Two Jackalopes do SMBA, Whiteface & Diablo

[TreeSaw]

Friday -- 5pm -- SMBA Trails
We meet Sinister Bike guys and demo their Freeride Prototype as well as a herd of R9's on our local trails. Good times, followed by refreshing beverages at the local pub. :cheers:

Saturday -- not as early as we planned -- Whiteface Mtn.
Fearing the weather, we heistate in our departure (mistake #1). We arrive at the mountain to find it in excellent condition under cloudy skies and cool temperatures. We meet the Sinister Bike Guys from Friday night and we're off to hit the Beginner/Sport Race Course. Fun, fast and flowly with lots of woodchip surfing on an open slope/fireroad. For our second run, we head down the scope out the Expert/Pro Race Course (mistake #2). Deciding that I might die soon (as I was getting intimate with the ground) we turn off the course onto trail #26 and plow ahead through some tough singletrack only to find ourselves back on the Expert/Pro race course which leads to (mistake #3) us following the Race Course for a while longer and more intimate encounters with the ground, rocks, trees, a wretched drop that tried to kill me, etc. DownhillMike soon rescued us and we followed him over the woodchips again (mistake #4) to the section of the mountain that has the newly built double teeter and some bridges. Excellent features and lots of fun!!! Our final (and biggest mistake) was that we had taken too long scoping out lines for me to try to ride (note the use of the word try) and missed the lift for a final run (mistake #5). We did manage to have an AWESOME time and I really got some DH mojo on!

Sunday -- a day of rest -- Saratoga Horse Track
I hit the Saratoga Horse Track for final day and left after 3 races as I was sick and tired of the rain. I returned home to drink some beers.

Monday -- 10am -- Diablo
Well, some jackalopes had sent out a message about a gathering at Diablo today and they all bailed so it was just Sq-Earl and I -- two lone jackalopes, ready to takle some DH at Mountain Creek. After the rains of Ernesto we were unsure of the conditions of the Mountain but were pleasantly surprised to see mostly dry trails and only Alpine and Dominion were closed for the day. The lift operaters whooped it up a bit too much the night before and showed up late (lifts were supposed to open at 9am and didn't open until 10:20) so the lifts were going to be open for 2 hours longer to make up for the inconvenience!!! :banana: We did see JRogers rockin' the DH but didn't get a chance to do any runs with him (he's a little too fast for me ;) )

Enough words...onto the pictures (all of Diablo today).

TreeSaw finding her mojo for the day with an easy first run.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3789.jpg

Sq-Earl hitting the infamous "Road to Nowhere" Drop (series or pics -- I don't know how to make them all into one)
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3856.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3857.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3858.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3859.jpg


TreeSaw aparently lost the road to nowhere.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3903.jpg


TreeSaw riding some berms
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3905.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3844.jpg


Sq-Earl educating the masses on the two possible lines off this rock -- First up the skinny:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3833.jpg

Second up the drop:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3834.jpg


TreeSaw hitting Crap Chute (which is getting the crap shot out of it with all of the erroding rainfall and constant abuse from me :D )
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3816.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3906.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3909.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3879.jpg


Sq-Earl making this look WAY too smooth!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3820.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3821.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3822.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3823.jpg


TreeSaw heading to Lower Exodus, etc.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3855.jpg


Sq-Earl on Careless Whisper
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3861.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3864.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3872.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3875.jpg


TreeSaw rippin' some bridges on Triple Drop
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3799.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3792.jpg


Sq-Earl whippin' the hip jump on Crap Chute
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3880.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3890.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3891.jpg


TreeSaw tackling some rock gardens throughout the day
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3849.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3910.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3897.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3896.jpg


Sq-Earl just couldn't get enough of the "Phantom Drop"
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3912.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3899.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3791.jpg


BYOB -- toasting our great day of riding at the Pizza Station.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Diablo%209-4-06/DSCF3917.jpg

[Jim Mac]

No Whiteface pics? Sheesh! Nice to see you guys there! Gotta "surf" those wood chips - steer with your hips and no brakes! By sunday, they had been turned into woop dee doos....Nice Diablo pics!

[Echo]

Sweet pics! Sorry we had to bail on you guys... Had to do some family time.

[Rockland]

Very nice pics. Looked fun!

[wannabeabonedoc]

Looks like you guys had a great time! Awesome shots.

////slashies/////

[McGRP01]

I want to ride Careless Whisper!!

[MMcG]

Nice stuff!

T - how do you like that ASX compared to the SGS??

[TreeSaw]

Nice stuff!

T - how do you like that ASX compared to the SGS??

It's very different! Overall, I think the handling is tighter (I can steer through sections with ease) and it's a lot lighter! The wheelbase is shorter so it doesn't feel quite as stable on super steep stuff but I am getting more and more used to it with each ride. I was amazed at some of the stuff I was able to clean both at Whiteface and at Diablo. The frame is smaller too (15" vs. my 17" SGS) so that makes a difference too. Really, I am liking it but find that I just need to ride it more and get comfortable with the feel.

[TreeSaw]

No Whiteface pics? Sheesh! Nice to see you guys there! Gotta "surf" those wood chips - steer with your hips and no brakes! By sunday, they had been turned into woop dee doos....Nice Diablo pics!

Thanks! I can't believe we didn't bring the camera to Whiteface. Those woodchips were weird. At one point, I was completely sideways. I am still surprised I didn't crash in them. I did however, learn a lot about steering with my hips (disco style of course) :happydance:

How did the race go?

[I Are Baboon]

Man, Diablo looks like so much fun.

[JRogers]

Cool pics. Nice seeing you guys at Diablo. Wish I could have actually taken some runs with you, but I was tied up with two other groups. Plus, one of the guys I was with got rocked on Dominion- had to get two sets of stitches, including one on his nose. Looked nasty.

[Jim Mac]

Thanks! I can't believe we didn't bring the camera to Whiteface. Those woodchips were weird. At one point, I was completely sideways. I am still surprised I didn't crash in them. I did however, learn a lot about steering with my hips (disco style of course) :happydance:

How did the race go?

It was fun as hell, dry, etc. Though I was the only old sport guy (40+) , I did well enough timewise to have taken 3rd in the 30-39 sport group. I bottomed out my fork in the ditch right before the wood chips and went wide into the corner, spraying them into the spectators! BRRRAAAAPP! It seemed like everyone had a great time and got turned on to Whiteface.

[DHS]

awesome pics. yea we have cameras, just hard to actually want to stop and take some photos

[profro]

Thanks! I can't believe we didn't bring the camera to Whiteface. Those woodchips were weird.

I went into that section really hot once and my front wheel got sucked up and flipped me over the bars at around 35mph. The airline had lost my bike and gear. So hitting the ground without pads at 35mpg anywhere else would have been hospital for sure, but the landing was suprizingly soft in those woodchips.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~hdferguson3/wf11.jpg

[TreeSaw]

I went into that section really hot once and my front wheel got sucked up and flipped me over the bars at around 35mph. The airline had lost my bike and gear. So hitting the ground without pads at 35mpg anywhere else would have been hospital for sure, but the landing was suprizingly soft in those woodchips.

http://www.frontiernet.net/~hdferguson3/wf11.jpg

:shocked: I was thinking it would be a cozy place to crash...especially compared to the many rocks that I was toppling onto. Too bad about your gear though...have you located it?

[Quo Fan]

The GF has said that we need to make a trip to Diablo. I can ride it, she can watch me do stupid things. And videotape me doing it.

[TreeSaw]

The GF has said that we need to make a trip to Diablo. I can ride it, she can watch me do stupid things. And videotape me doing it.

:bonk: She can ride and you can take pics of her rippin' up the hill! :brows:

[hooples3]

great pics tree!!! Looks like you guys had a blast... I havent been there in such a long time Iyour pics are making me miss it!!

[Echo]

great pics tree!!! Looks like you guys had a blast... I havent been there in such a long time Iyour pics are making me miss it!!
Quit being antisocial and come ride with us sometime dude!

[Crashby]

here's my 1st attempt at merging a series of action shots - pretty cool! :banana:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/dashby1/sq-earl.jpg

[Crashby]

another:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v309/dashby1/sq-earl2.jpg

[TreeSaw]

Crashby - You ROCK!!!! Can you e-mail me those as well? I am sure Sq-Earl will love to pin those up at work!!!

[hooples3]

Quit being antisocial and come ride with us sometime dude!
all I need is an invitation!!!!!!!

btw Ill be up by saratoga springs on the 16th.. and free to ride on the 17th if anyones around
are you guys anywhere near there?

[TreeSaw]

all I need is an invitation!!!!!!!

btw Ill be up by saratoga springs on the 16th.. and free to ride on the 17th if anyones around
are you guys anywhere near there?


D'oh! We'll be in CT for the 24 hour race (Churn n' Burn).

[berkshire_rider]

Did you delete the pics? All I see are white boxes with "This image or video has been moved or deleted" in them. ???

[DHS]

what trail do i take to get to Dom's Denial. we always end up just past it.

i'd like to hit Road to Nowhere and then that. anyone?

[Echo]

I couldn't figure out a way to hit Road to Nowhere and Dom's in the same run. That would kick ass though.

[DHS]

there has to be a way. we tried a couple times. and it was either ending up past it, saw it on our left side or right side. could never find how exodus or whatever could get us there.
echo- you coming this weekend?

[Echo]

i will be there saturday

[SuperKat]

I can't see any pics. :(

[Echo]

Treesaw you photobucket noob!

[TreeSaw]

I can see all the pics :confused:

[Echo]

I can see all the pics :confused:
Go back to page 1 and hit F5

You did something in your photobucket account that caused your links to be wrong :)

[TreeSaw]

Go back to page 1 and hit F5

You did something in your photobucket account that caused your links to be wrong :)

:redface: D'oh....I fixed it now. :bonk:

[seismic]

A lot of good photos !!! Make me wanna ride ! Thanks for sharing.