Lake Saltonstall Pics

[Graphics]

Had a great ride today. I love this trail system. There are so many paths off the main one that it will take me months to explore. One note to the weary...this trail has a TON of inclines. but...when you're goin down it's all good!!! :rolleyes: :D

anyone wanna ride? :fat:

[Graphics]

i had a great ride today...again at Lake Saltonstall. this time i actually took a path that led me around to the other side of the lake. there i found what looks to be a man-made jump at the end of a HUGE descent. nothing i am capable of doing...but something i'd like to build up to and try. it looks like a LOT of fun.

i also took a new path that i had found yesterday. after all the uphill climbing there is a way to go back down on another path. it's long and curvy and there are about 3 areas of humps (excuse my lack of mtnb terminology) that one could easily get airborne. the first time down i took it cautiously...trying to remember it's turns and curves and where the humps were. the second time i was able to lift up just a bit on one of the humps. third time around a turkey was crossing the one i was trying to get airborne on...just as i came around the bend. d*mn those things move really slowly. :)

i'm hoping the weather will permit me another ride there tomorrow so i can take the camera and show you the jumps.

after 3 go arounds and a couple of other paths explored...i headed home. that last road ride incline is a b*tch when your legs are feelin like jelly. :p but i'm happy to say that there are 2 road hills that i wasn't able to climb a few weeks ago and now i'm climbing...struggling...but climbing. :rad:

[Ridge Wrecker]

Graphics,

Looks like a nice area. It always feels good to make a climb you couldn't nail before. I've only done 2 rides this year and I managed to clear a couple spots that I couldn't make before. (I'm giving credit to the new bike and not the rider.) Just waiting for the trails to finish drying out around here so I can hit the really good singletrack.

Where are you located? I've never heard of this place.

[Graphics]

Graphics,

Looks like a nice area. It always feels good to make a climb you couldn't nail before. I've only done 2 rides this year and I managed to clear a couple spots that I couldn't make before. (I'm giving credit to the new bike and not the rider.) Just waiting for the trails to finish drying out around here so I can hit the really good singletrack.

Where are you located? I've never heard of this place.

I'm in Branford, CT...just outside New Haven.

i've just been able to start riding. the new bike was an incentive...as well as the upcoming move toTexas where i have a lot of friends that are mtnb fanatics. :D

i'm actually thinking of trying to enter and finish ONE race this season when i get there. although the learning curve seems undaunting at times. right now i'm just trying to work on my endurance and if i'm lucky...figuring out through trial and error how to do various things.

i think it's time to invest in some protective gear (ie elbow pads, knee/shin guards). i have a helmet. that's about it.

i always knew mtnb could be painful to the body...but i had no idea how much more it hurts my wallet. :p ;)

[Ridge Wrecker]

i think it's time to invest in some protective gear (ie elbow pads, knee/shin guards). i have a helmet. that's about it.

i always knew mtnb could be painful to the body...but i had no idea how much more it hurts my wallet. :p ;)

Pads can definetely be a confidence booster. I'm not sure what kind of riding your into but if you're doing xc riding I know that 661 used to make some soft shin and elbow pads (veggie wrap & chicken wing). Not sure if they still make them. Soft pads would be less bulky and lighter but they won't protect you from much more than bumps, bruises and scrapes. If you plan on getting into jumping, you'd want pads that have a hard cover.

Are you running clipless pedals? I remember my first bike had flat pedals and my shins were covered in bruises from my feet slipping off and the pedal whacking me in the shin.

[Graphics]

Pads can definetely be a confidence booster. I'm not sure what kind of riding your into but if you're doing xc riding I know that 661 used to make some soft shin and elbow pads (veggie wrap & chicken wing). Not sure if they still make them. Soft pads would be less bulky and lighter but they won't protect you from much more than bumps, bruises and scrapes. If you plan on getting into jumping, you'd want pads that have a hard cover.

Are you running clipless pedals? I remember my first bike had flat pedals and my shins were covered in bruises from my feet slipping off and the pedal whacking me in the shin.


hahaha...clipless...right. perhaps you forgot the NOOB part of my riding logs. :D i have heard SO many stories of crashes from being clipless. i can't imagine doing that any time soon.

i suppose a bit of reality check must play into what kind of riding i WILL do as opposed to what i WISH i could do. :p I'd love to jump that's for sure. but as a single mom at 42 yo...i'm guessing that simple jumps will be the most i can aspire to.

i do find it rather amusing that a day after i ride suddenly i'm finding little bruises pop up out of nowhere...even though i haven't crashed...YET. i know that shin whacking feeling OH TOO WELL.

i think the biggest confidence booster for me would be having someone i could ride with that knows how to do all the things i want to learn. i feel "safer" knowing that someone is watching and there ready to come to my "rescue" should i need it. riding alone i tend to steer clear (nice pun there ;)) of trying things simply because i don't want to find myself in a situation where i have hurt myself and am alone in a trail system with no way of getting out.

hell...hate to admit it...but i don't even own an extra tube or pump or have the faintest idea of how to use it if i did. luckily with my move will come a LOT of local influences and hook ups so i'm holding off on a lot of things simply just to ride the time out...so to speak.

[strangeland2]

Well it would be a bit of a drive but BVNEMBA is doing a womens skill clinic in a few weeks. You do have to be a nemba member (not sure if it has to be bvnemba though.) From people that I ve heard talking about it its supposed to be pretty good. They have it broken down to beginner, intermediate, and maybe advanced (not positive on the last one though.)

Might be worth the drive. I believe space is limited though so might want to decide fast lol

[Graphics]

Well it would be a bit of a drive but BVNEMBA is doing a womens skill clinic in a few weeks. You do have to be a nemba member (not sure if it has to be bvnemba though.) From people that I ve heard talking about it its supposed to be pretty good. They have it broken down to beginner, intermediate, and maybe advanced (not positive on the last one though.)

Might be worth the drive. I believe space is limited though so might want to decide fast lol

thanks...checked out their website and did a map search and it would be about 2 hours from me. unfortunately that's just TOO far a drive. :(

[Jisch]

Still a bit of a drive for you, but check out MyBlueBike's ride at Mansfield Hollow - Jill is an excellent rider and can definitely help you out. Also there's a mountain biking class at Manchester Community College (in Manchester) - I posted info about that class in the CT forum. My wife is attending both of those...

John

[woodsguy]

RINEMBA is also having a beginner skills clinic on May 3rd.

http://www.nemba.org/forums/showthread.php?t=21081

Also, any NEMBA Fun Ride usually includes a begginer ride.