[Cant Climb]

ahhh, love the comments from people who weren't even there or didn't race. CC, what was your class, and number plate? Daver?

would rather crash 10x on the fast stuff up top instead of catching a pedal on that rock in the middle (right at the end of the rut) and endo'ing into the rocks in the bottom (not me, but saw it happen more than once). if you want to prove how tough you are, fine, you and the rest of the MAD HUCKZORZ can go pwn that race next year. between that section ruining what was otherwise a kick-ass course, and mt snow being the typical douchebag resort, I doubt I'll be going back.

You know who i am.....and i know who your are, you really think your skills were up to that course...?.......maybe you should have made the correct choice and not entered. I see it every year, people move up to expert and get destroyed and Mt. Snow. That elavation drop on the course is 1900 feet and its a nasty 1900 feet. To give you a point of reference Diablo is 900 feet of buffed not too steep beauty. If your not in top condition or a true expert with experience i would stay off that course. I am truely sorry you got F'd up but maybe you should look inwards instead of flaming the course......

I race that course since 99 back when we had 6 inch bikes, 70 Duro tire, and running 30 psi in them so as not to flat. The course is nasty. It scares me every run down but that is the terrain in NE and this is a national. National courses always have and should be a step up in difficulty from a regional race.

No go ahead and attack me for being "brickheaded tough guy"......but i will be the first to admit i will take the 'Nancy line' around anything anytime if i feel it its over my head or more risk than i am willing to commit too....

 

[dante]

You know who i am.....and i know who your are, you really think your skills were up to that course...?.......maybe you should have made the correct choice and not entered. I see it every year, people move up to expert and get destroyed and Mt. Snow. That elavation drop on the course is 1900 feet and its a nasty 1900 feet. To give you a point of reference Diablo is 900 feet of buffed not too steep beauty. If your not in top condition or a true expert with experience i would stay off that course. I am truely sorry you got F'd up but maybe you should look inwards instead of flaming the course......

I race that course since 99 back when we had 6 inch bikes, 70 Duro tire, and running 30 psi in them so as not to flat. The course is nasty. It scares me every run down but that is the terrain in NE and this is a national. National courses always have and should be a step up in difficulty from a regional race.

No go ahead and attack me for being "brickheaded tough guy"......but i will be the first to admit i will take the 'Nancy line' around anything anytime if i feel it its over my head or more risk than i am willing to commit too....

sooooooooo, no, you didn't race, not even sure if you were there spectating, but you still think it should be in just for the GNAR CORE factor and the fact that you did it back in 99. hope you got a hard-on hearing about all the people who got hurt... next time suit up and come race, then you might have a little more credibility when you say something should or should not be in a course. till then you're just some dipsh!t e-racer without a clue.

and I'm not pissed that I got hurt. I had a stupid crash at the top (waterfall), and landed on a rock requiring 15 (inside and outside) stitches. totally my fault, just bad luck. only cosolation is my one time down the YS I pinned it. too bad it was thurs morning instead of sat afternoon.

 

[DHCorky]

Believe it or not Norba/Tbb has done a reasonable job for their part of these events..

You just made me spit my drink out laughing......


Some of you guys just do not get it. Mt. Snow is one of my favorites courses as I take the option around the yardsale. Most experts do not get how insane the yardsale is at the speeds they go through it. The Pros and Semi-Pros go much faster. The yardsale is stupid for a race course, even more so at Mt. Snow you are flying down the hill at 35+mph, then you hit the yardsale and come to a complete stop. You roll into it letting go of your brakes so you have traction. As you begin to hop over the gaps all it takes is to miss by a inch and you are going down. You are going slow,as you go to step off your bike you have the choice of stepping into a knee deep hole between rocks or trying to get traction on the steep side of a rock. A bobble that you would normally kjust step off and walk away from your bike in the yardsale results in torn knees and broken legs.

If the Yardsale is such a great race course feature why has it been takin out of the race for the Pros and Semi-pros the last three years?

Yes, yardsale would makes a great section for a normal freeride venue. One where you sit at the top catch your breath then go for it. Then you can stop at the bottom a slap high fives with all of your buddies.

 

[Pbody]

Even though I had no problems at all riding 'Yardsale' this year, I will jump on the bandwagon here and call for a new course at Mt Snow, or better yet a new venue for a Northeast DH National. Yardsale is a fun section to ride but it's not suitable for racing, especially for a National or World Cup level course. I'm not advocating that people can't or shouldn't ride challenging trails like Yardsale, just that a section like that is not ideal for a National race course.

A proper and professional course should not have to be changed to keep the sport's best athletes from getting seriously injured when it rains. It's not an excuse that "it's been dry all summer" or it was "unusually heavy rain". No, the course designers & promoters know there is ALWAYS a chance for rain like that on ANY mountain. More so, when it's the National Series finals and riders are laying it out to gain points in both quali's and finals the track should be safe for competition. A track should not be simply mowed down the hill the week of the race and some caution tape thrown up. If a small crew of guys at P'kill or Diablo can construct a good 'pro' course why can't a National level race at a resort like Mt Snow?

While I'm up on the soap-box here, I will also whine about a couple other points.

Slalom - OK, I admit it, I had a ton of fun on the course and the pro racing was exciting to watch. Tight times, upsets, etc...watching racing on the poopiest of DS courses still beats watching a 4X. But, for the time they had to prep they coulda and shoulda had something better than that course. Build some dirt (not sand) berms! Build a couple tables or drops! We were racing better DS courses at local races almost 10 years ago!

Mt Snow - I'm gonna get flamed for these comments I'm sure but, here goes anyways...it's time to give up the ghost and get another venue in the Northeast. For the last couple years the quality of the 'experience' of racing at Mt Snow has declined but this year I actually got to the point that I said "Why did I bother coming here?". Everything that revolved around the event seemed to be anti-fun, from the mtn staff, to the hotels, to the local restaurants. It almost seems like they are tired of us being up there after all these years and maybe need a break from us and our $$. Maybe it's time to shop for a new venue Norba and not rely on the same tired venue. Let's spice it up some and maybe draw some people back to the Northeast National event. I had several friends and aquaintances who skipped Mt Snow this year, some who have been going for like 10 years straight! The main reason?; "They've done it enough times now." Personally, I'd rather spend my $$ to go to Whistler for another week than race Mt Snow again.

-ska todd

Love this post! I couldn't agree anymore!!!!!!

I'm definitely going to start paying more attention to the course descriptions in the future to help me decide whether or not I will attend a NORBA National. Oh, wait, that won't work. Most of the time they don't even post whether or it will be MtnX or DS until a week or 2 before the event.

 

[Cant Climb]

sooooooooo, no, you didn't race, not even sure if you were there spectating, but you still think it should be in just for the GNAR CORE factor and the fact that you did it back in 99. hope you got a hard-on hearing about all the people who got hurt... next time suit up and come race, then you might have a little more credibility when you say something should or should not be in a course. till then you're just some dipsh!t e-racer without a clue.

and I'm not pissed that I got hurt. I had a stupid crash at the top (waterfall), and landed on a rock requiring 15 (inside and outside) stitches. totally my fault, just bad luck. only cosolation is my one time down the YS I pinned it. too bad it was thurs morning instead of sat afternoon.

....hmmm let me see....... i've done about 80 runs down that course. So i know what its all about.......my worst wreck was my frist run down it. Still have a giant scar on the inside of my knee where my rear rotor burnt me when i got ejected out the backseat......wrecked right in front of the Schwinn team, Shaums helped back to my feet.

So i stand behind what i said, its a tuff and dangerous course. Downhill is a tuff and dangerous sport. Thoose ledges can lead to some wicked spills, hang in there......race more not less before/if you return.....

 

[SCARY]

SCARY, (Larry)...the yardsale you rode was a piece of cake compared to what they changed it to. The yardsale you rode was much less intimidating than the current one. I've ridden it 2 of the last 4 years and it is no longer fun. It goes to the left where you went straight through some big, big sharp edged rocks. The entrance is technical but rideable but it gets progressively bigger, steeper and rockier down to the bottom. If you get off your bike at all, even slow you are hitting a haybale sized, jageed rock on a 60 degree slope...and they're all waiting at the bottom. I can never tell when you're just pushing buttons you bastard....

Anyway, the whole argument about spectators being up there only for that is crap. When Rockwell beat Peaty, I was there. The "go-around" WAS the race course and was covered with just as many people. The roar that went up when Rockwell took the left line out of the woods was huge. People go to that section cause it's the closest thing for them to watch. Of course if you show them carnage, they'll say that's why they're going.

Bottom line is that spectators are going up to watch the riders...if it's on the route around, there will be just as many sepctators on the easier route...same as before. Everyone do me a favor here....copy and paste your comments into an email to klusk@usacycling.org and let her know your thoughts about Yard Sale...good and bad. If you don't tell her, then you're just shouting into a bucket in a field. If you want change, let NORBA know. And don't try the lazy route by posting a "link" to this forum...it's geeky and they'll ignore it.

Thanks for revealing my true identity "BUTCH", now I have to look over my shoulder for Stik.Let's face it ,my fellow low brows.DH IS a cock-measuring ,ball-size sport.And, Stik of all people shold know this--he's wrenched for of one of the biggest dicks in the sport for 10 years!............OOOOOOOOHHHhhh! Just kidding Stik ...Thankyou everybody!I'll be here every night till thursday..Please tip your waitresses!

 

[Sgt Brown]

What are you all, a bunch of women? Learn to ride a rock garden you pussy's, or find a chicken line. If you crash, you will generally get hurt, so try not to crash...

FFS, whine whine whine. Lopes been teaching you all?

You sir are and idiot..... Try racing agaist some of these "pussies" you'll find you are the women here...

 

[bizutch]

Thanks for revealing my true identity "BUTCH", now I have to look over my shoulder for Stik.Let's face it ,my fellow low brows.DH IS a cock-measuring ,ball-size sport.And, Stik of all people shold know this--he's wrenched for of one of the biggest dicks in the sport for 10 years!............OOOOOOOOHHHhhh! Just kidding Stik ...Thankyou everybody!I'll be here every night till thursday..Please tip your waitresses!

HAW!HAW! You don't even ride a DH bike anymore lad...shouldn't you be somewhere doing stand-in owrk for Billy Ray Cyrus? Why are you online today anyway? Is Comedy Central's website down?

 

[dante]

....hmmm let me see....... i've done about 80 runs down that course. So i know what its all about.......my worst wreck was my frist run down it. Still have a giant scar on the inside of my knee where my rear rotor burnt me when i got ejected out the backseat......wrecked right in front of the Schwinn team, Shaums helped back to my feet.

So i stand behind what i said, its a tuff and dangerous course. Downhill is a tuff and dangerous sport. Thoose ledges can lead to some wicked spills, hang in there......race more not less before/if you return.....

Tuff and dangerous, fine. Russian Roulette, no thanks. Glad you're such a big proponent of this section, when I actually see you out riding it you might get a bit more respect instead of just being some e-racer reliving the glory days. Hope Mt Snow/NORBA listens more to the people who are actually paying to ride this course than to people like you who just want to see some carnage.

For my riding style, I didn't mind the YS. I know I'm not going to win, and the difference in pinning it and cruising slowly isn't going to be the deciding factor as far as winning or coming in second. for the vast majority of the riders out there pinning to win it, though, YS just becomes a spectator's spot, people hoping to catch some carnage.

 

[SCARY]

HAW!HAW! You don't even ride a DH bike anymore lad...shouldn't you be somewhere doing stand-in owrk for Billy Ray Cyrus? Why are you online today anyway? Is Comedy Central's website down?

Hey ,I own one, so I still get website priveleges.By the way ..How many Downhillers does it take to screw in a light bulb?....??...I don't know either---The ladder was too high.....There was a risk of electrocution....Light bulbs cost too much....Shouldn't NORBA do this?.....The floor is too slippery.....Let the Experts do it ,they get the most practice.....I remember when they used to pay us to do that.....I would,but I need some sponsors before I do anything....If you get the women to complain ,somebody will take out the whole outlet ,so nobody has to change it ....even if they wanted to.

 

[General Lee]

funny. . . the UCI has safety regulations for world cup dh tracks and a rider rep along with a uci deligate have to approve the course and the safety precautions in place.

i don't hear you calling them a bunch of whining sissies



here's a picture of Sam hill from the last world cup. notice the padding over the rocks off the racing line. . . you know jsut in case someone falls so they don't have to break their leg, arm, pelvis, neck or anything else suffered in the yard sale. come to think of it, there was not one ounce of padding anywhere on the mt. snow track. typical

 

[ÆX]

i miss the old Mt Snow track that were new each year and were tapped 20' wide
and had so many spiderweb root sections to count and so much LOAM that
after one run you would have 2'' of ROOST on your shins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


those were the days................................

 

[General Lee]

i miss the old Mt Snow track that were new each year and were tapped 20' wide
and had so many spiderweb root sections to count and so much LOAM that
after one run you would have 2'' of ROOST on your shins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


those were the days................................

F*uck yeah. . . . . 94-98 were some of the best courses ever, even with the odd climb thrown in here or there in the first few years. yikes, i just realized i've been racing there for 11 years, back when hardtails were still dh bikes. . . . and the forest service still let them cut trails in the woods

 

[ÆX]

F*uck yeah. . . . . 94-98 were some of the best courses ever, even with the odd climb thrown in here or there in the first few years. yikes, i just realized i've been racing there for 11 years, back when hardtails were still dh bikes. . . . and the forest service still let them cut trails in the woods

this is what i am talking about for those who don't know the "ROOTS" of VT.

 

[McGRP01]

We had plenty of those on the Beginner/Sport course!

 

[ChrisKring]

this is what i am talking about for those who don't know the "ROOTS" of VT.

No visor then either? Get with the moto program and put a visor on your helmet.

 

[JRogers]

funny. . . the UCI has safety regulations for world cup dh tracks and a rider rep along with a uci deligate have to approve the course and the safety precautions in place.

i don't hear you calling them a bunch of whining sissies



here's a picture of Sam hill from the last world cup. notice the padding over the rocks off the racing line. . . you know jsut in case someone falls so they don't have to break their leg, arm, pelvis, neck or anything else suffered in the yard sale. come to think of it, there was not one ounce of padding anywhere on the mt. snow track. typical

I don't know what you're talking about. They had that course tape wrapped around those pesky trees in the yardsale

Point is that the course can still be fun and challenging without the yardsale part. In the wet, the whole thing is more than dangerous. I was standing there 2 years ago when it was all wet and the experts went down it anyway. Even with the around line being the only option, about 90% of the guys wrecked. Watching pro qualis this year, even with the whole operation being stopped and guys being waved off, walking the whole thing etc, I saw 2 people backboarded off and many others crash (including Kirkaldie and Hannah, who aren't exactly slouches themselves).

The whole "well this is DH, it's supposed to be dangerous" or "you need to get some skills/balls/etc" argument is stupid. Why don't we start tossing in 35 foot drops and 60 mph 70 foot gaps and crap like that? It's DH, right? The bikes and the people reach a limit. The course needs to be within that. Some things belong on a race course, some don't. I don't want a 9 ft tall 2" wide ladder on a race course. I want to go fast. I don't want a ridiculous rock garden in there that isn't even fun to ride really.

And, yes, I did make it down without a problem

 

[Repack]

Maybe it was missed when I said it earlier, but this is costing us $. Like the YS or not, its true. License fees jumped to $60 this year b/c NORBA had $1.5M in insurance claims when thew were only covered to $1.0M.

 

[WheelieMan]

Maybe it was missed when I said it earlier, but this is costing us $. Like the YS or not, its true. License fees jumped to $60 this year b/c NORBA had $1.5M in insurance claims when thew were only covered to $1.0M.

I don't think the NORBA insurance claims have increased ONLY because of more crashing. It is due to the fact that more and more people are relying on the NORBA insurance because they don't get any coverage through work. The amount of Americans without health insurance is very high.

 

[Daver]

Yeah ok, maybe i was a little over the top. Its great to have challenging fast rock gardens (Amazon/Awaba anyone?) but if they're going to be slow then that sucks. I just remember the one in Earthed where nearly every pro is getting nailed, and Kircaldie and Cory are able to keep it pinned. Theres nothing worse than having to slow down for a rock garden...

 

[SCARY]

funny. . . the UCI has safety regulations for world cup dh tracks and a rider rep along with a uci deligate have to approve the course and the safety precautions in place.

i don't hear you calling them a bunch of whining sissies



here's a picture of Sam hill from the last world cup. notice the padding over the rocks off the racing line. . . you know jsut in case someone falls so they don't have to break their leg, arm, pelvis, neck or anything else suffered in the yard sale. come to think of it, there was not one ounce of padding anywhere on the mt. snow track. typical

Or on Sam Hill.Typical

 

[pntballpunk51]

why haven't the full results been posted yet?

 

[Cant Climb]

f

That one pad is going to do alot.......what about the 30 other rocks in that pic.....

Mr. Hill should have that yellow pad strapped on his back......but then he wouldnt look so tough.....

 

[Pip3r]

What are you all, a bunch of women? Learn to ride a rock garden you pussy's, or find a chicken line. If you crash, you will generally get hurt, so try not to crash...

FFS, whine whine whine. Lopes been teaching you all?

learn to think twice before you run your mouth, especially when it is in reguards to some of the best riders in the world (Mick) still getting hurt.
I ripped the section fine a handfull of times in practice, but I broke my leg largley in part due to the course marshalls not yelling at me that there was another rider still in the section when i dropped in.
And as Lee mentioned, there was no padding what so ever there. Had there of been pads like in the above picture, I probably wouldnt be sitting here typing this with my leg in a cast and elevated on a chair. The line i got stuck in (because i didnt have enough speed to hold the main one after waiting for the dude infront of me to go) was by no means a line that was being ridden at all, and most DEFINITLY should have had padding on it.
Thats not to say I didnt have fun riding the little pussy "rock garden" as you call it. Pinning it through there was one of the biggest rushes I've ever had, and i loved it. But that same thrill could have been had while at the same rate making it much safer by properly designing the course. k

 

[Cant Climb]

The UCI really puts pads on the ground inside the tape......?.....wrapping them around trees makes sense but putting them on the course seems like it could also have an opposite dangerous effect...

....like stop a riders momentum and send them over the bars or
....hook a pedal on the pad.
..or block a riders line of sight of the trail.....

The UCI isnt always the most tightly regulated outfit.......maybe that pad doesnt belong there....?

 

[bizutch]

holy cow....this is what I remember from the first time I was there. 4 1/2 minute times in Pro. Loam was so deep and the whole course all the way down was nothing but roots just liek that covering solid rock.

That pic has got to be from 1998 when I was there...it is still my all time favorite DH course!!!!

 

[Mani_UT]

Last year NORBAs insurance policy allowed them to pay out up to $1M. Actual claims were $1.5M. This was the direct casue of licensing fees jumping up to $60 for this year.

On that note, who think full body armor should be mandatory for all amateurs classes? (like in most of Europe). We complain about insurance cost yet you see half the junior x going down the mountain with no pads.. It's stupid and raises the risk for injuries (for whish we are all paying!)

 

[stiksandstones]

BCD, that old school roots shot is tight....love me some vermont off camber roots! Thanks for the memory lane flashback.

 

[renegade999]

full dh results yet?

 

[bizutch]

On that note, who think full body armor should be mandatory for all amateurs classes? (like in most of Europe). We complain about insurance cost yet you see half the junior x going down the mountain with no pads.. It's stupid and raises the risk for injuries (for whish we are all paying!)

that would open a new sales opportunity for DH bike sales...(include a set of 661 armor and a full face helmet with every purchase if 18-under).
One thing that might help is if they made kids size armor.

 

[Repack]

This is what a friend of mine now fiughting in Iraq had to say after seeing my gf's "Momment of Impact" pic:

great picture. kudoos to kate for catching such a great shot. but i must say "crazy f^@$%king white people". looks like it's safer here in iraq than in VT