Wasatch 2019

[Dantheman]

To me, the money section is the Windsurfer to Lewis out and back. And it's only 4k vert and 18 miles so it can be done after work. Just rode it Monday and it always puts a smile on my face.

That's what I figured, thanks! When the Nordic Valley DH race rolls around next year I'm going to skip the moondust laps, drop Sam off with his buds and go ride that while they practice. Should make it back before his race run with time to spare.

[beaterdit]

It’s a great ride, still an ass kicker in it’s own right. I loop it clockwise from the Pineview North Arm. Hit the shore singletrack right from the lot to Southern Skyline up, out to Lewis and back, then continue down to NOD, and finish on Pioneer East. It’s still about a ten mile climb initially, finish with a couple miles of downhill/flat pavement back to the car. The whole thing is 24 miles, 4300 vert. Sub three hours for the whole thing is easy though.

[BobMc]

The beginning of ski season gets harder and harder every year. This year I’m determined it’s not going to hurt me as bad, been biking more lately. Hit up Round Valley today, 9.2 miles, I swear most all of it was uphill. Second time in the last couple weeks I’ve been out there, pretty fun riding.

[Dantheman]

Nice, Bob!

[beaterdit]

FKNA Bob!

[Boissal]

Quiet in here. Has anyone ventured to Crest/upper Millcreek since the deluge? Mud pits all over? I'm itching for a MillD Crest loop tomorrow...

[SJG]

I did Crest on Thursday, and it barely snowed/rained up there, should be fine. On Thursday it was as good as I've ever seen it, FWIW. Hitting it 2x this week.

[Boissal]

I did Crest on Thursday, and it barely snowed/rained up there, should be fine. On Thursday it was as good as I've ever seen it, FWIW. Hitting it 2x this week.

It barely rained this weekend? Guess I'll go check it out then, little mud has never killed anyone...

[SJG]

There was a lot of precip Ogden -----> North, but we got almost nothing down here near SLC.

https://opensnow.com/dailysnow/utah

[happytimefunbox]

Rode ridge 157 to S frk little deer creek. Only a couple spots of mud were there was moto churn

[jackattack]

Got a chance to get away for a ride in corner canyon today for the first time in 8 years. Dirt was all time and hardly anybody out there. LOTS of new trail. Totally different than I remember slogging up the gravel road to ride Jacobs and the “horse trail” back in the year 2000.

Also got my 60yo roadie pops out for his first ever ride on single track. So that was a blast.

Progress. FKNA

[snowaddict91]

Got a chance to get away for a ride in corner canyon today for the first time in 8 years. Dirt was all time and hardly anybody out there. LOTS of new trail. Totally different than I remember slogging up the gravel road to ride Jacobs and the “horse trail” back in the year 2000.

Also got my 60yo roadie pops out for his first ever ride on single track. So that was a blast.

Progress. FKNA

FKNA indeed! Pretty cool what they're doing in CC. Good meeting ya the other day.

Wife wanted to do a Glenwild loop this morning. Was a little cold but the dirt was perfect! A few puddles/greasy spots but nothing bad. Leaves are starting to pop!

[jackattack]

FKNA indeed! Pretty cool what they're doing in CC. Good meeting ya the other day.

Wife wanted to do a Glenwild loop this morning. Was a little cold but the dirt was perfect! A few puddles/greasy spots but nothing bad. Leaves are starting to pop!

HA! That was you and your partner who gave us "directions"? Pops was pretty nervous about the descent, but he did great. Limelight was a nice finish for me.

[snowaddict91]

HA! That was you and your partner who gave us "directions"? Pops was pretty nervous about the descent, but he did great. Limelight was a nice finish for me.

No, I meant when you came and picked up those bindings from me lol

[jackattack]

Whoops,I guess I was a little more altered than I thought last night.

[Boissal]

That Glenwild shot inspired me to go E of I-80 for the first time this year. Flying Dog was all times, 3 minor greasy spots, 0 people, and all the trees popping. Views were acceptable in the Jeremy Ranch area:



I didn't see a soul in the first 25 miles or so then ran into literal hordes of people around the shitty DH trails that branch off 24/7. Multiple packs of spandex teens with only the faintest concept of trail etiquette. I got ran off the trail a couple of times, shook my fist and grumbled about people on my lawn. The only creature who got off the trail for me was a fat coyote. Props to the canine, fuck the humans.

[Canada1]

Rode coyote loop yesterday. There are places where the trail is just coated red now with the leaves. Such a great time to be out!

[Canada1]

Boissal, Thursday evening? I was there and two high schools were having their practice there. I really have come to dislike the out of town teams coming here to practice. When I see them at a lot, I just divert my ride somewhere else.

[dfinn]

That new 9k trail is pretty handy for doing pedal laps on Empire.

[Boissal]

Boissal, Thursday evening? I was there and two high schools were having their practice there. I really have come to dislike the out of town teams coming here to practice. When I see them at a lot, I just divert my ride somewhere else.

Yeah Thursday around 6:30ish. They were lapping the crusty DH trails, Crazy 8 and whatever the others are called, and clogging up the entire are. Bunch of spandexed scarecrows scaring other riders away. Don't they have other shitty trails closer to school?

[zion zig zag]

Yeah Thursday around 6:30ish. They were lapping the crusty DH trails, Crazy 8 and whatever the others are called, and clogging up the entire are. Bunch of spandexed scarecrows scaring other riders away. Don't they have other shitty trails closer to school?

There are something like 4500 NICA riders is Utah, and another 2500 registered coaches. They claim a year over year growth of 16%. That's enough people to clog up shitty trails all over. I've been trying to get some of the larger trail orgs in the state together to talk to NICA about it, currently stalled. The kids are super polite and just want to ride, I get it, but when your team has over 100 kids and you all show up at once to a trail system that only has 12 miles in the system, you can't thin that crowd.

Have a practice schedule published and stick to it. Tell the public when, where and how long your team will be at an area. Don't allow more than one team to practice at any given area, or conversely, have all of the teams practice at one area and rotate that area to minimize impact to other users. Have mandatory black out times/days/areas so that the large groups can be avoided.

And, I know no one involved in the program wants to hear it, but....have try outs, limit team sizes. There is a reason that basketball teams have tryouts; because there aren't unlimited courts for them to play on. NICA's goal of inclusivity for all rings pretty hollow when X% of the kids' (parents) can afford super-racer-bikes that give a distinct and real advantage over the rest of the field. So have a weight and price limit on bikes that can be raced, or just have tryouts and let it dictate on the front end.

[Boissal]

There are something like 4500 NICA riders is Utah, and another 2500 registered coaches. They claim a year over year growth of 16%. That's enough people to clog up shitty trails all over. I've been trying to get some of the larger trail orgs in the state together to talk to NICA about it, currently stalled. The kids are super polite and just want to ride, I get it, but when your team has over 100 kids and you all show up at once to a trail system that only has 12 miles in the system, you can't thin that crowd.

Have a practice schedule published and stick to it. Tell the public when, where and how long your team will be at an area. Don't allow more than one team to practice at any given area, or conversely, have all of the teams practice at one area and rotate that area to minimize impact to other users. Have mandatory black out times/days/areas so that the large groups can be avoided.

And, I know no one involved in the program wants to hear it, but....have try outs, limit team sizes. There is a reason that basketball teams have tryouts; because there aren't unlimited courts for them to play on. NICA's goal of inclusivity for all rings pretty hollow when X% of the kids' (parents) can afford super-racer-bikes that give a distinct and real advantage over the rest of the field. So have a weight and price limit on bikes that can be raced, or just have tryouts and let it dictate on the front end.

All great points and suggestions, and impressive numbers for NICA, I had no idea.
I'm grumbling on principle more than anything else, any group larger than 3 tends to annoy me. I've found that it's the size at which trail etiquette goes out the window (sorry bro, there's 6 of us, you're just gonna have to wait until the next intersection to pass us).

[Dantheman]

There are something like 4500 NICA riders is Utah, and another 2500 registered coaches.

Holy shit.

[Sirshredalot]

There are something like 4500 NICA riders is Utah, and another 2500 registered coaches. They claim a year over year growth of 16%. That's enough people to clog up shitty trails all over. I've been trying to get some of the larger trail orgs in the state together to talk to NICA about it, currently stalled. The kids are super polite and just want to ride, I get it, but when your team has over 100 kids and you all show up at once to a trail system that only has 12 miles in the system, you can't thin that crowd.

Have a practice schedule published and stick to it. Tell the public when, where and how long your team will be at an area. Don't allow more than one team to practice at any given area, or conversely, have all of the teams practice at one area and rotate that area to minimize impact to other users. Have mandatory black out times/days/areas so that the large groups can be avoided.

And, I know no one involved in the program wants to hear it, but....have try outs, limit team sizes. There is a reason that basketball teams have tryouts; because there aren't unlimited courts for them to play on. NICA's goal of inclusivity for all rings pretty hollow when X% of the kids' (parents) can afford super-racer-bikes that give a distinct and real advantage over the rest of the field. So have a weight and price limit on bikes that can be raced, or just have tryouts and let it dictate on the front end.

I think they tend to structure it more the way high school xc and track teams tend to do it. You're welcome to join the team and train but the de facto tryout is when the coach has to pick the varsity team for an invitational meet or a race. I don't think there's a practical way to know who your top 15 is on August 15, and there's a developmental aspect to having the slow-ish 14 year olds practice with the fast 18 year olds. So that's going to be a tough sell.

But posting your practice schedule and coordinating to minimize impact seems common sense. It would be nice to get that.

And we need to lobby for more neighborhood skills parks and neighborhood trail systems in the Salt Lake Valley so these kids can practice near home. I doubt that the parents love playing taxi driver so that their kids can douche out Eagle Mountain or the Snyderville Basin. The fiasco with that skills park off of 215 was terrible.

[Canada1]

I am a fan of NICA. I have a kid participating and it has been awesome for him and has led to a summer industry job for him. When large groups of varying skill levels arrive at a trail, it overwhelms. I don’t have an answer, and am fortunate enough to live in a place where I can reload to another trail quickly. I don’t want them to cut kids. At the races, it is super cool to see some kids that are way overweight busting it to finish. They are literally out there changing their lives. I do hate when I’m dropping into my neighborhood after climbing to the crest and run into one of the endless trains. I want to tell the coaches X,Y and Z are climbing only, but in the end keep my mouth shut and have NIMBY thoughts.