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KNOBBY NOTESBy Bill RogersJuly 2000I went on a couple of local rides recently and thought you might be interested in hearing about them. The first ride was one that I’ve done several times -- Iron Mtn. Danny Nanny and I actually rode backwards from the way I usually ride it. That is, we rode up the main trail and turned right at the top of the hill. It was a pretty rough climb but well worth it once we got to the top. The service road and singletrack down hill was well worth the effort. The last time I did this ride the singletrack down hill wasn’t quite finished. It is now and it’s one of the best I’ve ridden. The next one was one we’ve been meaning to try for a couple of months -- Fort Mtn State Park. I’ve read lots of horror stories about the long loop (15 miles) and how hard it is. Let me tell you right now it’s all true! It starts out as a mile and half singletrack down hill. Of course you know that after all the great down hill there was a climb waiting. After climbing the ridge to the power line there was a brutal down hill section that was so steep in places that I was actually sitting on my back tire. To make matters worse the whole section was filled with large rocks. At one point the trail was so steep and had such a deep rut in it that we actually got off and pushed. When we finally got to the bottom of the section there was about three miles or so of rolling terrain. At the end of this we started the final climb out. This had to be one of the most difficult climbs I’ve ever done. It was all rocks and roots, and as we found out later (according to a sign at the trailhead), the grade was between eight and ten degrees. To top it off, it was about two and one half miles long. Needless to say when we got back to the car we were pooped, worn out, exhausted and hammered. I wouldn’t recommend this ride for everyone, but we had a ball. We are going back in the near future to check out the other two shorter loops; I hear they are not quite as hard. Since I’m talking about really difficult riding, I thought I’d share some riding tips from my favorite magazine--Mountain Bike. ON THE ROCKS: Rock gardens require two things, faith and buns of steel. You don’t want any front brake and very little back brake. Your wheels must roll freely or you will lose your balance. Gear up a notch or two for power and don’t over-steer. Instead let your bike find the path of least resistance. Keep your weight back and keep your front wheel light. ON THE SIDE: When riding along the side of a hill keep your body upright while leaning slightly away from the up slope. It sounds counterintuitive but it gives your tires the traction they need to stay on the trail. Stay off the brakes as much as possible. SWITCH BACKS: There is nothing more demoralizing than flubbing a switch back in the middle of a brutal climb. Going up, aim for the apex for the turn- the farthest part of the curve. Once there, let the bike flop over in the direction of the curve. Before you flop completely over use your sense of balance to pull the bike back up beneath you. Now you are pointed in the right direction. One last tip. Brake hard when the ground is hard and soft when the ground is soft. Happy Trails. Bill
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