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12-15-2012, 12:17 AM #1
Anyone want to shred the red dirt in Maui?
So I have been plugging away on this new bike park project here near Lahaina, Maui and the trails are looking sweet.
We have a couple of ideas on how to make this thing operate but are still way in the infancy stage and are open to suggestions.
Current access
Nice dirt to work with
This first trail is aptly called Red Line because you can like totally pin it, brah! (and the dirt is red)
The Phase 1 plan is to punch road access to top of property giving riders 800 vert of perfect rolling terrain. We are gonna get moving the excavator soon and have some serious FLOW action. We want to make it at an all inclusive day rate sort of thing where you get picked up in the morning, come ride road runs on 5-10 trails covering over 70 acres and then get a lunch and then a few more runs then some beach time and then a luau dinner and then sleep in one of the bungalos with this sunset and your favourite rum drink. or something to that effect. Maybe roll in at the PM and have dinner then ride the next day then leave late the next afternoon? Maybe stay for a week and shred every day? Sound fun?
What is a fair price for some solid riding in the tropics? I am thinking $250-300 a day if you bring your own bike.
Phase 2 includes running a small chairlift up the 800 vert that runs off a soon to be built 30,000 sq ft solar array.
Maybe you have your own accommodations? then $30-40 a day?
What say you? Oh and yes I am drenched sweat in those photos pushing repeatedly in the balmy 82 f.
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12-15-2012, 04:37 AM #2
seems pricy, but i'm a cheap fuck from the 'shire'.
it looks like fun.
done with AK, guy?crab in my shoe mouth
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12-15-2012, 07:30 AM #3
Looks nice... How far from the north shore? Nearby for windsurfing, too?
And Buttah, you left out "grumpy"...Screw the net, Surf the backcountry!
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12-15-2012, 09:46 AM #4
We're located 2 miles up the hill above lahaina on the west side of the island. About 8 minutes from Kaanapali and about 15 minutes from Honolua which is on the north west tip of island, which means big waves. I'm no water sport expert but I see people kiting and surfing and paddling all over.
As far as the price goes that day rate would include 2-3 meals, wifi and a nice little cabin for the night. I see regular hotel motels going for 150- 500 plus a night so If you include 8-10,000 vert on the dirt, that is not bad. A day ticket may be the way to go if you are on a budget.
Aiming back for AK in May to keep going at Alyeska with the new quad and all of that. Unless this venture takes off!
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12-15-2012, 01:45 PM #5
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12-15-2012, 10:45 PM #6
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12-16-2012, 06:10 PM #7
Good luck, it seems as if that is a tough crowd to get any $$$ from.
I'm digging the sleeveless scanlan tiedye, classy.
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12-16-2012, 06:36 PM #8
Hah, we were there in September and I remember looking at that hillside above Lahaina and thinking what rad mtb terrain it could be. Nice. Good luck with the venture! I wanted to ride when we were there, but couldn't justify the rental and trip up to the north side of the island. A shred session near Lahaina would be sick.
I'm so hardcore, I'm gnarcore.
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12-16-2012, 07:43 PM #9Registered User
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- Oct 2008
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- Orygun
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- 593
Hmmm. Maybe you could partner with a bike manufacturer and provide a demo/rental in your package price. I'm not a downhill dude and wouldn't really want to travel with a bike , but if you had something available or included in the package that was sweet it might lure some people (myself included) in.
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12-17-2012, 11:16 AM #10
Yeah - I'd maybe have options for day rates and getting rentals is a must. I doubt I'll ever go to Hawaii on a dedicated DH bike trip, but I'd definitely be into doing a day or something while the woman hangs out on the beach and what not, but then give her the options to join onto the Luau. I'd try to have different packages/a la carte options. I'd also try to avoid the mandatory overnight stay as you're going to lose a lot of people who would be into it but are stuck on a package deal at some hotel. I'd be happy to pay ~150-175 for a day of DH riding and then maybe $40 for the all inclusive luau with someone riding for the day and $50 for an add on wife/non rider.
I think you're going to have to cater to the tourist looking for a day of riding or looking to sneak out since it's not exactly a true DH MTB destination. If you create some badass trails and get a lift running you could get a lot of business as its a true year round destination and you'd get a lot of guys flocking there for the winter season or going out for winter trips.I wear crocs for the style, not the comfort.
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12-17-2012, 08:27 PM #11
Thanks for all the input everyone! All I can do is keep chopping dirt right now with an eye on the prize of making awesome trails and stoking out the riders. More pics to come!
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12-19-2012, 06:15 PM #12
You pretty much nailed it. Forget pricing this with lodging. Don't expect anyone to haul their bike all the way out there unless your trail system is superb and well known. With a new trail system I could only see this working if you include a rental bike in the price and target vacationers who want to do something exciting for a day.
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12-21-2012, 09:53 PM #13
Today was another lovely day in paradise. Got a few more features online and I finally stepped up and hit some features I had built last week. Again, thanks for the advice!
Atomized particle suspended in the Light of the Celestial Cross...? Happy Solstice!
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12-22-2012, 12:20 AM #14
Riding looks great!
In the 28 years I have had a bike shop on Maui I have seen many rental companies come and go, but if you can get a market for the day trips then rock on! The number of tourists capable of that type of riding is dang small.
I have personaly found that with the cost of suitable bikes for this type of riding it is prohibitibley expensive to provide them to tourists at a rental rate that comes close to making a profit let alone pay to the bikes and maintaining them, even if they transport them to free public trailheads on their own.
Factor in insurance, loss, trail work, wages, advertising, commissions to activity sales ect and PAYING YOURSELF, and it comes down to numbers. That is if you need the money....
PM me if you ever want to talk about it. Aloha and good luck!
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12-22-2012, 10:18 AM #15
I hear what you are saying. Same issues up in Alaska as we are basically trying to create the market and convince a bunch of cross country riders that DH is a fun way to go. We have a rental fleet of about 15-20 bikes (Kona Operators) that makes more money then selling tickets does. Rental is $100 and ticket is $20. And you have the people who know how to ride a bike to the store to get milk or cross country for that matter and assume they can ride a DH bike and they end up getting beat down. It has taken a few seasons but the crowd of regulars has grown and many beginners have stuck around and learned to shred.
And a lot of that comes down to me being able to provide trails that beginners can hop on to and enjoy long enough to suffer the learning curve before getting into more difficult sections (see pics above) Of course I am cherry picking photogenic shots of 'getting air' to build excitement.
I remember at Alyeska, of all the miles of trails we made in the previous three years, the most popular section ever was the little 3-pack and 5-pack we built-up at the bottom of the mountain with dump truck loads of gravel. It was all within view of the beginner chairlift and the bar deck. I called it the Boneyard Model and it seemed to work for introducing people to getting air.
...anyway, these trails aren't going to chop themselves...
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12-23-2012, 09:52 PM #16
well you sure picked a good year to head south...
Its not that I suck at spelling, its that I just don't care
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12-23-2012, 11:49 PM #17
No kidding. I'm loving seeing all the updates. I'd love to come down and shred the red dirt.
But Ellen kicks ass - if she had a beard it would be much more haggard. -Jer
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12-24-2012, 12:29 AM #18glocal
- Join Date
- May 2002
- Posts
- 33,440
Goddam, Jake. You busted a nice move. I'm surprised and delighted. Is that accessed up Lahainaluna?
Got a sling? You spearing fish?
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12-24-2012, 12:48 AM #19
this is TGR stoke at its best and its infancy !!!
keep it coming,
and keep the dream alive !!!We, the RATBAGGERS, formally axcept our duty is to trigger avalaches on all skiers ...
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12-24-2012, 04:28 PM #20
This seems related, Honolua a couple of weeks ago
"Go to Hawaii," they said...
[/wrongforumjong]
Splat, I bought a spearfish magazine and have been invited out to dive with a guy but have not done it yet. Apparently night diving is where it is at.
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12-24-2012, 06:33 PM #21
TGR just keeps delivering ...
you know which shot I'm laughing atWe, the RATBAGGERS, formally axcept our duty is to trigger avalaches on all skiers ...
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12-25-2012, 01:40 AM #22
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12-25-2012, 08:21 AM #23
This is cool
Originally Posted by blurred
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