NORBA @ Big Bear
- Thread starter Damn True
- Start date
Holy smokes. Did anyone else notice this:
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
Yeah, I made that trip ONCE.Originally posted by John P.
Holy smokes. Did anyone else notice this:
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
I flew all the way across the country, and paid a bunch of extra $ to ride up the lifts, just so I could come down a fireroad with poorly built jumps at the bottom.
ONCE.
If you scroll to the bottom there appears to be a schedule there.
Another of NORBA and TBB creative ideas to kill mountain bike racing.Originally posted by John P.
Holy smokes. Did anyone else notice this:
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
I'm pretty sure we paid last year too, that's why I ended up forking out for a season pass, cause all the Amature Cup and Cal State races are the same way.Originally posted by John P.
Holy smokes. Did anyone else notice this:
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
Originally posted by John P.
Holy smokes. Did anyone else notice this:
"Chairlift fees will apply on Thursday and Friday."
Apparently, the $40+ we shell out for racing doesn't cover a ride up the lift until race day. Sounds very safe to me.
--JP
jeez that sucks.Did they do it last year too? If so it seems I unknowingly poached Thursday and Friday.
Another advantage of only doing Mountain Cross or Slalom. Unless they start charging me for the opportunity to push my bike back up the hill each time. Wouldn't put it past them. Last year they wouldn't let me ride until I removed a sticker on my number plate that supposedly covered up their "logo"... But I actually plan to do DH this year so I guess I'll have to pay the $20 a day fees or whatever they are this year to practice.
screw big bear. no ambulance's stationed at the mountain. lousy attitude's everywhere. from the lift ticket betty to the grouches who work at starbucks, seems like the whole town would rather we not show up and spend our money at their establishments. the whole way NORBA and TBB handled haruko's passing was a disgrace. even now they are resistant to embrace the opportunity to have a memorial gathering to celebrate her life, her participation in the sport and to show respect for her teammates and loved ones.
The people at the venue are for the most part a PITA, but I have had nothing but good experiences with the folks in town like at the grocery store, resturaunts etc.
As for how NORBA/TBB handles the Haruko thing, safety, course building.......shamefull.
Hoping the infulence of Vories and his chick helps this gig improve.
What's PITA? I hope your experience of goodness continues. I do remember the lady that ran the laundromat was pleasant, so I shouldn't say "all" of the town is attitudinal.
For the record: Lindsey Vories wrote back with the most positive response from any of my inquires about a memorial for Haruko. Seems like she might now be getting the shut-down from organizers about it, but not sure about that.
I think it's important for us to honor the rider and her loved ones as a community. I think it's equally important if we have the chance to do it, that it's not used as a venue for finger-pointing, but solely as a memorial to honor Haruko. Her teammates and friends strongly discouraged the notion of blaming the course builders. Maybe some feel that section of the course was unsafe, but still...it was an accident. They happen. TBB and NORBA shouldn't run from honoring her for fear they would then be taking blame. I think it would be in their best interest to step up to the plate and show us that they care enough about us that they would cherish the opportunity to honor one of us in a respectful supportive gathering.
I wish the series was being run by Cycle Cyndicate and not TBB. In my (somewhat limited) racing experience, they are by far the most rider-friendly, well-organized promoters in the biz.
The jumps that she crashed on were safe. They were plain step downs. You could roll them if you wanted to. I rolled them on a few runs when the wind was kicking.
The double double near the top was way more unsafe than the step downs. But it was up to the rider if they decided to jump them. The biggest problem with any of the jumps there is that they are extremely high speed, it is often windy and the lips get really messed up from the skidders.
There were a ton of people that were not qualified to jump those jumps doing them.
My problem with having to pay extra for the lift last year was that it was not published anywhere. I flew out there with some Juniors with limited cash. We had no idea that they would have to pay for the lift. On top of that, I left my wallet in the car way down the road. This year, I am just going to stick some cash in my pocket and go.
The double double near the top was way more unsafe than the step downs. But it was up to the rider if they decided to jump them. The biggest problem with any of the jumps there is that they are extremely high speed, it is often windy and the lips get really messed up from the skidders.
There were a ton of people that were not qualified to jump those jumps doing them.
My problem with having to pay extra for the lift last year was that it was not published anywhere. I flew out there with some Juniors with limited cash. We had no idea that they would have to pay for the lift. On top of that, I left my wallet in the car way down the road. This year, I am just going to stick some cash in my pocket and go.
Heres an idea... dont want to shell out the bling for the race? DON'T RACE!!! It's that simple.
I'll be there racing cause I enjoy it. It's a chance to ride a place I don't get to ride very much, hang out with friends, and race...
I'll be there racing cause I enjoy it. It's a chance to ride a place I don't get to ride very much, hang out with friends, and race...
Does anyone else think its weird that we have to pay to pre-ride big bear but not any of the other races in the NCS series?
Gee, People must really be nice and friendly in NYC these days if you feel that way about the Big Bear locals. I'm up there most weekends in the summer and they sure are more kick back and relaxed then anyone down the hill in LA. lol, almost to relaxed for me as I'm pretty hyper. They are doo dee da, nice day today and I'm HURRY THE F--K UP AS I'VE GOTTA GET TO THE LIFT SOMETIME TODAY! I know, I know, I'm trying to work on that.
I do agree that you would think they would have an ambulance there. But do they at the other races? I'm asking because I don't know. They never do at the drag boat races out here and people get hurt and killed right and left there.
I walked up right when they were taking Haruko away that day. Bad deal for sure. I don't follow NORBA or TBB so I won't comment on that. I'm sure you are correct though.
All I have to say to the people that travel across the US to race Big Bear and get bummed about the sport course.....
There is alot more up there then the 2 downhill courses. You should look around a bit. If you see me between your runs I'll show you some of the other stuff. I'll be the guy without a number plate and getting all the fun runs in.
Opening day is the 8th! I'll be there as always.
Holy crap....NCS is such BS.... Masters Worlds, it's like $40 CDN or something and you get 5 days of riding.
And the only thing I've ever seen of the BIg Bear course is OLN, bike videos and helmet cam footage. All I can say is what a waste of time. And charging you to practice? Great way to revive the NCS.....
And the only thing I've ever seen of the BIg Bear course is OLN, bike videos and helmet cam footage. All I can say is what a waste of time. And charging you to practice? Great way to revive the NCS.....
b!tch, b!tch, b!tch...is all I hear...you expect to be able to practice for 2 days and race on the 3rd for 40 bucks...tell me what lift on the west coast allows that...chairlifts are not cheap you know...I'm with Yeti...you don't like it then keep your arse at home!!:devil:
Maybe if enough people kept their "arse at home" in protest then we wouldn't have to pay for practice next time. If east coast resorts can afford to do it that way why can't Big Bear? Hell, I would still gladly pay for practice if their staff weren't all such pricks. Just about every one of them that I have come in contact with treated me like they were doing me a huge favor by letting me ride there. I'm sure others have had similar experiences.
dude...don't you know, everything is more expensive in california
Yes. Why? Because every single other mountain at which I've raced in the last 7 years has done that, and every single other mountain at which I plan to race this year will do that.
I just cancelled my plans to race there.
Seriously, those of you who never have should make the trip East sometime and check out the race scene. Good crowds, relatively friendly folks at the resorts, nice condos/houses to rent, fun courses through the woods, and -- can you believe it?? -- your $40 registration actually allows you to PRACTICE for a couple of days before races! Heck, if you're content with that Big Bear BS, you'd feel like you were riding in First Class at Mount Snow!
--JP
this troubles me deeply and it's the most common response in regards to haruko's crash. i saw her clean those things twice with finesse before the fateful crash. i don't know for sure if you were regarding her when you mentioned some of the BB jumps being over some peoples skill level, but i wish we could all regard this woman's life and untimely death within our sport in that context alone. maybe someone can help me understand why people are compelled to reduce her existence in our sport to the shape of those jumps and the conclusion so many make that she was inadequately skilled..??
(sorry i butchered the crap outta your post in an effort to save space.) haha, about nyc. maybe the big bearians just don't like out-of-towners. ?? not a huge deal though, just a little gnat-ish.
about the ambulance...i don't think an ambulance on the scene would have saved haruko's life, therefore i am not blaming lack of ambulance for her death. seems absurd that one is not present at all times. i've seen them sitting around at mt snow and wv, but i don't remember spotting them at the other nats. plattekill, this roinky-doink teeny-tiny 1.5 lift mountain, will stop a race if their ambulance has to take someone to the hospital. seems wacky about the drag boat races not having a stationed ambulance either. do those happen in big bear also? i was told by a mountain staffer that big bear village has two ambulances and they cannot relegate one to the mountain in case someone on the other side of town needs one. ?? i would imagine near-by hell-lay likely has contract ambulance/medics they could hire. ??
and yes!! it is beautiful in big bear and the scenery is one of my favorite things about the trip.
I don't think anyone is saying that about her, at least here anyway. She was a very skilled rider, no doubt. Like you said earlier, it was an accident. The reality is that the same kind of accident could happen to any one of us and that is some scary stuff. If anyone was blaming her skills it could have been to reduce their own fear by taking the attitude that "she wasn't good enough to hit those jumps, but that won't happen to me". I don't know, just a thought. I personally know she was one hell of a rider and it just goes to show that no matter what you do in life, when it is your time, that's it. I hope the memorial service happens, I think that would be a nice gesture.
Well, it is probably the only resort with a Hospital less than a mile away. If you go straight down Summit road toward the lake you run right into it, I'm sure that's probably why they don't stage an ambulance on site.
It is kind of wierd that they dont have an ambulence on site, i can remember having an ambulence on site when i played little league baseball.
well I can only comment on how I have been treated and they have always been cool with me....D
ah, very wise and i think you're right. i deeply appreciate your thoughts on all this. it's likely i'm hyper-sensitive to it, so perhaps why i conclude whenever someone brings up the safety/skill issue when haruko is mentioned that this is all people think of her. definately gives me hope for the racing community to see that others would be interested in a memorial gathering too.
uh...yeah...an ambulance does more than just transport patients. oh i dunno, theres only the EMTs and defibrillator and emergency medications. then again, hell, i'd just shove a critically injured racer into my SUV and drive down to the hospital.
I'm not sticking up for them, I was just saying that's probably their reason.
I too would like to see a memorial gathering of some type, but i'm sure TBB is too scared of a bunch of people pointing fingers at them.
i wasn't talking about haruko in particular. t'was a sad, sad affair.Originally posted by Acadian
last year they had 4 wheelers!
Unfortunately, I was right there, at that jump, watching practice when haruko had he faitful crash! Very sad!
and from what i heard, she was basically pulseless right after impact. i understand if you are transported off the mountain in a 4wheeler/offroad vehicle, because obviously an ambulance can't go offroad. BUT it is beyond reason why there isnt' an ambulance at the base. And it doesn't have to be a municipal/town ambulance. there are plenty of private ambulance companies out there with EMT staff that can be contracted. if nothing else, the money you guys pay should go to that!
Duh, they did not have an ambulance there because it did not have a fire road to drive up when somebody got injured, because we were racing on it.
I thought the people at BB were cool enough, and it is definitely a beautiful place. The reason I give it a hard time is because it is frustrating. I know So-Cal has a ton of great riding spots.
And as I rode up the lift at BB, I saw all this sweet terrain to ride on, then I get to the top and they run us down a roped off fire road with 3 three jumps at the bottom to help us forget that we flew across the country to ride a fireroad.
It would not have mattered for me anyway though. I will straight up admit, that I could not ride their dirt for $hit.
I actually prayed for rain.
I thought the people at BB were cool enough, and it is definitely a beautiful place. The reason I give it a hard time is because it is frustrating. I know So-Cal has a ton of great riding spots.
And as I rode up the lift at BB, I saw all this sweet terrain to ride on, then I get to the top and they run us down a roped off fire road with 3 three jumps at the bottom to help us forget that we flew across the country to ride a fireroad.
It would not have mattered for me anyway though. I will straight up admit, that I could not ride their dirt for $hit.
I actually prayed for rain.
Well, where she crashed you could drive a lower honda to. It was at the bottom of the hill pretty much.Originally posted by GiantDHRider
i wasn't talking about haruko in particular. t'was a sad, sad affair.
The problem is the city of Big Bear is so small and they only have 2 ambulances for the citys of Big Bear, Big Bear City and Fawnskin. TBB should hire CARE or some other type of independent to come up for the race. I don't know if they can do that or not. Seems like they could and should. Maybe use some of that practice lift ticket money.
Ah, so someone did look around. Yes, there is lots of fun terrain up there. And when you were racing the fireroad I was out riding the good stuff.Originally posted by Jeremy R
I thought the people at BB were cool enough, and it is definitely a beautiful place. The reason I give it a hard time is because it is frustrating. I know So-Cal has a ton of great riding spots.
And as I rode up the lift at BB, I saw all this sweet terrain to ride on, then I get to the top and they run us down a roped off fire road with 3 three jumps at the bottom to help us forget that we flew across the country to ride a fireroad.
It would not have mattered for me anyway though. I will straight up admit, that I could not ride their dirt for $hit.
I actually prayed for rain.
I'm working out a deal with Fronjay to wear a sports bra on his race run this coming BB NCS for a memorial of some kind... stay tuned.
I heard some pro divas will do a "ride down the hill" memorial at post race. Just rumor.
Seems like that money issue is in question as well. Other races manage to operate on our rego's w/o charging for Thu/Fri lifts AND have medical services as well. TBB seems to need extra money to provide fewer services.Originally posted by GiantDHRider
i wasn't talking about haruko in particular. t'was a sad, sad affair.
Heck, when I got banged up at Schwieitzer there was an EMT standing next to the course where I wrecked. Come to find out they had them stationed at about eight really hairy spots on the course and had a full staff in the resort first aid center. They called someone up to take the girls spot where I wrecked and she and her (non-EMT) assitant (who was REALLY cute) walked me in my woozy state down to the treatment center where there were no less than 15 people on standby and three ambulances parked in case someone needed serious treatment in town.
All this, for less than TBB charges.
Where's the money go?
One might think that.... But if you compare what they make off of MTB to skiing, it ain't crap.
Brian
Brian