2016 gravity season

Norm

Mayor McCheese
Team MTBNJ Halter's
If you cannot take the Creek lift line, then this sport is not for you. It does not get faster than that gondola. I am usually good for 18-22 runs in a day at Creek, there have been days at Highland that I got five with the same type of push for runs. Plattekill/Thunder/Blue 8-10 on busy days.

Question - do all of these parks typically let you ride to the top if you so desire? I believe there is a way to get to the top of Creek by pedaling but you kinda need to know the place and of course actually pedal up. 5 runs in a day seems absurdly expensive to me. I know pedaling a monster bike uphill isn't exactly fun but then neither is paying this much to stand in line all day.
 

njkayaker

Active Member
I got 12 runs in yesterday in like 2 hr 45 mins. no lines at all.to answer your question you can pay for 1 lift ride up and then ride the XC trails. you can also park up rt 515 top of the hill coming from Vernon. Hamburg MT. ride in the trails from there.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
@Norm borrow my bike use your jorba card on the$40 lift ticket for discount. 4 hours non stop at creek will get you close to 20 runs that's less then 2 bucks a run which is a bargain. 20 runs will kill you but hey you get your money's worth.
This does not equate for other parks as no one is running a better lift service.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
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Nice to meet @Robin and @BiknBen and get couple runs with @mattybfat n family
I was able to tag everyone but you on Instagram :-(
You on the gram my man?
 

J-Dro

Well-Known Member
Question - do all of these parks typically let you ride to the top if you so desire? I believe there is a way to get to the top of Creek by pedaling but you kinda need to know the place and of course actually pedal up. 5 runs in a day seems absurdly expensive to me. I know pedaling a monster bike uphill isn't exactly fun but then neither is paying this much to stand in line all day.

Long lift lines at Creek are not the norm. Early season spring fever had everyone heading out. That said, the longest line takes maybe 10 minutes to get on the lift. This is really a non-issue.

Sure you could pedal to the top but you really want to be fresh for the DH runs. A full day of DH will leave you totally spent. There is a perception that gravity does all the work but you'll find that's pretty silly idea after just 1 day at the park.
 

Johnny Utah

Well-Known Member
@Norm borrow my bike use your jorba card on the$40 lift ticket for discount. 4 hours non stop at creek will get you close to 20 runs that's less then 2 bucks a run which is a bargain. 20 runs will kill you but hey you get your money's worth.
This does not equate for other parks as no one is running a better lift service.
This.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Boy you guys complaining about lift lines, go to highlands or just about any other park in the first month of weekends. I have had 40 minute waits before. Once the other parks open shit will thin out. I have this free month and I haven't even got the chance to go yet.
Any word when Blue opens?

I was at Highland on opening weekend Sat and can confirm this. It was nuts. It was still awesome and totally worth it, but it helps my apartment is only 1:15 away. Had I driven 5-6 hrs, I may have been irked.

Now if it would only stop raining... the forecast for the upcoming weekend (Fri-Sun) is the pits. I'm considering taking a personal day and going over there on Thursday.
 

njkayaker

Active Member
How do you like the change Creek made to the trail coming off the bottom of Domboo and Alpine? I like it. better that that run out to the lift. Today was day 16 there. going to be a great gravity season.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
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Finally got my MTB Parks. Com pass and package. Nice haul of stickers maps and t-shirts. Now time to find some time. Know I will be using some freebies in Utah! Maybe hit Blue this weekend. Wish list is a trifecta in Vermont in July. Highland and Thunder at the end of the season is a give in. One of these days I need to go back to Snowshoe and revisit some early haunts of back in the day.
 

njkayaker

Active Member
Creek was amazing today. what a perfect day for 16 laps. moving way up the leader boards starve segments. very pleased since this is my first gravity season.
 

mattybfat

The Opinion Police
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Creek was amazing today. what a perfect day for 16 laps. moving way up the leader boards starve segments. very pleased since this is my first gravity season.

You obviously haven't had that crash yet ;)
I am still gun shy from wrecking my ankle 2 years ago and I am old now. I went through this 17 years ago from 3rd degree shoulder separation at Platty. Boy wonder isn't taking the big chances after his huge boot from highlands last year. Big crashes are hard to erase. But kudos to you for ripping it up!
 

njkayaker

Active Member
i've had my crashes single track. separations. split scapula in half. don't want any crashes. trying to stay within my limits and not push it where i am out of control. i'm old also. :)
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
I'm still quite gun-shy after my near career-ending wreck at Timberline last year. Bearing barely able to walk for two weeks and not able to ride for over a month definitely has affected me. Mainly in regards to speed. My speed was way down at the race last weekend at Blue Mtn compared to my performance at the same venue (and nearly the same course) last year - when I won. Of course, a lack of training hasn't helped either.

Now I'm back in NH and racing at Pat's Peak this weekend. A mtn I've never been to and with an almost "enduro" format of two runs down two courses and a combined time. The mtn is about an hour way, so I drove over after work to pick up registration and walk the courses to get a feel of what I'm in for. I'm glad I did as there are some sections on both courses that can give me pause. Especially a long, fairly steep rock garden section on course #2.

We shall see... next is Thunder Mtn next weekend.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Pretty sure Pat's Peak doesn't do DH other than the races. There are no lift provisions for bikes - you get on holding your bike with the tires on the chair essentially in your lap.

I did two runs down course #1 and then it started raining... I had no desire to attempt course #2 in the wet... so I got in the van and drove to Highland (about 42 min away). Got my wrist band there only to find out the lift had been shut down due to thunder. Doh. So I spent some time on Upper Sherwood, which is the "beginner" dirt jump lines. Actually didn't do half bad on the DH bike and considering I haven't been on jumps in years. Then the lift re-opened and I did one very wet and slippery run down Cat's Paw.

Heading back to Pat's right now. Hoping to get one run on course #1 and then two on #2. Then will any luck, I'll survive this in one piece. Not sure about Thunder Mtn now... I really need more time on the bike where I can just ride. Some road training would really help as well. Hopefully I'll be able to make time during the week.
 
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