this weekend I was totally stoked to get out on the bikewent out to germantown and looped around schaffer farms in the woods
enjoyed the tight winding singletrack
enjoyed the countless log pyramids on the trail
was stoked at my confidence on clearing what I tried to clear
was not pleased about the challenges that I backed down from and took the girl scout route around
managed to get in just about two minutes more than two hours on the trail
doubled back and repeated more than I had intended
but was more focused on meeting my duration objective than rolling over every inch of trail in the park
schaffer farms is fun!
not the technical demands of gambril
which was part of the reason I selected it
a good place for a cardio workout
a good place to ride alone
I was riding alone
while I was out on the bike I thought about my three loop adventure at rosaryville the other day
thought about a conversation with a friend on the cell later that same afternoon
this friend "poo pooed" rosaryville
felt that there was not much to it
then this friend told me how he had yet to recover from an injury at clopper lake
I held my tongue
clopper lake is pretty much a trail in between rosaryville and schaffer farms when it comes to technical demands
all three of those trail systems would fall into the category of "a good place to take your girlfriend"
which means that they are good trails to take people with less experience
lots of fun... no real climbs... and no insanely challenging technical sections
no rock gardens... no uncrossable streams... no off camber roots throwing you off a cliff
I can understand why this person may have belittled the trails at rosaryville... but I think his issue is not with the trail
but with his understanding of the trail potential
first... it is what it is... embrace it... and love it
and... also understand that there is a situation of overbiking and underbiking
this person has a problem with overbiking
by overbiking... I am referring to his owning a very expensive dual suspension bicycle
something that is more than anyone would need for rosaryville, schaffer farms, or clopper lake
any of these trails would be perfect for a rigid single speed
no real need for the squish in the back
I am not certain if anyone can ever meet the potential of their bicycle
so I will refrain from any statement that he is not meeting the potential of his very expensive double banger
that is not to say that people can not have fun at these places on a double banger
it is more an issue that they do not need this expensive technology to have fun at these places
a single speed or a geared hardtail tend to be the bike of choice for this type of terrain
it is the singer not the song
it is the rider not the bike
so many of these bikes take the rider out of the equation
the super squishy bikes seem to be so much about pedal and point
not as much about choosing a line and clearing the obstacle
more just about letting the long travel absorb the shock and lessen the imperfection
that said... there is the right tool for the job
and well... I am ready for a double banger
not for these three networks of trails
but for the more demanding stuff that I do enjoy
but would enjoy riding faster
MAN I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A DOUBLE BANGER WITH 29 INCH WHEELS!
as much as I love Gambril or Michaux
well... I do not enjoy that I can not go as fast on my hardtail as others go on their double bangers
I also do not enjoy feeling like I got run over by a truck after I finish a rocky descent
schaffer farms
rosaryville state park (no map needed... as it is a loop with no real trail options)
clopper lake
gambril and michaux