Tight trails & tacky dirt - '16 NE thread

[RedWolf]

Best camping near Burke/Victory?

Get on the horn in the morning and you can probably still snag a campsite at Burke Mountain.

[HankScorpio]

Burke camp ground is a blast but spots fill up fast. There's other camping in the area but you'll be a decent drive from the trail heads.

[biggins]

Yippee! Happy spring y'all.

[Anospa]

Yippee! Happy spring y'all.

STAB?

[biggins]

STAB?

Si! Everything is way too dry right now (likely the case everywhere), but the trail crew has the place in pristine shape. I think about 75% of the map is open and in perfect condition.

[gravitylover]

Is that a pay to play network like KT?

[biggins]

Is that a pay to play network like KT?

Nope. You can buy a map at the Brownsville Store or Paradise Bikes in Windsor, but that's the only $ you'll spend to ride there.

[strawjack]

We're still wet in a couple places, but overall in good shape. Did some spring cleaning and continued to buff out the new lines.

Bashguard needed on this new line.


Post work/ride ftw

[buttahflake]

i join VMBA every season, and they have options for your home or favorite network/system to choose from.
i choose STAB and half the money goes to STAB and the other half goes to VMBA, who then grants the money to various MTB projects in the state
for instance the FOTW guys, received a grant for $7,000 to improve their network
plus you get a bunch of 2-fer-1's at ski areas and whatnot
do it!
https://vmba.org/

[Peruvian]

Got our to pedal for the first time yesterday on our local trails. It's as dry as many Septembers out there.

I hear PHP is riding unbelievably now. Get out before the black flies start biting.

[buttahflake]

too late, they were just getting bold enough yesterday
got bit a few times in Putney yesterday, hoping we get a couple of cold nights

[strawjack]

i join VMBA every season, and they have options for your home or favorite network/system to choose from.
i choose STAB and half the money goes to STAB and the other half goes to VMBA, who then grants the money to various MTB projects in the state
for instance the FOTW guys, received a grant for $7,000 to improve their network
plus you get a bunch of 2-fer-1's at ski areas and whatnot
do it!
https://vmba.org/

$50.34? That is a funny number. They are into no more or no less than what's actually required to make all this happen, eh?

We're pretty much rogue trail builders down this way.

[biggins]

^^^So worth the $50. Between the free days at Killington, Millstone and Sugarbush the VMBA membership pays for itself. Then you factor in a bunch of ski season 2for1s and the bike shop discounts (I got 10% off a Santa Cruz Bronson at Green Mountain Bikes for example) and it becomes kind of a no-brainer.

Really, though, the $50 is a small price for the unreal amount of trail building and maintenance that this group gets done annually. Like Buttah mentioned, they're constantly developing and improving- check this out to get a sense of the magnitude of what they've gotten done in just the last 10 years or so: https://vmba.org/statewide-trails-map

Edit: No Millstone, but a free day at Q Burke and discounts at the Worthys! (Kitchen and Burger, that is)

[strawjack]

Oh yeah, it's so worth it. I would pay that happily if I lived over that way. We have some NEMBA presence, but I've never been involved with them.

That's a good deal on the Bronson. I got 5% off my hightower paying cash, but I'm also in cowhampshire, so I save the sales tax also.

[HankScorpio]

I'm posting this for a good friend of mine. He's selling a mint Chromag Samurai 27.5 all mountain steel hardtail. Handmade in British Columbia and has a custom paint job. Size large (19"), full X1 kit, RS Pike, Chromag cockpit, Hope hubs with Stan's Flow rims, KS Lev Dropper. The bike only has a handful of rides. He's asking $3300; frame alone retails for $1600. He wants to avoid shipping, bike is in Boston area.

http://www.chromagbikes.com/bikes/samurai65

[gravitylover]

^^^So worth the $50. Between the free days at Killington, Millstone and Sugarbush the VMBA membership pays for itself. Then you factor in a bunch of ski season 2for1s and the bike shop discounts (I got 10% off a Santa Cruz Bronson at Green Mountain Bikes for example) and it becomes kind of a no-brainer.

Really, though, the $50 is a small price for the unreal amount of trail building and maintenance that this group gets done annually. Like Buttah mentioned, they're constantly developing and improving- check this out to get a sense of the magnitude of what they've gotten done in just the last 10 years or so: https://vmba.org/statewide-trails-map

Edit: No Millstone, but a free day at Q Burke and discounts at the Worthys! (Kitchen and Burger, that is)

^bolded - The shop in Rochester VT? That place is way cool. He is a customer of mine and I would recommend that place to anybody that needs a good honest shop in their world. Piles of old used parts and bikes and a proper selection of new stuff that you need. They even have their own fledgling line of beautiful steel hardtails welded in house.

Heh, that free day at Q might not have much value this year

[biggins]

The shop in Rochester VT?

Heh, that free day at Q might not have much value this year

Yup, GMBikes. Doon is an awesome, awesome guy. I bought my bike on an Xperzo demo day at the shop. Doon simulataneously ordered my bike, baked pizzas behind the shop, saw off a group ride or two and chatted up a million folks from town and abroad. Coolest shop around IMO.

Burke ticket may well be useless. Definitely buying a Kingdom pass and spending as much time and money up that way as I can. Dark days may be upon the NEK...

[BushwackerinPA]

Yeah KT is flow for days! Enduro is going to be at Victory Hill, word is the trails are more raw and techy.

I forget the name of the spot but there's a nice campground ~15 minutes from KT a town or two over. I'm gonna reach out and see what the camping is like at Victory Hill, apparently they have a place we can camp for the race that weekend (check the event page on bikereg).

The stuff in victory is mix of old single track and new machine built flow trail it is less burlier than the Triple Crown Enduro IMO since the triple crown used DH trail and upper J bar

[Anospa]

The stuff in victory is mix of old single track and new machine built flow trail it is less burlier than the Triple Crown Enduro IMO since the triple crown used DH trail and upper J bar

Yeah, Upper J-bar is definitely heads up terrain, I raced AM last year so thankfully didn't have to throw myself down that trail.

I'm thinking victory is a medium between that type of terrain and the normal KT trails? Or more flow than that?

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

Welp, I'm registered for Victory Hill. Gonna be a hell of a week. In Nashville Monday through Thursday for a business trip and then hopping in the car for the 6.5 hour drive to the race Friday morning.

[BushwackerinPA]

its machine built at least the new stuff is. I am trying to find the video of Knight Ide riding it but its hard to find.

[radam]

Starting to take over some media duties for the local club so I've finally started gathering some shots while out on rides. Might need to pony up and start carrying a real camera again.

[Whiteroom_Guardian]

its machine built at least the new stuff is. I am trying to find the video of Knight Ide riding it but its hard to find.

Would be interested in seeing this if you find it.

[buttahflake]

Starting to take over some media duties for the local club so I've finally started gathering some shots while out on rides. Might need to pony up and start carrying a real camera again.

Is this near SPAC?
Looks tasty
Will be there over Fourth of July
Map?

[radam]

Is this near SPAC?
Looks tasty
Will be there over Fourth of July
Map?

5 minutes from SPAC. Map is over at http://www.saratogamtb.org, it's the Daniels Road State Forest map. Not the most intuitive place to ride, partly thanks to a few missing or inaccurate signs that are the result of some property line issues and there's also some off the map stuff that gets ridden more than some of the on the map stuff so you can end up a little disoriented at times. I can maybe show you around.. depends how much you shit all over the threads I usually read between now and then.