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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 30, 2008 20:34:49 GMT -5
I ride alone all the time - the key is to stay within your ability. When on an unfamiliar trail, ride slow and carefull. Same if you are tired. At FATS, slow down if it is within an hour of dark unless you have a light with you! Always carry a cell phone!
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 30, 2008 20:25:45 GMT -5
This is great! In Florida we have a similar trail north of Tampa on the Suncoast Parkway. Since I hope to moveto McCormick in the next year or two at least for half the year and like to road ride as well as mountain bike, I can't wait to ride this trail. I am a little skiddish about road riding in SC since you have one cyclist killed every 17.4 days, few paved shoulders and no bike lanes. In Florida we already have hundreds of miles of multi-use paths and bike lanes everywhere. Bill from Jacksonville
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 29, 2008 8:54:04 GMT -5
Just wanted to let y'all know that Sir Bikesalot was at FATS yesterday making a video that will be posted on his website in the next week or two. I actually got the priviledge to star in the video since they asked me at the trailhead how to get to Big Rock and Tower. I did not have any more FATS maps with me since I had given the only map I had with me to another Florida guy from Daytona Beach at 9:30 AM so I just led them out down Deep Step over to Big Rock so look for me in the video (the ONLY ONE wearing the requisite ORANGE VEST).
BTW, where were all the CSRA guys yesterday; when I left the trailhead there were only 2 Florida and 3 North Carolina license plates in the parking lot!
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 29, 2008 8:48:03 GMT -5
Michael, Rode 57 miles at FATS yesterday when I saw this rain coming - it started sprinking when I was packing up about 5:30 in the parking lot. I am coming up to SC for my brother's graduation from Winthrop and Commissioning in the Air Force 12/20 and since I will be staying in Lexington with another brother may head over here to FATS and/or Long Cane. If I do would be happy to let you test ride the bike if you would like; you really helped me out at the FATS grand opening and I would be happy to return the favor. It looks like we may be socked in for rain through tomorrow so I think we are going to pack up the camper and head home today.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 26, 2008 8:08:35 GMT -5
Michael, I just realized yesterday that you are the guy who was parked next to me and helped me out with my flat tire and lost water bottle at the FATS grand opening. I did not make it to Baker yesterday. Keg Creek and Bartram took longer than expected and then I had a flat on my 29er on the new extension of the Bartram Trail. If I had known how lumpy that trail was I would have switched to the Rush, especially since I did not even have a 29er tube! Drew had never sold a 29er and did not have a spare tube to give me when I picked up the 29er last Friday before I left on Saturday at 8:00 AM. I actually had had enough of the extension and was riding out the gravel road loop around to the car via pavement when I had the flat so I just had to walk the last 1.5 miles. No big deal and that was all I was planning to ride yesterday anyway. Keg and Bartram were great, although Keg is in pretty bad shape, almost lost my drive train more than once and there are several trees down but the scenery was second to none. Since I likely will ride all the CSRA trails this week except Wine (per your advice) and the 2 trails south of I-20, I probably will update trail conditions on all the trails next week. If anyone has a question, just ask away. btw, Bartram also has a few trees down.
I am meeting the Long Cane folks for another ride today and Ashby Stokes is going to give me his spare 29er tubes since he has switched back to a 26er. Michael, I will be riding every day until I go back home Sunday so seriously if you would like to test ride my 29er XL and you are willing to change the tube, you are free to ride all you want. I am 6'2" and I think the 20er is "all that and a bag of chips" as they say. However, I just put 100 miles on that bike in 4 days and my rear end is ready to go back to the FS. Drew was pressed for time and did not have any hydraulic brake cables long enough to fit the XL frame so it only has mechanical disc brakes. I also will be upgrading to tubeless ASAP when I get back - Drew is pricing them as we speak. My cell is 904-652-5877.
JT, thanks for the Mistletoe review - I hopefully will be able to make it over there before I head home. The only issue is I have only ridden FATS once so far (only the 4 original loops incl walking half of Great Wall) so once I get back to FATS again I may not go anywhere else since I am experiencing withdrawal symptoms right now! Bill from Jacksonville
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 25, 2008 9:06:51 GMT -5
Thanks MD, I may meet you at 2:00 if I am back from Keg Creek and Bartram in time - plan to head down there after breakfast. One caveat - I will have my brand new 29er Caffeine with me - its the 2008 raw frame - Drew Johnson at City Cycle Jacksonville used to be the Cannandale SE rep and has the hook-up on anything Cannondale - he got me my Rush Carbon frame for $1,200 (yes, that # is correct!). My 29er was a left-over 2008 model that was a single speed bike that Drew re-built with gears. I actually will soon be selling the hub and crank to offset my investment (my wife is not real excited that I just spent another large $,$$$.$$ on another bike!). Drew got the bike from Cannondale (before I started messing with it) for $1,400. After you see my bikes, you likely will be infected with bike lust and will have to just head down to Chainreaction and buy one! If you want to test ride it, I might even let you it if you sign a repair waiver! Bill from Jacksonville
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 24, 2008 20:13:26 GMT -5
I am up here camping at HKSP all week and am planning to ride most every day. Since FATS I assume will be closed due to the rain, could someone advise which of the following can be ridden after rain (don't want to mess up your great trails here but sure would like to ride since I drove 300+ miles up here and my wife towed the camper the same with 3 kids and dog):
Baker Creek Modoc Turkey Creek Wine Creek Lick Fork Keg Creek Bartram Mistletoe
Two other questions:
1. How is Mistletoe - is it worth driving to as I have not read much about it? 2. I have my brand new Cannondale Caffeine 29er (kudos again to Bill Victor's California friends esp Morgan who fixed it after the E. bracket broke after the first 4 miles I put on it into Great Wall and then I walked the next 4 miles out. Bill, don't know what I would have done without you!) and my Cannondale Rush Carbon full suspension. Could someone advise what sort of trail Baker Creek is - would it be better to ride the Rush or the Caffeine 29er?
Thanks, Bill from Jacksonville
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 24, 2008 20:04:22 GMT -5
I am staying at HKSP this week and the trail is in pretty bad shape. Had to ride slow due to all the leaves/sticks on the trail to save my drivetrain and there are (I think I counted) 4 trees down on the Lake Loop. If I had a saw, I would cut them back (is that allowed?) but alas I did not bring one up from Jacksonville.
But rode FATS on the way up Saturday and Long Cane with Ashby Stokes yesterday - great time with special thanks to Bill Victor's California friends (esp Morgan) who fixed my new Cannondale 29er Saturday at FATS.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 12, 2008 12:42:18 GMT -5
AMEN!
Just everyone remember that in Florida, ie Sand Central, when it rains, trail conditions are greatly improved; when it does not rain, trails convert to treacherous sugar sand as I found out 2 weeks ago when I violently crashed my brand new Rush Carbon frame bike at Hanna Park Jacksonville (can you say look at those stars circling around my head) in an event that included a tree and ended up with me on my back, separated from the bike, after violently striking the back of my head on the ground. Fortunately, bike was fine and, after a visit to the chiropractor, so was I.
So many folks may not understand why a trail is in worse condition after a rain.......
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Nov 12, 2008 12:35:18 GMT -5
I just bought a Light & Motion Seca 400 a month ago from Performancebike to replace my Niterider Halogen because it had become unreliable. I use it every morning for my 30 mile road ride from 4:50 to 6:30 AM here in Jacksonville, Florida and think it is the best thing I have ever used. Well worth the $$$. I will be camping at Hickory Knob State Park from 11/22 to 11/30/2008 and cannot wait to try it out on FATS, Hickory Knob, etc. It mounts helmet or handlebar. See website: www.bikelights.com/folders.asp?uid=1
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Thanks
Sept 16, 2008 11:55:39 GMT -5
Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Sept 16, 2008 11:55:39 GMT -5
I also would like to say thanks to everyone especially to Michael Drawdy for help in fixing my flat and loaning a water bottle for the second half of the epic ride. Food was great, poker run was fun and prizes were fine! Also was nice to meet many of the SORBA CSRA folks.
I see alot of miles in my future between Jacksonville and FATS-wish it weren't so far, gas wasn't so expensive and I could convince more Florida friends to head up there with me. Will be spreading the word at every chance down here. I also sometime would like to join a volunteer work day - trips up there are just so expensive with gas, food and then to add a place to stay, which is why I have done like Saturday - leave Jax at 3:00 AM ride all day and then drive home - a bit exhausting but worth it.
When I came back from my last ride, I was the only one left and a man and his son had stopped by on his Harley - they were looking at the map at the trailhead, had read the story in the paper and recently bought mountain bikes but have only ridden the Greenway. I took a few minutes to explain the difficulty of the trails, recommend they start with Skinny and encouraged them to come back with their bikes. So the word is getting out. Its great to see more interest in mtn biking. I encourage people every chance I get and am sure y'all are doing the same.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Aug 23, 2008 16:29:09 GMT -5
Hey - when you are a Florida FATS FAN and its 275 miles each way to ride FATS you have to get your money's worth....
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Aug 20, 2008 19:15:59 GMT -5
Rode 50 miles Sunday - did all six loops plus two laps of DS and BW. Kudos on the new trails. I did them CCW as suggested and must admit they were more work than I was expecting, although since they were the last I did fatigue could be influencing the assessment. Can't wait to get up there again and give them another try. Hope I can make it for the opening next month.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Aug 20, 2008 19:11:42 GMT -5
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Aug 13, 2008 17:27:38 GMT -5
The problem is I also want to do all of the other trails incl. two loops of BW (once each direction) and DS plus one loop of Tower and BR while still getting back to Beaufort at a reasonable time.....
rsmith - I will be happy to pick you up if you will stop driving through Jacksonville without picking me up! If I knew you were passing through, you might see me on I-95 with my bike and thumb out!
One more question - how long is the ORA trail and how does it compare to FATS? Since I drive near it on the way there and back, I was wondering if it is worth a spin or if its better to do another lap at FATS. Also, which is the best direction if I do ride it?
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Aug 12, 2008 17:21:32 GMT -5
It looks like while I am at my mom's in Beaufort this weekend I am going to get to come up to FATS for a few hours Saturday morning and want to ride Tower and Big Rock. Thought the consensus was to ride Big Rock CW and Tower CCW but now I see other opinions. If I can only ride each once, which way should I go?
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Jun 27, 2008 15:32:26 GMT -5
I am planning to road trip to FATS tomorrow morning from Jacksonville but I see there was 0.49 inches of rain in the Augusta area yesterday. Can anyone verify FATS is open?
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on Jun 17, 2008 20:39:21 GMT -5
You defininitely want to ride all of FATS as much as possible - I'm from Jacksonville as well and went up there last month for my 40th birthday and rode FATS, Long Cane and Hickory Knob. See my post/thread at General Discussion - Could someone prioritize my trail list. I highly recommend FATS and Long Cane - I am still having withdrawal symptoms and plan to get back up there as many times as possible. The only trail I enjoyed as much as those was Razorback. Where do you ride here?, maybe I could meet you for a ride. E-mail me at bharthmwrk@comcast.net if interested.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on May 29, 2008 6:39:16 GMT -5
I also would agree - the HK trail was in fine shape in my opinion. I also will watch the website for the IMBA Epic.
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Post by Virginia Bill (fka Jax Bill) on May 27, 2008 19:26:55 GMT -5
Thanks everyone for their advice. Sunday for my 40th birthday I did a full loop CCW as recommended then went to Long Cane and met Ashbey Stokes and his brother for a 21 mile ride and then did 15 miles at HKSP (62 miles of pure fun). I loved FATS so much I went back Monday and did a loop CW and then did two more loops of Brown Wave and Deep Step for 54 miles. My favorites are BW CW and DS CCW. I can't wait to come back up again and do FATS especally to ride the two new loops and Long Cane. I actully did this after 71 miles of riding Friday and Saturday on various trails around Atlanta/Macon/Athens but I much prefer FATS and Long Cane. Its well worth the drive from Jacksonville and I will be back.
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