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Thread: gapers in downieville
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08-29-2014, 05:59 PM #1
gapers in downieville
a jong + a bmx'er + a roadie = singletrack shitshow
51% smartass, 49% dumbass
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08-29-2014, 07:42 PM #2
I've been meaning to get up there. You guys earn your turns or shuttle it?
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08-29-2014, 09:34 PM #3
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08-29-2014, 09:45 PM #4
yup. i've climbed forest service road 93 twice before but was so knackered at the top that the downhill portion was totally no fun. that road was used for the singlespeed world championships a few years back. the cross country race uses another road out of sierra city that is even tougher than fs93. i'm such a pussy.
my shuttle preference is yuba, but d-ville outfitters is great as well.
even with the shuttle, the guys i rode with were pretty whipped after only one run. still, superfun times.51% smartass, 49% dumbass
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08-29-2014, 09:46 PM #5
I've heard. I do 2000 - 2500 foot climbs once or twice a week from April - October, but 4k or so is definitely another level. I have friends who will crush that no problem but they're freaks I can barely keep up with. Just asking cause I'll probably end up doing the aforementioned suffer-fest with them at some point so curious how bad it is. Anyway, looks fun. Gotta watch out for those pebbles and twigs.
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08-29-2014, 09:53 PM #6
Haven't been up this year due to family constraints, but we did two laps last year. First was the standard "Downhill" (Sunrise-->Butcher-->Third Divide-->First Divide). Second was Sunrise-->fire road-->Big Boulder-->Second Divide. I was bonking pretty hard by midway through Second Divide. Riding brakes through chunder for miles can take it out of you.
J, be aware that you need to choose your uphill route carefully... both because of DH traffic on narrow trails and because dirt bikes blow the shit out of a lot of the switchbacks, particularly by late in the season, making riding them uphill nigh near impossible (and sometimes a bit tough to ride smoothly on the down too). Definitely want to find a fire road to go up.Last edited by LightRanger; 08-30-2014 at 12:53 AM.
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08-29-2014, 10:15 PM #7
^^ I will push for the shuttle. ;-)
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08-30-2014, 12:54 AM #8
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09-04-2014, 12:00 PM #9Banned
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4k climb too much? sheesh. there's always time to buy a moto.
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09-04-2014, 01:15 PM #10
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09-04-2014, 02:14 PM #11Banned
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good thing there's only 2 kinds of 4k climbs, loose/switchbacky, or fire road.
should I have said, "4k climb on singletrack too much?"
maybe it's the ONE-BY that makes it so nauseating?
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09-04-2014, 02:34 PM #12
Well, I've done ~4k climbs on mostly singletrack too, but I've done climbs half the vertical that are harder. In this case it sounds like there's not much of a loop option available so the downhill traffic is more of a deterrent (for me) than the energy needed for the climb.
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09-04-2014, 03:51 PM #13Banned
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for sure, I don't think I'd want to ride up the trails people make pilgrimages to
I'm just busting on the idea generally, 4k climb shouldn't be hard for anyone who is half-fit and knows how to ride a bike, but it does separate the Online Honch from the actual rider pretty quickly. if I can do 4k climbs at my methuselah age, there's hope for everyone. except stuckie.
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09-04-2014, 05:18 PM #14"A man on foot, on horseback or on a bicycle will see more, feel more, enjoy more in one mile than the motorized tourists can in a hundred miles."
— Edward Abbey (Desert Solitaire)
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09-05-2014, 09:50 AM #15
^^^^ this! for years I climbed up myself, much more fun to do 3 shuttles or 2, 1 bomber and one extended ride. Since I only get there a couple times a year, I want the most bang for the buck.
Shot this little vid earlier this year when there was still snow up top, it had rained for 3 days straight and Gregg with Downieville Outfitters had just finished raking out the trails, buff! In fact it started raining like hell when I switched off the camera at the end of this video, and we then got caught in a blizzard on our second lap down.
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09-08-2014, 11:59 AM #16Registered User
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me and a buddy went last fall the weekend after an early snow (first Sunday the time had changed), parked at the top with expectations of shuttle back up. sunrise was pretty fun with a little snow on it, really just wet, the new single track had about 2" of really crusty snow that was fun to fly across (that's going to be another fun section when it beds in). Butcher was a shit show - one trench of ice surrounded by snow, was very happy to start the climb up polly to big boulder with nerves and skin intact. The real fun started after we had taken friends up on refreshments then realized there was no room in the final shuttle of the day which left ~ 3. Cold darkness is a great motivator to move your arse up road 93. all things considered it's not that bad a climb, just bring ample food and water
Like I told my last wife, I never drive faster than I can see, besides it's all in the reflexes.
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09-08-2014, 12:17 PM #17
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09-08-2014, 12:18 PM #18Banned
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09-08-2014, 03:10 PM #19
I like climbing Downivieville as a loop using FS 93 about once a year or so......all other times, I'm a shuttle monkey all the way. The climbing up via FS93 fireroad isn't all that bad...it just takes time.
Here's a ride I did last year with climbing to the top....It's a good solid ride (3.5 hr ride time, 4 hr total time in this particular ride), but it's not like it's an epic all day thing or anything.
http://www.strava.com/activities/66873915
my decision to pedal to the top vs. shuttle is also a function of what particular bike I feel like riding at the time.Waste your time, read my crap, at:
One Gear, Two Planks
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09-08-2014, 03:26 PM #20
"It's not that bad," says the guy with the KOM on the climb. Haha. :-)
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09-08-2014, 03:42 PM #21Waste your time, read my crap, at:
One Gear, Two Planks
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09-08-2014, 03:46 PM #22
I hate when someone overtakes one of your KOM's and Strava sends a special message to notify you about it. Thanks Strava!
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09-08-2014, 04:55 PM #23Registered User
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Why? That makes no sense to do it that way...
Drive in from Truckee/Reno. Park at top > ride > shuttle back up to carLike I told my last wife, I never drive faster than I can see, besides it's all in the reflexes.
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09-09-2014, 07:25 AM #24Waste your time, read my crap, at:
One Gear, Two Planks
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09-09-2014, 07:26 AM #25Waste your time, read my crap, at:
One Gear, Two Planks
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