[punkassean]

Met up with Chaz (squarewheels) and Scott (goin' medium) for some shuttles Saturday at UCSC. It was super fun and we spent something like 5-6 hours sessioning mailboxes and dead campers. We just kept hitting everything over and over until we were perfectly dialed, It was super fun! We met this dude on a K2 hardtail named Geoff, he was just going for it on mailboxes hitting everything pinned! So he joined us on the lower part of the trail and then on dead campers. Super cool dude, told him about the and he was stoked to check it out come monday. I am sure he will be joining up today or in the next few days. Everybody was trying hard and nailing just about everything, we had a good sort of vibe goin' on as far as pushing each other to ride our best. Anyway we didn't have a camera or anything to show you guys but just wanted to share the experience anyway. Anybody else have good rides this weekend?

 

[Damn True]

Met up with Chaz (squarewheels) and Scott (goin' medium) for some shuttles Saturday at UCSC. It was super fun and we spent something like 5-6 hours sessioning mailboxes and dead campers. We just kept hitting everything over and over until we were perfectly dialed, It was super fun! We met this dude on a K2 hardtail named Geoff, he was just going for it on mailboxes hitting everything pinned! So he joined us on the lower part of the trail and then on dead campers. Super cool dude, told him about the and he was stoked to check it out come monday. I am sure he will be joining up today or in the next few days. Everybody was trying hard and nailing just about everything, we had a good sort of vibe goin' on as far as pushing each other to ride our best. Anyway we didn't have a camera or anything to show you guys but just wanted to share the experience anyway. Anybody else have good rides this weekend?

I was in that area too. Except I did a long roadie ride with way too much climbing involved.

Gotta get out for some shuttles. Would you be into doing some after work some night?

 

[Joe Pozer]

I was in that area too. Except I did a long roadie ride with way too much climbing involved.

Gotta get out for some shuttles. Would you be into doing some after work some night?

Whattup True? We need to meet up one of these days so I can get my saddle back, I need it for my DH bike.

 

[punkassean]

I was in that area too. Except I did a long roadie ride with way too much climbing involved.

Gotta get out for some shuttles. Would you be into doing some after work some night?

Always! I usually ride after work at least once a week and one if not both days of the weekend. I also typically do not shuttle but I am always down for whateva' even road rides (with lots of climbing!). I had such a good time saturday that I am down to coordinate these type of things a lot more often! Get some faces to go with names etc.

 

[goin' medium]

It was great meeting you guys and riding. Definately want to meet up again. After watching Sean hit the big jump (with the ladder bridge) on Mailboxes I was fianlly able to get over my fear and hit it. No problem. I had been looking at that thing for months! It's great having people around to push your limits. We all seemed to have a good day with lots of good riding.

It turns out that I must have dropped the bike in Poison Oak at some time during the day. Between armor and shorts is a solid patch... Well you don't need details. I did the full decontamination shower when I got home, but it was too late. We started riding around 3:30pm. I didn't get home till 10:30pm. (That's a good day of riding) So I will be itchy for the next few days, but should be riding again by next weekend.

Darn it Sean, now you've got me thinking about the big drop. Maybe if you live through Whistler, I'll give it another look when you get back.

*trying not to scratch*
Scott

 

[punkassean]

I have heard you have about 45min. max to wash off the oil from oak before it's too late...good luck trying not to scratch!

what, this drop?

After Whistler we WILL go back to the drop and I promise you WILL hit it! I just can't get that last road gap (bottom dead campers) out of my mind!!! I was thinking about it last night in my sleep. It is big, but damn it looks makeable...

 

[surfinguru]

AHHH!! You guys are killing me! Oh well, at least Scott was good enough to swing by my place and drop off some cool vids after such a long days' ride. Scott, you rock bro! Thanks for helping me keep the stoke factor going despite being busted up and unable to ride.

The last ladder bridge still makes me pause...stoked to hear guys were hitting it. Now that drop on DC's? Whoa yeah....pretty good sized stuff for sure. (Those pics do nothing to convey the true size of the drop.) That run in just sketches me out to no end. Road gap? Sean, are you talking about the one after that big drop? (Big drop to jump between the trees to road gap?) Only hit that one once so far. Nailed it pretty smooth, but my jumping has been pretty suspect lately, just ask Scott I gotta feeling though if you're hitting the big ladder bridge on MB's you're talking about a different road gap I've been missing somewhere.

Oh well, when I can at least ride one handed, I'll have to bust out the cam-corder and get all the action on film.

 

[goin' medium]

Yup, That's the drop

Rich,
Sean hit up the little road gap (by comparison), and is looking at the one all the way down by highway 9. The big one accross the fire-road, at the bottom of dead campers.
Sean,
you may be interested in this one from De La Vega. Not super big, but completely blind run up and pretty fun.

 

[punkassean]

Rich, that smaller road gap is super sweet, Geoff took a small movie of us doing it on his digi-cam. I am talking about the one way down at the bottom of DC's just before hwy9. It is only like 8-10' down by 18-20' across but it's got a run up like the drop, it is very steep downhill and then it just bumps into a lip. It seems like the kind to buck you pretty hard forward...the landing is steep and has lots of trees leading into a sharp berm. If you come up too short you would case an embankment pretty hard. I am looking forward to your arm healing so we can all go ride together! In the meantime, it will be cool to have you come out and shoot some vids! I also have a lot of vids you can borrow, what did you borrow from Scott already?

 

[punkassean]

Yup, That's the drop ...
Sean,
you may be interested in this one from De La Vega. Not super big, but completely blind run up and pretty fun.

looks fun, I recognize that drop from some video I saw on the web recently!

 

[Smelly]

definitely a great ride. got me some poison oak on my arms, but it was worth it. i picked up some knee/shin pads and have a full face on the way so next time i'll feel a little safer and won't scuff up my face anymore. i've got that 15 foot drop on dead campers stuck in my head. i'm gonna have to try it this summer. i'm thinking about using my hardtail next time maybe (.243 with a DJ2), but we'll see how canadian i'm feeling. mailboxes is such a great trail. we should do an afternoon ride on it. i can't wait to learn it better.

sean, scott, or anyone else, i'm down to ride any day this week if schedules can be coordinated. i don't have class on friday, so i'm free all day. i'm free all day monday too.

hey, anyone know where to get fireworks for this weekend?

 

[Raacerx]

Sean, that last gap is a biotch. I was there last tuesday and noticed someone had built somewhat of a berm at the bottom. A huge improvement. When I hit it a couple months ago, I was literally on the verge of just losing it. Normally I like almost sketching out, its a rush, but this time I felt I could have seriously been hurt and I was really shakey afterwods. Next time Im there I want to do it again because the berm changes everything. Before it was practically non existent! You just gotta be going so fast. I go about 50-75 feet up from the lip, give about 2-3 good pedal strokes and essentially dont touch the brakes. If you made the lip longer and actually a lip, you wouldn't need to be going so crazy fast.

that said, I got it on video and now I cant get ahold of the person who filmed it. Grrrr!

 

[punkassean]

If you made the lip longer and actually a lip, you wouldn't need to be going so crazy fast.

That's exactly what I was I was thinking, there is enough space to build out a few more feet so the gap itself would be a bit shorter and the lip would be less "lippy". I would work on it but I have this thing about not changing someone else's trail work. That gap is hardcore right now and if people are hitting it then it can be done and therefore since I didn't build it, it's not my place to modify it. But damn it would be a lot cleaner with a tid bit of work done to it. I would love to see a vid of you hitting it, lemme know if you track it down!

 

[punkassean]

sean, scott, or anyone else, i'm down to ride any day this week if schedules can be coordinated. i don't have class on friday, so i'm free all day. i'm free all day monday too.

hey, anyone know where to get fireworks for this weekend?

I can ride probably at least once this week...not sure when though. Afternoons are usually best for me. "Ronny Grady" (John) said he might be coming down to SC around 6pm Thursday, maybe we should all get together then? I'm pretty sure I could do that.

 

[Smelly]

no ride for me thursday afternoon. got class 5-8. anyone free tomorrow after 5? if nothing else, maybe we can do a group ride of some sort on saturday.

 

[Smelly]

Sean,
you may be interested in this one from De La Vega. Not super big, but completely blind run up and pretty fun.

that's an awesome picture. De La Vega has all sorts of good looking stuff in it (just like every place around here).
scott, how bad's your poison oak? i've got it on my right elbow and left forearm, but it doesn't seem to be spreading. i've gotten so used to having poison ivy/oak a few times a year that it doesn't really even bother me all that much, it's just an annoyance trying not to touch things with it.

 

[goin' medium]

The oak is livable. arms aren't bad at all, but I have a SOLID patch about 6 inches around on each leg where it rubs the top tube. I will NOT be riding this week. If all goes at normal pace I should be okay by Sunday or Monday. Still need to wash the bike sometime.... Don't want to get re-contaminated again on my first ride. I woke up scratching last night! I hate that. I know enough not to scratch while I'm awake, but while I'm asleep... that just seems wrong!

I should know by Friday if I'll be healed up this weekend. I'll let you know so we can schedule a ride.

Scott

 

[punkassean]

I got the usual few little dots of oak here and there nothing bad but 6" patches!!! YIKES! that sucks man...

 

[Smelly]

bummer, sounds like you got the worst of it. good thought on cleaning the bike. i'm gonna go do that right now.

 

[Ronny Grady]

Damn, poison oak sucks,

Like Sean said, I am planning on riding on Thursday, My rack can hold 4 bikes, plus one on the roof if I drive slow. I would like to shuttle, if no one joins us with a car we are planning to ride up though. Hopefully we can meet up.

Lata'

 

[Smelly]

hmm...if i can read 20 pages and write a 1 page response paper, i think i can skip class on thursday and ride. so i'm gonna tear myself away from the internet and get this done

 

[punkassean]

I'm in... good luck with that school work Chaz, Hope you can swing it!

 

[Raacerx]

hey I think Im gonna head home to Santa Cruz tonight (been in the East Bay the last month trying to get my stupid Jeep finished) so if you guys are riding, count me in. Ive got nothing to do down there. No school no work, just a bike and and a nasty greenthumb.

 

[punkassean]

Werd! we just got tires in if you want to pick 'em up tonight (seabright) call me

-Sean
408-607-1663

 

[911]

That's exactly what I was I was thinking, there is enough space to build out a few more feet so the gap itself would be a bit shorter and the lip would be less "lippy". I would work on it but I have this thing about not changing someone else's trail work. That gap is hardcore right now and if people are hitting it then it can be done and therefore since I didn't build it, it's not my place to modify it. But damn it would be a lot cleaner with a tid bit of work done to it. I would love to see a vid of you hitting it, lemme know if you track it down!

Please... if you're willing to work on it, do so. I know the builders and it was never indended to be so sketchy. Originally the run out was going to go all the way down the hill into the flat. They never really finished clearing it out though, and people started hitting it as it was. A few friends of mine put some work into the berm at the bottom recently, so it's not as hairball as it was, but it still needs some work to really be fun. Making the lip bigger/longer and building even more of a berm at the bottom would be awesome improvements. Don't worry about pissing off the builders... they pretty much abandoned it before they were really finished.

 

[Ronny Grady]

Where is the best place to meet in Santa Cruz at 6 PM? Is there a good spot where Hwy 9 (River St) intersects Hwy 1 (Cabrillo Hwy)? I am ready to raise some cain.

John
919-270-1222

 

[punkassean]

Please... if you're willing to work on it, do so. I know the builders and it was never indended to be so sketchy. Originally the run out was going to go all the way down the hill into the flat. They never really finished clearing it out though, and people started hitting it as it was. A few friends of mine put some work into the berm at the bottom recently, so it's not as hairball as it was, but it still needs some work to really be fun. Making the lip bigger/longer and building even more of a berm at the bottom would be awesome improvements. Don't worry about pissing off the builders... they pretty much abandoned it before they were really finished.

that's what I wanted to hear! I am down to work on it (and whatever else) for sure. Probably won't be 'till after Whistler though...

 

[Smelly]

sean-
my cell phone decided to stop getting reception anywhere in my neighborhood. anyway, here's directions
go up bay towards campus and turn left onto Nobel. it's a stoplight intersection with a left turn lane. Nobel weaves around a little bit, and after like, half a mile you're gonna turn left onto McMillian. at the end of mcmillian (it's about 100feet long) go right, you'll be on Donna court, and take your first right onto Gina court. my house is the first one on the right, #100. if you want, give me a buzz or post here when you leave and i'll be out front

chaz
413-218-0108

 

[punkassean]

Where is the best place to meet in Santa Cruz at 6 PM? Is there a good spot where Hwy 9 (River St) intersects Hwy 1 (Cabrillo Hwy)? I am ready to raise some cain.

John
919-270-1222

I think we could meet at the major dirt pull-out a few miles up hwy9 (where U-con trail starts) Leave a car there and head on up...

 

[Raacerx]

Im down in Santa Cruz, so Im down to ride Thursday anytime. Whats the deal? 6pm? Bottom of Campers? Ive got a Jeep Grand Cherokee with no racks so Im not to good for shuttles.

EDIT: Hey, if anyone has a shovel, bring it. I've got my Dainese so Im down to hit the gap if we do some work on the lip (cant risk hurting myself, gotta work this weekend). If the lip is nice, the berm isnt much of a concern. Also, if you have some spare lengths of steel rebarb, thats always helps .

And there is always the other gap. Last time I was there I had platform pedals (not used to em) so I pussied. Id like to hit that.

 

[Ronny Grady]

Cool, I am meeting my brother at 5:30 in Santa Cruz and then heading up HWY 9.

Last time I rode there, and saw you Sean, we rode down dead campers and then up U-Con, I think. I am pretty sure I will recognize that parking area accross from the U-Con trail.

Anyway, I drive a black explorer and will have a red rack with three bikes hanging off the back. As I said I can throw another rig on the rack and one on the roof for a short shuttle. I will be chillin' in the lot accross from U-Con trail. Call me if you have any issues.

John
919-270-1222

 

[punkassean]

cool, You can't miss the parking lot, it is on the right when you are going up and it is by far the biggest pull-out on HWY9. It looks like it will be your group and me, Chaz and Max so we will probably need to use two vehicles or something. Let's just figure it out when we get there. I wonder if I should bring my pedally bike or my no pedally bike???

(am I at 1000 yet?)

*EDIT* 3 more to go...

 

[Smelly]

cool, You can't miss the parking lot, it is on the right when you are going up and it is by far the biggest pull-out on HWY9. It looks like it will be your group and me, Chaz and Max so we will probably need to use two vehicles or something. Let's just figure it out when we get there. I wonder if I should bring my pedally bike or my no pedally bike???

(am I at 1000 yet?)

*EDIT* 3 more to go...

bring your pedally bike so someone can be slow with me.
one more post. i got like 20 to go

 

[punkassean]

slower on the DH parts but faster on the uphills...maybe I should, it will save my new slizzle reezizzle tires more for Canada...

1000 biatches! it only took me the better part of 3 years! (just over 1 post per day average)

 

[Ronny Grady]

I am bringing my full squish for my brother and I am riding my new HT, popin' the cherry on the new ride!

 

[Smelly]

yo sean, those slizzle rizzles get grizzle fo shizzle. hella grizzle (grip?)

 

[punkassean]

I am bringing my full squish for my brother and I am riding my new HT, popin' the cherry on the new ride!

Whoa dude that thing looks just like Chaz's .243...Sweet! better bring some aztroizzle glizzle my nizzle for that cherry!

 

[Smelly]

hey ronny grady, sweet 243. i just picked one up about a month ago. i'd bring it but the brakes aren't working very well and i've got slick tires on it (is that a good way of saying i'm too puss to ride a hardtail in the woods? )

 

[Smelly]

hey sean, where'd the vpfree come from?

 

[punkassean]

It's my buddies...he's not net saavy. I wish it was a medium, oh yeah...and mine!!!!