Current Joys

[Penny Lane]

Driving along the Blue Ridge Mountains listening to Dear Companion.

nice  [smiley=cool.gif]

both hands on the wheel, please

[Ruckus]

Ooooooh, a bear!

[Hawkeye]

Tried mountainbiking last night.  Flyguy, I instantly have mucho respect for you buddy.  That was really hard, kinda scary.  Funny thing was, the only time I fell I was standing still!  Was telling a story about last Saturday night when I got a case of "the leans."  I was leaning left and had to spin in circles to keep my balance.  As I'm telling the story, I'm straddling the bike and on a hillside.  I start leaning left and fall over into  a tree.  Nice.  I'd blame it on my jell-o legs (I was beat from riding), but it could also just be my terrible balance.  At least I didn't smoke any trees or fall off any bridges :)

[jones]

Tried mountainbiking last night.  Flyguy, I instantly have mucho respect for you buddy.  That was really hard, kinda scary.  Funny thing was, the only time I fell I was standing still!  Was telling a story about last Saturday night when I got a case of "the leans."  I was leaning left and had to spin in circles to keep my balance.  As I'm telling the story, I'm straddling the bike and on a hillside.  I start leaning left and fall over into  a tree.  Nice.  I'd blame it on my jell-o legs (I was beat from riding), but it could also just be my terrible balance.  At least I didn't smoke any trees or fall off any bridges :)

What could be more fun than screaming through the trees on tight, twisty singletrack at 22 mph knowing that a trip to the ER is only one mistake away?  

I absolutely love it and I sort of feel addicted to riding (just ask my wife).  I wish I had started riding competitively sooner.  Technical climbs with roots and rocks are probably the toughest in my opinion and it takes a lot of riding to build up leg strength.  I know that this will sound odd, but I don't have the best balance either.  When I am having to ride really slow and narrow, I have a tendency to lean myself.  What is the name of the trail that you rode?  Just curious.

Any ride without a mechanical or an injury is a good ride.

[Hawkeye]

Tried mountainbiking last night.  Flyguy, I instantly have mucho respect for you buddy.  That was really hard, kinda scary.  Funny thing was, the only time I fell I was standing still!  Was telling a story about last Saturday night when I got a case of "the leans."  I was leaning left and had to spin in circles to keep my balance.  As I'm telling the story, I'm straddling the bike and on a hillside.  I start leaning left and fall over into  a tree.  Nice.  I'd blame it on my jell-o legs (I was beat from riding), but it could also just be my terrible balance.  At least I didn't smoke any trees or fall off any bridges :)

What could be more fun than screaming through the trees on tight, twisty singletrack at 22 mph knowing that a trip to the ER is only one mistake away?  

I absolutely love it and I sort of feel addicted to riding (just ask my wife).  I wish I had started riding competitively sooner.  Technical climbs with roots and rocks are probably the toughest in my opinion and it takes a lot of riding to build up leg strength.  I know that this will sound odd, but I don't have the best balance either.  When I am having to ride really slow and narrow, I have a tendency to lean myself.  What is the name of the trail that you rode?  Just curious.

Any ride without a mechanical or an injury is a good ride.

The trail was in Marietta, OH.  I know it's abbreviated the NCT Trail (North Country Trail, I believe?).  I don't know much about it, whether it's "official" or just made by some local enthusiasts.  The guy I rode with said it was the shortest one in town.

I did get about a tennis ball sized bump and a good scratch on my knee when I fell over, but nothing major.  And, right at the end of the ride I was pretty much riding a wheelie up the hill when my back tire slid out and hit big tree root sticking out of the ground, taking out my rear brakes.  Road the rest of the way with front only...luckily we didn't have far to go.

The trail was much, much narrower than I expected.  I was expecting maybe 4-5 feet wide, not a freakin' tire width?  Damn!  I'll definitely be trying this again.  I need to work on building up speed and balance for sure.  I was probably going 8-10 mph tops most of the time.  I can't imagine flying down this trail, at least not without LOTS more practice.

[jones]

Tried mountainbiking last night.  Flyguy, I instantly have mucho respect for you buddy.  That was really hard, kinda scary.  Funny thing was, the only time I fell I was standing still!  Was telling a story about last Saturday night when I got a case of "the leans."  I was leaning left and had to spin in circles to keep my balance.  As I'm telling the story, I'm straddling the bike and on a hillside.  I start leaning left and fall over into  a tree.  Nice.  I'd blame it on my jell-o legs (I was beat from riding), but it could also just be my terrible balance.  At least I didn't smoke any trees or fall off any bridges :)

What could be more fun than screaming through the trees on tight, twisty singletrack at 22 mph knowing that a trip to the ER is only one mistake away?  

I absolutely love it and I sort of feel addicted to riding (just ask my wife).  I wish I had started riding competitively sooner.  Technical climbs with roots and rocks are probably the toughest in my opinion and it takes a lot of riding to build up leg strength.  I know that this will sound odd, but I don't have the best balance either.  When I am having to ride really slow and narrow, I have a tendency to lean myself.  What is the name of the trail that you rode?  Just curious.

Any ride without a mechanical or an injury is a good ride.

The trail was in Marietta, OH.  I know it's abbreviated the NCT Trail (North Country Trail, I believe?).  I don't know much about it, whether it's "official" or just made by some local enthusiasts.  The guy I rode with said it was the shortest one in town.

I did get about a tennis ball sized bump and a good scratch on my knee when I fell over, but nothing major.  And, right at the end of the ride I was pretty much riding a wheelie up the hill when my back tire slid out and hit big tree root sticking out of the ground, taking out my rear brakes.  Road the rest of the way with front only...luckily we didn't have far to go.

The trail was much, much narrower than I expected.  I was expecting maybe 4-5 feet wide, not a freakin' tire width?  Damn!  I'll definitely be trying this again.  I need to work on building up speed and balance for sure.  I was probably going 8-10 mph tops most of the time.  I can't imagine flying down this trail, at least not without LOTS more practice.

Yeah, singletrack is where it's at.  I was riding with a buddy this past weekend up in Indiana and we where talking about how you can't really explain what it is like to ride on a narrow trail with roots, rocks, and obstacles.  A guy that I work with hiked the 11 mile loop (1,000 feet of ascent) with his wife earlier this year that I frequent and had only one question for me: "How in the eff do you ride a bike on that?!"

Another forum member just sent me a PM about buying a new mountain bike so maybe we can get MMJ to sponsor a team or something.  I started a mountain bike thread last year, but it never caught on.  Maybe I'll start another.

This is my favorite mounatin biker, Emily Batty:



Can you figure out why?

[ALady]

It is in fact a national scenic trail:

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/

I know this because my college roommate was the GIS person who mapped the whole thing (and I believe helped build/clear parts of it too).   ;D  Small world!



Current joy in my neck of the woods: I think I got my awesome back.   :)

[Crispy]

It is in fact a national scenic trail:

http://www.northcountrytrail.org/

I know this because my college roommate was the GIS person who mapped the whole thing (and I believe helped build/clear parts of it too).   ;D  Small world!



Current joy in my neck of the woods: I think I got my awesome back.   :)

Surely your awesome never left.

And speaking of GIS, I've applied for a GIS job in Boulder, in the same place miss awesome herself, Soulshine works!

[jones]

Wow, that is quite an impressive trail system.  Hawkeye, you didn't ride the whole 4600 miles did you?  No wonder you fell over.



It comes down pretty close to these here Kentucky parts, too, it appears.

Congrats on your rediscovery, ALady.

[ALady]

Thanks dudes.  It went missing for a minute.  But it's back in full effect.  :)

Good luck on the job CrispYY!  What I wouldn't give to live in Boulder...  

[BH]

I used to mountain bike all the time.  Now I just ride my mountain bike on the street.  I just don't have any good trails around me anymore and never have time to get in a car and drive 30-40 minutes just to get to a good trail.  Plus I don't think I'm in "offroad" shape anymore but I'm slowly working my way back there.   Your adventures are impressive (and inspiring) flyguy.

[jones]

I used to mountain bike all the time.  Now I just ride my mountain bike on the street.  I just don't have any good trails around me anymore and never have time to get in a car and drive 30-40 minutes just to get to a good trail.  Plus I don't think I'm in "offroad" shape anymore but I'm slowly working my way back there.   Your adventures are impressive (and inspiring) flyguy.

Okay, I'm going to start another thread.  I hear ya, BH.  My nearest trail that is worth a damn (Land Between the Lakes in KY) is almost 3 hours round trip.  The ice storm that we had here early last year claimed a lot of trails.  My closest trail (20 minutes away) was just awarded a $50k grant for a pro crew to come in and cut new trails.  

Which leads to my current joy:

My local mountain bike trail will be redone by professional trail builders after it was lost to the 2009 ice storm.

[BH]

Today I have:

1) downloaded the new Carl Broemel CD

2) downloaded the live recording of the VA Appalachian Voice show

3) found out I will be seeing Carl live in New York City in befuckingtween At Dawn and It Still Moves

4) found out about several awesome opening bands at T5

5) remembered that someone was streaming the entire Newport Folk Festival this weekend

6) had an amazing Shrimp PoBoy for lunch

7) was inpired by flyguy to step up my mountainbiking habit

8) realized I wasn't the only one that occasionally suffers from swaggy balls

I'm getting a bottle of Makers tonight to celebrate and have a Snowy Bramble listening party.  Who's with me?

[Penny Lane]

Today I have:

1) downloaded the new Carl Broemel CD

2) downloaded the live recording of the VA Appalachian Voice show

3) found out I will be seeing Carl live in New York City in befuckingtween At Dawn and It Still Moves

4) found out about several awesome opening bands at T5

5) remembered that someone was streaming the entire Newport Folk Festival this weekend

6) had an amazing Shrimp PoBoy for lunch

7) was inpired by flyguy to step up my mountainbiking habit

8) realized I wasn't the only one that occasionally suffers from swaggy balls

I'm getting a bottle of Makers tonight to celebrate and have a Snowy Bramble listening party.  Who's with me?

You're living the life, man.

Drink one for me and give your swaggy balls a big ol' tug.

[Penny Lane]

http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/aea822e0-9a6b-11df-9fe8-001cc4c002e0.html

[ALady]

BH, as the great Penny Lane herself once said:

It's great to be alive and a Jacket fan.

I'm going out for drinks with friends tonight so I just might have to stop in here later and celebrate with you.  Save me some Makers!   ;D

[aMillionDreams]

I could probably do that, BH.  I just downloaded the album as well, but I might have a head start on you, I just popped open a homebrew (Belgian Trippel) (The Reds are on; and just took the lead!!).  I don't know how long I'll last!  ;D

[Ruckus]

http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/aea822e0-9a6b-11df-9fe8-001cc4c002e0.html

[smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif] [smiley=vrolijk_26.gif]

[BH]

(The Reds are on; and just took the lead!!).  ;D

dammit!  I knew my luck would run out.  ;)

[Soulshine]

1. ALady

2. YAY CrispYY!!! I have a good feeling about this!

3. My roommate just finished the bar exam.

4. Life