Holiday Fun - Favorite Videos

There is no doubt that technology has not only changed how we ride, but how we watch, learn and interact with mountain biking.  The advent of social media and improved smart phone cameras have increased our exposure to what is going on in the mountain bike community.  In fact, I really wanted a GoPro when they first came out, but then I realized if you go out and search sites like YouTube, you'll find an existing video of the trail you wanted to recorded already there.

With that said, here are the links to some of my favorite videos about mountain biking and a few extra put in for fun.  This is not a complete or comprehensive list and there lots and lots of great videos about riding out there.  But these are my favorites for giving a flavor of what is out there:

1. How to be a mountain biker (I could relate to a number of these):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPVRU7jSYkQ

2. Now that you ARE a mountain biker, here are 10 things you should make sure you do (I've done 9 of them):
http://vimeo.com/80735548

3. Danny MacAskill's Imaginate - it really shows off his skills in a fun way, even though it isn't pure mountain biking it is still amazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv3xVOs7_No

4. Four guys having fun - which reminds me of riding with the "Old Men."  While I do a fair amount of solo riding, it is always more fun with friends:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua15Yn_m2p4

5. Urban Downhill - I like these because it reflects how we all started, riding in the streets:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4RM_I3Ig-Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIe6hYAdw_I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqBnmhjzzoo

6. Just for fun - Red Bull does make some great videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0jmSsQ5ptw

7. More fun from "Monster" with a drift
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvXpsdxQ9PE

Sandy Ridge - It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This

Sandy Ridge - just saying that brought up visions of riding nirvana.  That's what I thought because of what I had heard from other riders and read in magazines like Mountain Bike Action.  Once a quarter, a group of like minded riders plan a surprise trip.  We don't know the location or plan, we are just told to show up at a certain date and time and away we go.  The most recent trip turned out to be Sandy Ridge.  Of course the day we road it, Sandy Ridge was the only place in the state where it rained.

Sandy Ridge is located at the base of Mt. Hood just past Sandy, Oregon on HWY 26.  After passing through Sandy look for a left onto Sleepy Hollow Road at the sign that says "Sandy Ridge."  After a short drive you come to the parking lot with plenty of parking and a non-flush toilet.  Sandy Ridge is built around a paved four mile climb and a number of trails (green, blue, black diamond) braking off and intersecting each other. 

This difference about riding Sandy Ridge is that these trails are built for mountain biking, they are not hiking trails converted to riding trials, they are pure mountain bike rides.  Switch backs are banked for fast turns, lots of little jumps and pump track experiences.  It rained or misted the entire time, but you wouldn't know it on the trails.  The trails are covered by the trees with a very rocky consistency, so they hold up well and drain well.  We did get muddy though, from the splatter.

Seven of us approximately 27 miles and climbed 5000 feet all with nothing but smiles, hoots and hollers! We finished the day off with great burritos at "Two Brothers" Mexican restaurant.  All the way home the conversation was all about how much fun the day was and when could we get back their again to ride.  The following link takes you to the map of the trails:

http://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/files/brochures/sdo_sandyridge_map2013_508.pdf

 

Bend 2013

Each year I spend a week riding in Bend.  For 2013 it started on Memorial Day as everyone was heading home (bumper to bumper) heading out of Bend and I was driving to Bend at full speed.

Monday - Before heading over I did a standard ride in Mac Forest.  In the Mac it is either up or down, this day it was 12 miles and about 2000 feet of gain.  If you are heading over to Bend from the valley, I also recommend stopping and doing the Iron Mountain hike.  You can't ride your bike on it, but it is a great hike. The trail head is at the top of Tombstone and it is 1.8 miles to the top (1350 feet of gain).  You cross the Santiam Wagon Trail which you can ride your bike on.

Iron Mountain Trail

Tuesday - I like to stay at the Inn at 7th Mountain because I can get into the Phil's trail system or the Deschutes River trail right out my front door.  My "go to" ride is riding up COD and Funner and then coming back down and hitting ODP (Old Dirty Pirate) on the way back.  It takes me about 2:15 and you get 21 miles and only 1650 in gain.  There are a number a great obstacles on each of these that are all very rideable (I especially like the Pirate Cove trail).  You have to know where this is, as it is not on the "official" map. After that morning ride, I went out to the Lava Lands National Park to walk through the lava fields.  A very cool short hike.

Lava Fields

 Wednesday - With a planned hike up Tam McArthur Rim out of Sisters, I had to do a shorter ride. I chose the Deschutes River Trail (DRT) which is a ride I never get tired of.  There are more technical and challenging rides in the Bend system, but there aren't many that are more beautiful.  You can ride it from Bend to Sunriver or out to the Lava Lands monument.  It can be short or long.  I went from 7th Mountain up to meadow and back.  Just a perfect morning with a stunning view as the fog lifted.

Then it was off to TMR for 5.4 miles round trip hike with 1250 feet of elevation (recommended) and then back to Sisters for lunch.  I also stopped at Blazing Saddles and Euro Sports bike shops.  Euro Sports has the best buys on Specialized Demo bikes, but they don't start selling them till Labor Day weekend. For example, a 2013 Specialized Stumpjumper like mine (see picture) with dropper seat post was $2,500.

Deschutes River Trail

The Meadow

A perfect view

Sunrise

Tam McArthur Trail

Thursday - This was my "rest" day which started with another classic ride.  I climbed COD (and did DOP) and Funner, then after the pump track came down Tiddlywinks and Storm King. It was 23 miles and 2100 feet.  Finished the day reading by the pool.  A great rest day.

Friday - Woke to rain which isn't bad in Bend in the summer as it knocks the dust down.  Skipped a morning ride and headed to Smith Rock state park to scout out the trails and get in a hike.  They have a great mountain bike trail that circles the "rock" and goes along the river then out and around the back side.  I elected to go up to "Monkey Face" and then up and over which was very very steep up and down, but great views.  Then that night I had my wife shuttle me up to the Funner trail head and I road Funner and COD under the lights.

Smith Rock State Park

Monkey Face

Climbing Up on the Misery Trail

View coming down (bike trail in the distance)

Saturday - Started the day with a quick lap on COD (10 miles and 730 feet) then ran in a Bend Charity 5k race (took third).  It was their first one ever and there was considerable confusion on the route, so I could have just as easily finished last, but it was fun.  I thought about an afternoon ride, but it was very relaxing by the pool and I finished my once a year Clive Cussler novel.

Sunday - it was a true day of rest and time to head home. Great fun, riding, food and rest.  I can't wait for 2014.  If you get to Bend, be sure and stop in at Repeat Performance and here are some great restaurants to try:  Flat Bread (by REI), Chow, Noi, Zydeco, Los Agaves (Sisters), Kebaba's, Barrio's, Parilla Grill, Baldy's BBQ and Nancy P's Bakery! 

17000 Vertical in a Day - Oakridge at it's Best

Oregon Adventures offers the best way to see Oakridge and ride some of the best trails around.  It is called 17000 Vertical in a Day and that is just what you get, 46 miles of riding, about 4300 feet of climb and about 40 miles of downhill fun, flowing and challenging single track. Here is what I got to experience with Wayne and his single speed:

First, our timing was perfect, it rained the day before which knocked down all the dust and made the trails perfect.  We left at 5:30 a.m. and arrived at 7:00 in Oakridge (great time in Wayne’s BMW) which was about 1/2 before they wanted us to be there.  As with any adventure when you first pull up, you wonder how professional things are going to be and OA runs a great program. 

At 7:30 a.m. we were making our lunch and you could have as much as you wanted.  BPJ or various meats all on Dave’s Killer Bread.  They had chips, apples, fruit bars, etc. At 8:00 a.m. we were on the bus and our bikes (there were 19 of us) in a van.  They did all the loading and unloading and wrapped each bike in a moving blanket before rolling out.  They also carried our lunches in a cooler and two large water jugs.  We had two drivers and three guides. 

  

Our first ride was Alpine were we climbed about 1900 feet and the ride was about 16 miles long (at least 14 downhill). Then we did Lowler which is 10 miles and 1000 feet of climb. This ride finished in Westfir and they had a little park with a pump track. The third ride was called “Hardesty.” I think it was this ride that we dove back down into the fog and completed the last of our real climbing.

The way the rides would go is that one guide would take off and then about in the middle of the pack would be another guide and then a sweeper who would never get in front of the last person.  But there are times that we would do a One in One Out process.  If there was a key juncture, you would wait until the next guy came to make sure they took the right turn.

It was also on this third ride that I started to feel the effects of always going down hill at a fast pace.  You know you are having fun when you are looking for a little uphill to rest your body (and hands) or you want to stop going downhill for a rest. This ride was 7.5 miles and about 1500 feet of climbing. We also switched to two 15 passenger vans at the end of this ride.  I should point out that almost all the climbing is at the start of the ride, then it is pretty much downhill.

At this point you are done climbing and only have downhill left for the last three rides.  The next ride was a short one called Larison Rock which was 3 miles of of flow and switch backs!  About the 4th switch back down as I chased Wayne I yelled out “Hey Wayne?” “Yeah?” “Wipe that grin off your face!” We popped out across from Lookout Reservoir and got picked up for the ride back to and through Oakridge to the Flat Creek and Aubrey Mountain rides.  Each about 5 miles long and very fast and flowy and very very fun! We popped out at the end of town and peddled back to the shop arriving about 7:30 pm. for some final refreshments.

In summary none of the riding we did was as technical as the North Rim trail on Mary’s Peak and all of it was like riding the East Rim, North Rim or McKenzie. Narrow hillside and old forest runs with great views that flew by.  We road and shuttled for almost 12 hours and yet it seemed to go by super fast because of the intensity of the riding and the thrill of being totally in the moment (everything was new). In the end we climbed more than I expected (both fire road and single track) about 4300 feet and 46 miles total, 40 of that wonderful downhill single track (Strava from my iPhone).  It would take you a number of trips and effort to do what we did in one day.  I would say that from a pure riding experience it is better than MBO in that you don’t have to camp out for three days and juggle with everyone for shuttles and trails (don't get me wrong, the signatures in the bus prove what a great event MBO is, first class - See Outside Magazine or talk to anyone, it is a great celebration of Mountain Biking).

We had 3 flats (me a perfect snake bite pinch flat and Wayne a burb on his tubeless and maybe another pinch flat on the replacement tube) so bring tubes, etc, but the guides are helpful, carry radios and have some equipment with repairs.  I brought a change of jersey, socks and gloves which was perfect for an all day event.

Cost was $149 and I would suggest a tip of at least $20 per rider that goes to the drivers and guides. These are scheduled several times a year, but with a at least 5 people you can schedule your own day. So start saving your pop cans and pennies and do it!  https://oregon-adventures.com/tours
Here are some shots of the day:

Wipe that grin off your face!

The Limos

Above the fog

Stop to see the views, don't do it while riding!

2013 TOE and C2C

2013 TOE
I have to give a lot of thanks to Dr. Stanley at the Clinic for the great job he did on my shoulder. 7 weeks after surgery I was able to participate in the Mike Ripley's TOE (Test of Endurance).  This year I only did one lap with my nephew and two friends, but I wasn't sure I would even be there after the accident.  We had a bunch of the "Old Men Mountain Bike Club" complete two laps (50 miles) and about 10,000 feet of climb. Two did it on single speeds.  Darin my brother road the 100k (67 miles) with crazy amount of climbs (he also did the High Cascade 100 two weeks later). It was a great time, great weather and a great course.

Fun Times w/ Ian

Darin on the 100k

2013 C2C (Corvallis to Coast; Cole to Cole)
The 8th Annual C2C Invitational had 14 brave souls including my nephew who is the youngest rider to finish (not counting Todd's two boys who split the ride on Dad's tandem mountain bike a few years back).  This year's ride ended with some new single track that is part of the Coast Classic mountain bike race.  It also included a river crossing of the Mary's River near Blodget because a tree took out the old one and we didn't want to back-up and find an alternate route.  Trails were in perfect condition and some of them looked like they had been cleaned and cut back (part of our course will become the official C2C trail when complete).  We had no trees down like the year before.  We only had one mechanical where a pedal had to be replaced (yes he was carrying an extra, he had feeling it might be needed).  This year we only had one flat after the fact (it was discovered the next day).  Here are some shots and the stats from this year:

Total Time: 8 hrs 40 minutes
Total Saddle time: 6 hrs 10 minutes
Average Speed: 10:1 mph
Total Miles: 61.4
Top Speed: 42.7
Starting Temp: 46
Ending Temp: 72
Elevation gain: 6538
Start Time: 5:45 a.m.
Ending Time: 2:25 p.m.
Bike Facts: 12 29's, 11 HT's, 3 ss, 1 1x10

The Bare Necessities

First Timers

Not as brave or baring as the first guy

Playing on the tracks (not part of the course)

2013 Riders

At the Bridge - 50 miles to go

More playing

There is a trail

Cyclepedia - Portland Art Museum

Cycling has a great community, which sometimes is at odds with each other, but at least we have two wheels in common.  That is why I had such a great time at the new show currently at the Portland Art Museum called "Cyclepedia - Iconic Bicycle Design."  The show features over 40 bikes hanging from the ceiling that show innovative and iconic designs from the early days of cycling to the modern mountain bike.  It was so much fun to look at the different bikes up close (like a bike from the Olympics) to a wacky fold-up bike.  The show is running now through September 8th 2013 so you still have time and I strongly encourage it. Here is a link and some shots of the great bikes.  http://www.portlandartmuseum.org/special/cyclepedia:

The Show

Carry On Luggage

Side by Side - it takes two to ride

Great Bikes Part 1

Great Bikes Part 2

A Sh#t Bike - for you Bike magazine fans

You just want to ride it

1950's and it weighs 50 lbs

A lot of bike helmets

Getting Hurt Again

This seems to be one of my frequent topics in this blog.  I've heard it said that "Mountain Bikers don't sue, they take pictures" and that is the truth.  While I think road biking is more dangerous than mountain biking, there is no mistaking that you can get hurt on a mountain bike.  With a road bike, one fall can kill you (as can that semi, joy riding pick-up truck or that texting teen) or at least give you lots of broken bones and severe road rash.  I like to say that at least on a mountain bike I can see the trees coming and the ground is softer.  But the nature of mountain biking is that at some point you are going to get scraped, scratched or bruised, but rarely unless you choose to do something crazy you won't brake any bones or get killed.

Which brings us to "choosing" to something crazy, or in my case not listening to the "promptings" I was receiving.  I have been on a mountain bike high for the last four weeks.  It started with a great ride at the CPR.  Then came Moab where I road some crazy fun trails that were all rock with drops, steps, and trails very close to the edge.  Then we came back and road the three hardest trails in Mac Forest in one loop at night (The Plunge, New Groove and South Side Slip) all with only a small scrape on my arm (CPR) and my knee (Slickrock). Then came Black Rock last Saturday.

I love the Bonzi Downhill (green run) at BR.  It has such great flow and BR crew has worked on it so much to really get it dialed in.  It is such a blessing to have it so close and I have played on it many times.  Last Saturday four of us visited BR in the morning and after riding my longest skinny in the Practice Area we climbed to the top of the mountain and road the first (of four) section of Bonzi twice, then we did the 2nd section.  The 2nd section has two table top drops near the end and because I was on my Epic, I skipped  these two drops. My Epic just doesn't have enough suspension for those kind of drops.  BR is better suited for my Stumpy. We then climbed to the top again and headed down sections 1 and 2 again.  This time when I approached the first table top in section two (having no plan to ride it) at the last moment I swung into the entrance, but by then I wasn't carrying enough speed and I didn't pedal hard enough.  So instead of flying out, I nosed dived off.  I landed perpendicular and went over the handles bars and due to the steep landing hit my shoulder so hard it broke my left collar bone in three places.

This is the second time I have broke this collar bone.  Breaking a bone is like getting the wind knocked out of you, but you can still breath. The pain isn't sharp, but so intense you can't get on top of it so it makes you feel like you can't breath.  What did sting was the scrape on my knee and elbow.  They really burned and bled.  After getting my legs under me, I checked the bike which was okay, so I unzipped my jersey and stuck my arm in it like a sling. We walked down to the road and the start of section 3 and then I road out with one hand. We then packed up the bikes, hit the Bread Board for cinnamon roles in Falls City before heading to Urgent Care.

I was so glad that Dave, Todd and Lee where there with me.  When you crash, the first thing you want to do is jump up like nothing is wrong.  Having friends ride with you, makes sure there is someone else with a clearer head to assess things when you won't.

So what did I learn? Accidents do happen, but following the "red flag" warnings in your head (the Spirit) is always better and will help you avoid getting hurt.  That split second indecision is now going to cost me 6 to 8 weeks of riding and a titanium plate on my collar bone.  I have also learned that surgery is worse than the break but it is the only way to get better. What I didn't expect to learn? That pain pills cause constipation (the secret warm prune juice).

6/9/13 Update - back on the bike since last Friday, but only on pavement, any vibration can loosen the screws.

CPR 2013

Black Rock 2013

Moab and Black Rock - always the same spot

I didn't even know

Sometimes the cure is worse...

One nice plate and 8 fun screws

BPE III and the Beaver Freezer 2013

It is that time of year when things are starting to bloom, things are warming up, but the rain is coming down and the trails are getting really soft (and muddy).  It is also the time that the "events" start like the Freezer, Mudslinger, CPR, TOE, C2C, etc.  As part of a group that rides year round, we also have a few of our own events like the Best Plan Ever series of rides.  The BPE as it is know, is a quarterly event that can consist of anything as long as riding is included and most of the time is a surprise.  For example, take the latest BPE (III) event.

BPE
It started with the owner of the "BPE Card" let us know that we were to meet at my house at 10:00 p.m. Friday night (in March) and be ready for an all night adventure.  Then we drove to Newport on the coast and down the coast to Cape Perpetua (below Waldport) where we met some additional guides and then we went on one of my most favorite night rides of all time.

We climbed and climbed in clear skies (and 25 degrees) to the top of Cape Perpetua. After enjoying the view of the stars we had just a tremendous technical descent which ended getting back to the car at 3:00 a.m. and home at 5:00 a.m.

Beaver Freezer 2013

The next event was the Beaver Freezer in April which is a "sprint" triathlon that includes a mountain bike division (the only one I have found).  This is a well run very fun event that I would recommend it to anyone.  The swimming is short and indoors, the bike course is flat and the run is three laps around the quad.  I finished 17th for the the men in 2012 and 10th in 2013.

Mudslinger

While I did the Freezer, the next day several of the "old men" did the 2013 Mudslinger which is 30+ miles and around 6000 feet of climb.