there is nothing fun about being lucky... - Page 3

chipper · 06-26-2008, 06:49 PM

if i found out who was destroying the trails there would be consequences. also now anyone who comes out that is some what a local they have to do work before they can ride. if you live far away you just have to water. we have a super good spot. its in the trees and we have a water house from a neighbors house that is about 1000 feet away and the pressure is awesome. Just wish i had more time to go out there. I only get to go like once a week now that i have a kid but i might start going a few more times a week with it staying light out so late now

Mr Ridiculous · 06-26-2008, 06:57 PM

Very cool. Not much of a DJ'er (mostly cause I have no nads when it comes to jumping) but I've built some freeride/DH trails and I know the work that goes into building a decent line.

Random n00b question: Why is trailbuilding generally referred to as "digging" in the DJ circle? I always thought that building would be a better term, since you're building up jumps, rather than digging holes.

brycexlighthall · 06-26-2008, 07:16 PM

You've gotta DIG the holes/bowls/trenches to BUILD trails. Maybe if you were using a tractor and purchased dirt you could call it "building", but then I wouldn't really call those "trails". Trails don't have to be built by hand, but I personally prefer no machines.

don · 06-26-2008, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Ridiculous

Very cool. Not much of a DJ'er (mostly cause I have no nads when it comes to jumping) but I've built some freeride/DH trails and I know the work that goes into building a decent line.

Random n00b question: Why is trailbuilding generally referred to as "digging" in the DJ circle? I always thought that building would be a better term, since you're building up jumps, rather than digging holes.

Because all a good builder needs is a square nose shovel - and you mostly dig with shovels. We save the mattox and those other fancy tools for you freeride guys

Who knows really - I think it stems from old terms - we call DJ's spots "trails" and the people that dig at them "locals". You can't be a local and not dig if that makes sense. And if I think about it the process is mostly digging w/ some sculpting mixed in for the final stage. There is some bromming and raking but 90% of a good jump is just sticking a shovel in the ground and piling dirt...

don · 06-26-2008, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zach Dank

Timmy is coming up on the 12th of July to shred all the trails with me. You should roll with him homie. You know you ain't got $hit else to do.
Come on bro, you know you want some of this.

Besides being lucky, Zach must be magic too. No human can build stuff that looks that good.

don · 06-26-2008, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cru Jones

For sure. That's definitely a big part of why we do it.

And then there is the never ending quest to make the trails perfect. Somebody asked me once when we were going to be finished with our trails. I laughed. Finished? Trails are never finished. Even if we run out of room, everything can still get dialed, get bigger, and get better.

I'm glad I'm not the only one with that quest. It's like Close Encounters - people all over just have this vision (actually that could make a cool bike movie - WCH making sick mini jumps in his living room like Dryvis did)...

I'm sure you guys have done what I have - built what you thought would be a dope set - ridden it for a day and relized you had to totally revamp it or even take it down and start over... sucks but I'd rather dig than ride crappy stuff.

chipper · 06-26-2008, 08:48 PM

is that second picture the bechelli trails i have had friends there but have not been there personally but hopefully over the summer i will come up that way ant ride bechelli and pow. i have people who ride my trails that have been to both and have nothing but good things to say about them. hopefully the nor cal trail scene will get back to its roots and be to what it was in 1999 when there was trails everywhere

basikbiker · 06-26-2008, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by don

I'm glad I'm not the only one with that quest. It's like Close Encounters - people all over just have this vision (actually that could make a cool bike movie - WCH making sick mini jumps in his living room like Dryvis did)...

I'm sure you guys have done what I have - built what you thought would be a dope set - ridden it for a day and relized you had to totally revamp it or even take it down and start over... sucks but I'd rather dig than ride crappy stuff.

yeah i must have moved a new berm like four or 5 times today, then to realize i need to make a following roller bigger, then.... yeah its a constant quest for the ultimate flow, my place is startin to really come together nice

grom-dom · 06-27-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastHucker

it would be easy enough, every couple of days we change something up at least a little on the quest for the most continuous flow. right now me, brycexlighthall and cru jones are in the middle of a trail overhaul...

word, i'm in the middle of trying to figure out how to build this lander for a right hip. angles and stuff are confusing. you inspired me though, so i went and dug today

opjones · 06-27-2008, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grom-dom

word, i'm in the middle of trying to figure out how to build this lander for a right hip. angles and stuff are confusing. you inspired me though, so i went and dug today

Have your buddy jump it, where ever his body splats onto the ground, use him as the base

Defenestrated · 06-29-2008, 03:27 AM

The soil I have to work with is this red clay, which is always turning into pea gravel and loosening up even after a good pack/water. Seems to have a limiting effect on hit size as well, although it's chill because I'm not building anything insane. I envy your perfect dirt sometimes hehe...

Cru Jones · 06-29-2008, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Defenestrated

I envy your perfect dirt sometimes hehe...

Our dirt is FAR from perfect. If it was perfect, we would have a hell of a lot more than a simple 10 pack after two years of solid digging. The top layer is filled with thick roots and the next layer is filled with rocks. Add that to the fact that is forever dry in so cal and there is no way that this land should have dirt jumps on it. Not saying that your dirt is any better, but the stuff we got is sh!tty.

The quality and build-ability of the dirt is definitely one of the first things you should look at when picking a new spot. Unfortunately, we just don't have that many options in the desert that is southern california.

WestCoastHucker · 06-29-2008, 09:03 PM

word. our dirt really sucks, dedication keeps it together...

jebfour · 06-29-2008, 09:22 PM

Wow. Those jumps look incredible man....

roamingoregon · 06-30-2008, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastHucker

word. our dirt really sucks, dedication keeps it together...

What are you talking about? We are so lucky! Our dirt is killer! In a few spots on some very special days you can push the shovel in the dirt and miss all the rock, roots, and grass. I think I've had at least 5 shovels full in a row once where I didn't have to break out the pick. Lucky doesn't even describe it!

(Actually I think I'm more lucky that there is a dedicated group of guys that care to work and maintain trails in numerous places just in case one goes "bye-bye")