| Ride Stats |
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Distance:
22.10 miles
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Route:
CAMBA
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Time: 03:26:28
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Avg Speed:
6.42 mph
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Max Speed:
0.00 mph
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Avg HR: 128 bpm
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Max HR: 149 bpm
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Calories Burned: 0
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Weight:
183
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Altitude Gain:
0 ft
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Terrain: Off: XC
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Bike: Cannondale Rush Trail/AM
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| Club: Secular Cycleism |
| Weather Conditions: Sunny. Perfect. |
Ride Description: From cabin... I skipped the technical rock section N31 to N3, and rode the ski trail on the way to the Rock Lake Trail Head. Skipped Hildebrand.
First ride of the new N29 section. As expected, quite a few technical rock features. I rode most of them. Fell once after nearly cleaning one huge rock bridge.
Got to see "Wall Street". Quite impressive. I stopped to eat there, waiting for someone to come along and ride it. One guy (a very good rider) bailed on his first attempt, so he rode back up and did it again. And one of his 3 friends (who aren't bikers) tried it. He was on and old Trek 800 (rigid) and he bailed 1/4 of the way down.
Legs are very weak.
HR average includes 53 minutes of rest. |
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I finally got to check out the new Technical Trail Feature at Rock Lake, It's an impressive, intimidating (to me) hand built rock chute drop feature called Wall Street. www.cambatrails.org/ctblog/?p=17
I've heard about it... saw its creator, John Leighton ride it on a video... Now it was time to check it out.
It is gnarlly enough that even John ("I don't provide an alternative") Leighton built a by-pass for this monster.
I was riding by myself, (Sue won't ride Rock Lake anymore) so when I got there, I took a few pictures, ate a Clif Bar and waited for someone to show up and ride this thing.
I'm pretty sure I have the skills to ride it, I just don't have the courage to attempt it.
It's one of those things that once you start, it's almost impossible to turn back. And at my age, I don't heal as fast as I used to. Since there were no mosquitoes, I'll just sit and wait for someone else to ride it.
It starts out with a tricky couple of 45 degree angled flat rocks about a foot apart, then there's an uneven bumpy rock section followed by a "baby head" rock section. After that, there's a smoother big flat rock armored section. The middle part is where things get real hairy. There are a couple steps and an off camber spot, and then it smooths out near the bottom roll out. Oh yeah, it's pretty steep too.
After taking some pictures and talking to a couple that rode the by-pass, a group of 4 riders arrived.
The first guy just took the by-pass with out even looking at it. I talked to him at the bottom. He explained, his friend, who is a good rider and rides at least three times a week, mountain and road, brought the three guys from work (who don't ride much or at all) out for a ride. So here they are at Rock Lake.
This is the equivalent of a good downhill skier bringing his "friends" skiing, and sending them down a black diamond hill. Probably not the best idea.
But, from what I saw, they did fairly well. Although, when I saw them later (at N3), the three of them had "had enough" and were sent the easiest way back to the parking lot.
The good rider (On a vintage Cannondale Jekyl) messed up his first attempt, bailed half way and ended up hugging a tree. No blood, no foul. He said he didn't have enough speed, so he rode up the by-pass and did it again. With more speed, he made it look easy.
Now, one of the other guys is still studying the rocks, thinking he wants to try it. His friends say he has ridden some motocross, so he may have some skills. But he's on an older Trek 800 bike with NO SUSPENSION. (That's not going to help the situation one bit.)
After some jokes about insurance and questions of cell phone coverage and 911, he says "I can work from a hospital bed" and gives it a try.
He tried to creep down it slowly, which worked until he hit the area with steps, where he leaned over and stepped off the trail to the soft dirt.
He said he got half way and chickened out.
I told him (pointing to the top) "Hey, I chickened out at the sign that says "Wall Street"
Oh, by the way, the By-pass is fun! It has a smooth fast, steep dip near the bottom.
The rest of the new section (N29 to N3) has several impressive rock features. (See bottom 2 photos) I was able to ride most of them. (I fell once)
If you like your Technical Trail Features made of rock, come and ride the trail at Rock Lake. It is impressive.
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