Sunday, August 30, 2009

Trail Report...8/30/09 - Big River Middle and West


- Place: W. Greenwich, RI
- Riders: Chris, Carrie, Kurt, T, OMMB
- Distance: 7 miles
- Weather: good, overcast
- Temp: 70
- Humidity: low
- Trail Conditions: PDM (pretty damn muddy!)...but this was expected due to the rain from TS Danny
- Technical Level: intermediate..but it was tough going (see Notes)
- Hills: 15%
- Bug Report: low
- Wildlife: holy crap, they all ran to Connecticut...there was a motorcycle enduro race going on!

- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: a whoops and an Oh Sheet by Carrie (picked the first day out to do an endo, got that out of the way!), a whoops by Kurt (only once on the first day out??), and a Holy Sheet by Chris (that's waaaay worse than an Oh Sheet...he tried to jump over a very swollen river onto what was left of a log bridge. His attempt failed miserably when his front wheel sunk the bridge into deep water and he went over the handlebars for a body slam onto the logs...OUCH!!). Chris has easily taken over the Oh Sheet points category with this, shall we quote, "dick head" maneuver. :) I think I may even start a new category in his honor...blood points.

- Notes: what started out as an attempt to take a "normal" loop with our rookies, ended in disaster. Apparently...no signs, no warnings...there was an NETRA Motorcycle Enduro race scheduled today. It was downright frightening having the bikes race by us on single-track. If any of them lost it, we were tomato juice. Although the riders were EXTREMELY courteous, we would have avoided this with due warning. I've sent some emails to NETRA and NEMBA for information regarding the race event. Biggest pet peeve (and I came from a dirt biking background) is that they tore the shit out of the trails...mainly due to the great amount of rain we had yesterday. I really think they should have rescheduled this to the Fall (assuming they have the permits to run the race there).

- Tidbits: all in all... a ride is a ride and we had a good (interesting) one! (GPS track was cut short, battery died)

Happy Trails,
OMMB







































More regarding the m/c race and some good news on mtn biking approval at BR...

From: gengler.peter@gmail.com
To: SRebello@aol.com
Sent: 8/31/2009 7:45:51 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
Subj: Re: Big River... Motocycle Enduro race today (8/30/09)
I too was there early, was down by the south end of tea pot (with my dog). It was terrifying. Had to bush wack to get to safety.
Jim & I will talk to Jay at DEM and I will talk to the WRB people. I completely agree with you.
BUT, I think we still don't want to make too big waves until we are "legal" in BR. We are half way there and got approval in the house o a bill in July. It should be in the senate this fall.
Forecast was 3 - 6" friday, we got 1.5 ( I looked it up) and I watched guys FLYING down the trails and through huge mud wallows.
I do not know how much clean up they did afterwards.
If you can make the ri nemba meeting tuesday, that would be great (see rinemba.org <http://rinemba.org/> )
best wishes
peter

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Trail Report...8/27/09 - Big River Middle

- Riders: T, OMMB
- Distance: 7 miles
- Weather: nice
- Temp: 75
- Humidity: low
- Trail Conditions: great
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 15% - Bug Report: nope
- Wildlife: a gaggle of bikers (including chicks)
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: all was good until OMMB whooped off a plank on mile 6.8
- Notes: when we got to the trail head, we realized it was Thur...organized rides gather here each Thur evening...whole LOT of cars parked everywhere...but really no one to be seen on the trails until we looped back...straight into a group of 30 MTBs (and a dog). The ride was good, we ventured out to different trails for some "investigating". We discovered a cemetery, a historical site (huh?), and an old time safe (how often do you see that in the middle of the woods...very suspicious).

Tidbits: yep, MTN bike chicks. Six including T. And T was ripping up the trails today (OMMB was worn out).

Happy Trails,
OMMB


























































Trail Report...8/26/09 - Case Jr High


- Place: Swansea, MA
- Riders: OMMB
- Distance: 4.5 miles
- Weather: nice
- Temp: 70
- Humidity: low
- Trail Conditions: good
- Technical Level: beginner
- Hills: 10%
- Bug Report: low
- Wildlife: too dark to see anything but shadows
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: nope
- Notes: OMMB took a late ride and realized that ATK was right about bringing lights...can't believe the daylight is dwindling already! Ventured to some outer loops (yeah, great idea in the dark...NOT!)

Tidbits: would be a cool place for a night ride (with lights that is, wasn't so cool without them)

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Trail Report...8/25/09 (Welcome to OMMB Post #50) - Case Jr High

- Place: Swansea, MA
- Riders: T & OMMB
- Distance: 4 miles
- Weather: clear
- Temp: 80-ish
- Humidity: low
- Trail Conditions: very good
- Technical Level: beginner/intermediate
- Hills: 15%
- Bug Report: when you stop peddling...they bug you
- Wildlife: just this guy named John, lives near there, says a homeless guy lives in the tent near the pond and has a bike (OMMB wonders if the guy in the tent is named "John")
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Whoops by T, clipped in uphill but oh-oh, toppled onto a very hard rock ledge...more bruises for the collection (could be another blog in the making)!
- Notes: Nice little after work loop!

Tidbits: yep...Blog Post #50

Happy Trails,
OMMB



Sunday, August 23, 2009

Trail Report...8/20/09 - Cheeseboro Park

- Place: Agura Hills, CA
- Riders: Hector, OMMB
- Distance: 11 miles
- Weather: clear, dry, HOT!
- Temp: 195 degrees
- Humidity: ZERO (more like -98%)
- Trail Conditions: dry dusty hard-pack, some slide-out areas over slick rock
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 50% (climb up, glide back..not a bad upward grade)
- Bug Report: yeah right, they'd be fried to a crisp...it was REALLY HOT!
- Wildlife: Well they looked like a cross between groundhogs and squirrels (with heads), ground squirrels? Surprised they were running about...it was REALLY DAMN HOT!
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Nope. Because if you hit the ground, you sizzle up like a fried egg...it was REALLY FRICKIN HOT!
- Notes: First time here for OMMB, nice alternative to the all out climbs in the area...but it was REALLY FRICKIN DAMN HOT! :)

Tidbits: One of the best things about riding out here...open bar at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Bay!



Happy Trails,
OMMB

And let's not forget the "cheesy" movie (a bit shaky, haven't mastered the helmet cam yet)...



Sunday, August 16, 2009

Trail Report...8/16/09 - Big River West & Middle


- Riders: Alex, Chris, Patrick, Spencer, T, OMMB - Distance: 6 miles
- Weather: Sunny
- Temp: 80-85 and rising!
- Humidity: 71%
- Trail Conditions: good...some mud holes
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 15%
- Bug Report: skeets if you stop too long
- Wild life: magic hat (thanks Spenc!!)
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Alex had an oh sheet (or two), Spencer oh sheeted into the river, OMMB oh sheeted into the river with an over and out (over the bars and out of the bike).
- Notes: Our friend from down under needs to lead a ride at Arcadia (hint, hint). Alex has surpassed Greg in the Mud points category!

Tidbits: Chris...thanks for joining us! (I still haven't figured out how you rode straight through that tree and only left your shirt behind). Alex...way to go, you didn't give up ("train kept a rollin, all night long..."). ATK...thanks for grabbing the awesome video!

Another GREAT SMGR (Sunday Morning Group Ride)! Be sure to catch the movie...



Happy Trails,
OMMB

Trail Report...8/14/09 - Case Jr High

- Place: Swansea, MA
- Riders: Anna, Mark, OMMB
- Distance: 3.8 mi (same loop as 8/11)
- Weather: Partly Cloudy
- Temp: 77
- Humidity: 66%
- Trail Conditions: moderate mud
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 20%
- Bug Report: moderate
- Wild life: G&T's, Beebop Burritos
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: good clean ride, just a few "wooo's"
- Notes: Intended to ride here on Thurs but re-planned due to the rain. T got stuck babysitting the howling lab and M&A were gracious enough to wait for the late arriving OMMB (thx!). Haven't grown tired of this place yet, we rode a nice loop for the time slot.

Tidbits: Mark rode (rid?) road and trail today...AND still had energy for G&T's! (go figure)

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Trail Report...8/11/09 - Case Jr. High


- Place: Swansea, MA
- Riders: T, OMMB
- Distance: 3.8 miles
- Weather: partly cloudy
- Temp: 81
- Humidity: 72%
- Pollen Level: low
- Trail Conditions: excellent
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 20%
- Bug Report: stupid deer flies were chasing and assaulting us!
- Wildlife: just some woodpecker
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: some whoops added to T's bruise collection...ouuuuch
- Notes: real nice ride at a good rate...just a great place for daily practice! Tracked by Nuvi 205.

Tidbits: Upstate New York has a real nice wine region...thanks M & A!

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Trail Report...8/9/09 - Big River "Middle" from West

- Place: West Greenwich, RI
- Riders: Alex, Greg, Patrick, Sara, Spencer, T, OMMB
- Distance: 6.8 mi
- Weather: overcast, but nice
- Temp: 70
- Humidity: nil
- Pollen Level: niller
- Trail Conditions: good but a few mud holes (good thing, otherwise Greg would be sad)
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 15%
- Bug Report: nillest
- Wildlife: just 4 motocross dudes stalking us
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: 1 yikes by Greg (I'm sure mud was involved somehow), 1 yikes by Sara (sorry I missed it), rumor of 1 whoops by Alex, 1 oh holy sheet by Teri (the up side of the ramp was great, but her front wheel "slipped' off the down side ending in a gnarly endo...yeah, ass over "T" kettle!!!)
- Notes: we followed a track from the OMMB archive that was well handled by all...even the rookier rookie! Another stellar group ride! All had a blast (or the smiles hid the grimaces)

Tidbits:
1) today marks one month until a 4th anniversary for T and OMMB!
2) a welcome back to Alex...still got it (and he even rivaled Greg in the mud lovers category)
3) tough ride for our newest, but she got through the whole ride with a great attitude!
4) we used T's Nuvi 205 to log this trail, it tracked great from inside the Camelback.
5) today's rewards...trail head brews from S & S and a clam boil at the home base.

Download the Google Earth File....https://www.qdrive.net/download/sharelinkdownloader.php?id=30262&key=GhX9tXP46mX3MqX6Cp452nx4OmN7tj86rhN

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Friday, August 7, 2009

Trail Report...8/6/09 - Case Jr High

- Place: Swansea, MA
- Riders: T, OMMB
- Distance: 3.5 mi
- Weather: nice
- Temp: 75
- Humidity: med
- Pollen Level: low
- Trail Conditions: slightly muddy, not bad
- Technical Level: beginner/intermediate
- Hills: 25%
- Bug Report: low
- Wildlife: just a little black and white woodpecker
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: nope
- Notes: went for a quick ride on the regular loop with some extra climbs thrown in

Tidbits: for people with very short term memory, weather.com has historical data (thanks T)

Happy Trails,
OMMB

Monday, August 3, 2009

Trail Report...08/02/09 - Big River West



















































































- Place: West Greenwich, RI
- Riders: Greg, Mark, Pat, Spenc, T, OMMB
- Distance: 6.8 miles
- Weather: excellent
- Temp: 80
- Humidity: low
- Pollen Level: low
- Trail Conditions: good
- Technical Level: intermediate
- Hills: 15%
- Bug Report: low
- Wild life: ICE COLD beers at the trail head!! ("m o o n")
- Whoops, Yikes, and Oh Sheets: Pat, 1 oh sheet off a jump into the woods; Spenc, 1 whoops, 1 yikes; T, 1 yikes slide out; Mark, 2 unobserved whoops; all had yikes over the seesaw!
- Notes: First group ride in a while was a blast! Included a mix of old pros and young-ens!

Tidbits:
1) Something old - Patrick and Spencer ("the originals") returned for an epic ride and showed us how little rust they had accumulated!
2) Something new - Congrats to Greg for surviving his first MTB ride...he was willing to try everything we threw at him!! (but why does he like the mud so much???)
3) Check out the movie (crank up the volume)...

4) And let's not forgot the Original Seesaw Sallie....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6hWwpRLsbs

Happy Trails,
OMMB