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Post by seenvic on Jun 8, 2010 8:40:12 GMT -5
I notice a big difference in say 95 degrees and higher than say 90 degrees.
I don't notice as big a difference in 95% humidity and 85% humidity.
I can be "fairly" comfortable and can ride at 90 degrees, and be completely toasted in 95 degree heat.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 7, 2010 20:52:38 GMT -5
This is fairly close to a gravel road. The one that goes done to the Brown Wave. Someone with a pickup truck and a couple of friends could get the carcass out of there. I rearranged it tonite so that if you fell on it you won't put your hand thru a rusty nail.
Perhaps enough old concrete there to make this spot better/more interesting than the crater it is now. Plus it will fill up will water in the winter.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 7, 2010 11:51:33 GMT -5
I have a bad case of Plum Branch Fever right now. And it will probably rear it's head again Sunday.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 6, 2010 6:25:14 GMT -5
Apples to oranges. That pallet was 100% solid oak.
I can't imagine why it was moved.
Perhaps it was rotting, as it had been out there 4+ years. I had seen no evidence of that, but I haven't taken a close look at it either. There may be enough rock in that area to just use rock. Or it may not need to be fixed at all. We'll know this winter.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 5, 2010 20:01:50 GMT -5
Today was great, overall. I have a big time riding that trail and today was no exception. It was great to see so many first timers up there from Augusta. I thought it was primitive compared to FATS, and that is wonderful. Fast and flowy at times. The old school horse trail that sees little horse use is just spectacular. The broken bridge has a nice techy line in it now. The DH to the RR trestle was smoking today. It was great even with the muddy tread in places and the rain at the end.
Thanks for the food.
It was great to see the Greenwood boys again. Wish more of them had come out.
Plum Branch tomorrow at 9AM. Meet in the parking lot of "Fishing Village" in Plum Branch on the right side of 28 going north. Or at 8:30 in main FATS parking lot.
Could be muddy out there, could be somewhat sketchy riding near the house. Just giving fair warning. Trail is great if you like primitive and technical. It starts off wide and narrows up as the miles roll. If we ride it like I did last weekend, it will be about 16ish miles of riding. Let me know if you may make it.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 4, 2010 21:13:54 GMT -5
I've said it before, first time I rode I barely made it around Horn Creek. First time on TC, I turned around about 2.5 miles in and barely made it back to the car.
The good thing about where (some of) you guys are is that the level of improvement at the start is amazingly fast.
Tim - congrats on quitting smoking. That is great.
Work party things. Depends on the season and the trail. At HKSP we will run DR mowers along the edge of the trails to knock down samplings, stinging nettle and other vegetation. We have to do vegetation removal from every trail we have or they get pretty tight and sticky.
Other trails need tread work from time to time. Either deberming spots, or cleaning out mud holes so they will drain. Every trail sees chainsaws from time to time, depending on how hard the wind blows and where. Some trees get left on the trails on purpose to be ridden over for the challenge of it. We've also rebuilt bridges and built them from scratch.
I enjoy working on the trails. I like tread / dirt work the best, but I think I am going to run a mower at HKSP Saturday for at least a little while. All sorts of work goes into the trails. I don't mind doing it except when it involves moving really heavy things from long distance. That part sucks.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 4, 2010 12:35:27 GMT -5
Tim, What is making you stop and walk at FATS?
If climbing, it will become easier with better fitness. But at some point you are going to have to convince yourself that you love climbing, or MTB'g will always be hard.
Here is the bottom line on climbing. Only the towpath at the Canal, the Canal singletrack, Old Batram and perhaps Wine Creek have less climbing per mile than the Skinny Loop at FATS. And none of those trails are as smooth as the Skinny Loop at FATS. Wine Creek is a no condition to be ridden and presents some techy challenges that may be difficult for a beginner.
But if you keep up the regular riding, going longer as you go, your strength and endurance will improve. At some point, start riding with others who are stronger than you....this is the best way to get strong.
Keep it up and you will get there.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 4, 2010 8:35:43 GMT -5
I am. Are you?
Possibly best MTB on the Long Cane Ranger District. It has it all. Fast flow, and technical sections as well. Fast downs, some climbs.
LCHT absolutely blows up.
You will not be sorry if you have never been here and go up for this ride .
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 19:49:57 GMT -5
Thank you
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 13:56:52 GMT -5
Tim, FATS dries pretty quickly this time of year. We had some big rains over the weekend and wanted to be sure to keep the Memorial Day crowds off the trails. Winter time is another matter though. The same amount of rain in the winter will stay in the ground much longer than now. It is because there are no leaves on the trees pulling water out of the ground. I used to think it rained more here in the winter, but it doesn't. The water just stays in the ground longer. www.sorbacsra.org is a our homepage. It will say whether or not FATS is open, and it is open today. It did rain last night again after we opened it, but again, it was closed to keep a large holiday crowd of it and that holiday has come and gone. It never hurts to use common sense. For example, it would be better to wait until this afternoon to ride instead of this morning to allow yesterday's rain to dry up more. I hope we haven't created a situation where if the site says FATS is open, then people don't use critical thinking to judge whether or not it is a good idea to go ride FATS of not. At times I think this and at those times we tend to keep it closed more.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 12:42:03 GMT -5
Might do it. 50 miler that is.
More single than I thought. 50/50 is about perfect for me.
Either this or ORAMM and I know what ORAMM is all about. It hurts.
Am I reading the registration right?:
For $180 I can race, stay Fri and Sat and eat Sat breakfast and dinner and Sunday breakfast. I also get a post ride meal as part of my race fee. OR
For $135 I can race, stay Friday night and eat breakfast there Sat AM and have a post race meal on Saturday and drive home.
Long drive home after a long ride. Couldn't/wouldn't want to do it solo. But I'd lean towards wanting to get home Saturday. Wouldn't be a deal breaker, just sayin' it in case others are leaning that way.
What are you (Dustin, Mark and possibly Niner Nitro doing). I think Dustin said he is in the for $100 + $80 for the full monte.
Seems like a well priced event.
6ish hours to finish? Maybe more?
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 11:10:46 GMT -5
How much singletrack? How much climbing?
Never heard much good about Fool's Gold. Not heard much bad about it, but not much good either.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 9:09:56 GMT -5
Looking over the results from last year. Man, this is a home boy course! I ride other trails with some of the riders who beat me last year and generally stay in front of them. But at the Canal I can't keep up with the riders who know it well.
First noticed this 5-10 years ago. The TT confirmed results confirmed it.
That said, I hope to be there with the family for at least 2 of these if not all four.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 3, 2010 8:19:53 GMT -5
I am 80% in for this. Haven't ridden HKSP in 2+ years. But that is a just a good reason to go work on it. I'll probably ride it and or Plum Branch as well.
Only 80% because I have no idea if I am already committed to doing something with family.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 2, 2010 20:37:31 GMT -5
WOW! Thanks for posting that.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 2, 2010 19:58:25 GMT -5
Please take down the closed signs in the North lot and Big Rock trail upper and lower entrance.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 1, 2010 18:55:57 GMT -5
I have never cleared a web at FATS. I have always noticed that and found it amazing.
edit to add disclaimer: during daylight hours. I have cleared webs on night rides at FATS.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 1, 2010 18:52:53 GMT -5
I have the Garmin 705 so I'm thinking it should be one of the more accurate. nice. i got a 60csxmap handheld I just put in my jersey pocket. it gets much better reception than the older GPSII I had forever. As quiver said, the newer units have much better reception. I am more interested in the mapping and elevation data than the bike functions. I just take them as gravy, inacuracies and all.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 1, 2010 18:37:40 GMT -5
The write up about Fell Hunt Camp on that site was hilarious. Obviously written by someone whose job was to write about a bunch of places one has never been. It mentions a bunch of stuff to do....none of which is a good reason to camp at Fell. And then says nothing about the trail that Fell is on! To this reader, it was hilarious.
Good map. The right turn at the large southern home is onto Cedar Springs Rd. If you get on Key Rd, and never turn until you will hit a large white home if you don't turn (right), you will get there.
This is a great trail. This will be a great ride if it doesn't rain all week.
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Post by seenvic on Jun 1, 2010 12:54:49 GMT -5
Get yourself to Key Bridge. If coming from the South, just stay on Key Rd until you can't drive straight anymore. If you come to a four way, go straight. The road will change names to Millway Rd sometime after you pass Pete's store at the 378 intersection.
Just go straight at every intersection until you get to one in which you can't go straight. Eventually you will cross SC221/10 and just drive straight. You will also cross a RR track when you cross 221/10. Keep going straight. You will come to an intersection where you have to go left or right. There will be a large ante-bellum home right in front of you and a cemetary over your left shoulder. Go right.
In about a mile or so on the right will be the Fell Hunt Camp. Park there. I think there is a $3 fee to park at Fell (like Lick Fork).
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