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Thread: SBP Current Affairs

  1. #1
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    Default SBP Current Affairs

    Some of you may have already ridden the new features on Blue Mound...

    Today, a bunch of us busted our butts and hauled *a ton* of rock down to the trail...which resulted in this sweet rock garden:

    View from the top -


    Looking up at the rock garden -


    View from the drop at the bottom -


    Remember, Blue Mound is a "Black Diamond" rated trail (well, it's getting there).


    These features are put in to increase the physical and technical difficulty of the trail - there are no reroutes.

    If you come up on a technical trail feature that you feel you're not quite ready to ride, then you need to get off your bike and walk.

    So far, every feature on the Blue Mound trail is 100% rideable and rollable. Heck, we watched a 12-yr old kid roll the 3-step dropin from a standstill on his BMX bike!

    Hope you enjoy the new features!

    Go ride!
    "ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."

  2. #2
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    Nov 2008
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    Hampton, IL
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    Nice. Can't wait to ride it.

  3. #3
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    Here's a quick video I took with my phone (I am far from being an adequate camera man!):

    "ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."

  4. #4
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    looks awesome, cant wait to ride it! (i'll probably see it next sunday)
    Pain is temporary. Quitting last forever

  5. #5
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    Since going to the seminar at Rays with Hans Ray, The milkman has wanted to smooth the flow and increase the technical difficulty of Blue Mound, and this is another stage of that project. As he mentioned, this is ridable so there is no reroute, please don't make one. In Moab, about 10 miles of the Whole Enchalada is worse than this. In many parts of the US, this obstacle would be on Blue trails.

    If you are not comfortable with Rock Gardens, this one will be a good opportunity for you to gain skills in a short garden.

    And now it's time for.. Vibrato's "How to ride this Rock Garden."(yes I'm aware how often I crash... Thanks for clearing that up... HA!)
    1. Enter at a moderate speed so you don't have to pedal through it, it's down hill so you don't have to be going very fast at the top. This garden is at a slight slope so you should be able to stay off the brakes once you enter it. If you need to brake, BE CAREFUL! A little front brake when the front wheel is going up a rock will throw you over the bars faster than you can say Doh!! and rocks hurt.
    2. Full attack position, pedals level, butt behind the seat, arms SLIGHTLY bent, knees bent enough to get your butt back.
    3. (Mentally, This is the hard one) Do not try to pick your specific lines! Instead, try to let the let the bike "float" under you while "aiming" the bike in a direction. I think there are too many rocks here to pick a line between them all, you'll never make it. Stay back, stay loose, the bike is gonna kick and bounce, let it do that without doing it yourself by using your arms and legs to absorb the rocks and guide the bike around and through the bigger rocks. Did I mention STAY BACK on the bike.

    If you do not know what the attack position is, have someone with a little more experience show you and have them critique your attack position to be sure it is correct for this obstacle!

    When learning this technique, many people have a tendency to not get as far back on the bike as they think they are, instead they tend to be back a little and too high in the saddle. If you enter this obstacle tall in the saddle you will go over the handlebars head 1st. This obstacle is rideable by most everyone IF you take the time to learn the techniques involved. Good Luck!!

    If anyone who wants to try this with spotters, post up here and we"ll try to set up a "skills" learning session. I crash way too much to be a know it all, but there are some really good riders in this club who we can tap into for suggestions.

    Yes- You too can be a big time, hard core, Mountain Biker!! I believe in you.

    -Vibrato

    Believe in yourself? Well sure, of course. But be aware that "believing in myself" has been the root cause of most of my injuries.
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    "I feel sorry for people who don't do this." -Badfish41- after bombing the Hermosa's at Levis Trow.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vibrato View Post
    This garden is at a slight slope so you should be able to stay off the brakes once you enter it. If you need to brake, BE CAREFUL! A little front brake when the front wheel is going up a rock will throw you over the bars faster than you can say Doh!! and rocks hurt.
    This is EXACTLY what happened to me at Levis when I busted my arm. Fatigue was setting in and while shifting my position forward on the bike to prepare for the dismount (while grabbing a bit of front brake), my front tire met a square-edged rock and *BAM!*

    All great tips here! Thanks for that!

    "ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."

  7. #7
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    I'll be checking it out tonight! Can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I wanna ride!

  8. #8
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    Nov 2009
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    Easy to see this was not an easy project, thank you all for the hard work. Cant wait to try it out!

  9. #9

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    I went up to ride Illiniwek and when I was done there I decided to head up to SBP. That Rock garden is sweet (my first trip wasn't so good) but the second trip down I got it. I was a little intimidated when I entered Blue mound because of the small drops so close together but that pare ended up being cake it was the bigger drops I had trouble with because I had no speed.

    Enough rambling Y'all did an awesome job on the garden!!

  10. #10
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    Totally LOVE eveything you guys did to Blue Mound! Super saweeeeeet! My ride last night rocked (a combination of my awesome birthday present -- NEW LIGHTS, beautiful riding weather, and trails that scream RIDE ME RIDE ME!!!!!)! Thanks for your back-breaking hard work, guys!
    I wanna ride!

  11. #11
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    Nov 2008
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    Kick A$$! I can't wait to ride that! Why couldn't you have had it done Sat. night when me and DruB rode!!!???
    Ya didn't see me do it. Ya can't prove it!

  12. #12

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    After riding the new trail at SBP today, just wanted to add my thanks to all who've done the work.
    Thanks a million and send me an email so I can get some dirt on my hands.

  13. #13
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    This is going to make me want to buy a new bike sooner, THANKS FOR THAT!!!
    I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.

  14. #14
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    As always, picture do no justice to the actual feature. This is a HARD feature in the dark. I don't recommend it by yourself. The trouble is that you need to look ahead at where you're going and then you can't see what your front tire is doing. Scary...

    Nice job guys.

    I forgot, I want my new bike now.
    I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.

  15. #15
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    Apr 2010
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    Rock Falls,il
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    all this talk is driving me bonkers!! can't wait until sunday(that's when i get to ride it) I'll probably be out there around noonish or 1 hope to see some people out there!
    Pain is temporary. Quitting last forever

  16. #16

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    Very nice! went out yesturday. love to see more (willing to help) technical stuff
    Kyle

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