18 NE - Go on, ride when it's wet

[djspookman]

The commute home last night was almost my last.. survived most of the IRR saturday (which was so freaking epic!), then almost get taken out by a few tree tops on last nights microburst in the woods here. Crazy fast wind moving through the trees sounded like a freight train coming after me. I NEVER want to experience that again! https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/...20150813060517

[gravitylover]

Soil ought to tack up nicely after that rain, it was pretty much hardpan and dusty on Sunday. Right now the air is gross though, walking out the door is like getting hit in the head with a wet sponge.

Who's coming to NEMBAFest? I have a double booth, look for the 2 WREN tents and stop to say hey. Once I pull in I'm stuck there for the 3 1/2 days because I will have my truck in the booth so bring beer and food

[ticketchecker]

Who's coming to NEMBAFest? I have a double booth, look for the 2 WREN tents and stop to say hey. Once I pull in I'm stuck there for the 3 1/2 days because I will have my truck in the booth so bring beer and food

I'll swing by with supplies

[jackstraw]

Yeah, that wind was pretty awesome and scary at the same time. I just hope nothing big fell on our trails.

[rideit]

Soil ought to tack up nicely after that rain, it was pretty much hardpan and dusty on Sunday. Right now the air is gross though, walking out the door is like getting hit in the head with a wet sponge.

Who's coming to NEMBAFest? I have a double booth, look for the 2 WREN tents and stop to say hey. Once I pull in I'm stuck there for the 3 1/2 days because I will have my truck in the booth so bring beer and food

John said you could bring beer 'to' him wherever he is staying. I'll forward you his contact info.

[gravitylover]

^^ Thx

I'll swing by with supplies

Looking forward to it

[HankScorpio]

I figured I’d let the trails dry out after yesterday’s downpour. Perfect weather for an afternoon gravel grind. 3k feet of vert and almost 28 miles. Earn that beer.


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[buttahflake]

Sick. That’s a really cool pic.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Sub 50` dew point, low 60's, light breeze and tacky dirt, last night was perfect. Beautiful morning 56` with Cirrus clouds flowing by.

[djspookman]

Beauty of a commute over into Walpole this morning. Wishing I got up earlier though!

[Peruvian]

What an evening. 12+ miles and a view of Magic and Stratton at the top.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Yes ^^ Stunning day yesterday, should continue until tomorrow.

Fun zip last night



It's as dry as August around here, not a drop flowing in this stream now that usually flows most of the summer.

[Anospa]

Summer's here!

[buttahflake]

Crazy good weather. We need rain! At this point last year, everything was a swampy bog. Stuff that never dries is dry. And the lack of humidity, damn. So good.
One from last nights gravel session.



Next week we meet in South Royalton. Discount beers and burgers at Worthy after.
Meet at 5:30

[Vt-Freeheel]

Climb to the top, look, climb again? ^^^

52` w/ 41` dew point, wish it would last all summer.

Happy Summer, it's all downhill from here!

[JerseyDave]

5 hour solo today, and what a day to be out and about.
Northfield>Irish Hill>Northfield. Ouch.

[buttahflake]

That’s a great picture

[JerseyDave]

Great Spot. Cheney Field, trail head for our local laps, sunset fire spot for the local families, it's a short walk from the village. Dog River Valley, Northfield Range...off to Perry Hill and the Worcesters in the North. No condos in view! Love my town.

[Vt-Freeheel]

Interesting but fun ride last evening. Wanted to get out for my first greasy root/rock ride of the year and it didn't disappoint. Should of swapped front wheels as I forgot how shitty the Mountain"king" 2.4 is in the wet. No crash but a few good saves. 53` caused some fall like brake howl and it got dim by 8:30.
Get Some!

[gravitylover]

Nice finally meeting a couple of you kooks in person at Nembafest the last few days. Those late and early solstice rides were sweet, pretty much perfect trail conditions. The 2 sunset rides I did were cool with the band playing, it was weird to have live music miles form the fest area out in the woods.

[jackstraw]

Was nice to ditch my 2.8's and throw my new 29er wheels on. For me personally I see no need to be fatter than a 2.3 -2.4 tire. The 2.8 is great for wet spring and fall, but beyond that you're just spinning extra weight imo.
Rode some new stuff at Fort Rock on the north side. That area seems like where the expansion is going to happen. Much smoother and buff riding on that side. They need some berms or reroute of a couple corners on the brand new trail. Way too tight for the speed generated going into those turns, but it is fun over on that side now. The rain made it nice and tacky yesterday morning.

[gravitylover]

I'm pretty much the opposite, I can't see going narrower than 2.8. I like the traction, the plush feeling from lower pressure and I'm slow anyway so tire weight doesn't really matter.

[ticketchecker]

^^ Nice to see ya GL

[jackstraw]

I'm pretty much the opposite, I can't see going narrower than 2.8. I like the traction, the plush feeling from lower pressure and I'm slow anyway so tire weight doesn't really matter.

Yeah, different strokes, eh! For me the money 2.8 would be a hard tail front fork combo.

I really like the lightness of the front end and the preciseness of that 2.3 tire. I am by no means fast, but I find that set up better for me.

[JerseyDave]

Amazing stretch of riding conditions. Rain is what we needed, could have used s'more. Did the Northfield>Irish Hill>Northfield ride again yesterday with another local Dad. 5.5 hours, slow and steady, we added more trail on the Irish Hill end. So nice over there.


Everything was fast and tacky until we got on the excavated trails. That $#!T was fast and LOOSE. Orange is getting a lot of traffic and the line is burned in really nice but every grade reversal has collected quite a bit of slate flakes and fine, unsettled clay dust from the dry to gully-washer event last week. Couple of Oh Shits going from hooked up and railing to 2 wheel drift dust clouds. More rain needed.

Observing the Shaw Center trails as they wear in side by side with the primitive raked trail it seems pretty clear to me that machine built, benched trails are less durable, more prone to erosion in dry or wet conditions, and obviously 5-10x more expensive and time consuming to build. 9 out of 10 of the "New School" trails could disappear without a trace and the world would only be better for it IMO. Lift served areas with high traffic and a trail crew an obvious exception.

Orange trail, however, is fucking rad. That one could stay.
Mountain Biking is FUN.