Taming the Sourlands aka Conquering your Nemesis
- Thread starter rick81721
- Start date
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
Is the noob XC bike the key to clearing that damn section??
I’ll be making my first sourlands trip in... probably a year this weekend at some point. Thanks for keeping us updated on conditions! I’ll try to beat the dreaded downpours.
rick81721
Lothar
Seems to help with a lighter bike. Also, in a stroke of genius, I ditched my backpack/water source that probably weighs another 10 lbs - maybe that was it!
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
I also finally figured out this damn section. I started far to the right on that skinny section of trail, then cut across left and had enough speed/traction to throw the bike up the big rock face to make it through. Now I’m like 1/20 on this section?
It's always hard to tell what pile of rocks you're looking at in photos but i'm pretty sure that's climbing up Roaring Rocks with stream off trail to the left, correct? If so, you're 1 up on me. Have never cleaned that, and I actually usually take the other trail at the big rock cairn intersection after New Shoes. @rick81721 , is this your same nemesis section?
rick81721
Lothar
That's exactly how I did it. Previously I tried to go over that rock on the left or shoot the gap between those first two rocks.
Yes nemesis no more!
rick81721
Lothar
But speaking of nemeses - still a few left there. That C trail you just mentioned that avoids previous nemesis - I can get to the beginning of the steep climb but the first big step and it's over. Chunky monkey obviously. And last but not least, that dang troll bridge at the end of 3 amigos before it comes out on white. Once in a blue moon I can get to the bridge, but no further. Those roots over that boulder seem impossible
Those are all my nemesises as well. Troll bridge i can usually clean as long as the tires stick on the root boulder. I try to stay on mostly boulder (right side)- even though it's very off camber because the roots seem harder/worse.
2 more i'll add are on Boulderama. Hard to explain where they are but both kinda near Tumbling Stairs/Devils Half Acre. 1) Climbing up to Tumbling Stairs seems damn near impossible. 2) Downhill from tumbling stairs after the hairpin right turn around a big fallen tree there's a nasty rock garden that just scares me so i usually chicken out.
rick81721
Lothar
Ha yeah I forgot about boulderama - I usually avoid that on bike. It's easy running!
THATmanMANNY
Well-Known Member
@phillychris498 you touched dirt that doesn't count. For realz.
Let's get those pics and stories of the different black diamond sections going over here -
Maybe some of the alternate lines.
I'm going to move the first couple from the conditions thread.....if they don't have names, we'll
take care of that.
What have you cleaned today?
What is on the Never list?
As an aside, SMP is about 6.5 miles in a straight line from 6MR....what a difference!
a bag of fails....start about 50 seconds in.
Maybe some of the alternate lines.
I'm going to move the first couple from the conditions thread.....if they don't have names, we'll
take care of that.
What have you cleaned today?
What is on the Never list?
As an aside, SMP is about 6.5 miles in a straight line from 6MR....what a difference!
a bag of fails....start about 50 seconds in.
Last edited:
Paul H
Fearless OOS Poser
So what helmet you wearing?
jklett
Well-Known Member
Did you go back today or was that from another day? I think that this thread is a great idea, it's a good way to learn how to pick lines and seeing how others see them.
from a couple weeks ago. i took a nap today.
Dingo
Well-Known Member
Been here 100 times.
Still trying to pick out the best lines, thing is, it's never the right one.
Just go with the one your on.
always a challenge, that is the fun part
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
One alt line that I love (and am also terrified of) is going down the shot climb on tres amigos towards roaring rocks. I think it was built 2 years ago and the path to it has since been taken away by ma nature, but it’s one of the bigger, freeride-esque lines that Sourlands has to offer. You can either go up and over the one boulder sitting on top of the roller and drop down onto the roller, or do a track stand to make a hard, 90-120 degree right turn around the boulder to get down the roller. This picture is taken about 20 feet back from the roller... it goes down where my bike is pointing:
phillychris498
Well-Known Member
X marks the spot for that roller... its before the entrance to chunky monkey. A hard right turn up the climb... I might clear out the entrance next time I'm around.
