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Tqalu Learning Trail Guide/Thoughts on process building novice trail Colonnade

Skookum

bikey's is cool
Jul 26, 2002
10,184
0
in a bear cave
As my time at Colonnade is starting to wind down it's left me to reflect on a few things. Amidst building a trail catered for beginners it's been challenging to build a trail that beginners would feel comfortable riding, and provide the challenge to get better.

When first approached by Mike Westra about doing the Beginners Trail there was no real direction, and it appeared as if nobody was going to actually construct the trail. It's hard to get someone to build a trail that the builder is not going to actually readily use themselves. But at the same time it's difficult to ask a beginner to build a trail that will improve their skills, i mean if you're in that position where do you start? And in this case many people volunteer to teach but they do not build trail....

Which is one reason i chose to do it, among a myriad of other reasons. So let's just say that life has a way of telling you to step up sometime. i sure wish life would shut up once in a while though...

So in this process it's been a see-saw struggle between my own knowledge and riding experience, versus the blind spots on being beyond the days of knowing what it's like to be a beginner, and having to listen to feedback whenever i could get that.

Ok stay with me here...
A quick explanation of the Tqalu. Yes it has some difficult features, but they are always going to a second or third route option within the feature. And my feeling as well is i don't have the expectation that a beginner will succesfully complete each and every "easier" feature on the first try/day.

Why?

Because i'm good at failing, and i've failed. Yes it's true. i knew it the day i took my Trek Antelope down Trail 13A at Snoqualmie Pass or at Tapeworm years ago. Stumbling, crashing, fumbling, and failing left and right, i thought to myself..."How is this possible to ride?" Yet i'd see people whiz by succeeding where i had just failed. "How the heck did they do that?"

So if you've ridden with me it's established i'm not super awesome but i'm not a slouch either. i love the challenge of technical riding, but not so much that i'm obsessed with it, as i've always thought it one segment in an overall skills portfolio, for which i could safely travel technical terrain as i journey through the backcountry. More practical than being a pure adrenaline junkie, yet still i admit i love sneaking in a downhill run that makes me crap my pants once in a while.

So i've had moments of success, where i've had to concede that i'm an accomplished rider proficient enough to hear it from a few other riders. i remember at Tiger on NW timber trail there is a rocky rooty gnarl pop up directly after a turn. After popping my front wheel, crouching then springing upwards, giving my back wheel momentum to carry over the gnarl, i heard from a guy who spoke out, "Wow i didn't think it was possible to ride that!".

Yes i remember, i used to think that too.

Determination and pain as i clumsily spent my first years with a close network of friends. It was important to learn how to crash properly. No outstretched arms, do not tense, no, let yourself be relaxed for the impact. Twist and conform as best as you can, but let the body and bike fall where they may. Ride with pads, do not be ashamed to not make a stunt or gnarly section. Laugh with your freinds as you try to master them. Yes i remember my tensed arms as i rode a flexy bike down Gnarly Downhill at Victor Falls, and i remember the conversation with freinds as we discussed at what point we dabbed or crashed. Failure was fun.

Now i don't look to fail so much as i age haha. But that's how i learned, along the way i rode with many many other people. Sometimes i studied and picked up things along the way, and to this day riding i still learn, and have to take away bad habits from my riding form.

Because ultimately the secret of good technical ability is in confidence and form. i knew back in the day that i was likely going to fail, but what did i care, because failing was fun. But through that process i came to understand that my body position is integral. Where i was putting my wieght, either on the handlebars, on the seat, or on one or both pedals made the difference. How was i pedaling, was my approach too hot or slow, and when and how i braked. So now when i manuever through a trail it's like i'm reading a book. And like a dance what i read is transformed into action on how i manuever on the trail. The terrain dictates but like a puzzle that can be solved in multiple fashions, i get to choose and adapt. It's that intangible dance that i and i know others who are as good or better, understand, and how we love to ride. For me it has superceded the importance of getting better. i don't care how i rate, if i fail or succeed so much as the process. Also known as "the ride".

Ok going a bit off tangent here...

So bringing it back all down to simple form. When i hear of people that still knock Colonnade as too difficult, i would hope that the trail i've built could give people the opportunity to give it a second look. My trail in particular which is catered for beginners i would hope would not discourage, even though many a beginner will probably not be able to succefully complete an entire loop without dabbing or crashing. Which is my reason for going into detail for how i got to where i am technically. The point is to be challenged, and if you fail, think of it in a fun way and a process on which to get better. The trail is packed into a small concentrated open area, where you don't have to be fast to catch an experienced rider, in order to study how that rider masters a particular feature. It's all right there, easily accessible.

i've said this on the trail multiple times, but it deserves repeating here.

If you ride the Tqalu diligently and with the right attitude, you will learn in months what took me years to do. You will also most likely be a better technical rider than me sooner than later. So if that's important to you, and you feel like you want to thank me sometime down the road. Thank me by keeping mountain biking a sport where most everyone is out for one common goal, to have fun. And be willing to sacrifice to enrich this sport/recreation when life tells you it's your time to give back. Mountain biking is rarely thought of as a team sport especially concerning recreational, but everyone can help support the folks who are doing right for everyone. Much like a road race you can help pull a struggling rider, or you can draft and sacrifice for a win, like a domestique.

Finally i'd like to give routes on what i would label easiest to difficult routes on the Tqalu Learning Trail.

Puppy Route-
Start on Bridge Feature below the Gathering Area
Stay left side on Sand Feature
Go around The Foot
Stay left on River Rock Feature
Ride around the column
Ride Teeter Totter #1
Veer right and Climb Road
Take first left through fence ignore a sharp left and right on Climb Feature
Ride toward the right side of Rock Tread Rock Garden
Ride over Root Feature
Ride through Pedal Placement
Come out on road head North a bit and turn around
Ride Lower Log Ride
Head back out on road to the left
Veer right and ride Wooden Berm
Do 2 bumps then take a right at the Y
After trail remerges stay left
Trail widens stay on right line Log Rollover (choose up to 3)
Go down a hill around a berm into Switchback
Coming out of Switchback veer to the left and stay left side of Downhill Feature to finish

Doggy Route-
Start on Bridge Feature below the Gathering Area
Veer to the right and ride Easy Skinny
Veer left and around the foot
Ride on the right side of River Rock Feature
Ride around the column
Ride Teeter Totter #1 and #2
Continue forward and up Climb Feature
Veer to the left and ignore right
Ride toward the left or middle of Rock Tread Rock Garden
Ride up and over cottonwood stump
Ride over Root Feature
Ride through Pedal Placement
Come out on road head North a bit and turn around
Ride Upper Log Ride
Head back out on road to the left
Veer right and ride Wooden Berm
Ride 4 Bumps
Ride the Roller Corner
As the trail loops around stay to the left
As trail widens ride the middle line on Log Rollover (up to 3)
Choose the middle or right line on Log Pyramid
Go down a hill around a berm into Switchback
Coming out of Switchback veer to the left and stay on right side of Downhill Feature to finish

Mangy Old Mutt Route-
Start on Bridge Feature below the Gathering Area
Stay right side on Sand Feature
Go around The Foot
Stay left on Difficult Skinny Feature
Ride around the column
Ride Teeter Totter #1 and #2
Continue forward and up Climb Feature
Ignore sharp right and soft left and continue Climb Feature to higher level
Veer left and ride Upper Rock Tread Feature
Ride over Root Feature
Ride through Pedal Placement
Come out on road head North a bit and turn around
Ride Lower Log ride take crossover to Upper Log Ride
Head back out on road to the left
Veer right and ride Wooden Berm
Ride 4 Bumps
Ride the Roller Corner
As the trail loops around stay to the left
As trail widens ride the left line on Log Rollover 3
Choose the left or middle line on Log Pyramid
Go down a hill around a berm into Switchback
Coming out of Switchback veer to the right and ride Tqalu Drop
Ride Berm to the left to finish

Tailor a ride, session as you wish, in order to practice what you want.

And forgive me if i'm down there working on the trail and you crash, if i see you're alright, don't be surprised if i start laughing.
 

Mike.rider

Monkey
Jun 14, 2003
641
0
renton, WA
Tim, thanks you doesn’t begin to commend what you have accomplished, but I will say it any way, Thank you.

Thanks for creating a trail I can take my girlfriend on so she can learn,

Thanks for setting an example of what needs to be done in the mountain bike world so we can have trails everywhere,

and thanks for the hours upon hours working. :monkey:

one thing you said struck a cord to me and I wish more people would whine less and take this to heart.

"keeping mountain biking a sport where most everyone is out for one common goal, to have fun."
 

jojotherider

Chimp
Jul 9, 2008
16
0
Snoqualmie
I haven't ridden this yet, but I saw it a few weeks back. It is truly awesome. I'm new to mountain biking and I'm glad to have skills parks as such. Otherwise, the only other option to learn is through some gnarly stuff. Which isn't necessarily bad, but it doesn't really help me understand what I'm doing and what I should do.

I'm making plans to hit it after work some time next week and I'm very much looking forward to it.

-joel
 

MUTOLI

Air Monkey
Mar 14, 2004
1,064
0
PNW
I was shocked to see all the work that has been done there. Thank you for all your hard work Tim, along with all the other people that have done there share. I have only skimmed the surface there and look forward to going back and seeing what else there is to goof around on and session. If only all riding spots where so well manicured (and legal). :clapping: I also think that the beginner loop you made is perfect. Like you said, if that would have been there when I first started riding I would have been stoked!