Its Baaaack: EC roll call version 4.0(beta)

[neufox47]

Hey guys, thanks for the earlier hiking suggestions. Plans have kinda changed, so I am looking for a day hike near Rutland. If you got any suggestions, hit me up.

Nice pics all. I think next year I am going to have to try this mountain bike thing.

[gpcharles]

killington via the sherburne pass trail (old LT) and then LT south along the Coolidge Range is a great 5.5 mile (each way) hike. DON'T hike the new LT/AT south which leaves from just west of Pico. That trail is boring. To skip the return journey, spot a car at the K1 (or take The Bus), and enjoy the views coming down a Kton work road. that's probably you're best "long" day hike in the area.

dear leap is short, but breathtaking. some nice top ropes on the lower crag too. otherwise you're looking at (to me what are) spooky trad climbs.

Blue Ridge Mountain in mendon has some great views. there's no skiing there either.

a much overlooked peak is Blueberry Hill in W Vegas. Pretty sweet views of the Spine from there. It's actually part of the Taconics. Might see some neat aerial recreation if you're lucky, and there's a headwind too, which is tres cool.

thundering brook falls is cool, but very short.

finally, the old classic. a straight up workroad hike of pico with a few long trails for the summit is my personal fave. some pretty cool places to check out up there. let me know if you want some tips.

[tBatt]

tBatt, is there dragging involved with the rafting? Congrats on the virgin trip

ADKs got a lot of rain on Friday night, the river was up a foot on the gauge (a foot on the gauge = 2.5 feet in the gorge) so it was a pretty nice trip. The river was at about 4 feet on Saturday/Sunday. 3.5ish Yesterday, and it'll probably be 3 tomorrow. As long as you stay on the bubble, there won't be any dragging. Below 2.5 feet they won't release the dam/no rafting.

[JerseyDave]

"maybe if we were riding the mini-x superhighway style trails it would be OK, but fun "old school" tech kept finding me overshooting corners."-VTFREE

Nah, you were over shooting corners because on sweet old school trail there are no berms and no thought was ever given to flow. My favorite trails are old school, but folks who trash the modern trail building methods in and around VT are hilarious. They are generally low speed riders who have never learned proper cornering and never learned any air skills. If they did they would absolutely love the higher speeds and airs of the new generation of singletrack going in. When they complain I just hear, Blah, Blah, Blah.....I suck......Blah Blah Blah, I don't spend alot of time building and maintaing trail, Blah. Then I go for a ride on the sick new trail Imba, SMBC, Trapps, Fellowship, Pine Hill, and Knight are building...From the Vid, it looked like Hardy checked out on John and Josh pretty quick. A good hard summer of pump track and DJ sessions would dial in the skills needed to keep him in sight.
DVt

[buttahflake]

^whatever you say 'jersey girl'
what a fucking tool

[Vt-Freeheel]

Originally Posted by Vt-Freeheel

Like the svelte lines of the new Yeti. You should make your way up here Saturday morning and ride. Its as dry as is it ever going to get and fun will be had. As I suck at riding we can gravel road for milage.

ADKs got a lot of rain on Friday night, the river was up a foot on the gauge (a foot on the gauge = 2.5 feet in the gorge) so it was a pretty nice trip. The river was at about 4 feet on Saturday/Sunday. 3.5ish Yesterday, and it'll probably be 3 tomorrow. As long as you stay on the bubble, there won't be any dragging. Below 2.5 feet they won't release the dam/no rafting.

Rain has been in our forcast a bunch, but is missing us north or south so flow is low.

[icelanticskier]

that is one hella sexy steed^^^^^^^^^^^^

rog

[BushwackerinPA]

"maybe if we were riding the mini-x superhighway style trails it would be OK, but fun "old school" tech kept finding me overshooting corners."-VTFREE

Nah, you were over shooting corners because on sweet old school trail there are no berms and no thought was ever given to flow. My favorite trails are old school, but folks who trash the modern trail building methods in and around VT are hilarious. They are generally low speed riders who have never learned proper cornering and never learned any air skills. If they did they would absolutely love the higher speeds and airs of the new generation of singletrack going in. When they complain I just hear, Blah, Blah, Blah.....I suck......Blah Blah Blah, I don't spend alot of time building and maintaing trail, Blah. Then I go for a ride on the sick new trail Imba, SMBC, Trapps, Fellowship, Pine Hill, and Knight are building...From the Vid, it looked like Hardy checked out on John and Josh pretty quick. A good hard summer of pump track and DJ sessions would dial in the skills needed to keep him in sight.
DVt

yeah but I am not knocking the trail. I also have never ridden that trail so its really hard to get the wagon wheel down it. Still couldnt keep up with hardy down it even on the right bike or with more skills. I also always choose someone I think is slower than me to follow. Its makes it easier and less hectic to follow. Trying to follow hardy who is one of the better tech riders I have seen, on a trail he built, and has ridden many times before would be pretty much impossible so I let Jon go ahead.

dorky post but I like to think I have decent pumping skills. I feel that pumping skills are the key to being a faster rider or in my case XC racer. With that said I could easily pump uphill and can ride quickly nearly any pumptrack. Johnson is easy, Stowe though can be challenging it feels like there are dead spots on stowe's pumptrack.





but i am just a dorky spandex wearing, epic riding XC dude.

I love the new trail, but still love stuff like the town loops and Cady's as well. I do not consider myself a low speed rider though.

back so some stoke.

just another bike on the wall

[gravitylover]

I think I've got the skillset to pull off the "new style" trails being built so that's not really the problem It's a leverage thing for me. On a 29er your CG is higher and the transition time/effort from upright to cornering is slower and the rotational mass is higher as well. These two things mean that you can't "flow" from one position to another as easily or smoothly unless you're taller or at least have longer levers (arms/legs) to finesse the bike into it's prime cornering attitude.

These things can be accommodated a bit if you go to a super light wheelset and run some pansy racer tires. I've ridden a few really lightweight race inspired 29ers and the problems are mitigated somewhat but the overall machine is quite a bit longer so fitting it through tight spaces takes more brainwork. Maybe my brain is just too slow

Very few of us have good flowy stuff to practice on or the time to relearn riding a mt bike to enjoy it so why fight it? I just wanna go out and ride and get the most out of every ride.

"maybe if we were riding the mini-x superhighway style trails it would be OK, but fun "old school" tech kept finding me overshooting corners."-VTFREE

Nah, you were over shooting corners because on sweet old school trail there are no berms and no thought was ever given to flow. My favorite trails are old school, but folks who trash the modern trail building methods in and around VT are hilarious. They are generally low speed riders who have never learned proper cornering and never learned any air skills. If they did they would absolutely love the higher speeds and airs of the new generation of singletrack going in. When they complain I just hear, Blah, Blah, Blah.....I suck......Blah Blah Blah, I don't spend alot of time building and maintaing trail, Blah. Then I go for a ride on the sick new trail Imba, SMBC, Trapps, Fellowship, Pine Hill, and Knight are building...From the Vid, it looked like Hardy checked out on John and Josh pretty quick. A good hard summer of pump track and DJ sessions would dial in the skills needed to keep him in sight.
DVt

[BushwackerinPA]

the new bike has been ridiculous fast and easy to ride. Chews though anything with ease, and makes long days in the saddle way easier. The real test is going to be 6 hours of Bump your rump in southern vermont.



Cady's Fall nearing sunset



I dont know cady's falls that well, so I end up riding up alot of trails that would ride better down.



I did have a nice day.

[gpcharles]

SICK aurora last night. wish i had the camera... hoping for more tonight when i'll be ready

[BushwackerinPA]

I think I've got the skillset to pull off the "new style" trails being built so that's not really the problem It's a leverage thing for me. On a 29er your CG is higher and the transition time/effort from upright to cornering is slower and the rotational mass is higher as well. These two things mean that you can't "flow" from one position to another as easily or smoothly unless you're taller or at least have longer levers (arms/legs) to finesse the bike into it's prime cornering attitude.

These things can be accommodated a bit if you go to a super light wheelset and run some pansy racer tires. I've ridden a few really lightweight race inspired 29ers and the problems are mitigated somewhat but the overall machine is quite a bit longer so fitting it through tight spaces takes more brainwork. Maybe my brain is just too slow

Very few of us have good flowy stuff to practice on or the time to relearn riding a mt bike to enjoy it so why fight it? I just wanna go out and ride and get the most out of every ride.

My anthem X has a 11 inch BB height while sagged and I run a 75mm stem to shorten up the otherwise race Geo. I also hate light weight tire and run some 800 gram 2.2 from hutchison. Even though I Xc race I hate the way most XC racer have their bike setup.

I feel a 29er is faster as long as the corners do not get to tight. I have found very few place that have enough tight turns to really slow it down.

Again faster doesnt mean more fun, more flickable, or easier to do trailside shenigans. I think a 26er is going to be more fun for alot of people me included.

[buttahflake]

^what time was the aurora? wonder if i can see it from here? i need to 'get high' and look north, right?

[gpcharles]

^what time was the aurora? wonder if i can see it from here? i need to 'get high' and look north right?

best time to view is "true midnight" which during daylight savings time is 1am, NOT 12. This is when you're position on the earth is most opposed to the sun (i.e. you are exactly opposite "high noon"), and the auroral oval should extend furthest south in your time zone. And yes, look north, try to avoid having light pollution under your view to the north, and if you can get high (heh heh) that doesn't hurt either...to improve the distance you can see, of course...

edit to add a helpful link: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/2011/08/04

tonight's a 4, and yesterday was a 5... 5 or more and you've got an aurora in VT/NH, and other points hovering around 45 degrees lat...

[buttahflake]

right on. i'm going to set my alarm for a late night walkabout. thanks.

[jgb@etree]

^^ Haven't heard anything about it, visibility crazy far south made the news this past winter. One friday night while the Mrs & I were driving upto Magic it was like a lightshow in the northeastern sky for about an hour. Interestingly enough, by the time we got thru MA & into VT we couldn't see it anymore.

Was pretty awesome though. Would be cool to see it again.

[angry swede]

So you fisherman are eating these nice looking fish, right? Where are the fillet pics?

I never really understood the whole 29er craze, but i can see how this

and makes long days in the saddle way easier

makes sense.

I will continue to ride my mini DH build 26" single pivot trail bike up & down, with & without flow at times, and have a Hella good time every ride

[gpcharles]

just an FYI... i'm reading up on this sunspot's wave that's coming in... and the forecast time for the arrival of the wave is 22:39 UTC... so doing -4 for eastern time is 18:39 which is 6:39pm... which obviously won't allow any visibility... but i'd be on the lookout right at dark tonight as the wave will take take at least several hours to pass... could be pretty rowdy if it is as strong as the forecasters are saying it's going to be.

so...in other news it looks like the solar minimum might be coming to an end...

[icelanticskier]

hey bushwacker? are those fucking barends on your 29er? for reelz?

carry on.......

rog

[gpcharles]

so...who else prefers MHF's new trailer for "Prime Cuts" to the Sweetgrass' "Solitaire?" I was wholly turned off by Solitaire's trailer, but Prime Cuts gave me my first ski dreams of the season recently.

[icelanticskier]

so...who else prefers MHF's new trailer for "Prime Cuts" to the Sweetgrass' "Solitaire?" I was wholly turned off by Solitaire's trailer, but Prime Cuts gave me my first ski dreams of the season recently.

i was stoked by prime cuts meself. so stoked about it that i'm even more stoked to not go out west again this year or pretty much any year in the near future.

i'm actually kind of stoked to ski. normally this doesn't hit till at least halloween. been a great summer........so far........

rog

[lionelhutz]

so...who else prefers MHF's new trailer for "Prime Cuts" to the Sweetgrass' "Solitaire?" I was wholly turned off by Solitaire's trailer, but Prime Cuts gave me my first ski dreams of the season recently.

I don't believe this. You can't possibly not have dreamed of skiing before last night.

[gpcharles]

I don't believe this. You can't possibly not have dreamed of skiing before last night.

first sleep dream. day dream? constantly...

[whitewoodchuck]

Hey guys, thanks for the earlier hiking suggestions. Plans have kinda changed, so I am looking for a day hike near Rutland. If you got any suggestions, hit me up.

A bit south of you is the Stratton Pond Loop Trail, its been a couple of decades since I hiked it but the memories are pleasant. http://www.localhikes.com/Hikes/Stratton_Pond_0000.asp

Nice pics all. I think next year I am going to have to try this mountain bike thing.

A great way to get from one snow season to the next, but mtn bike crashes seem to hurt a lot more than ski crashes (:

HTH,

WWC

[BushwackerinPA]

hey bushwacker? are those fucking barends on your 29er? for reelz?

carry on.......

rog

on my singlespeed as well. With Grip tape.

really makes it easier to climb and cruise road sections(gawd I hate road on a MTB but its more bearable with more hand positions) while letting me run a short stem so that my meager skill can take me down the hill. I contend most MTBer are more about a look and a trend than anything else. If something makes something easier not using because it has been deemed not cool just makes you a sheep.

anyone else doing this?

http://www.bikereg.com/events/regist...?eventid=13777

heard its a short but singletrack filled course.