NE Riding 2013

**HankScorpio** · 03-18-2013, 05:25 AM

Great to get out this weekend Wompatuck is currently bone dry and trails are in good shape. Lots of down trees but at least its dry. As said, in coming snow will make it a snowy mess once again

**strawjack** · 03-18-2013, 10:14 AM

Can't ride up my way yet, but it's close...until 2morrow! Stoked to ski some powdah!

Good time of year to do some building. No bugs and no heat.

My little local woods

This little rock garden had a back door opening, so I had to make a front door. Calling it the 'green circle' ramp. The backside to go down this has two lines...one from left and one right. Wide was good. Just some finishing touches to be done with securing the logs. Think I'll tie a few or several together with some twine. They're fairly stable just sitting there. I'd prefer to not use nails for several reasons. One being I'm trying to be 'green' and just makes for replacing rotted pieces easier.

**biggins** · 03-19-2013, 11:35 AM

^^^Pooch seems to approve of the new ramp. Nice work.

Looks like riding is now another couple weeks off. Not such a a big deal as the base up north just got solid again. Skiing will now go well into April and possibly May me thinks.

**Anospa** · 03-19-2013, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by biggins

^^^Pooch seems to approve of the new ramp. Nice work.

Looks like riding is now another couple weeks off. Not such a a big deal as the base up north just got solid again. Skiing will now go well into April and possibly May me thinks.

Iunno, we talked about it being warm and clearing out to ride and it snowed. I feel like I should keep saying how spring is around the corner (I haven't had enough pow days yet)...

**gravitylover** · 03-26-2013, 07:41 AM

Muck and mire around here other than true southerly aspects. Hopefully it stays dry and maybe even a bit breezy for a few days to dry out the surface this week. Northerly aspects still snow/icepack 2-8" thick above 1k and deep mud below 800'. I don't want to do it but might have to head down to LI this weekend to get a ride in.

**PearlJam09** · 03-26-2013, 01:50 PM

Anywhere in CT dry enough yet? Case, Greyville, or maybe West Hartford? What's got elevation and good drainage?

Edit: Did some recon/trail running at Nathan Hale. For the most part, pretty dry. There's a spot where a stream comes across the trail with a long section of rock armoring/bridging/whatever its called and it must have washed out or eroded over the fall/winter. Trail gnomes will have to get in there some afternoon to make that section rideable again. Some patches of snow, but not overly soggy. Was pleasantly surprised, especially since Hale tends to just hold water like a sponge. Depending on how the weather works out for the next couple of days, could be game on by early next week.

**Vt-Freeheel** · 03-27-2013, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by PearlJam09

Anywhere in CT dry enough yet? West Hartford? What's got elevation and good drainage?

.

Padawan A**** and his dad were out Sunday in W. Hartford and reported a soft snow, soggy ground sufferfest occured and some heat, drying is needed.

**biggins** · 03-28-2013, 04:12 PM

Yeah rain. Melt the rest of this shit! I neeeeed bikes from mon-thu. Weekends are still snowful, but extra daylight means riding goddamnit.

Happy Easter Christians, I'm going snowsliding.

Aside- anyone up for a once weekly LLF maggot ride after work hours? I'm only in mon, wed, fri, but I'd be psyched to commit to some such excuse to drink beers and get safe at dusk.

**birdman829** · 03-28-2013, 06:00 PM

Took a short walk in LDTF earlier this evening. Very rideable, at leasdt the sections near the main entrance where I poked around were. Almost all the snow is gone (95+%) and the trails were mostly firm and tacky rather than soft and mushy. I'll be taking the bike over to Willowdale tomorrow to see what it's like over there.

**Anospa** · 03-29-2013, 06:55 AM

I"m game for a LLF ride now and then biggins, you just need to stop doing those teacherin' hours lol; I'm usually able to make 5pm rides a few nights a week.

FYI, there's a cleanup ride at LDT tomorrow to take care of some blowdown issues (I'll be doing corn laps at Cannon).

**birdman829** · 03-29-2013, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by Anospa

FYI, there's a cleanup ride at LDT tomorrow to take care of some blowdown issues (I'll be doing corn laps at Cannon).

More info on this?

**Anospa** · 03-29-2013, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by birdman829

More info on this?

It came up on facebook, they're gonna start at noon.

**emr** · 03-31-2013, 07:59 AM

Was at HP yesterday. Great to be on the bike! Trails were funky, great dirt in many places, and then you would run into 6-8" of snow. It was weird how it wasn't dirt than a little snow, it was dirt than deep snow. Patches of snow throughout the ride. We rode about 9 miles and most of the ride was fast and clear. Most of black ops was clear with a few spots of snow... The fun shit was rideable.

**Anospa** · 04-01-2013, 07:34 AM

I bailed on trail running (because seriously, fuck running) yesterday and went to LLF. Apart from a few spots that are typically wet/muddy, its in great shape! Depending on weekend plans, I might try and get some people to go to Nam this weekend.

**strawjack** · 04-02-2013, 11:05 AM

Was able to hit my new little ramp on easter. That is when i realized the backside exit looked very different without snow

More work to be done before the bugs come.

I'm so screwed...in a good and bad way. My kids both need new bikes as they've grown out their current ones. They really grew out of them last year. The good is I'm giving my bike to my oldest (so I get new

)

Trying to buy is a biatch! Finding best bang for your buck is so tough.

Found this site which is pretty helpful...although it's not filling my bank account. That would be truly helpful! Probably not new to most, but it is to me.

http://mountain-bikes.findthebest.com

**scrublover** · 04-02-2013, 03:33 PM

Stuff within half an hour of me is good to go. Stuff a bit more north and east seems to have a bit more drying time needed.

**PearlJam09** · 04-02-2013, 03:51 PM

Originally Posted by scrublover

Stuff within half an hour of me is good to go. Stuff a bit more north and east seems to have a bit more drying time needed.

And where are you located? I'm thinking a quick spin at West Hartford Res on thursday. Not the most gnar place out there, but will be nice to shake the cobwebs out.

**scrublover** · 04-02-2013, 04:05 PM

Originally Posted by PearlJam09

And where are you located? I'm thinking a quick spin at West Hartford Res on thursday. Not the most gnar place out there, but will be nice to shake the cobwebs out.

Danbury - we seem to have *slightly* less mud season than heading towards Waterbury/Hartford.

**PlayItLeo** · 04-02-2013, 04:55 PM

Originally Posted by scrublover

Danbury - we seem to have *slightly* less mud season than heading towards Waterbury/Hartford.

What up, neighbor. Just up the road in Kent. What trails are those shots from? Ever ride Haviland Hollow?

**scrublover** · 04-02-2013, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by PlayItLeo

What up, neighbor. Just up the road in Kent. What trails are those shots from? Ever ride Haviland Hollow?

Pine Mtn./Hemlock Hills, Huntington, Wilton Woods, and Ninham.

I get up to HH more often in the summer/fall - always seems to hold onto wetness up there, so I like to let it dry up a bit more. Roughly half an hour for me to get there.
Also a big fan of Mine Hill over in Roxbury.

Other stuff up your direction worth coming up to check out? Trade tours and beer?

**PlayItLeo** · 04-02-2013, 08:56 PM

Yeah, HH definitely stays wet for a looong time. I haven't gotten out and explored much in the last couple of years as having kids has severely cut into my bike/ski (go figure) time so I'm not sure how much new stuff I could show you. There are some ok trails on the Kent school campus but not worth driving up here for. I mainly hit up HH when I can and session my little backyard trail when my kids are napping. I do know that in the next few years there are going to be some nice trails built on the South Kent school campus - I guess the heir to the SRAM fortune went there and his dad, Mr. SRAM, is paying to have IMBA trails built all through the woods there. Those will be worth checking out, for sure. Hit me up some time you're heading to HH and I'll try and make it out.

a little backyard stoke from a couple of years ago (I know, I know, chesty pov sucks)

**strawjack** · 04-03-2013, 10:49 AM

^nice stoke you guys! I wish 'mr SRAM' would come build in my woods!

**Fenris** · 04-04-2013, 07:57 PM

Drummer Hill is drying out pretty fast. There may have been less mud than usual fall riding, as the low spots were covered in ice, but pretty much everywhere else was dry dirt. I didn't drop all the way down the valley or go outback, so I'm not sure what it looks like on more North and East facing aspects.

**radam** · 04-05-2013, 06:46 AM

Finally got back on the bike yesterday after a ~6 month hiatus (collarbone break + winter). Went down to the local mellow trails. Linked up with a group that included one of the main trail "builders." They showed me some of their new "trails", which were basically deer paths that they've ridden once before. Not exactly fun to be bushwhacking for an hour on the first ride of the season, but good to get out and remember how to handle a bike. My sit bones sure do hurt though.