|   North Shore overbuilt? | KneeHell
Sep 11, 2002 8:45 PM | | Cheers Hollywood,
I'm stoked to hear you had a good time on the infamous N. Shore, great pics of nostalgia for me. Me and my friends used to ride up Mtn Hwy nearly every weekend, and if not then it was a ride up Cypress or Mt. Seymour. The only time we shuttled anywhere was if we were headed to Squamish, Whistler or BC's interior. H-e-double hockey sticks, we even rode to the ferries for some Vancouver Island and surrounding islands rides.
I'm curious as to what you thought of all the "built" stuff on the Shore. The only stuff that was built in the halcyon days of my riding there was bridges and bits that helped you past previously unrideable sections. Then the first teeter-totter (see-saw) was built into the trail (Digger? Anyone know who exactly?) and we rode that. It was fun, and then a high bridge of "singletrack" 2X6 planking, which was an adrenal gland squeeze.
Since I've left, whenever I see "Shore" pics, it's ALL built up. What happened to riding on dirt, roots, rocks and logs? It's almost like that kind of riding doesn't exist there anymore. I'm just Bitter and Jealous that I had to leave before I could learn all that "new" hucking style of riding.
Ahh the vagaries of fashion. We rode the shore sans pads, sans full-face helmets, sans suspension, many moons ago. When Rock Shox were bIack with pink stickers and rare as hens teeth, I remember wanting a rock ring and a friend-of-a-friend, but no friend of mine, said "Just adds weight, if your big ring bends just hammer it back". About that same time, Grip Shift just came out and seemed crash resistant and made sense to me as per the rock ring. Same guy: "Oh, you don't want Grip $hit man". Years later he's running Grip Shift and a rock ring ;-p
As TD says, "It's all good": The stunts, pads, gears, SSs, beers, hairy-fast singletrack, slow-technical trails ... but what's greatest about MTBing/SSing are the people I've met.
You also got shown some great grub, re Sophie's and especially the Naam (same slow service?), which I still hit when I'm back visiting. The Elbow Room was once in a little house near Stanley Park and really earned its name. You couldn't help but elbow your neighbour while eating. LOL, and surly waiters...it was good preparation for the dai pai dongs (ubiquitous noodle shops) here in HK. When are you coming here?
Ride lots, have fun
Neil |
| North Shore overbuilt? Not really... | Hollywood
Sep 12, 2002 8:35 AM | | Seventh Secret wasn't too built. Mostly just tough rooty & rocky drops. A few areas with the planks as seen in the photo, and a couple, random stunts - like ladders up a 5 ft. high boulder, but didn't appear too overbuilt. Maybe others are? Some of the locals laughed when asking where my buddies were taking me, suggesting "Air Supply" or "Flying Circus". I wasn't laughing... I would love to be able to have that in my back yard, and ride it over & over to perfect the style needed.
the people were really cool, hardly any 'shore rider elitism going on, i.e. the no-acknowledge ride-by. Far more "Hey"s than I get from roadies. Jeremy (ride buddy) would stop and help/fix any rider that was broken down that he came across.
Funny about service at The Naam! Yes, it was slow now that you mention it. It took a while to get service, but picked up after that. Loved the 'tude at Elbow Room - a few years of improv comedy kept me toe-to-toe with the smart-ass waitresses.
I went through HK last year on the way to Singapore. Layover only tho. Spent a week there on business and got to tool around on bike in one of the parks (where the monkeys roam free). Met a cool chick who drove me around to the LBS's. What brought you to HK?
Later,
Jeff |
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