Just wanted to start a thread for the 2009 season at Northstar. Post anything from race reports to your daily experience and trail conditions
2009 Northstar Bike Park Thread
- Thread starter dlowebiker
- Start date
there was a pretty good downpour early evening today after the park closed (6/13). should make for good conditions for sunday. ill be there
Rode there yesterday and today. It kicked ass!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unbelievable conditions today. Got comfortable on the new bike on the good ol' Northstar terrain and had a blast today. With the rain we had tonight, Sunday should be amazing.
I didn't wait longer than 3 mins. to get on a lift except when the lift stalled for a few mins. for some hikers.
Whoever decided not to come this weekend REALLY missed out!
I didn't wait longer than 3 mins. to get on a lift except when the lift stalled for a few mins. for some hikers.
Whoever decided not to come this weekend REALLY missed out!
Brian! I looked for you all day and didn't see you once!
Speed Control, Little Trees, Flameout, Karpiel, PhoDog. All amazing. While I'm not a fan of Sticks and Stones, that was great, too. For some reason I don't think I ever made it onto DogBone, but I might be wrong.
Livewire is fun as always. They did some serious work to a few sections and it came out great.
Gypsy is fantastic as always. Nothing really changed there, but the stepdown at the bottom of the trail is fun as always.
Boondocks was amazing. My favorite trail - hands down. The first rock drop has a soft and nasty landing as it always does, with a hard left hander immediately following that takes you into that rock crevice. But the second drop still has those perfectly placed pavers, and now has a berm coming out of it that really helps you hold your speed into the next section.
Absolutely amazing. Especially because I finally hit the waterfall on Karpiel twice, and it didn't totally terrify me!
Livewire is fun as always. They did some serious work to a few sections and it came out great.
Gypsy is fantastic as always. Nothing really changed there, but the stepdown at the bottom of the trail is fun as always.
Boondocks was amazing. My favorite trail - hands down. The first rock drop has a soft and nasty landing as it always does, with a hard left hander immediately following that takes you into that rock crevice. But the second drop still has those perfectly placed pavers, and now has a berm coming out of it that really helps you hold your speed into the next section.
Absolutely amazing. Especially because I finally hit the waterfall on Karpiel twice, and it didn't totally terrify me!
Nice man! Totally jealous!
I really want to make it out there before my surgery. If I don't I will have a 50% off day pass up for grabs.
I heard request for pictures in the other thread. Here's all I got so far:
Dom:
Craig:
Me:
Dom:
Craig:
Me:
NICE dude! Thats the new jump at the bottom of Livewire they put in last year right? Its a pretty big jump! haha
Nah, that's the stepdown at the bottom of Gypsy. It's BIG, but as long as you hit it with enough speed you literally just sail off the end of it into a nice transition. Here's a better picture of the tranny landing.
Ah right! I got the trail names mixed up. That jump is killer. You can seriously launch/boost it! I want to go up there SO bad!
It's time.
I'm hoping for a Friday/Saturday trip, 26th and 27th. Friday they open up the one side of the mountain until 7pm.
I'm hoping for a Friday/Saturday trip, 26th and 27th. Friday they open up the one side of the mountain until 7pm.
Looking good folks. Were both lifts open on the upper mountain, or just the Vista side? Just curious, might be up there for a day this weekend.
So wait, there is a race there this weekend? Mike are you going? There is a slight chance I could be making it out there Friday-Sunday for it. Very slight chance.
This weekend is mine and Jehn's 1-year Ann. So I'm busy all weekend.
As for the following weekend, I planned to try to make a Friday/Saturday trip up there, but my co-worker just informed me that she is taking the 26th off, so it's unlikely I'll be able to make it up there that day. But we'll see.
As for the following weekend, I planned to try to make a Friday/Saturday trip up there, but my co-worker just informed me that she is taking the 26th off, so it's unlikely I'll be able to make it up there that day. But we'll see.
Cute and congratulations! haha
And hmm... this week is fathers day and if my parents are celebrating it this weekend I am going to skip the * this weekend. Maybe shoot for going up when you do?
Well see.
I'll keep you posted, Joshy.
Tizight.
So uh hey, are both upper lifts running? Thanks.
Josh- Kelly and I are headed up that weekend and camping at Sandy Beach Campground over by Kings Beach.
I'd offer you a ride up but 3 other people already called dibs on the back seat.
I'd offer you a ride up but 3 other people already called dibs on the back seat.
All lifts were open
Hmm, Ben and I might be making it up together. Looks like Fathers Day plans with my dad are pushed to the following weekend.
Man, all of that beer drinking I did last week will probably not help if I race this weekend haha!
Just think of it as stored up energy
Just in case anyone cares, my wife was randomly headed up the chairlift on Sunday and snapped a photo of "some random rider."
Turned out to be me.
Turned out to be me.
Good to see she caught you going big 
I am going this weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's it, Big Brian. Them's fightin' werds. Next time we're both at the Star, we'll hit Boondocks and we'll have a 4x style start. It'll be awesome.Good to see she caught you going big
:biggrin:
That would be awesome. I'm guessing the fast line would be to pinch off the other rider in the first right hander by jumping the rock on the inside. Man there would be some brutal wrecks
Haha... I know exactly which rock you're talking about, and I frickin' LOVE it.
Just to get you fools pumped:
Dom, Craig and then me on the stepdown on Gypsy.
http://www.vimeo.com/5179355
My buddy Bryan (some of you met him at the last CCCX race. He's on the Commencal). Here he is hittin' the second drop on Boondocks.
http://www.vimeo.com/5179444
Dom, Craig and then me on the stepdown on Gypsy.
http://www.vimeo.com/5179355
My buddy Bryan (some of you met him at the last CCCX race. He's on the Commencal). Here he is hittin' the second drop on Boondocks.
http://www.vimeo.com/5179444
Heh- I slipped a pedal off that jump one time last year and ran my entire foot over on the landing. I didn't crash, but it pulled my leg down just enough to rack my nuts on the stem. After they realized I wasn't going to crash my buddies were cracking up for a good 5 minutes on the side of the trail.
I met Fonzie (from ridemonkey here). We saw a dude down on that jump on Saturday. Turned out it was one of Fonzie's buddies.
ill be riding northstar tomorrow saturday and sunday racing. ill be wearing a white and blue morewood jersey with my buddy.
gonna show up today or tomorrow on a blue bullit, jeans, t-shirt.....don't know if i'll race on sunday....
where are some other good trails in the area? i'm in glenbrook and looking for freeride stuff: skinnies, ladders, bridges, drops (up to 15'), djs (for big bike or i have my hardtail here too)
where are some other good trails in the area? i'm in glenbrook and looking for freeride stuff: skinnies, ladders, bridges, drops (up to 15'), djs (for big bike or i have my hardtail here too)
I will be there riding Saturday and racing Sunday. My bike and I look like this:
Joshy also walks around with his thumb in the air...
...permanently.
...permanently.
Thats how a roll.
Look for the guy doing the thumbs up everywhere.
Look for the guy doing the thumbs up everywhere.
No footer, no hands, superman off the step-down on Gypsy...
...with two thumbs in the air, no less.
...with two thumbs in the air, no less.
haha that actually gave me the chills thinking about stacking on that. Yikes.
I am actually pretty nervous about this weekend. I haven't ridden since cccx #6. Just letting my shin heal up as much as possible. But also because I don't ride trails like this ever.
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Haha. I know. See, I'm pretty familiar with the dirt (errr... rocks and dust) at Northstar, so after the first 2 runs, I'm fairly well adjusted. But CCCX is fast and hardpacked. I'm just not used to that.
Just be prepared for drifting.. but it'll happen when you don't want to. The soil isn't predictable like Santa Cruz or Salinas. It's got a mind of it's own, and the trail changes EVERY time due to high traffic and loose dirt.
Play it safe, man, and you'll be just fine.
Just be prepared for drifting.. but it'll happen when you don't want to. The soil isn't predictable like Santa Cruz or Salinas. It's got a mind of it's own, and the trail changes EVERY time due to high traffic and loose dirt.
Play it safe, man, and you'll be just fine.