[pangeist]

I guess you got to pay the dues to get better. Anyone ever ride Dart? (South Oly/Tumwater) Its too huge for my pansyass but there are a few jumps I like out there. Theres a cool stepup to the right of the mainline. I landed crooked comin off it and went right into a tree. I was still behind my seat when I landed and took it in the babymaker......

 

[oly]

you MTB dart? Or BMX? I thought those guys werent into the big wheels. Ive never jumped there (or anywhere really), but i did visit once.......

 

[pangeist]

DirtBaggin it.

 

[thesacrifice]

where's it at? Any begginer/med jumps? Is it on someones private property?

I can do the small line at the whistler dirt jump park, but I just dont have the float down yet to try the bigger ****

 

[DBR X6 RIDER]

That sucks, BUT is the bike ok?

thesacrifice - I'm the guy riding the same line as you're rolling back for another run. I'm sure I could clear the next bigger line, but not really wanting to risk it considering there's a mammoth bikepark about 2 blocks away.
I plan on making an effort to improve my dj skills before too long. One of these days the bigger line will be mine!
I'll share.

 

[pangeist]

the bike is fine, I looked it over and was surprised. Transition rules!!
As for Dart, I wouldn't say any of it is beginner. Or I would try it. There is a step up that is doable for me and a practice tabletop-ish thing in the woods that is good for getting the pump down, but the rest of the stuff is big enough to put an RV in between. I am talkin anywhere from 3-10 foot to vert with 10-25ft. gaps. Been there twice, and wrecked more than I can count. But nonetheless its fun.

 

[bibs]

i went to dart once..it was HUGE!! and so prudy! we watched...that was all

 

[pnj]

I know I've been to dart but it's been years.

I drew a crappy picture of some other jumps in the area. what is the name of it?......

 

[oly]

I know I've been to dart but it's been years.

I drew a crappy picture of some other jumps in the area. what is the name of it?......

2 options in the area:
Amtrack- lacy area over by the amtrack station off of yelm hwy..
T-bird- closer to dart in tumwater, but i dont recall there being trees around there. Its all open sandy land under the powerlines off of tumwater BLVD

 

[pnj]

must be lacey then. I know t-bird/tumwater way too well.....

 

[oly]

must be lacey then. I know t-bird/tumwater way too well.....

What you described sounds liek Amtrack. Havent been there in a few years, but its still there.

 

[SR]

there is no t-bird anymore...hahaha..."worst dirt ever"

yup, pnj made a semi decent diagram of amtrak/montys. It's obviously changed a bit since then and there's some more options. It's a better option for mtbs compared to dart. There's a few local guys who ride out there a fair amount. I used to ride there quite a bit on my mtb and I go every once in a while now on my bmx. I wouldn't recomend riding dart unless your pretty comfortable as a jumper. Up top it starts off smaller up in the woods and gets bigger as the line progresses and down right huge by the bottom. The upper sets are totally fine for mtbs. I've sessioned the upper sets a few times back when I had a hardtail. The builders were fine with the bigger bikes as long as you didn't f up their work. Like any trails, show respect. The attached screen print is of the upper section being ridden on mtb (rider Marshal Hance of Endless Bikes fame, photo by Derek Pearson). Hers's a few shots I took there last summer including a couple from the upper section and a few from the middle/lower section: http://www.brockmcnally.com/gallery/album47
As far as exact locations, like any trails, should probably not be discussed in a public forum.

 

[oly]

T bird did suck. Amtrack was fun that one day..... i still have that pic from your camera,

 

[RhinofromWA]

I landed crooked comin off it and went right into a tree. I was still behind my seat when I landed and took it in the babymaker......

Have you ever met HippieKai? He has the worst related topic story....makes me wake up crying at night.

Kai--> :nuts: <--DH bike

 

[Teague]

As a long time Oly resident, I'm a little bummed out that this is the first time I've heard of "Dart." I live right next to the Amtrak jumps and have been riding them for a few years now, but have never even heard mention of this "dart" place. Anybody care to PM me and enlighten me as to where in Olympia this place is hidden? I wouldn't mind some variety in my local riding spots.

 

[thesacrifice]

I rode amtrak a few months back, oly will remember, the stuff there was too big for me...I'm not comfortable when they dig away the center of the tabletops, makes casing a bitch. Plus the lips on those jumps are almost vertical, my mind plays tricks on me probably making it harder then it really is

 

[pangeist]

I just want to ride a place that is set up for bigger dual suspension bikes, amtrak is so tigh and flat that riding my Dirtbag is impossible save for a few table-ish things on the perimeter. There is a good tabletop at Dart though, and the step-up is a lot of fun for conquering fear. I went to SST yesterday and saw several women from the Cannondale team rippin it up, YOWZAH. More balls than me at present. Bernardita Pizzaro was out there smokin the downhil. As was Leanna Gerrard.
These ladies made it look so good. I was almost embarassed to even ride. I need to head out there early one day and ride hard and get the hang of those big stepdowns. There is no fear for me when it comes to stepups, but stepdowns is a whole nother thing.