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Post by neal1975 on May 22, 2011 21:30:44 GMT -5
Angela, thank SO SO SO much for taking out that low tree on skinny. i hated that thing.
and yes someones been riding four wheelers on great wall. shame on you it really tore up the trail in some parts
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 25, 2011 22:39:17 GMT -5
Just did two laps of Big Rock (one in each direction) After I am not sure which direction I like better. Second lap rode up to the tower to have one long descent. Big kid smile all the way down to the lot, shoot almost kept riding down the road. The section on tower from the tower down to the tower/big rock intersection and on big rock - basically the entire left hand side going from the big rock down to the parking lot - are mandatory riding in the CSRA. Definately the best spots at FATS and puts an ear to ear smile on my face everytime. I am riding big rock and tower on wed with a friend if anyone wants to come out and join, maybe around 530 or 6. hopefully it wont be too hot. send me a text if you want to come ride. Neal 706.726.8705
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 24, 2011 22:05:22 GMT -5
I love the new bike- so much lighter, so much more responsive and efficient. It eats climbs for breakfast, and glides down the hills - smooth as butter. Its amazing how much a few lbs difference makes. I also took the clipless plunge with this new bike, and ill never look back. So much more power- I recall saying, during my first ride out on the, ha ha - what was i thinking before! Also upgraded to Ergon CG3s on this bike, and to be honest they have made more of an improvement in my riding than any other single piece of equipment. They are AWESOME on climbs. I can take climbs before that would have just destroyed me, and they dont hurt me nearly as much with these. They look kinda goofy i admit, but they rock going up big hills-
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 24, 2011 16:44:50 GMT -5
I wanted to offer my sincere thanks to all the people who put in their time and hard work on Big Rock and Tower.
I rode these trails today and it was a flat-out blast. Both trails were in mint condition and dry and FAST !
I know its a hell of a lot of work to lug equipment in there and do the cutting work, so just takign my hat off to whoever it is that takes such good care of our trails. You guys rock! !!
*raises glass*
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 22, 2011 23:56:58 GMT -5
how did they so carefully control the burn right around the edges of the trail? Is it just from people riding it to stir the ash away and make the trail show, or did they actually control it right up to the edge of the trail? its bizarre looking
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 22, 2011 23:53:35 GMT -5
What is the difference, its government grant money (it comes from taxes in one way or another)
Can we not spend a Million dollars on a dirt path that is allready 1500 miles long. How about, maybe fix some roads or potholes or bridges.
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 22, 2011 23:22:46 GMT -5
Just a few pics from a ride a few weeks ago at big rock / FATS. Really nice little trail, it has definately grown on me Caught this guy out sunning himself on a tree stump. he didnt move an inch- a nice shot of the trail The huge tire at the bottom of the hill, wonder how long thats been there neat section I call this rocky area "the butt" (yes, i ride right through the buttcrack) another great feature lots of great and challening climbs and some fast descents too here a pic of my new ride, aint she a beauty
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 22, 2011 15:49:51 GMT -5
yay.
Im pretty sure our city could have put 1.2 million dollars to better use than adding a few feet to the towpath trail though -
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 20, 2011 16:40:09 GMT -5
wow. that video is very compelling.
can anyone confirm if they are actually that rugged and invinceable? the guy was mutilating his tires with nail guns and stuff - and they seal back up? *wha??? please explain how they work-
Also - the cost?
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 19, 2011 22:45:03 GMT -5
i rode sunday afternoon. was crusing down the backside of deep step in a world of pure bliss - my joy came to an abrupt end when i looked down and both tires were totally flat within about 2 minutes. LOL. *censored words* I couldnt find anything wrong with my tires, but you know how that goes - one tiny pin hole and its over. After getting home i realized what happened, i rode over a thorn bush or something? These are just a few of the items i dug out of my tires (not the nickel , that would be weird)
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 19, 2011 16:18:07 GMT -5
Seconded !
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 18, 2011 16:41:25 GMT -5
according to the map at the trailhead, only half of great wall is closed (burnt). I didnt ride down it to see how far though- I think basically where that fireroad is where they stopped the burn
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 18, 2011 16:11:11 GMT -5
you had me at papa and sons !
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 17, 2011 17:32:04 GMT -5
I rode today, and while down there i went and looked at the "burn" section. holy crap- it looks soo so bad. I mean every square inch of the ground, except for 12-24" of trail, is complete ash. It was very surreal looking- it was just a black, burnt landscape, but with trees. . . and a brown trail. so odd looking.
I wonder how long it will take to go back to normal? Several months ?
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 13, 2011 23:21:00 GMT -5
I take it anyway i can get it baby
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 13, 2011 17:04:33 GMT -5
Big rock for the win! Do people even know where big rock and tower are? i never see anyone there when i ride it, they are way underrated. go give it some love
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 12, 2011 16:34:40 GMT -5
I am actually with NITRO on this. I hate rider logs. They just dont offer anything to me on the ride. You have to slow down for it too. I tore up a chainring on my old bike on a rider, and just basically think they are in the way. small ones are ok i guess (such as that one on upper skinny)
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Post by neal1975 on Apr 10, 2011 23:56:02 GMT -5
great wall always has lots of muddy spots almost every time i ride it, especially down near the river.
You can ride skinny or great wall and they might be sopping wet, but go over to big rock and its dry as dust. love that trail
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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 neal1975 on Apr 9, 2011 17:36:47 GMT -5
My gf and i walked the left half of big rock today, it looked almost normal, almost no damage at all. I can tell someone had put in a bunch of work on one section that is near the big rock. but there is still a huge tree on the "switchback" right before the intersection.
We worked on pulling little branches and limbs off the trail.
So this trail, or at least the section we walked, is in great shape except for the one big tree.
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