that when you have an opportunity to go somewhere with real scenery you don't have to wonder if you're fit enough to handle it.  In the small picture, scenery is where you find it, and it changes every day.  |
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Post by azdrawdy on Apr 11, 2011 16:55:59 GMT -5
......by the way what every happened to the old "cash register" on Deep Step? I have wondered about that cash register over and over. In the beginning I thought about the jack wagons that stole it years back, snuck somewhere and busted it open, then threw it off the side of the road. Then it sat on the side of DS for about 2 years, and now it is gone...  MD |
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Post by azdrawdy on Apr 11, 2011 18:55:53 GMT -5
In the big picture, its all about the scenery. You are right. I joined Rails To Trails Conservancy just for this reason. If you honestly want to ride for hours and hours, enjoy various types of scenery, and not worry about vehicle traffic, then RTC is a viable option. Not ready to do it full time (maybe in 20 or so years  ), but supporting RTC is a worthwhile option IMO. MD |
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Post by Angela on Apr 11, 2011 19:07:44 GMT -5
For me it's all about the scenery when I am riding a new trail but for my home trails I am open to those great sensory moments that I happen upon (certain parts of the trail that are beautiful as dusk is falling, those leaves Neal was talking about in the Fall, rushing water along the trail after a period of heavy rain (the rocks area on Great Wall) - but it's more about the ride for sure!
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We do Century road rides once or twice a year and sometimes those long straight roads that seem to stretch for miles with no relief can get pretty boring so I know what you are talking about, but I always have the rush of pleasure when I'm out on FATS - I'm not typically paying too much attention to the scenery (keeping my eyes on those upcoming trees).
), but supporting RTC is a worthwhile option IMO.