Today's Ride

Big Wheels are cool, much more maneuverable than a traditional tricycle. They're stable. They can powerslide and flat out rip for a kid.

I was always bummed they weren't made when we were kids.

The Big Wheel® was first developed by Louis Marx Toys and presented to the public at the 1969 New York Toy Fair. The Big Wheel® immediately became a national success.

I remember all my friends riding them..I'm 48...

Today's ride was a little bit more of an adventure. Telemark Dave, now fully transformed into his summer personality, SUPah Dave, came over with with his project bike after a morning SUP session. I spent the morning fixing some screen doors. After getting my equipment vetted, we headed off down the bush trail into Wolfland, retracing one of our winter ski routes by bike. The bugs were fierce, the day was hot and a good time was had by all.

This beast has been Dave's "work in progress" for a few years.


My new ride looks humble by comparison.


Parts of the the "trail" were a bit wet. Great way to baptize the Cameleon! Yes, I know there should be an "h" but that is the way it is spelled on the bike, presumably the French version.


Eventually we found the newer logging road. The places in between were a little rugged and there was almost as much hiking with bikes as riding.

Today's (or actually yesterday's) ride was worthy of a separate TR.



Check out the full story here, in the first installemt of TFTH - Summer Edition:
http://forum.nyskiblog.com/Tales-from-the-Hinterland-Summer-Edition-td2996356.html

Wow! Still stoked from yesterday's rides. In my opinion, downhill MTBing is the closest thing to skiing you can do in the no-snow season. You even get to ride a lift!  If you have not had the pleasure, imagine doing big, fast (or as fast as you dare), swoopy GS turns down a ski run, except you are on a bike. More later on TFTH - SE.


Riding up North America's longest covered people mover at Sir Sam's.
I borrowed a full-suspension DH bike for the event. Check out the travel on those forks!

A little video from Sir Sam's to convey the idea. I know the rider in this piece. He has no fear.



Every ski hill should have this activity! Are you listening, Steve Wright?

There is one minor difference - do not fall. A fall while skiing converts all that forward energy into a slide on the snow. A fall off a MB is converting all that forward energy into a massive body slam stop were you land. I speak from experience.

x10003q wrote

There is one minor difference - do not fall. A fall while skiing converts all that forward energy into a slide on the snow. A fall off a MB is converting all that forward energy into a massive body slam stop were you land. I speak from experience.

I can see your point. This was my first experience at this kind of riding, so I took it easy. There are many similarities to skiing though: weighting and unweighting in the corners, absorbing bumps and letting the bike do the work for you are a few I learned. After over-steering (or was it under-steering?) the same corner twice, and ending up in the same rhubarb both times,  the best tip I got was "don't look at your front wheel, look where you want go." This made a huge difference. Kind of like "don't look at the trees, look at for the spaces between the trees."

I might wear my telemark knee pads if I do this again.

This just came through via the Book of Faces. Very inspirational, whether you are 5 or 53.

just got back from a MANS ride, no fire roads or pastures.

Jason, you look like you were attacked by a wild animal. Hope there is a TR coming. You know you've had a good day when you draw blood.

Or an unskilled tattoo artist.

Haha, I look like that after a lot of my rides.  Not today, though - Did some easy mtb in Pittsfield State Forest in Massachusetts (wanted to check out somewhere new).  The "Turner Trail" was pretty sick.

Had to take it easy though because I'm riding 100 miles on the Road Bike tomorrow for the Tour de Cure.

Jason - THAT is a scary picture. Umm thanks for sharing?

mattchuck2 wrote

Did some easy mtb in Pittsfield State Forest in Massachusetts (wanted to check out somewhere new).  The "Turner Trail" was pretty sick.

Had to take it easy though because I'm riding 100 miles on the Road Bike tomorrow for the Tour de Cure.

Good luck tomorrow Matt. Let us know how it goes.

OK, here's a question. Does anybody carry a map and/or GPS while on extended rides in unknown territory? I carry a compass but so far haven't used it.

Two nights ago I could have used a map. Long story short, I continued my exploration of snowmobile trail 82. This time I went right instead of left. After my exploration of various side roads, I knew that the snomo trail eventually looped back and I should be out for an hour or so. The riding was pleasant, interesting and the bugs weren't bothersome until you stopped moving. Got to a crossroads, decided to go right. After a fun downhill, I came to a house on a gravel road. It astonishes me how far back in the boonies some people choose to live. And this from the guy who lives at the end of a dead-end road. Hmm. The road did not look familiar but I kept riding. Trail 82 veered off to the right but there was a large gate and big "no trespassing" signs. Not up to major trespass and fed up with bugs, I kept riding on the road. And riding. Riding, riding, riding. I began to suspect that I was at the other end of Lake Waseosa, a long, narrow lake near my house. We live off South Waseosa lake Road. I was on North Waseosa Lake Road. The two don't connect.  By now it is 8:30 pm. Blue toes was expecting me home 30 minutes ago. Time for the cell phone call. After she had finished ROTFL, she volunteered to rescue me. Swallowing my male pride, I agreed that it was a good idea. I rode the paved roads, the LONG way home, until we met. Hour-long ride turned into a two hour ride, with vehicle assist. Now I have the map.

Now wait a minute SBR, have you become too civilized?

What happened to moss grows on the northside of trees, chicken entrails, crow's feathers and divining rods?  Have these proven techniques been abandoned in the hinterland?

Have hinterlandians forgotten the wisdom of the ancestors? Remember the words of the great Lone Watie......

" A horned toad can tell you which way to go. I used to know these things when I was young. But when I got civilized, I forgot all these things. I didn't know which way to go. The horned toad says we should go to Mexico. "

Snowballs wrote

What happened to moss grows on the northside of trees, chicken entrails, crow's feathers and divining rods?  Have these proven techniques been abandoned in the hinterland?

Up here in the Hinterlands, the moss grows all 'round the trees, the chickens are tougher than a wolverine and flocks of giant crows blacken the sky. Divining rods? Hah. I rely on Dead Reckoning. As in, if I don't get home soon, I reckon I'll be dead.

Today's ride was actually uneventful. Fun, even. With my growing knowledge of the local sideroads, and having obtained a map of the snowmobile trails, routes are starting to make sense and become familiar. Better yet, I rode a new section of trail 82 that seemed made for MTB riding. Even better, I stumbled across some new trails to explore next time, before the summer camp season gets going.


I rode down the road (black line) and back up Snomo 82 (blue line).


You've got to love a map drawn with magic markers and that calls the snowmobile trail a "Ski Doo Trail"

Sick Bird Rider wrote

OK, here's a question. Does anybody carry a map and/or GPS while on extended rides in unknown territory?

Not a bike ride thing but in the woods...

Map and compass. GPS scares me.

The hot setup (IMO) is a two man team, one on map, one on compass.

I've traditionally been the compass guy, as my bushwacking parter was a phenomenal map reader — able to look at a topo and understand how a 20 foot pimple would show on a map.

Love those compass tutorials that say — "find an object in the distance that you recognize..."

If I can recognize a peak in the distance you don't need a freakin compass.  Way finding the woods. Now that's the trick.

Sorry for the thread drift!

His Harvness wrote

 Sorry for the thread drift!

Yea, enough of that...Let's get back to the yucks

Sick Bird Rider wrote

 Up here in the Hinterlands, the moss grows all 'round the trees, the chickens are tougher than a wolverine and flocks of giant crows blacken the sky. Divining rods? Hah. I rely on Dead Reckoning. As in, if I don't get home soon, I reckon I'll be dead.

Hehehe!! I knew you'ld have a funny reply. Glad you're sticking around for the summer. I recommend Harv continue with your beer stipend. In fact, make it a (hic!) double.

Oh, bartender.....

Grant " Hey! I was here first. "

Lee " You Sir, are incorrigible."

SBR " I'll say. He keeps stealing my cigars!"

Grant " Whatever Bobby. You lost the war so YOU buy. "

Lee " Well Sir, a true gentleman never welches on a debt. "

Grant " You bet your Howitzer they don't. Now how's about that drink? "

Lee " Well alright. Excuse me Sir, do you take Confederate money here ? "

Bartender " Say wha Homie? That stuff's been worthless since Gettysburg. Ya'll best have some bling to cover these drinks."

Grant " I'll drink to that "

Lee " Sir, might I enquire, what is this bling?"

Bartender " Gold sucka and I don't want no beefs with you. And don't be making it rain no Confederate dollars in the VIP room. "

Lee " There's a VIP room? for Aristocrats? "

Grant " Women, Bobby, they have saloon dancers here."

Lee " Are these Ladies of fine breeding, Sir ? "

Bartender " Oh yea. They fine church going b**ches. "

Grant & SBR " WE"LL DRINK TO THAT!!!"
 
Grant " Before we adjorn, I need a smoke....Got a light SBR?"

SBR " Damn it Grant, quit stealing my cigars or I'll kick your azz."

Grant " You and what Army? HA! Get it Bobby?  Damn I'm funny!"

SBR " I will so kick your butt. Now gimme that cigar. "

Grant " That's what Bobby here thought. I coulda kicked his butt all the way to Alabamie"

Lee " Bartender Sir, will you permit me the honor of calling on these Ladies? "
 
Grant " Yea, He wants to meet an Alabamie Mamie. "

SBR " and get himself some slammie "

Grant " We talkin pork, not hammie "

SBR " and the booty gets a jammie "

Grant " He wants a Sheila not a Sammy "

SBR " and the, uh, er....I got nothing "

SB " Hey everybody"

Crowd " Snowballs! "

SB " What's going on ?"

Grant " Oh, Bobby here is trying to get a lil sumpin sumpin and SBR won't share his cigars "

SB " You need a cigar? Why didn't you say so? Here U. S. try this blunt "

SBR " Fire that puppy up, Grant. hehehe"

Grant " Don't mind if I do. "

Lee " Just what is in this VIP room? "

Grant " Cough! Boobies Bobby, Boo...Hack Cough! Ha... Holy chit what is this stuff? "

SB " Ah, hemp? Yea, hemp. That's what it is."

Grant " Rope? I'm smoking ROPE?"

SB " Hehehe. No. Lose the R, and ask " is there a D Pat? " "

Bartender " Pat the pole dancer? She's off today. "

SB " No, Sajak "

Bartender " Say wha? "

Crowd " SAJAK !"

Lee " Oh, oh I got it...Not a Pat but a Vannie! "

Grant " Wow, I'm starting to feel all funny li.."

Lee " And I'll ride her to Alabamie "

Grant " The room is spi..."

Lee " Make her call me daddy "

Grant " ...nning aroooound. "

Lee " Take her to my crib, not my paddy"

Grant " I'm hungry! "

Lee " Put a smile on that saddy "

Bartender " You Crackas is whacked "

Lee " She'll be my lass and I her laddy "

Grant " Crackers? We got crackers? Any cheese? I'm really hungry."

Wow, now that is thread drift! Snowballs, you need to stop staying up so late and go for a bike ride. We'll  be expecting a full report in classic Snowballs style...

hahaha I second that. Or start writing cheesy hallmark cards/screenplays.

I wish I had a waterproof camera. I brought a Canon 5D to the playspot with me last week, but I found only commercial outfitters can go in that entrance. That's not something to bring down the river with me.

Off to paddle the Sacandaga!