|   You don't have to have mountains to mountain bike. | MtbIrv
Sep 10, 2001 4:20 AM | | I hear a lot of negative comments from mtb-ers as well as non-bikers about riding in FL and other flat places. I get tired of hearing it sometimes but how do you explain to someone who's never ridden here just how good it can be? Granted, we don't have miles and miles of climbing but what law says you have to have miles of unending climbing in order to have a valid mtb experience?
Last weekend I rode in IL and IA. Places not known for hills for sure. But there was plenty of elevation change to make for a most enjoyable riding experience. Same for these new trails I rode this weekend in Gainesville FL. Someone did an excellent job of making the most out of a little elevation. There was a lot of climbing on these trails. More than just short steep stuff. I'm going to go to these trails more often so that hopefully, when I do get to go to the mountains, I'll be able to ride the climbs better.
So what's my point? Don't be so quick to judge. You might be surprised at how much fun you'd have riding in the flatlands. Keep an open mind... you don't always have to have mountains to mountain bike.
Hope you have a fun weekend of riding! :-) |
| What are you smoking?!?!?!? | Pisgahboy
Sep 10, 2001 4:29 AM | | Ha! Made you look. ;-)
I'll be in Gainesville the weekend after T-giving. I hear Reddick is nice. Looking forward to checkin' all that stuff out. Should also be able to do research on my "everyone from FL is a sh!tty driver" theory. ;-)
Gonna come play with me for a day?
A. |
| Yup. But if you get tossed out, you're on your own! | MtbIrv
Sep 10, 2001 5:01 AM | | Just touch base with me closer to then.
I hear you have a good death march or 2 planned for V day weekend. I'll stick to the girly stuff.
btw, all the sh!t drivers down here are from up north. NC in particular. |
| I can't agree with you more | RalphL
Sep 10, 2001 4:38 AM | | I'm sure you know my opinion on this subject already. So you liked San Felasco, huh? I gotta get up there and check that out. Saw your pics from the DR1 memorial ride, looks like you had a bunch-a-fun. We used to have a little place down here called K-mart that had a few bridges like those in your pics. They were designed and built by an ex-patrioted BC rider who still longed for the North Shore. Lots of 4-5' dropoffs similar to the one that you pictured. Unfortunatly, it has since been bulldozed to make room for some kind of shopping or housing that Palm Beach county could not do without. A great loss to the S.Fl. MTB community. They managed to salvage some of the bridges and moved them up to Jonathan Dickinson, but I don't think the state will allow them to elevate them to the height that they had at K-mart. Check out the Fl MTBR trail reviews, I think there is still an entry called K-mart retrospective there...sort of a post-mortem. Had some good news this morning, FedEx found my box and will be delivering it to Titus today.
RL(breathing a big sigh of relief) |
| San Felasco was very nice. Nothing technical but... | MtbIrv
Sep 10, 2001 5:08 AM | | lots of elevation changes. A good climbing workout. Needs a few more trees in a couple of places though. Winter would be better riding in those spots. I only have one complaint about the trail design... they made it so that instead of putting a turn before a downhill to slow you down, they put them after. So lots of skidding out after the hill. But still, good work. Very nice. Let me know when you want to try it out. I'll make arrangements to ride with ya.
btw, bringing my armor next week. ;-) |
| I have to agree | Nuget
Sep 10, 2001 5:08 AM | | Being from MN and haveing never ridden out of state before I'd say you're totally correct. Of couse i'd love to take a trip out west and see what the mountians have to offer but that'll have to wait I guess. But MN like other plain or flat states there can be alot of great trails and plenty of variety. Oh and they can be plenty technical also. But of course wherever you are you have to love and ride the trails you have, it's all mountain biking in the end and a sport I'll love no matte where I end up.
Good Dirt |
| Florida flatland representin', aight? Word. | James Burke
Sep 10, 2001 6:33 AM | | Good rant; it's been a long time coming. I too have noticed a bit of an anti-Florida thing going on, although I can't imagine what the deal is. From that poor kid from Jax who gets crucified every time he posts a picture to that jerkoff from Northstar claiming that FL tourists are destroying all the trails out there to these idiots who post "reviews" of Florida trails they probably haven't even ridden, it's just getting old. I mean, does a review that says "I rode this on my Mom's Huffy It is flat and hot It sux Ther are no mountains in florida you guys are luzers u can't mountain bike if there r no mountains HAHA!" do ANYONE a bit of good?
Honestly, I don't care. They way I see it, the less people know how good some of the Florida trails are, the better. Come February, if these guys would rather sit in a freezing basement smoking dope and watching EXTREME! videos instead of twisting thought miles of gorgeous hilly live oak forest on a cloudless 65-degree day, so be it.
Glad to hear San Felasco is up and running, bit disappointed to hear it's not too technical. Post a review when you get a chance. |
| That is correct. | Bikebreath
Sep 10, 2001 7:00 AM | | One of my favorite rides here in Maryland is along the Gunpowder Falls. Lots of tricky rock gardens to trip you up and keep you on your toes, but it's falt, flat, flat.
The Old Coot in Dirt Rag, insists on calling these bikes, Trail Bikes...[I think (???)], anyway, my point is he and I agree that the term Mountain Bikes is not quite right. Revendell Bicycles has a frame called an All-Rounder and I've always like that name/concept.
I do see a problem with training on hills in you area, you don't have any altitude over 100 feet or so. It's the same problem here, too.
Bb, [gets altitude sickness fixing the roof of his house. ] |
| I agree, I like it flat. | fatmat
Sep 10, 2001 9:06 AM | | For a lazy bastard like me I like it flat. I hate climbing. I do like the downhills though.
M@ |
| Good rant Cynth. | Mike T.
Sep 10, 2001 9:34 AM | | Yeah who needs mountains eh? It's as flat as pi$$ on a plate where I live but we have liddle rises that can't be climbed with your 24/32. Creativity counts when there are no "mountains" to train on and I've never been accused of being a poor climber when I do ride a real hill.
Mountains/schmountains, Irv! |
| at the first AMBC race in Gainesville this year | james bondo
Sep 10, 2001 12:24 PM | | there were 3 guys from NC that said " we are going to kick
all the Florida boys butts! " they finished 1,2,3, last, 2nd
to last, and 3rd to last in expert. a guy from Gainesville
named jimbo rode his rigid single speed to 3rd place in the
same class! |
| I love the Gainesville course. I wish is was open all the time. | MtbIrv
Sep 10, 2001 1:36 PM | | I'll be riding it on the Saturday before the next race there. Hmmm... I'd better check the schedule to see if there will even be one there this time! |
| I love the Gainesville course. I wish is was open all the time. | I get what I want
Sep 10, 2001 5:06 PM | | There is a race there in a couple of weeks. check out www.goneriding.com
for the schedule |
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