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Official Fall Monkeyfest 2011

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,803
2,041
.:585:.
And let's face it, if it wasn't for treesaw, would there still be a MonkeyFest???
I doubt about that...

I know I don't say it enough so here it is:

THANKS Treesaw for all you do for us!!!
x1000... without Monkeyfest I wouldnt know most of you and wouldnt have the same fun times and great memories. Thanks again Treesaw!
 

irishblue76

Monkey
Jul 21, 2008
256
53
Massachusetts
Would you be ready to pay 160$ for a W-E?
I agree that 3 weeks as a cut off point "might" be a bit much but you have to put a Cut out point somewhere in those situation or you risk having problem, and since I'm not the one in charge, I deal with what ever the rules are...

Sorry, Yelo, but yes, if there was ever a situation where 1/2 the people who signed up couldn't go and it was going to cost us $160 for the weekend, I would be OK with that. First of all, it's not probable, and secondly, $160/weekend w/food included is not much.

And the problem I mentioned with the "cut off" date is that there wasn't one. If you post that you are going and you cancel outside of 3 weeks you pay for the lodge, if it's inside of 3 weeks you pay for lodge & food, according to the first post. If there was a cut-off, I wouldn't see a problem with it.
 

mudgirl

Molester of monkeys
Jun 8, 2007
540
6
Tied up in the basement
As far as I can tell, the "rules" regarding bunks or bailing out last minute have always been the same.

I would really, really, really love to join you all for this weekend, but I already committed to going on a trip with some other friends that weekend. It's also too much of a haul for me to make more than once a year, to be honest. 6.5+ hours of driving one way is very do-able, IMO, but it sucks when I end up doing it alone almost every time. (I know, wah wah wah hand me a tissue)

Anyway, you can almost always count on me for the summer m'fest, unless something catastrophic happens. Treesaw, having organized some of these weekend trips for my own local cycling club this past summer, I completely understand how much effort you put into it, and YES, I appreciate it!!!

I never got around to planning a group trip out to Saratoga Springs... we're quickly running out of time, so we may have to shelf it until next year. :(
 

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
But they haven't said yet if the new lift will be open for mtn bikers. Pretty cool if it will be. The lower lift would access the mild DH and slope style stuff and the new lift would be for the steep knarly dh stuff. If only the lower lift went all the way up to the top of J-Bar.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
yeah there's no word but they'd be honestly stupid not to. Combining a great place to DH with the best trail network in the nation would attract cyclists from all around. The current DH trails are on par with anything at highland, but there are only two, and they go halfway up. Imagine knightslayer or jester from the peak. Hell, even enchanted forest is really fun.

KT is only 3 hours from Boston...I would gladly make the trip and spend the weekend in Burke vs. 1.5-2hrs on 93N to visit highland, or 5 hours and tolls to go out to whiteface, diablo, or plattekill...
 

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,803
2,041
.:585:.
Crombie1 and I have already agreed to spend time on both Saturday and Sunday of Monkeyfest riding the lift access trails. We'll spend a little bit of time on the Darling Hill trails in the mornings but afternoons will be spent on Burke Mtn.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
But they haven't said yet if the new lift will be open for mtn bikers. Pretty cool if it will be. The lower lift would access the mild DH and slope style stuff and the new lift would be for the steep knarly dh stuff. If only the lower lift went all the way up to the top of J-Bar.
heading to KT for the first time next weekend. How much further up the mountain is J-Bar from the lift? How much further up is the top of the mountain? (I assume there are trails from the top of the mtn.)
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Looks like I answered my own question. The Shurburne lift only goes to mid-mountain. The top is quite a bit further!
 

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
heading to KT for the first time next weekend. How much further up the mountain is J-Bar from the lift? How much further up is the top of the mountain? (I assume there are trails from the top of the mtn.)
J-Bar starts about 400' up from the top of the lift. Upper J-Bar starts at the summit.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
Are there shuttles to the top, or are you on your own?

I'll definitely be down to climb a bit - I'll be on my hardtail... but is upper J-bar worth the climb?
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
I don't think there are shuttles. The easiest way up, from my understanding, is to go up the toll road, and it's not easy (12%+ grade?). It might be worth a hike, but if you're only on a hardtail, I'd spend my time on the multitude of other wonderful, amazing singletrack that KT has to offer.

It's true that the upper part of the mountain is pretty steep and my understanding is that the trails are pretty burly, but still, make some gnarly DH trails from the top, keep jester and such at the midpoint, and I'll spend a day on my DH bike and a day on my trail bike. Right now it's tough to justify bringing the big bike with just two trails...
 

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
There are a couple of shuttles to the top. Ideride and a local. The road is crazy steep with an average 20% grade. Never rode from the top but lower J-Bar is one of my favorite trails ever. Can't wait to see the reroute around the mud.
 

wiscodh

Monkey
Jun 21, 2007
833
121
303
uh, i wouldnt want to climb it, that would be the only thing you would do all day as that hill climb would cook any mortal.

Upper Jbar is FANFREAKINGTASTIC. Upper to lower jbar is one of the best trails ever. Upper jbar is burly, works great on a 5+inch bike. Buddy rode it on a hardtail and was very humbled.
 

woodsguy

gets infinity MPG
Mar 18, 2007
1,083
1
Sutton, MA
Also, Lower J-Bar drops about 1000', more than twice as much as Highland. Upper J-Bar is another 1000' of vert. J-Bar is a good morning warm up loop from the campground. GPS Link Its also a great way to get to town via Burnhamdown. 1700' of vert! GPS link
 

DGBlunt

Chimp
Aug 25, 2008
1
0
I'm still a strong possibility for attending along with a friend but I can't commit until after I get the verdict on my son's medical condition and whether he needs surgery. I should have a better idea by end of next week.
 

D.2

Monkey
Jun 17, 2010
164
17
Medway, MA
I'm still a strong possibility for attending along with a friend but I can't commit until after I get the verdict on my son's medical condition and whether he needs surgery. I should have a better idea by end of next week.
Oops, logged in as wrong user - D.2
 

BadDNA

hophead
Mar 31, 2006
4,257
231
Living the dream.
I might have some non-monkey friends coming...they were trying to put together a trip for the following weekend but only got 3 people interested. If they can get their deposit back or turned into credit for next year, they're going to try to join us instead.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
Terri (my wife) may come up to Monkeyfest as well. She doesnt ride singletrack so she'll just be coming up to hang out with everyone and maybe go on a few hikes. She still has to make sure she can get off on Columbus Day but at least it will be one more person staying at the lodge.
Hey- does your wife hike? My wife and I are headed up this weekend to hike and bike...I may be able to convince her to come up for MFWE if she can boogie with somebody non-bike related....but i don't want to pressure her into coming as she won't have fun.
 

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,803
2,041
.:585:.
Hey- does your wife hike? My wife and I are headed up this weekend to hike and bike...I may be able to convince her to come up for MFWE if she can boogie with somebody non-bike related....but i don't want to pressure her into coming as she won't have fun.
My wife is not a hardcore hiker but definitely likes to do easy to moderate hikes. She's still not 100% coming along yet (depends on her work schedule) but she's trying to get the time off. I'm gonna try to get definite answer out of her sometime later this week. As long as she can get the time off then I'm sure she'd love to have someone to hang out with during the day while we're riding.
 

Greggah

Motorboat
Oct 9, 2008
273
6
Gonic, NH
My wife is not a hardcore hiker but definitely likes to do easy to moderate hikes. She's still not 100% coming along yet (depends on her work schedule) but she's trying to get the time off. I'm gonna try to get definite answer out of her sometime later this week. As long as she can get the time off then I'm sure she'd love to have someone to hang out with during the day while we're riding.

My wife said she'd come along if there will be other non biking wives. She likes to hike mild to moderate stuff.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,031
5,921
borcester rhymes
she's most definitely a mild to moderate hiker. more of an off-road walker. We've hiked some bike trails, but we've never climbed any mountains. Let's see how this weekend goes.
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
Another perk for those of you bringing wives....I would be happy to do an introduction to mountain biking (nice short ride) one day if they are at all interested in trying it out in a non-threatening girls only environment :). If they don't have a bike, I can bring an extra (or two) as well.
 

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,803
2,041
.:585:.
she's most definitely a mild to moderate hiker. more of an off-road walker. We've hiked some bike trails, but we've never climbed any mountains. Let's see how this weekend goes.
Yeah, my wife Terri is the same way although we have done a few "moderate" hiking trails in the Adirondacks before. She doesnt do anything too crazy since she's had knee surgery back in high school and doesnt want to mess it up any worse.
 

ICEBALL585

Bacontard
Sep 8, 2009
6,803
2,041
.:585:.
Another perk for those of you bringing wives....I would be happy to do an introduction to mountain biking (nice short ride) one day if they are at all interested in trying it out in a non-threatening girls only environment :). If they don't have a bike, I can bring an extra (or two) as well.
If Terri does come up we will probably throw in her mtn bike but she's not experienced at all in riding off road. When we go for a bike ride it's 99.9% on paved bike paths. She may be up for a small bike ride on the road but not too sure about talking her into anything off road but she could always use some tips with riding.
 

TreeSaw

Mama Monkey
Oct 30, 2003
17,669
1,847
Dancin' over rocks n' roots!
If Terri does come up we will probably throw in her mtn bike but she's not experienced at all in riding off road. When we go for a bike ride it's 99.9% on paved bike paths. She may be up for a small bike ride on the road but not too sure about talking her into anything off road but she could always use some tips with riding.
:thumb: You can let her know I offered and we'll take it from there. I have a good track record with not getting anyone injured (too badly atleast) :weee: