THATmanMANNY
Well-Known Member
LONG STORY
My friend, who is beginner, and I started at 5pm yesterday starting from Canal. Seeing the fact it was beginner style riding and less and less daylight, we rode pretty much everything except past the powerline side by the 27lot & the first section of twisties on the 27 side & the twisties on the canal side (we bypassed on the yellow). I gave ourselves 2 hours. It was his first official time there. The first unofficial time we were there was in february when it got dark fast and we only rode the expressway on the 27 side with flashlights and commuter lights. And the only thing he saw much of was my red flashing rear light and he was riding a bike nearly 2 sizes too small.
All in all, he is not bad for a beginner. Just needs to work on plowing over obstacles, body positioning on descents, and basic fundamentals. I wouldn't call our ride bad at all. It wasn't like annoying beginner where it was stop and go. It was like a chill, easy pedal, enjoy one of those last nice weather days in the woods for me. Oh yea, and he needs to learn the art of dodging the infamous prickers and branches at 6mile. Elbows in and get real skinny.
We rode from canal to 27 powerlines and back via new trail. He managed to wash his front tire out on one turn and took a decent spill. Nice gash on his elbow. Blood, guts, glory. But no guts. He couldn't unclip at some points and took those slow falls. Still a noob. We encountered some riders (none that I knew). Two helmet less riders, one cool guy (that said "sorry, these blind turns I tell you") that looked like some celebrity but I couldn’t get a grasp on it but according to my friend he looked like Daniel Bateman (crazy linebacker from the best/worst movie ever, The Replacements), and one jerk, hardass who we encountered twice that never said thank you for letting him through while he whizzes past us. Not even a smile. No love I tell you :getsome:.
We reached the new trail (I’m not too sure how I feel about it yet). Riding it made me miss the red trail elements. At the end of new trail we stayed right and through the field riding. On one of the slight hills on the field my friend snapped his derailleur hanger. This was his first offroad ride too with his Rockhopper 29er. I always read/hear people about carrying an extra derailleur or hanger but I’m like psh, so unncessary and I don’t see it happen to me. But it did happen and at very easy terrain too with no fall! It totally snapped! I was marveled. Glad I was riding SS . Makes me wonder if I should just go all out SS from now on. :hmmm:
Anyways, it was 7:15 with SOME light out. Emphasis on SOME. Of course we had to stop take chain and der off (I wasn’t too familiar with how to make it SS to ride home) and walked back the rest of way to red and out to canal road. Mind you my friend was wearing prescription sunglasses and couldn’t see a dang thang. I never ride with my phone but for some miraculous and lucky reason I had it in my jersey pocket and remembered I have a flashlight feature on it. If it wasn’t for that we would have crawled out feeling the terrain. Or at least he would have. Upon entering the lot I jokingly said yea watch the ranger is waiting for us. And yep there he was. He started turning off all the lights in the house. When he came out I said sorry bout that. But I didn’t hear him say anything back like “oh are you okay?” or whatever. He probably just assumed we are two dumb a-holes night riding which was no where near the case. If he had asked I woulda told him our story. He probably mumbled something not so nice seeing we made him stay till 8. Oh well. I hope I didn't deter my friend from riding again.
SHORT STORY
-friend broke der hanger on first trail ride of new bike
-was in 6mile for 3 hours
-pitch black walking back
...maybe I shoulda told the short one first but I'm sure I'm not the only one at work on Friday with NOTHING to do
My friend, who is beginner, and I started at 5pm yesterday starting from Canal. Seeing the fact it was beginner style riding and less and less daylight, we rode pretty much everything except past the powerline side by the 27lot & the first section of twisties on the 27 side & the twisties on the canal side (we bypassed on the yellow). I gave ourselves 2 hours. It was his first official time there. The first unofficial time we were there was in february when it got dark fast and we only rode the expressway on the 27 side with flashlights and commuter lights. And the only thing he saw much of was my red flashing rear light and he was riding a bike nearly 2 sizes too small.
All in all, he is not bad for a beginner. Just needs to work on plowing over obstacles, body positioning on descents, and basic fundamentals. I wouldn't call our ride bad at all. It wasn't like annoying beginner where it was stop and go. It was like a chill, easy pedal, enjoy one of those last nice weather days in the woods for me. Oh yea, and he needs to learn the art of dodging the infamous prickers and branches at 6mile. Elbows in and get real skinny.
We rode from canal to 27 powerlines and back via new trail. He managed to wash his front tire out on one turn and took a decent spill. Nice gash on his elbow. Blood, guts, glory. But no guts. He couldn't unclip at some points and took those slow falls. Still a noob. We encountered some riders (none that I knew). Two helmet less riders, one cool guy (that said "sorry, these blind turns I tell you") that looked like some celebrity but I couldn’t get a grasp on it but according to my friend he looked like Daniel Bateman (crazy linebacker from the best/worst movie ever, The Replacements), and one jerk, hardass who we encountered twice that never said thank you for letting him through while he whizzes past us. Not even a smile. No love I tell you :getsome:.
We reached the new trail (I’m not too sure how I feel about it yet). Riding it made me miss the red trail elements. At the end of new trail we stayed right and through the field riding. On one of the slight hills on the field my friend snapped his derailleur hanger.
This was his first offroad ride too with his Rockhopper 29er. I always read/hear people about carrying an extra derailleur or hanger but I’m like psh, so unncessary and I don’t see it happen to me. But it did happen and at very easy terrain too with no fall! It totally snapped! I was marveled. Glad I was riding SS . Makes me wonder if I should just go all out SS from now on. :hmmm: Anyways, it was 7:15 with SOME light out. Emphasis on SOME. Of course we had to stop take chain and der off (I wasn’t too familiar with how to make it SS to ride home) and walked back the rest of way to red and out to canal road. Mind you my friend was wearing prescription sunglasses and couldn’t see a dang thang. I never ride with my phone but for some miraculous and lucky reason I had it in my jersey pocket and remembered I have a flashlight feature on it. If it wasn’t for that we would have crawled out feeling the terrain. Or at least he would have. Upon entering the lot I jokingly said yea watch the ranger is waiting for us. And yep there he was. He started turning off all the lights in the house. When he came out I said sorry bout that. But I didn’t hear him say anything back like “oh are you okay?” or whatever. He probably just assumed we are two dumb a-holes night riding which was no where near the case. If he had asked I woulda told him our story. He probably mumbled something not so nice seeing we made him stay till 8. Oh well.
I hope I didn't deter my friend from riding again. SHORT STORY
-friend broke der hanger on first trail ride of new bike
-was in 6mile for 3 hours
-pitch black walking back
...maybe I shoulda told the short one first but I'm sure I'm not the only one at work on Friday with NOTHING to do
