How about this rock garden?

[Jisch]

So after the NEMBA BOD ride, I got to pull off another one in the afternoon in Chaplin, CT. I've found some amazing gems out there. Rock gardens like you can't believe...

This one I made for the first time today:
http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38058&stc=1

This one I dream of someday riding even a piece of, its amazing.
http://forums.mtbr.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=38062&stc=1

More pics from this ride at: http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=59476

John

[gnurider1080]

i remember a shorter rock garden like that in nam. heres a pic that shows some of it. the pics werent taken by me though.

[gnurider1080]

and heres the result of him trying to get passed the tree.

[Luckybikes]

The problem with rockgardens is they can realy beat the sh** out of you when you fall but it is usally worth the battle scars

[Rip]

I guess that is taking treehugging to a whole new level. ;D ;)

That is some agressive looking stuff.

[iceman]

my face hurts just looking at it.

[Quo Fan]

Riding rock gardens is all about balance and momentum. Develop your slow speed balance, and you can ride just about anything. Practice track stands everytime you stop on the trail. If you can track stand for 2 seconds, then riding rock gardens will be easier.

[Slider]

Refering to Jisch's two pics...

I've cleaned the first one, but that second one is truly daunting. I can do a decent track stand, but without momentum, you ain't getting anywhere. The problem is that it goes on for a really long time. Maybe 300'?

No single section is unmakeable, but line 'em all up and you need some serious momentum, luck, balls, and shins of steel. Five inches of travel wouldn't hurt, either, or a 20" trials bike.

Jisch - it is the one alongside the lake, yes? The part leading up to the really nasty stuff is a blast. It is kinda too bad that it doesn't stay in that semi-nasty mode the whole way.

Slider

[Jisch]

Slider:

The first picture is actually the one after the really nasty one in the direction we rode it. Taking a local rider's advice, I'm going to stay off that other trail around the front of the lake, apparently there have been issues. Don't want to cause issues. So I came in on the white from the other side of the lake, when I got to the wicked rock garden I turned around.

QF is right - track stands are key. I can hold a track stand all day, well maybe 20 minutes. I learned when I used to ride around the cul de sac with my kids, They'd be riding and I'd be standing still.

The second one there is still beyond my ability. I dunno who could make it, maybe Hans? Its beyond track stand, the rocks are really tall and steep. Making it would definitely involve those trials type forward hops, which are definitely beyond my ability. Next time I go out though, I'm going to try and do more of it. In my mind I can make it. When I see it, reality sets in.

John

[splat]

I always find this one in Vietnam Particularly Daunting

http://home.comcast.net/~jgoeller/namct/IM006894.jpg

[Slider]

Yeah, but short and doable. Maybe once in ten tries, for me. That one where the bridge used to be is a lot tougher, no?

Slider

[splat]

No the one where the bridge used to be , is tough , but it has 2 very distinct lines.

I have seen plenty of people do it , where I rarely see some one get throught the one above on a regular basis

[narlus]

the one above is tougher because you need to be climbing to get to the point where the rider is off, and there are some rock spacings which really through you off.

i've yet to clean it, but woulda had it my last time if there wasn't a rider blocking me jsut after where that rider went down in the picture..

[mtbtom]

the one above is tougher because you need to be climbing to get to the point where the rider is off, and there are some rock spacings which really through you off.

i've yet to clean it, but woulda had it my last time if there wasn't a rider blocking me jsut after where that rider went down in the picture..


Don't you friggin hate that? Best reason to ride out in front, or alone (but then noone would be around to witness your feats of technical mtb greatness)

Otherwise it's a great excuse for NOT making something, e.g. "I woulda cleaned that section if homeboy wasn't blocking my line."

I remember that trail from the triple basin blast - what concerned me most going through it was tearing off my rear derailer. For the record I DID NOT make it, but I seem to remember there was someone in front of me when I tried. :-)

BTW: Jisch the 2nd photo in your post is awesome - it's my desktop wallapaper now.

Later

[Quo Fan]

Ahhhh, the old bonehead in my line excuse. I've used that one many times.

Comtom1, who happens to be without a bike at the moment, usually tries to ride something, and when he can't make it, just stops where he is and doesn't clear the trail. There have been many occaisions where I've almost run him over because of where he stops.

[Ocron]

Yeah, but short and doable. Maybe once in ten tries, for me. That one where the bridge used to be is a lot tougher, no?

Slider


Depends what direction you're coming from. If you're coming from the powerlines like in the picture it's much harder than the rock garden where the bridge used to be. The rock garden where the bridge was has 3 lines now. The far right (like in the tree hugging picture), middle and far left. The far right line is the hardest, but doable, and the far left line is pretty easy, with the middle somewhere in between.

[Slider]

Coming from the power lines, the way that I cleaned it ( a while ago, admittedly!) was to get some momentum, then I threw in a huge power stroke just as I approached the part where the line starts to get sketchy. That lofted the front wheel as high as I could get it without falling backwards. The front carried over the pointy rocks that kill your momentum, and, luckily, landed pretty much on the line through the middle of the narrow part. The (non-suspended) rear wheel bounced over the pointy rocks. From the middle out, it is not too bad, but you have steer precisely to follow the exit line. It isn't a simple roll out.

I've tried to make it several times since, but have yet to duplicate that successful try. There's a serious moment of "gotta commit now" that I have yet to get past a second time.

Slider

[JSecor]

Not being a speed demon I have to try to hone the technical skills (probably the same reason that my favorite trail bike is my Turner RFX with an Avy rear and Super T fork!). While I haven't made either the old BC bridge rock garden or the 495 jaws of death ;) on a consistent basis, I have cleaned each of them in both directions. Definitely requires being "on" and having just the right mix of momentum and balance on any given day. And of course it's always a blast to try regardless of the degree of success! ;D

[radair]

While we're on this topic, a Vietnam rock garden from a BOD ride two years ago. Photo by pk.

[Mr_Cheeze]

It looks in these pictures as though you can at least see where you are going. I just rode at Foxboro yesterday and the leave coverage is downright nasty. I attempted several rocky areas of normally varying difficulty, but with so many leaves down, every traverse was... well, just close your eyes and go and hope for the best. I only went over the handlebars twice, and I was lucky at that. Strangely enough, I had an easier time getting through the more difficult sections than the normally easier ones... except for some of the very rocky uphills in the northwest loop. Still, I love riding this time of year. I always feel like it makes me a better rider.

[SloMoJo]

Nice job Rob, getting thru there.
That's beyond me, so a tip of the hat to ya.

Oh yea...the leaves sure make things interesting. ;)
I have managed to endo on every one of our night nam ride recently.

Yet, I do feel I can do what I could not do last year.
It's progress.

[If_Rider]

While we're on this topic, a Vietnam rock garden from a BOD ride two years ago. Photo by pk.

That's the same rock garden that Splat posted but from the other direction. Tough either way. There is one in Nam in the interior that is next to impossible. We almost hit it last night but thought better of it in the dark.

[narlus]

yeah, you can see the challenge in climbing that...a couple of real wheel holes to avoid, but really no way to avoid them.

[radair]

That's the same rock garden that Splat posted but from the other direction. Tough either way. There is one in Nam in the interior that is next to impossible. We almost hit it last night but thought better of it in the dark.


I think you're talking about this one. It put the hurt to me (right at the end) shortly after I took this pic of Pete Brandenburg.

There's another line left of this one that looks very doable, but it is partially submerged and I was already bloody...

[radair]

Nice job Rob, getting thru there.
That's beyond me, so a tip of the hat to ya.


Actually I botched that attempt but got it on my next try. There was a local guy there (Dave Mitchell? he was doing all sorts of sick stuff) that was showing us the right line. I'm sure you could ride it too. It's definitely easier in this direction.



Oh yea...the leaves sure make things interesting. ;)
I have managed to endo on every one of our night nam ride recently.


The leaves make things really spooky, I think. The stuff at Case last weekend was downright terrifying at times, like riding on ice but not being able to see bottom. Call me Sketch-boy.

Maybe I could hook up a leafblower to the fork....

[splat]

That's the same rock garden that Splat posted but from the other direction. Tough either way. There is one in Nam in the interior that is next to impossible. We almost hit it last night but thought better of it in the dark.


I think you're talking about this one. It put the hurt to me (right at the end) shortly after I took this pic of Pete Brandenburg.

There's another line left of this one that looks very doable, but it is partially submerged and I was already bloody...



No that is not the one he is talking about , ther are 2 others than not only are rock gardens but include a climb as well.

[splat]

This is the rock garden that used to have the bridge ( that you have posted just above )

[splat]

this is the one IF_rider is referring to .

You start/Finish ( depending on direction ) up top where the people are stading.