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Gravity Nationals quandry - - Angel Fire or Mammoth?

MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
Patiently indulge an old man’s ramblings a moment to help me decide. I’ve always wanted, but never gotten a chance yet, to go to Nationals. I can finally go this year, and being a driveable venue from the Pac NW, it’s a realistic trip to Angel Fire.

The drawback: at 59 years old, I’m afraid I’m at the tail end of competitiveness in the Cat 1 50+ (yeah go ahead, laugh - - we’re all slow). I’m torn as to whether or not it’s worth the time and expense if I’m not fully confident I’ve got what it takes to podium. Also, going this year would suck away any money to make a Whistler trip or ‘most any other 'for fun' trip.

If I wait until next year, I’ll be 60, so new age bracket. Plus, it’ll be considerably closer at Mammoth. But is it worth blowing off a chance to race at Angel Fire to do Mammoth? Is it worth blowing off a week at Whistler for a race at Angel Fire? I ask you: WWMD? (What Would Monkeys Do?)
 
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MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
gemini2k said:
MAMMOTH! Hopefully they'll put it on a legitimate course. UV to CS hopefully! At the very worst, Bullet.
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Unfortunately, USAC almost always makes the 50+ Cat 1s race the cat 2 course - - which looks like it has been Follow Me. I've been told that there was only one course at AF, so everyone rode the Pro/Cat 1 course. True?

kidwoo said:
Start blowing those social security checks and do both!
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Haha. Can't even draw my early state retirement for another 3 years.
 
mtg

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
MinorThreat said:
Unfortunately, USAC almost always makes the 50+ Cat 1s race the cat 2 course - - which looks like it has been Follow Me. I've been told that there was only one course at AF, so everyone rode the Pro/Cat 1 course. True?

Haha. Can't even draw my early state retirement for another 3 years.
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Angel Fire hasn't done split courses in a few years (and no splitting since they've been racing on the steep side of the mountain), so it's reasonable to expect that you'd be racing the same course as the Pro class.

I would imagine the course this year at AF will be a tweak from last year's, which was super fun. That's a hell of a travel to get there, though.
 
MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
mtg said:
I would imagine the course this year at AF will be a tweak from last year's, which was super fun. That's a hell of a travel to get there, though.
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Looked like it from the helmet cam footage I've watched.

I figured 3,200+ mi RT with going back via Sedona/LV. Getting there would be two solid days of driving + missing the Thurs practice.
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,146
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I don't know.......it's probably just because I've ridden mammoth a ton and have never been to angel fire, but angel fire looks like way better of a trip to me. Mammoth has their two old norba trails and the one sorta kinda good other trail but they just keep neutering them. Nothing they've built in the last 5 years is really that good, they've just been kind of riding the awesome that already existed. Angel fire looks rowdy and fast as hell, both wrapped up in one brutal awesome sandwich. If I only had one trip of the two and wanted to show off my midlife crisis mustache and camaro, I'd definitely plan on driving to new mexico with the anger..........with maybe a day stop at mammoth just for shlts and giggles.

And while you might see the longer drive as an annoyance, it's just more room to drag out a badass road trip and see some new places, on the bike or not.
 
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SylentK

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,328
874
coloRADo
It would be a shame if you made that epic road trip and only had time to ride Angel Fire. There's a ton of riding you'll be driving by...That being said, it prolly be worth it. As one bro I know likes to say when asked what his favorite bike park is in CO - He says Angel Fire, NM. It is that good. But giving up a Whizzler trip for AF? Hmmm...nothing beats da whiz. AF is good, but it ain't no Whistler. Nothing is.

But if you're itching to finally get that Nationals race under your belt, Angel Fire has some of the best courses/trails, quick lift and friendly people. Not to mention awesome red dirt, lava rocks, fast and flowy, steep and tech, jumpy jumps that'll pucker you up and others that giggle you out, berms to smash and rocks to find rhythm.

It just happens to be in the middle of nowhere and really far away from you. But having never been to Mammoth. I'm pretty sure AF > Mammoth. So there's your answer :D
 
gemini2k

gemini2k

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2005
3,526
117
San Francisco
kidwoo said:
I don't know.......it's probably just because I've ridden mammoth a ton and have never been to angel fire, but angel fire looks like way better of a trip to me. Mammoth has their two old norba trails and the one sorta kinda good other trail but they just keep neutering them. Nothing they've built in the last 5 years is really that good, they've just been kind of riding the awesome that already existed.
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Yea Kidwoo is right. Mammoth is great, but they really need to start doing something with it. If Snow summit actually starts building more trails, then Mammoth is now dying a slow death with their complete lack of new trails the last 2 years. In fact last year they have a fewer trails open then the year before, that was annoying.

Never been to AF though. For a first timer I think either place would be a great time. Mammoth is still awesome, but I think Kidwoo has probably just ridden there too much now. Any place no matter how awesome will get old and boring if new stuff isn't built. 3k miles sounds like wayyyyy to far to drive for AF. I mean...Whistler is barely worth driving that far.
 
N

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
As someone who has been to both, I would go to Angel Fire without a doubt. Angel Fire has real dirt, real trails, and a cool rural, mountain town vibe. The condo's and houses look like they are stuck in the 80's, and it is just a cool experience. Also, the trails are rad, and they actually build new stuff every year.

Mammoth, although a bad ass mountain, has relatively flat trails with crappy dirt. Even Bullet, their race trail, is relatively flat except for the rock garden. I personally think the place is over-hyped. That said, Mammoth has money, and they put a lot of effort into their events. The Kamikaze Bike Festival last year was a great time. Also, the condos and houses around Mammoth are more Vail-esque if you are into that sort of thing.

If it were up to me I'd go to Angel Fire, and then do a Silver Star camping trip (not too far from the Pac NW). You can camp in their parking lot for $10 bucks a night, and they even give you an entry card to their fitness center (showers, bathroom, gym, internet). The trails there are awesome, and lift tickets are affordable.
 
N

NAYR

Monkey
Jul 13, 2009
109
0
Truckee
kidwoo said:
Canada: Now conveniently located between warshington and new mexico!
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Good one. I assumed cost was the OP's limiting factor for an 'extra' riding trip . Considering that nationals is in June, there is a lot of summer left for riding. Silver Star is a great, cheap option in comparison to Whistler, and is conveniently located close to the PNW states.
 
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MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
Kicking Horse is actually next on my bucket list. Did Panorama and Silver Star year before last (in all honesty, though, only a day apiece so there's plenty of room for revisits) and Fernie last year. Been to Sun Peaks twice now (once for Masters Worlds and once to ride the rest of the park); and they're all awesome in their own ways. Plus, if I don't go to AF, I could maybe do both Whistler and the NW Cup race at Silver Star. Hmmmmm . . . .

Thanks for all the replies.Really sounds, as I suspected, that AF would be a great overall experience. Just have to decide if one race is worth nearly two weeks of both my wife's and my vacation time and most of the summer trip budget.
 
MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
SCARY said:
If you win, will it be worth it?
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But of course.

The question brings up an interesting point though: If I waited 'til next year and there were only two or three of us in 60+ Cat 1 anyway, would a podium by default mean anything?

SCARY said:
Better hurry, you're running out of time; )
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Haha. I may only actively race a couple more years but I intend to keep riding downhill into my 70s if I'm physically able.
 
MinorThreat

MinorThreat

Turbo Monkey
Nov 15, 2005
1,630
41
Nine Mile Falls, WA
jonKranked said:
also, i just noticed my terrible, awful usage of a double negative two posts back.
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I resisted the urge to chide you for it. Usually doesn't not happen.

jonKranked said:
just when you think usac couldn't get dumberer
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Probably does seem a bit silly to younger guys in their prime. Smart on their part, really - - they get us to keep sending in membership money and racing. Besides, the 60+ is only going to grow as the 50+ ranks age if there are events that encourage us to keep at it.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,937
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media blackout
MinorThreat said:
I resisted the urge to chide you for it. Usually doesn't not happen.

Probably does seem a bit silly to younger guys in their prime. Smart on their part, really - - they get us to keep sending in membership money and racing. Besides, the 60+ is only going to grow as the 50+ ranks age if there are events that encourage us to keep at it.
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what's the value? 50+ cat 1 collectively had 6 people, including one age "category" with a sole competitor. totally defeats the point of racing/competition when you're not actually competing against anyone.


this isn't an age thing (nothing against old timers racing), it's against USAC's stupid bracketing.
 
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