At least you made it to Florida
For those in Murica - how many states have you ridden in?
- Thread starter 6thElement
- Start date
Ah. I was Jr. at Newport Aquatic Center 97-98 - #7 in eight and stroke in four. Then at Cal 98- Spring '00, #7 or #2 in 2nd freshman eight or #3 or #2 in JV four. Being port or starboard equally strong helped a lot.
One of the funniest stories I have is from SDCC... The 2nd freshman boat was supposed to be racing in the JV races, so none of us really gave a shit. So, we went to TJ and got ruined. Next morning while we were dragging our asses down to the boats, we found out that our coach had arranged a legacy race against us. The other boat were all graduates - all but two were Olympians. Even though they were in their 30-50's and had never been in a boat together, they fucking destroyed us. Like, 250m destroyed. #6 caught a crab so bad he almost came out of the boat. Half of us were puking our brains out after the finish. Still won the JV races, but damn, it was a rough day.
Not missing much TBH. Colorado is about the only place I'd say a western based american mountainbiker should get to.
I tend to gravitate towards good riding, not belt notches. It's not like you get a free sammich after 10 punches. You already live by a lot of the best stuff IMO
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@stoney Sounds like fun!
When I joined, I was recovering from when I broke my back street riding the dirt jumper on campus. I refused to be starboard or port. I learned both sides evenly and could row any seat. No way was I going to let my back get all imbalanced rowing one side. I still dont know which side is port / starboard, just throw me in the boat!
It was fun and helped me stay sober - if I could go back I would join as a true freshman and really race some boats.
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Arizona is probably numero uno on my list of places to take a winter MTB trip. I'd like to get up into the Upper Peninsula also. I hear amazeballs things about UP but that shit is so far away. Its got knarly weather too. I hear the skeeters are massive.
When I joined, I was recovering from when I broke my back street riding the dirt jumper on campus. I refused to be starboard or port. I learned both sides evenly and could row any seat. No way was I going to let my back get all imbalanced rowing one side. I still dont know which side is port / starboard, just throw me in the boat!
It was fun and helped me stay sober - if I could go back I would join as a true freshman and really race some boats.
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Arizona is probably numero uno on my list of places to take a winter MTB trip. I'd like to get up into the Upper Peninsula also. I hear amazeballs things about UP but that shit is so far away. Its got knarly weather too. I hear the skeeters are massive.
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I started as port in HS. After I fucked my shoulder snowboarding over winter break, I had to switch over to starboard. Then, once it fully healed, I could bounce back and forth. I did end up starboard the majority in college though, and still lean left when I sit - 25 years later.
Racing at Cal made me learn what real competition and hard work was. Our first eight had 3 Olympians. Of the recruited guys (18 of us), 7 were international and raced in Jr national boats, 8 were from state champion boats (MA, WA, CA, NH, VT), and the rest were beasts - 6'6"+, 220#, elite in some other sport - ready to learn, and then we had 3 or 4 walk-on's. We were just expected to hold 1:32/500m or lower on a 10k and 2k at 1:20/500m for baselines. Anything above that and you weren't getting into a boat, because there were 24 of us vying for 16 seats. Fucking nuts thinking about it now.
Damn, you missed the hill...... It was about and hour and a half north of you. People travel from all over to coast their bikes down the hill. It's a six second experience you simply won't find anywhere else!Wait...What....There is a hill?
Sure the fuck was nowhere around Sebring.
freebie for the no context thread
When I first started riding in San Diego, I thought it was pretty rad. But when I moved to Portland and went to Black Rock and Post Canyon the first few times, I was blown away. And that was when there were just trails ('94). In 2000 when I got my Stinky, shit got real.
I still haven't ridden a ton in Bend, but I hope to this year. But the forest riding here is epic. Hell, even some of the illegal runs in Forest Park are bad ass.
good man
bend is pretty flat and dusty
The only place I've ever ridden where I thought a 29er hardtail had a purpose
China hat gets crazy dusty, but God it's fun. Post Canyon is epic on both bike and moto.
Those have hills....
Friggin sandy ridge is more interesting than the riding in Bend IMO.
It's about as dusty here midsummer (same volcanic orange dust shit) but there's terrain.
go ride around bend and you'll see what I mean
I bet post canyon area would be way fun on a dirtbike.
The little bit of Bend that I rode was less than exciting.Those have hills....
Friggin sandy ridge is more interesting than the riding in Bend IMO.
It's about as dusty here midsummer (same volcanic orange dust shit) but there's terrain.
go ride around bend and you'll see what I mean
I bet post canyon area would be way fun on a dirtbike.
Is it like Kingdom Trails?
It really is. Lots of ruts, roots, and rocks with big ass trees and ferns everywhere. It's lots of 2nd and 3rd gear out of the seat tossing the bike around. But that's the shit I love. I like China Hat because you can really open it up in spots, but any jackass can go fast. Give me a steep rock section that takes clutch and gas work and no dabs.
<edit> I watch WAY too much Graham Jarvis.
What I remember most about Bend was a spectacular multi meat breakfast. As far as riding, I did enjoy some sections of Phil's trails.
Yes fun sections, but I wouldn't make an Oregon trip hit just Bend, lots of other good areas to include on the way through.
I haven't ridden anything on the east side of the state but literally EVERYTHING else I've ridden in oregon is better than the spandotrails in bend
Bend made Kurt Voreis, retired DH racer and dirtjumping badass.........start riding 29ers. I mean there's really no more telling condemnation.
Hm. I'm gonna count NJ because I was a kid there and biked everywhere and even went on some of the trails around Farrington Lake on my Schwinn Sierra MOS in high school before I really even knew what MTB was but after I had a mountain bike once the GT Performer freestyle bike era was over. (not that I knew how to ride it, but it was pink and had a rotor.)
Anyway--hmm. NJ, RI, VA, MD, WV, NC, GA, FL, CA, NV, NM, CO, WA, UT. Possibly AZ?
I rode a short section on JBP's fatbike at his place in VT once, too...
Anyway--hmm. NJ, RI, VA, MD, WV, NC, GA, FL, CA, NV, NM, CO, WA, UT. Possibly AZ?
I rode a short section on JBP's fatbike at his place in VT once, too...
Looks like I have 15 to go.
Alaska (AK)
Arkansas (AR)
Delaware (DE)
Florida (FL)
Hawaii (HI)
Illinois (IL)
Louisiana (LA)
Maine (ME)
Maryland (MD)
Minnesota (MN)
Mississippi (MS)
North Dakota (ND)
Oklahoma (OK)
Rhode Island (RI)
Washington (WA)
OR, CA, AZ, MT, WY, CO.
longest ride Oregon to Los Angeles down hwy 1 in 8 days 900 miles
longest single day 138 miles Santa Cruz to San Simian through Big Sur
longest day mountain biking 50 give or take a few miles. once in Downieville in the Sierras and many times riding from my home at the beach in Aptos up to the top of Santa Rosalia mountain in the Forest of Nicene Marks by fire road (2500 vertical in 12 miles) to do laps in the Soquel Demonstration Forest on awesome single track then climb back up to Santa Rosalia for a ripping 12 mile high speed fire road bomb back to the house
longest ride Oregon to Los Angeles down hwy 1 in 8 days 900 miles
longest single day 138 miles Santa Cruz to San Simian through Big Sur
longest day mountain biking 50 give or take a few miles. once in Downieville in the Sierras and many times riding from my home at the beach in Aptos up to the top of Santa Rosalia mountain in the Forest of Nicene Marks by fire road (2500 vertical in 12 miles) to do laps in the Soquel Demonstration Forest on awesome single track then climb back up to Santa Rosalia for a ripping 12 mile high speed fire road bomb back to the house
Hah I eat lunch across the canal from the Cal Rowing dock at Nob Hill on Alameda Island all the time
never rowed a scull but I did row a rescue dory through the surf when I was in Jr Lifeguards in Santa Monica. that shit was wild
Apart from low and higher desert chunk in AZ/UT, you aren't missing much, I think those three can pretty cover anything else, jungle, alpine, moist, dry, foothills, etc.
All of them except Alaska. All on trails.
Had fun in every damn one.
Had fun in every damn one.
All 50, lots of different bikes tho
Race Across America route (S-works Tarmac, S-works shiv)
California
Arizona
Utah
Colorado
Kansas
Missouri
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
West Virginia
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Downhill (Turner square tube DHR)
Nevada
Oregon
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming
Montana
North Carolina
New York
Vermont (podium at nat champs)
New Mexico
Pennsylvania
Bike packing ( surly long haul trucker)
Maine to Louisiana
Bike packing ( GT avalanche broke in Wisconsin then bought a Specialized Hardrock to finish)
Ohio through the Dakotas via the Great Lakes
Guiding in Alaska (Montague folding paratrooper)
drift boat shuttle rig
Stationed in Hawaii (Gary Fisher Joshua 4 and a Kestrel)
Here are some bonus US territories
Guam (Colnago super)
Virgin islands (Vintage litespeed Ti)
Race Across America route (S-works Tarmac, S-works shiv)
California
Arizona
Utah
Colorado
Kansas
Missouri
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
West Virginia
Pennsylvania
Maryland
Downhill (Turner square tube DHR)
Nevada
Oregon
Washington
Idaho
Wyoming
Montana
North Carolina
New York
Vermont (podium at nat champs)
New Mexico
Pennsylvania
Bike packing ( surly long haul trucker)
Maine to Louisiana
Bike packing ( GT avalanche broke in Wisconsin then bought a Specialized Hardrock to finish)
Ohio through the Dakotas via the Great Lakes
Guiding in Alaska (Montague folding paratrooper)
drift boat shuttle rig
Stationed in Hawaii (Gary Fisher Joshua 4 and a Kestrel)
Here are some bonus US territories
Guam (Colnago super)
Virgin islands (Vintage litespeed Ti)
I think I added a couple since posting.
PA
NY
NJ
ME
MD
MA
RI
CT
VT
CA
CO
NV
WV
NY
NJ
ME
MD
MA
RI
CT
VT
CA
CO
NV
WV
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- Arizona (AZ)
- California (CA)
- Connecticut (CT)
- Florida (FL)
- Georgia (GA)
- Maine (ME)
- Maryland (MD)
- Massachusetts (MA)
- Montana (MT)
- Nebraska (NE)
- New Hampshire (NH)
- New Jersey (NJ)
- New York (NY)
- North Dakota (ND)
- Ohio (OH)
- Pennsylvania (PA)
- Texas (TX)
- Vermont (VT)
- West Virginia (WV)
We rode bikes in the campgrounds in South Dakota, Wyoming and Tennessee but not on trails.