I rode Tiger last night

[pnj]

by myself. the parking lot was full. well, not so full that I couldn't park but there were a whole lot of cars/suv's/trucks there.

I took my cateye odometer/clock thing with me so I could see just how much time it takes to do the various parts. the cateye doesn't work anymore but the clock part works. it's the only watch like item I own....


it took my about 40 minutes to get to the top of the gravel road where the trail starts. about 20 minutes to get down the first trail (preston/rail road?)
about 10 minutest to get to the next trail via the fire road and about 20 minutes to get through that trail.

I never realized how bumpy preston is. I guess I always have someone w/ a full suspension bike riding my as$ the whole way down, I never had time to notice. just pedal pedal pedal. it was much drier then Monday, so that was nice.

even though the parking lot was full, I didn't see too many other riders.
I did see a few coming up the trails and I would stop and say "come on..." but they would always stop themselves and be like "come on, we don't want to slow you down...."
uphill riders are supposed to have the right of way..
although I did get a real nasty look from what looked like a hardcore cross country guy while I was going UP hill on... made me laugh.

y'all missed out.

[Fredzilla]

... sounds like fun.

Tapeworm was pretty nice, albeit kinda hot. As it turns out, it's good that I didn't do Tiger.... on Wednesday, I pulled apart my cranks and such and reinstalled the small ring in front BACKWARDS :mumble: :mumble: :thumb: making it useless... it made Tapeworm pretty tough, but it would have made Tiger utterly CRAPTACULAR!

[vibiker]

I too rode last night at TM. Even though uphill riders have the right-of-way (which I don't understand), I always pull over and let the DH riders go first. Preston is just too much fun going down to have to slow for uphill riders. Glad to see others doing the same.

[pnj]

I too rode last night at TM. Even though uphill riders have the right-of-way (which I don't understand), I always pull over and let the DH riders go first. Preston is just too much fun going down to have to slow for uphill riders. Glad to see others doing the same.


I think the reasoning behind uphillers having right-of-way is that it is harder to get going again going up hill then it is to get going on a downhill.

[vibiker]

For slower DH stuff, I can understand. I just to hope to re-train others for the steeper/faster stuff.

[Skookum]

i'll give right of way to uphillers, like trail ettiquette dictates, but usually you can look into someones eye and see their line and if both are skilled enough usually you can both stay on the bike without having to stop. Slowing down on dh is pretty much a cop out, you can regain your speed in 5 pedal strokes. Should be slow down and let the uphill grinder have a clear line if the trail is wide enough. Besides if anything you can work on your stall and balance skills.

[pnj]

Having been in head on collisions with other bikers, I'll take the 'slow down or even stop and let people pass' route.

it's not worth a few minutes of my enjoyment to not slow down. I encountered a father and a small girl on my last Tiger ride. I know a headone with a child (as well as an adult, but less likely) could result in death. I'm out there to have fun, not sit on the trail with an injured person, waiting for the 911 guys to show up.

i have brakes on my bike to slow down and gears to speed up. it's not hard for me to use either one.

[Skookum]

And you don't even have hydraulic disc brakes.....