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windrock-closing

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
this weekend (12/ 3-4 ) will more than likely be the last riding weekend of the year. weather patterns are slowly changing and the recent winds are dropping deadfall like mad. the time and $$ that it's been taking to keep everything open is getting to be not worth the effort at this time of year. we have three trail building projects to begin and some maintainence issues to deal with between now and when we open up again in early spring. and if we are going to have all of that done by then, we need to start getting after it. so we are going to start letting the trails lie idle for the winter. the bridges at the two road crossings will be demo'd and will be replaced. and the upper barricade will be bolted shut as will a new barricade at the top of the waterfall. please respect the closure, we've done this every winter that we've been here. and by staying off the trailbeds while they are enduring the daily freeze and thaw cycle makes them even more solid year after year. "POACHERS WILL NOT BE TREATED KINDLY" twice last winter people rode during the winter and it took two long days to "shave down" the ruts they left behind. this past year was the best we've had since we started this up here. more people from more different states rode here than ever before. and i'm looking forward to making this place better than ever for next year.
 

motomike

Turbo Monkey
Jan 19, 2005
4,584
0
North Carolina
Get 'em Joey! You've really got you're sh!t together man. Looking forward to hitting the rock opening weekend. BTW, when do you usually open it back up? How early spring are we talking?
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How the hell am I going to get through the winter without getting to ride at the Rock?

What am I going to do now?

Oh the humanity...

Joey, I am willing to come up for a weekend of building, just say when, hell it's the least that I can do.
 

JeffD

Monkey
Mar 23, 2002
990
0
Macon, GA
BKQuill said:
NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How the hell am I going to get through the winter without getting to ride at the Rock?

What am I going to do now?

Ride your XC bike, butthole!
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
we usually open up again around the end of feb. or early march. it all depends on the weather.
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
JeffD said:
Encouragement? You mean that pat on the ass right before hitting the doubles up top? No problem, Gary.

-Ace
funny you should mention that. Last weekend at Bent Creek at the Five Points intersection, after a few directions for a new rider, the old man (wearing old, thin spandex).....proceeded to PAT Matt solidly on the ass and say "You guys are lookin' good out there...you're lookin' real good"....as we pedaled away from the intersection.:love: :love: :love:
I then forthwith ate ****e laughing my ass off when Matt told me....:p :p :p
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
Its sunny and blue skies. We haven't had rain since Sunday night into Monday. They are calling for rain to more in tomorrow afternoon. I would plan to ride early Saturday morning.
 

Tattooo

Turbo Monkey
Jun 5, 2005
1,859
0
OV
Shutting that down for three months to let it harden up for the rainy season is a hell of an idea. I will make the commute once I am in VA to hit opening weekend.


Hey Profro: Are you going to do your web page with the race schedule again?
 

Tattooo

Turbo Monkey
Jun 5, 2005
1,859
0
OV
Wait, if I come strapped then I get a bobblehead? What if I come the most heavily armed? Is there a special prize? And can I ride in my thong?
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
bizutch said:
Free Joey bobblehead doll to the frist 100 riders on opening day complete with sidearm
hell, we were going to have t-shirts made this winter, but i think you might have hit on something there. now here's the question that will get you the prize. where do i carry it when i'm riding?
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
good deal. i hope he was able to do your team right. i've never ridden tires as good as that company makes. the combo of traction and low rolling resistence and surprising durability even for soft rubber makes them hard to beat. you've seen em around here more than all others combined.(i'm seriously planning a shot at the masters worlds this coming year and am shamlessly schmoozing.)
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
f.y.i. there already has been two complete new trailbeds layed out. and i think some of you that have been fussin about trails with more flow just might be pleasantly surprised.(flow with a little w.r. edge to em.)
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
Got in a few runs this morning before the rain set it. I have never seen the trails in such ragged out shape. Ecspecially the commonly used trails like Snakerock and the upper section. First run down the Waterfall was interesting, there were logs and debris across the trail right before the creek. Suggesting a lot of water ran through there recently. The trails need to rest BIG time!
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
yeah, it's amazing what the wind that we've had lately has done. you should have seen it before mark and i cleared out all the deadfall. you wouldn't have been able to ride any trail at all.few people know how much time it constantly takes to keep that place presentable. glad you got some runs in before the weather dumped on us. check your p.m.
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
dhbuilder said:
yeah, it's amazing what the wind that we've had lately has done. you should have seen it before mark and i cleared out all the deadfall. you wouldn't have been able to ride any trail at all.few people know how much time it constantly takes to keep that place presentable. glad you got some runs in before the weather dumped on us. check your p.m.
Sounds like you need some more helpers. :help: Maybe I should see if Bizutch wants to help.
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
and doug, the best thing for the trails during the winter is to leave them alone. that way all it takes is a leaf blower for any maintainence during the riding season.
 

dhbuilder

jingoistic xenophobe
Aug 10, 2005
3,040
0
looks like some old school trail #2 action goin on. butch, i looked at those links. WOW, what cool machines. i'll take that info with me when i have my meeting. they bought the a.t.v. club a 2004 cat dozer. maybe they'll .....
 

bizutch

Delicate CUSTOM flower
Dec 11, 2001
15,928
24
Over your shoulder whispering
profro said:
I give that thing 5 feet before it tumbles down the steep banks that are Windrock.
well...oh king of the diesel engine....you don't drive one DOWN a mountain...you drive it UP......

Besides...Woody's used those things all over the country to build trails and he built a black diamond at ski resort so it must get traction somewhere......a dozer is a dozer...you flip one, you've done something horribly wrong... :eviltongu:
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
the one that I seen (a Bobcat) has got a really low center of gravity (lots of weight placed low, near the tracks), it's pretty difficult to flip it. It can be done, but you gotta try, in which case -like Butch said- your doing something wrong.
 

def

Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
520
0
knoxville, tn
I'm w/ doug on this one. We've used those toro's here at work before and they are a bit silly and seemed underpowered. If your going to go that route, might as well get a standard track skid-steer. And like anything else, once you get going across a hill it'll roll (unless its a D6 or something of that size). The only benefit I can see to that is the blade width will be narrower so you don't end up w/ a 48" wide trail. I wonder if those little guys are the "magic trail machines" (as the forest service guys called it) that put the finish cut on the Boyd Gap trail down at Tanasi.


Edit: of course we're talking about trails here, not tearing down and demoloshing and all that stuff. I may have gotten a little carried away. As far as trail applications, that little thing is probably the only machine small enough to work. Example: The lower section of clear creek off Chilhowee has been fixed of all the down pine trees....by a very large dozer, and screwed up whats pretty much a nice ride. I don't think Joey would really like to see something of those proportions on his trails. Well, maybe tr14.
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
I can't speak for the Toro, only the Bobcat. It was at a "demo" and they were climbing up a pretty serious incline with a bucket full with no problem at all, it zipped right up. I was thinking the same thing about it get a little (actually, a lot) sketchy trying to turn that thing, but the guy operating it, did it and made it look a little too easy. Okay, now lets think about this back in the real world such as Windrock, and not in a controlled environment with someone that has been "practicing" on it for a couple years during developing. I personally wouldn't want to try it, nor be "down stream" with any of you yahoo's at the helm. It's not that I don't trust you, yeah it is, it's exactly that...
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
BKQuill said:
I can't speak for the Toro, only the Bobcat. It was at a "demo" and they were climbing up a pretty serious incline with a bucket full with no problem at all, it zipped right up. I was thinking the same thing about it get a little (actually, a lot) sketchy trying to turn that thing, but the guy operating it, did it and made it look a little too easy. Okay, now lets think about this back in the real world such as Windrock, and not in a controlled environment with someone that has been "practicing" on it for a couple years during developing. I personally wouldn't want to try it, nor be "down stream" with any of you yahoo's at the helm. It's not that I don't trust you, yeah it is, it's exactly that...
Brian, go ride Paris Mountain. All the trails were made with one of those things. Its proper.:)
 

def

Monkey
Feb 12, 2003
520
0
knoxville, tn
BKQuill said:
I can't speak for the Toro, only the Bobcat. It was at a "demo" and they were climbing up a pretty serious incline with a bucket full with no problem at all, it zipped right up. I was thinking the same thing about it get a little (actually, a lot) sketchy trying to turn that thing, but the guy operating it, did it and made it look a little too easy. Okay, now lets think about this back in the real world such as Windrock, and not in a controlled environment with someone that has been "practicing" on it for a couple years during developing. I personally wouldn't want to try it, nor be "down stream" with any of you yahoo's at the helm. It's not that I don't trust you, yeah it is, it's exactly that...

For the applications we were using it, a regular loader would have been better, but we received a free demo from toro and their operator did all the work, so it balanced out. But I'm with you on the mountain. I'll listen to others tell the stories but I don't want to be anywhere near one of those machines up there.
 

BKQuill

Turbo Monkey
Dec 19, 2004
1,016
0
Rangers Lead the Way
Jeremy R said:
Brian, go ride Paris Mountain. All the trails were made with one of those things. Its proper.:)
Why don't you go ride Paris Mountain? ;) :love:

The real question is when are you going to invite me to go riding with you at Paris Mountain?:confused:

Seriously though, I was giving "props" to the Bobcat model, and think that it would work just fine(as mentioned in my other post). It was very impressive at the demo that I went to, but it was a professional bobcat employee operating it and it was in a controlled enviroment. I was really referring to being around it on a steep mountain with "those wild-n-crazy downhill bike riders" operating it.
 

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,698
1,053
behind you with a snap pop
BKQuill said:
Why don't you go ride Paris Mountain? ;) :love:

The real question is when are you going to invite me to go riding with you at Paris Mountain?:confused:
No doubt. We need to ride more. Anytime.
Plus, I will need your assistance on my dirt jumps.
I am a Stihl Chainsaw away from being able to start. :)
And of course, you can ride them anytime.