Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
trails!
man, one weekend off from racing and look what happens. my apologies for the poor quality of the photos (cell phone). we'll get some action shots with legit equipment.
first you hit this step up, you can roll the left side
round the bend and theres about a 5' gap over that log.
nice hip with enormous landing
after the hip there's a loose turn, into what we're working on now: a dirt quarter and a more trick friendly hip.
first you hit this step up, you can roll the left side
round the bend and theres about a 5' gap over that log.
nice hip with enormous landing
after the hip there's a loose turn, into what we're working on now: a dirt quarter and a more trick friendly hip.
Highland
see video below: it's not done but I thought I ought to post something. I'm not so sure about the music, but I wanted to incorporate girl talk somehow, so some feedback on that would be good (comment)
okay it may have been a week ago but I was still riding threshold in my head for at least three days...
Highland is far away, like 7 hours if you pass all the grannies in vermont. It's also worth it.
On the way up we split up the drive by stopping at Skidmore for a girl talk concert. I hadn't listened to any girl talk, but someone said dance party. The opener was pretty bad, so we prepped with a quick safety meeting, I felt much more ready for the dance party. Music was good, he never let the beat drop, but skidmore was a strange atmosphere, and they cut the music for a bit because too many people were on stage...any way, fun time.
drove some more, to rutland...
woke up and hauled ass to highland. lots of lift lines sadly, but we paid our dues and got the goods. Riders are Andrew, me, and Hayden. Colin came too but had a sprained ankle from Lehigh...but he got some sweet footy which is going on the blog tomorrow.
there are two races, one on the easier trail eastern hemlock, and one on the crazy trail threshold. we rode on both, threshold is the most fun ever.
Hayden busted a wheel about halfway through the day, but got it repaired in time for a couple of runs at the end. After he got back on the mountain, we decided we should hit a trail called NE style. It's a smooth trail with HUGE berms and great tables and big drops. We were ripping along until suddenly Andrew is running out of the woods telling me to stop and keeps running to get medical assistance. Some dude had crashed on a big wooden g-out...a steep roller.
He was ko'd next to the trail, unnerving raspy breaths, blood...well, details aren't really necessary. I talked to him (he didnt hear...) until med folks arrived. They did a great job prepping him to get out of there, a helicopter was there within 10 minutes. he came to as they strapped him onto the atv.
He went to dartmouth. we heard word of brain swelling and 10 hours of facial reconstruction surgery...but we're all hoping he's okay.
So that was out last run...I think we were all a bit freaked out by the whole thing. it was creepy to see someone so messed up on the side of the trail.
I was starting to have some doubts about racing...threshold is a super gnarly trail...but we put the past behind us, rode the pump track a bit. Grabbed some grub at the local pizza shop, then back to the mountain for some good live music, a campfire, and a good nights sleep in Leo's circus tent.
Sunday: more practice, then racing. I dont remember exactly what the results were, but I remember that Hayden did awesome in Cs on eastern hemlock, Andrew also did pretty well on eastern, I barely missed top ten on threshold, and couldnt keep my chain on on hemlock. My goal recently has been to quit crashing during races, and so far I'm doing well. Speed is increasing as I get my arm strength back and my practice up...no rush.
No crashes, lots of great riding, less lift lines on Sunday. Fun. We got plenty of riding in and called it quits, then hauled back to ithaca. I passed all the grannies, andrew had a hard time keeping up.
Andrew said:
Some corrections:
Bullshit I couldn't keep up. My car just can't pass 3 cars up a hill. Then I drove a little too fast and had a little too much fun on this twisty single lane road for an hour, and had Dave in my sights. Then according to the nav system, we thought we had a shortcut through some town, and were rejoicing when we got onto the highway and no Dave. Then, after 20mins of driving, we see him in the next town and pull up next to him, ready for a race. Then I made promptly made a wrong turn, said fuck it and found gas, then was led astray by the nav system again.
So yeah. My ego is intact.
Also, the pizza we had was really good. Twice.
Racing threshold was absurd, I did not make it down successfully, twice. Highland in general was like the as of yet unplayed next level of a video game.
okay it may have been a week ago but I was still riding threshold in my head for at least three days...
Highland is far away, like 7 hours if you pass all the grannies in vermont. It's also worth it.
On the way up we split up the drive by stopping at Skidmore for a girl talk concert. I hadn't listened to any girl talk, but someone said dance party. The opener was pretty bad, so we prepped with a quick safety meeting, I felt much more ready for the dance party. Music was good, he never let the beat drop, but skidmore was a strange atmosphere, and they cut the music for a bit because too many people were on stage...any way, fun time.
drove some more, to rutland...
woke up and hauled ass to highland. lots of lift lines sadly, but we paid our dues and got the goods. Riders are Andrew, me, and Hayden. Colin came too but had a sprained ankle from Lehigh...but he got some sweet footy which is going on the blog tomorrow.
there are two races, one on the easier trail eastern hemlock, and one on the crazy trail threshold. we rode on both, threshold is the most fun ever.
Hayden busted a wheel about halfway through the day, but got it repaired in time for a couple of runs at the end. After he got back on the mountain, we decided we should hit a trail called NE style. It's a smooth trail with HUGE berms and great tables and big drops. We were ripping along until suddenly Andrew is running out of the woods telling me to stop and keeps running to get medical assistance. Some dude had crashed on a big wooden g-out...a steep roller.
He was ko'd next to the trail, unnerving raspy breaths, blood...well, details aren't really necessary. I talked to him (he didnt hear...) until med folks arrived. They did a great job prepping him to get out of there, a helicopter was there within 10 minutes. he came to as they strapped him onto the atv.
He went to dartmouth. we heard word of brain swelling and 10 hours of facial reconstruction surgery...but we're all hoping he's okay.
So that was out last run...I think we were all a bit freaked out by the whole thing. it was creepy to see someone so messed up on the side of the trail.
I was starting to have some doubts about racing...threshold is a super gnarly trail...but we put the past behind us, rode the pump track a bit. Grabbed some grub at the local pizza shop, then back to the mountain for some good live music, a campfire, and a good nights sleep in Leo's circus tent.
Sunday: more practice, then racing. I dont remember exactly what the results were, but I remember that Hayden did awesome in Cs on eastern hemlock, Andrew also did pretty well on eastern, I barely missed top ten on threshold, and couldnt keep my chain on on hemlock. My goal recently has been to quit crashing during races, and so far I'm doing well. Speed is increasing as I get my arm strength back and my practice up...no rush.
No crashes, lots of great riding, less lift lines on Sunday. Fun. We got plenty of riding in and called it quits, then hauled back to ithaca. I passed all the grannies, andrew had a hard time keeping up.
Andrew said:
Some corrections:
Bullshit I couldn't keep up. My car just can't pass 3 cars up a hill. Then I drove a little too fast and had a little too much fun on this twisty single lane road for an hour, and had Dave in my sights. Then according to the nav system, we thought we had a shortcut through some town, and were rejoicing when we got onto the highway and no Dave. Then, after 20mins of driving, we see him in the next town and pull up next to him, ready for a race. Then I made promptly made a wrong turn, said fuck it and found gas, then was led astray by the nav system again.
So yeah. My ego is intact.
Also, the pizza we had was really good. Twice.
Racing threshold was absurd, I did not make it down successfully, twice. Highland in general was like the as of yet unplayed next level of a video game.
Lehigh
Seems like it was ages ago, but we had a good weekend down in PA. I was just letting the suspense build...
11 of us drove up friday night, stayed at the red roof inn. Andrew, Colin and I had the most intense rock paper scissors-esque competition ever for the beds at the hotel...that may have been the most intense competition of the whole weekend...I lost...
Everybody woke up early to get to the 9pm race start for Cs. We had five guys riding xc C's, Colin, Sean, Hayden, Taylor, and John. Colin finished up in the points, while Hayden, Taylor, and John all finished just out of the points and one after the other! Sean came through lookin strong when I saw him, up at the front, and something happened I think...can't remember what...
Aaron finished up in the points in A's, and in the top ten! Brian's tires were attacked by lehigh rocks and he had it rough with a simultaneous double flat. Leo's derailleur was attacked by lehigh rocks too! it's totally gone! Jimmy avoided the rocks and posted a great top ten finish in B's.
During the xc race Andrew and I practiced the dh course. Fun courses all around, lots of pedaling, some techy sections. I had a slow start and when I realized it immediately crashed (with grace) in my race so I was out of the running, but Andrew posted a great time that put him in second in B's (upgrade!).
Fired up the grill, ate some dogs and burgers, and everybody but Colin, Andrew, and I peaced out for ithaca. We split for the 'ol red roof, and had a bona-fide tailgating party in their parking lot (as one guest told his son).
Sunday DH was an easier course, fast, emphasizing cornering technique and pedal power more than anything else. During practice Colin stuck out a foot in a corner and ended up with a badly sprained ankle that he's still nursing. Andrew and I both had decent race runs with him finishing 1 second faster (argh!) and placing 2nd again in B's. I was 11th in A's.
Finished up, packed up, hauled back to Ithaca--pumped!
Highland report coming. the weekend was an unorthodox combination of skidmore dance party, sobering heli-evacs, progression, and SICK trails.
11 of us drove up friday night, stayed at the red roof inn. Andrew, Colin and I had the most intense rock paper scissors-esque competition ever for the beds at the hotel...that may have been the most intense competition of the whole weekend...I lost...
Everybody woke up early to get to the 9pm race start for Cs. We had five guys riding xc C's, Colin, Sean, Hayden, Taylor, and John. Colin finished up in the points, while Hayden, Taylor, and John all finished just out of the points and one after the other! Sean came through lookin strong when I saw him, up at the front, and something happened I think...can't remember what...
Aaron finished up in the points in A's, and in the top ten! Brian's tires were attacked by lehigh rocks and he had it rough with a simultaneous double flat. Leo's derailleur was attacked by lehigh rocks too! it's totally gone! Jimmy avoided the rocks and posted a great top ten finish in B's.
During the xc race Andrew and I practiced the dh course. Fun courses all around, lots of pedaling, some techy sections. I had a slow start and when I realized it immediately crashed (with grace) in my race so I was out of the running, but Andrew posted a great time that put him in second in B's (upgrade!).
Fired up the grill, ate some dogs and burgers, and everybody but Colin, Andrew, and I peaced out for ithaca. We split for the 'ol red roof, and had a bona-fide tailgating party in their parking lot (as one guest told his son).
Sunday DH was an easier course, fast, emphasizing cornering technique and pedal power more than anything else. During practice Colin stuck out a foot in a corner and ended up with a badly sprained ankle that he's still nursing. Andrew and I both had decent race runs with him finishing 1 second faster (argh!) and placing 2nd again in B's. I was 11th in A's.
Finished up, packed up, hauled back to Ithaca--pumped!
Highland report coming. the weekend was an unorthodox combination of skidmore dance party, sobering heli-evacs, progression, and SICK trails.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
night rides
summer is hot--ride at night.
got a few dudes out the other night to test the night abilities of the camera. works alright, check below.
first weekly thursday ride tonight was a success, 10 or so riders bummed around the arts quad and then north campus. not much filming tonight (riding was too sweet) but expect a short something every two weeks or so.
the "weekly" thursday campus bombing (street ride) will be moved to tuesdays, 9pm, meet in front of goldwin smith. everybody's welcome.
trails tomorrow.
got a few dudes out the other night to test the night abilities of the camera. works alright, check below.
first weekly thursday ride tonight was a success, 10 or so riders bummed around the arts quad and then north campus. not much filming tonight (riding was too sweet) but expect a short something every two weeks or so.
the "weekly" thursday campus bombing (street ride) will be moved to tuesdays, 9pm, meet in front of goldwin smith. everybody's welcome.
trails tomorrow.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
knobbies are rollin'
Folks are just starting to get in town for the fall 08 semester, but mountain bike season is well underway. We've had team members hitting epic xc races down in North Carolina, and others riding lifts in Vermont, New Hampshire, and all over New York. The local trails are in great shape and progressing nicely.
Some pictures, local and otherwise.
out of season, but good regardless
bottom of creek trail
double on a teeter at kingdom trails
rock drop at whiteface mountain
and a video too:
David G, Dave, and Colin at Plattekill
Some pictures, local and otherwise.
out of season, but good regardless
bottom of creek trail
double on a teeter at kingdom trails
rock drop at whiteface mountain
and a video too:
David G, Dave, and Colin at Plattekill
Monday, March 3, 2008
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