2017 gravity season

gmb3

JORBA: Sourlands
JORBA.ORG
I have a few non-bike related projects in the works for 2017, so I don't have solid plans. I plan to get a season pass for Blue Mtn. I'm hoping the slalom track is maintained so I can use my Tazer there. Other than that, a few DH races... a few enduro races... and just ride. If my work load allows me to get out early enough, I may try to do a few of the Mtn Creek Friday Night races.

The DS track at Blue was mostly leveled due to chairlift work that had to be done and the lift runs directly over the track. Crew said they were definitely rebuilding and improving it for 2017 though. The one race i did there was a hoot and i really loved the track.

I didn't touch my DH bike once in 2016 :( but i did get to 2 enduros and a DS race.
In 2017 i'd like to get back on the DHr and hit parks i've never been to like Thunder and Highland. We shall see how it goes though.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
In 2017 i'd like to get back on the DHr and hit parks i've never been to like Thunder and Highland. We shall see how it goes though.

I lived in Portsmouth, NH for much of 2016 so I had a season pass at Highland and rode there quite a bit. It's definitely awesome, although weekends can get crowed - especially early in the season. If you can work out being there on a week day, I'd highly recommend it. It's not that big of a mtn (roughly 650' elevation) so the runs generally don't take long. As a result, it's easy to spend more time in line and on the lift than actually on your bike. It'll also help if you can speak French, since there are often so many French Canadians there.

I did a race at Thunder, so I only got a taste of what they have to offer besides the race course (which was good). They have a couple of Gravity Logic trails, so there is a nice flow to them. Lots of fun and it looks like the mgmt there is going all-in for biking giventhe unpredictability of the snow seasons. I'd say they are a threat to Highland and Mtn Creek for sure. I definitely hope to get back there for a general riding day.

We really are spoiled for lift-serve choices in the Northeast right now. It's a good time to own a decent DH bike. We should enjoy it while it lasts.
 

DownhillR3

Well-Known Member
Ian F, totally agree with you. As long as Thunder brings in people or steps up taking care of what GravityLogic has done for them. The key is maintaining that stuff, harder said than done. Last time I was there, it was looking pretty rough.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Ian F, totally agree with you. As long as Thunder brings in people or steps up taking care of what GravityLogic has done for them. The key is maintaining that stuff, harder said than done. Last time I was there, it was looking pretty rough.

I agree with you about the maintenance. I rode one of the GL trails at Windham back in 2015 - Wilderness Roll (which is very similar to Gronk at Thunder) not long after it was built. Then I saw a helmet cam video from 2016 and I barely recognized it for the lack of maintenance.
 

DargSide

Active Member
I agree with you about the maintenance. I rode one of the GL trails at Windham back in 2015 - Wilderness Roll (which is very similar to Gronk at Thunder) not long after it was built. Then I saw a helmet cam video from 2016 and I barely recognized it for the lack of maintenance.

I was out at snow summit (which also has a few gl trails) and it sounds similar to what you guys are saying, the parks don't mind paying to put the trail in, but not maintaining them
 

oobaa47

Well-Known Member
East coast ripper Luca Shaw and Louis vergier joined Santa Cruz......Any word on why rat boy is not part of the world cup circus anymore??
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Any word on why rat boy is not part of the world cup circus anymore??

There is a long, rambling YouTube interview with him that was posted a few days ago (I think there's even a version with subtitles! :p ). In a nutshell, he just wasn't having fun and needed to take a break. He plans to do some other types of events and maybe even an enduro or two.

I suppose one thing to remember about Ratboy is despite his age, he's been essentially a "pro" for over 10 years.
 

BiknBen

Well-Known Member
I did two trips to Whistler last year. Conditions each time were stellar. Gonna be hard to top that but I'll be back in 2017.

My spring will be slammed with coaching but I'll be at Creek whenever possible.
 

DownhillR3

Well-Known Member
Didn't believe it when I saw it, had to read it twice! When the ESC and ProGRT schedule came out and Mcbp weren't on tap to host a single race, I was getting real nervous about their future. Not too mention no fb updates in ages and no early season pass purchase info. But the US Open puts all those thoughts to bed!

Easy now, the US Open is being brought back by a single individual who started it years ago. Don't want to step on toes and say the wrong things since I'm not 100% in the know anymore. But I am friends with the host who's the point person on the US OPEN and it has nothing to do with MCBP. Creek is merely just a venue to hold the race, not brought back by MCBP... big difference.

If you've noticed, MCBP has no bike events really on schedule aside from the US OPEN which is not sanctioned, MCBP lost the bid for a PRO-GRT and not on the Enduro schedules for this year. They are now cutting back on bike events... atleast as of now, from what I've heard second hand.
 

oobaa47

Well-Known Member
So Clayton is just the promoter for the us open and not any way employed by mcbp? It's got to be at least a small step in the right direction though. But it is unusual for them not to be hosting any other events. Do you know if they bid on any progrt's, ESC, or enduro races for this year? At least they tried if that's the case. It's such an amazing place with such incredible trail variety, I just hope the (new?) owners realize what they have. I don't know a single thing about their finances, but between the lift tickets, rentals, service, retail shop, and beer garden, I'd like to think at least they come out some what ahead. But between platty, windham, blue mtn, and now thunder, they really need to stay on top of their game because more and more guys are traveling to these other spots more frequently it seems.......
 
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