[arkarkark]

rode magic carpet today - some (wrong) people call this sweetness

just after the turn for sweetsets (z's doubles) there were sticks
spread all over the trail. (we cleaned these up)

just before the newish jump there were a few less sticks over
the trail which were all ride-able (we rode over these)

the big a frame (pile of sticks/logs) just before the big drop off the log (near the bottom) has had the backside removed and messed up (we didn't clean this up (yet))

be careful!

as an aside all the pink ribbons from the 12 hr race this weekend were STILL up lthumbsdown:

the best deterrant to sabotage is to fix as soon as possible!

 

[bdamschen]

That sucks. We rode there sunday until about 3 or so and didn't see anyone or any sabatoge, so it had to happen late sunday or this morning?

Don't these people have jobs?!?!

 

[Icantdrive65]

A squirrel told me that everything has been fixed already.

On a funny note: Tubeless tires are awesome. I was riding behind my friend who is running UST Nevegals. He jumped off the log right before Z's and his tire burped on landing. The tire was instantly flat which pitched him over the bars straight onto his head. The blow-off on impact made a quick hiss and blew a cloud of dust that was kind of cartoonish. He was fine, but it's not fun getting the bead to reseat on the trail. It's a two man job. I twisted and pulled on the tire while he pumped.

 

[Total Heckler]

Pshhh real men can do it alone. haha setting up my kendas was a pretty tricky operation to get the bead to seat.

 

[arkarkark]

I'm no fan of tubeless tires:
http://velonerds.com/2007/06/why-tubeless-tires-suck.php

and the pink ribbons from 12of8 are STILL up! We removed a few, but it's a real drag that the organizers aren't responsible enough to take them down after stringing them up all over the hills. They're trash at this point and won't do anything to help mountain bikers image.

 

[Acadian]

I rode there Saturday and Sunday and didn't notice anything different. there's always seen some sticks at the entrance of z's trail that sometimes tend to get on Magic (I call it sweteness)...I just bunny hop over them. I also don't use the backside of that big log - try to carry momentum over it.

I highly doubt these are act of sabotage but more results of a lot of use.

I was wondering what those ribbons were for...they were there Saturday AND Sunday. Lame that they are still there...

 

[bdamschen]

On a funny note: Tubeless tires are awesome. I was riding behind my friend who is running UST Nevegals. He jumped off the log right before Z's and his tire burped on landing. The tire was instantly flat which pitched him over the bars straight onto his head. The blow-off on impact made a quick hiss and blew a cloud of dust that was kind of cartoonish.

buwahahahahahaha! I can laugh since that exact same thing happened to me on a stepup to a fireroad. My front tire blew out on landing in what can only be described as a high speed fart sound and next thing I knew I was on the ground.

I just carry a spare tube to shove in there for the rest of the ride if I happen to get a tubeless flat.

 

[Icantdrive65]

Pshhh real men can do it alone. haha setting up my kendas was a pretty tricky operation to get the bead to seat.

Oh, yeah - BTW I rode Magic on my rigid 29er. Much better than the first time and not so hard on the wrists as Airborne.

 

[Total Heckler]

Haha nice! I can see magic being WAY better on the rigid ride than airborn.

7am ride tomorrow. Meet at rincon.

 

[Downh1]

don't mean to hyjack...
I am wondering where the trails are on the ucsc campus, where you park, and general info on the trails that don't exist.
Is anyone willing to show me around?

please don't respond to this post just PM me

thanks
-Andy

 

[arkarkark]

I rode there Saturday and Sunday and didn't notice anything different. there's always seen some sticks at the entrance of z's trail that sometimes tend to get on Magic (I call it sweteness)...I just bunny hop over them. I also don't use the backside of that big log - try to carry momentum over it.

I highly doubt these are act of sabotage but more results of a lot of use.

I'm with you Acadian, generally I try very hard to attribute any changes in the trail to natural falls, or wear and tear etc. but these sticks were obviously deliberately placed over the trail to try and stop riders riding down.

The backside of the a-frame/jump thing being ripped up _might_ be wear and tear. if you tried to jump it you would likely land on the logs placed parallel with the trail and catch a wheel.

We came across another log on Felix (some call *this* magic carpet, it's so confusing!) today but that could have fallen naturally and was easy to move out of the way.

Anyway it's mostly all cleaned up now. mostly just a warning that sometimes the trail isn't quite how you remember it.

This morning there were fire trucks all over the turnout near bear mtn (where you can head down off hwy 9 to the trestle over the river) and fire fighters walking the tracks coming back from Rincon. you could smell the smoke but not see any fire. They said it was fine to ride through.

 

[Acadian]

I'm with you Acadian, generally I try very hard to attribute any changes in the trail to natural falls, or wear and tear etc. but these sticks were obviously deliberately placed over the trail to try and stop riders riding down.

The backside of the a-frame/jump thing being ripped up _might_ be wear and tear. if you tried to jump it you would likely land on the logs placed parallel with the trail and catch a wheel.

We came across another log on Felix (some call *this* magic carpet, it's so confusing!) today but that could have fallen naturally and was easy to move out of the way.

Anyway it's mostly all cleaned up now. mostly just a warning that sometimes the trail isn't quite how you remember it.

This morning there were fire trucks all over the turnout near bear mtn (where you can head down off hwy 9 to the trestle over the river) and fire fighters walking the tracks coming back from Rincon. you could smell the smoke but not see any fire. They said it was fine to ride through.

late June I was riding there super early in the AM - just flowing on pipeline and get to the section where you need go between a bug stump and tree that barely clears your handlebars. Well the trail is completely blocked off by several branches and there is a note that says “No off Road MTN biking!”

Ah the joys of being the first one on the trail in the morning I cleaned everything up and had to keep the note...haha.

I ride super early in the AM, so I'm typically the first one there - It's always behind my mind since I like to come down Magic/Sweteness as a warmup run but still tend to go at a pretty good click. hitting a booby trap would probably mess me up pretty bad. once I came off that little log jump/drop at the top right before those flat sweeping corners and "V" shape tree that you can go in between and there was a pretty big branch right at the landing...there is no tree canopy there, so it was definitely planted there by someone.

Speaking of smoke, every now and again I can smell smoke there during cool mornings - like someone is making little camp fires. Can never tell where it's coming from tho.

 

[arkarkark]

late June I was riding there super early in the AM - just flowing on pipeline and get to the section where you need go between a bug stump and tree that barely clears your handlebars. Well the trail is completely blocked off by several branches and there is a note that says “No off Road MTN biking!”

I know exactly where you mean, I've pulled logs out of that gap a few times too, one time they even dug a pitiful pit that was trivial to hop over, but perhaps it had been covered previously, or they were just hoping we were high?

Ah the joys of being the first one on the trail in the morning I cleaned everything up and had to keep the note...haha.

nice, thanks for posting it! We've probably seen you out on the trails in the AM, sadly daycare timetables mean I can't start until 7:20 unless I bring my daughter with me (we're doing that tomorrow!). if you ever feel like a later start PM me.

I ride super early in the AM, so I'm typically the first one there - It's always behind my mind since I like to come down Magic/Sweteness as a warmup run but still tend to go at a pretty good click. hitting a booby trap would probably mess me up pretty bad. once I came off that little log jump/drop at the top right before those flat sweeping corners and "V" shape tree that you can go in between and there was a pretty big branch right at the landing...there is no tree canopy there, so it was definitely planted there by someone.

I know that spot too. That's scary.

Speaking of smoke, every now and again I can smell smoke there during cool mornings - like someone is making little camp fires. Can never tell where it's coming from tho.

Yup, a while back there was a very strong ammonia smell at the bottom of magic carpet. I popped out at the bottom of dead campers and saw a ranger at a turnout further up and rode over to let him know about it. We had an interesting discussion about how I might know about the smell and how I would never admit to riding those trails to law enforcement but I thought they might be more interested in guerrilla meth labs. I've seen several homeless camps all over the place, them seem pretty transient (of course!). Part of me thinks that the high number of people riding there actually keep down the number of people camping/living in there and it's probably better land management wise. But even an alcoholic can justify each drink...

 

[Acadian]

We've probably seen you out on the trails in the AM, sadly daycare timetables mean I can't start until 7:20 unless I bring my daughter with me (we're doing that tomorrow!). if you ever feel like a later start PM me..

yes we probably ran into each other - I typically ride a Slate nomad with white rims/brakes/saddle.

 

[Icantdrive65]

Did anybody catch the Sharpie graffiti on the water tanks complaining that mountain bikes turn the forest to dust? Yeah...the trails that are built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers. They made a rude comment that we need to get out. Sounds like they need to ride to blow off some steam.

 

[Prettym1k3]

Acadian likes to ride every bike every known to man at least once.

 

[Acadian]

Acadian likes to ride every bike every known to man at least once.

I like to come down to my own conclusions....
life is too short to be sheep...

 

[Total Heckler]

Arkarkark, nice meeting you on the trails the other day.

I might try and catch up with you guys one of these days. =]

 

[arkarkark]

anytime at all is cool! let me know.

the earliest I can meet is 7:20am, we usually ride until about 9:20 ish

dropping an email to the address on velonerds.com is the best way to reach us (I don't seem to get pm notifications probably due to some mail filters or something).

things are kinda screwed up this week and next but then things should settle down a bit.

just an FYI I can't handle riding with folks without a helmet though... oster_oops:

 

[Prettym1k3]

I like to come down to my own conclusions....
life is too short to be sheep...

You raise good issues. Unfortunately, I'm always stuck riding bikes that I have access, too, which include what I have, and my friends' bikes.

But I do want me a Corsair. Without even touching one, I want one. They just look too nice.