Pearl's Generic Talk
- Thread starter Pearl
- Start date
Dusty the Whale
Mr.Chainsaw
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
I'll just keep it in Jersey
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Martin, It is a vholdr.
rlb, I'm uploading it to vimeo now, just for you.
About the Trails
I know this is going to sound funny and if you know me you know what kind of trails we normally ride, but I miss northeast trails. I think it has to do with 1,500 feet of climbing straight from the parking lot. That is not for me. But most of the videos I will be posting are pretty uncut footage, 15-20 minute downhills. Back home its just up and down "hills" (again I'm sure I could find something similar around home, but haven't) which I seem to enjoy more.
My thoughts on my rental bike
So I rented a Santa Cruz Superlight for our trip. I can now fully weigh in on 26/29er debate with feelings on both sides. The bike was great. I did feel like I was cruising on a leather couch riding it, which was great for the terrain I was riding on (wide open double track) Now this is coming someone that rides a singlespeed exclusively. I did not climb any better than I did with my singlespeed. I'm sure it has to do with the elevation or the fact I was not strong enough to climb anything to begin with. I didn't climb any better than Mandi did on her singlespeed (32:18), So I knew for a fact gears were not cut out for me.
The bike downhill was great, I felt way in control going over some of the boulders and laying into the turns. Most of the terrain was sandy (think Allaire) so the bike washed out in the turns a lot easier than I thought my 29er ever did. I couldn't judge this because I didn't get to ride the big wheeled bike at this place.
Overall, I would say that the full suspension 26 inch bike is NOT dead. It really depends on where you are going to ride it. I would for SURE not want to rent that bike when I ride any of the trails around here. The 29er trend has barely caught on in Colorado; We ran into 2 people with 29er's at Buff Creek. I would say that the geared, full suspension, 26 inch bike did not make me any faster than the singlespeed hardtail Mandi was on (video proof). She is also a beast so it really doesn't matter. Overall this is MTBNJ, so the 26 inch bike has been declared since jay's infamous post with 1,000 replies.
Walker Ranch
This place was a good wake up call to what was expected. We parked at the top of the downhill (only lot) and bombed for 15 minutes downhill. We then hit the rocks for a quarter mile of hiking. I won't lie, We struggled to get back up to the car. Not sure if we rode the trail the wrong way or not, but we did enjoy 2 or 3 bad ass technical downhills. Will post the video up next post. (45% at this is typed) Would I say it was a must hit? Not as much as Buff Creek.
Buffalo Creek
So this place, overall was awesome. We parked off a "do not drive down this road" parking lot. I totally misjudged the scale on the map. We were hoping to do this short 15-20 mile loop that had a short climb in the beginning and a good 30 minute downhill back to the car. It ended up being a 5 mile fire road to a 3 mile, straight up hill, downhill-like run. We did not prepare for this and it was very demoralizing. I know I felt like I sucked at biking, I couldn't ride anything for more than 50 feet without feeling like I was going to blow up. Every turn we looked for a trailhead. 3 miles in 1,200 feet takes forever. Mandi is a trooper for doing this on her singlespeed.
I cropped up the video of the downhill run, but this it the route we took (incase anyone is going to Buff Creek in the future:
543 > Baldy (sucky 4 mile climb) > Charlies Cuttoff > Homestead > Sandy Wash
This is a must hit if you are within 2 hours of Pine, Colorado. About an hour from Denver. I may crop the video together before I get home, but I had too much downhill footage for one video.
Holy crap, I posted a lot. I doubt anyones going to read it, plus I didn't put any pictures up.
rlb, I'm uploading it to vimeo now, just for you.
About the Trails
I know this is going to sound funny and if you know me you know what kind of trails we normally ride, but I miss northeast trails. I think it has to do with 1,500 feet of climbing straight from the parking lot. That is not for me. But most of the videos I will be posting are pretty uncut footage, 15-20 minute downhills. Back home its just up and down "hills" (again I'm sure I could find something similar around home, but haven't) which I seem to enjoy more.
My thoughts on my rental bike
So I rented a Santa Cruz Superlight for our trip. I can now fully weigh in on 26/29er debate with feelings on both sides. The bike was great. I did feel like I was cruising on a leather couch riding it, which was great for the terrain I was riding on (wide open double track) Now this is coming someone that rides a singlespeed exclusively. I did not climb any better than I did with my singlespeed. I'm sure it has to do with the elevation or the fact I was not strong enough to climb anything to begin with. I didn't climb any better than Mandi did on her singlespeed (32:18), So I knew for a fact gears were not cut out for me.
The bike downhill was great, I felt way in control going over some of the boulders and laying into the turns. Most of the terrain was sandy (think Allaire) so the bike washed out in the turns a lot easier than I thought my 29er ever did. I couldn't judge this because I didn't get to ride the big wheeled bike at this place.
Overall, I would say that the full suspension 26 inch bike is NOT dead. It really depends on where you are going to ride it. I would for SURE not want to rent that bike when I ride any of the trails around here. The 29er trend has barely caught on in Colorado; We ran into 2 people with 29er's at Buff Creek. I would say that the geared, full suspension, 26 inch bike did not make me any faster than the singlespeed hardtail Mandi was on (video proof). She is also a beast so it really doesn't matter. Overall this is MTBNJ, so the 26 inch bike has been declared since jay's infamous post with 1,000 replies.
Walker Ranch
This place was a good wake up call to what was expected. We parked at the top of the downhill (only lot) and bombed for 15 minutes downhill. We then hit the rocks for a quarter mile of hiking. I won't lie, We struggled to get back up to the car. Not sure if we rode the trail the wrong way or not, but we did enjoy 2 or 3 bad ass technical downhills. Will post the video up next post. (45% at this is typed) Would I say it was a must hit? Not as much as Buff Creek.
Buffalo Creek
So this place, overall was awesome. We parked off a "do not drive down this road" parking lot. I totally misjudged the scale on the map. We were hoping to do this short 15-20 mile loop that had a short climb in the beginning and a good 30 minute downhill back to the car. It ended up being a 5 mile fire road to a 3 mile, straight up hill, downhill-like run. We did not prepare for this and it was very demoralizing. I know I felt like I sucked at biking, I couldn't ride anything for more than 50 feet without feeling like I was going to blow up. Every turn we looked for a trailhead. 3 miles in 1,200 feet takes forever. Mandi is a trooper for doing this on her singlespeed.
I cropped up the video of the downhill run, but this it the route we took (incase anyone is going to Buff Creek in the future:
543 > Baldy (sucky 4 mile climb) > Charlies Cuttoff > Homestead > Sandy Wash
This is a must hit if you are within 2 hours of Pine, Colorado. About an hour from Denver. I may crop the video together before I get home, but I had too much downhill footage for one video.
Holy crap, I posted a lot. I doubt anyones going to read it, plus I didn't put any pictures up.
Last edited:
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Here is the video for all you peeps that aren't friends with me on facebook: http://www.vimeo.com/12094266
I don't know if I would mountain bike if I had to do that, every day. It was totally worth it at the end, but I'm not sure I could EVER clean a climb like that. The closest thing I could relate it to would be climbing the fire road at Ringwood up to the race trail. 20 times. I have a new found vision of what a climb/hill is. I guess that is NJ riding and CO riding. NJ rolls up and down, while Colorado is straight up for 3 hours, and then straight down for 40 minutes.
I don't know if I would mountain bike if I had to do that, every day. It was totally worth it at the end, but I'm not sure I could EVER clean a climb like that. The closest thing I could relate it to would be climbing the fire road at Ringwood up to the race trail. 20 times. I have a new found vision of what a climb/hill is. I guess that is NJ riding and CO riding. NJ rolls up and down, while Colorado is straight up for 3 hours, and then straight down for 40 minutes.
Norm, It took a lot of patience to write this. I would not expect this on a weekly basis. Maybe monthly. At least I can litter this thread instead of the whole board.
martin
Active Member
november 1984 thank you very much!
is it the HD?
can you show me around there one day? 😀
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Here is another lame XC video. Part 1 of Buffalo Creek. Can't figure out what songs to put on these damn things. The wind over the past week here were 20-30mph and hit gusts of 50. I usually try and keep some audio but it was almost impossible.
Yes, I am well aware of that 😉 Hopefully she doesn't read this and leave me after this trip!
I haven't been, I was hoping to hope on one of the Jorbafest rides on the 5th.
Yes. Not sure if it is uploading in HD.
Others will have differing opinions but I would skip stephens and deer park and head straight to muchy north. Not that the other parks aren't fun but muchy is a unique experience.
Pearl
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Are you doing any of the jorbafest rides? I'll do the one you're on so you can hear my review first hand 🙂
Crap, just checked my schedule and I have somewhere to be that morning. Won't be at the Fest till 11-12 or so. Go for the 9am 15+ mile advanced ride!
That buffalo creek video looks fun. One thing I've noticed about videos from west coast trails is that they seem to be smoother for the most part? It's like 6mr, but dryer dirt, less twisty, much more elevation. I mean I've seen some photos/videos of gnar sections, but I've yet to see a video or photos from the West Coast of continuous ridable gnar like Sourlands or Blue Mountain.
I don't get out there that much, but sure lets plan something. Maybe we can get one of the muchy folks for a tour.
nothing around here compares to colorado. Yes, some places have alot of climbing, but the climbs are done in a few min. You can climb for hours out there all at one time.
The east coast is know for its rocky rooty trails and the trails I have riding out west (very little) have generally been smoother. However, Noble Canyon Trail outside of san diego had some seriously technical sections...all after a 1.5 hour climb 😛uke:
Red Mosquito
Formerly RLB the Scrapple Boy
Thanks for the vids, looks like you 2 had a blast out there. Aside from the climbing 😀
