Mike's Trail Jam

Cole leading, followed by Lee & Jake
Dinger pancake

Brad's go toCole getting flat

Dinger one-foot t-bog

followed by a proper no-hander

P'Simer's normal smooth style

Dinger saran wrap with Cole peeing in the back ground

Mike X-ing it up

P with a nosed in 3

P with a normal 3

Mike laying it flat

Cole with a t-bog at sunset

We made the short trip to Mike's trails, just outside of Titusville on Saturday for a little trail jam. We met up with the Cleveland crew and Cole at the BMX track to watch a little of the state race before the jam. Got to see some of the kids that hit the Farmboy trails occassionly rip the track up. We were placing bets on how far we could make it around the track at full speed without having heart attacks and dieing. Second berm was the concensus for most of us and luckily we did not have to find out.

Mike's trails brought back some memories of my old trails behind my parents house. Wide open, no trees, sun baking you and sweating your nits off. A lot of riders ripping all afternoon thru the 5 different lines. I stayed with the kiddie line, with both of my feet feeling like they are broken. Sucks getting old kids, try your best not to do it. Wear your pads even if you think its not cool, you will thank me later. Dinger was bringing back tricks most new school kids have never seen and sending it all day on the last set. Brad, Cole, Dave and P'Simer were doing there normal smooth trail style and tricks. Good times.

At our trails, Main line is running thru the 7th set and ready for a session to see where the step-up landing needs tweaked to. The last lip is ready once the step-up landing is dialed in. Jordan hit it up quite a few runs on Wednesday and showed us how it supposed to be done. The bowl area continues to recieve some love from Dan along with the roller line expansion project.

Will's Trails & Dialing Continues

Will rippin'
Dinger with a proper no-hander

Cole with a Euro in the trees

Brad lookin' back

Four of us made the 2 hours trip to Will's trails, just east of Buffalo, NY. Pretty amazing what this 16 year old kid has done in his back yard, mostly by himself. I didn't know anyone under the age of 20 or 25 for that matter, knew how shovels worked now a days. He has created a technically challenging backyard set up and fit more jumps and lines than I would have thought possible for the small lot. Mounted aboard his tan Deluxe, he ripped all day with his dialed riding and skills most riders 10 years older don't have. I will speak for everyone on the day trip and say we were impressed. Then Bob showed up late in the day and showed us all of the classic trails tricks dialed to perfection. I don't think I've seen Bob since '97 or '98 when the trails behind my parents where in there hay day. We reministed about his friend breaking his jaw first run thru the 10 pack and how that was the worst thing that ever happened at my trails. Plenty of other old school talk too about bike parts older then Will.

The last 2 weeks has seen some dialing at the trails get done. Cleveland guys made it out to help dial and ride in. Main Line's 3rd and 4th set are better then ever. Dinger has worked some magic learned from the Heathens on the 5th lip and it is ready to be sent. Brad has dialed the pump bump before the 5th set and the 5th landing has been squared up. I tackled the berm after the 6th set and it looks better then ever. Torential down pours have started up, so tarps are covering most of Main Line and a couple of other hits. Joe T. and new local Dan have been dialing in the bowl area and it is looking good. Pumped to see someone working on it and dialing it after the mass digging that was done 2 springs ago.

Check out the Heathen's jam video on their site to see the faded red shirt Farmboy Jordan / Crazy Legs doing what he does best. Meadville trails jam this Saturday with atleast 1 car load going. Get to the trails and see what's new. You might be surprised.

Heathen Jam Photos

Just photo with no captions. Some of my favorite pics from the Heathens jam last Saturday. Good times as always.

End of July Report

Ready for watering.
200 feet of water hose, 1 generator & 1 sump pump keeping things alive.

Jordan mid-NBL line spin.

Brad whipping the same set with tree in way.

Jordan practicing whips on 2nd set in Main Line.

July saw the trails parched for water. The dryest I have ever seen them. We broke out my generator, the shop's sump pump and Brad's new 200 feet of water hose in the beginning of the month. Temporary 55 gallon drum for now until we decide to build a storage pond or more 55 gallon barrels. Saving a lot of back aches lugging water from the creek.

As dry as it has been, 3rd, 4th and 5th lips in Main Line still look wet from the spring mud rebuild. The plan is in action to fix the problems with the lips and get the line running to the end. The line has been hit thru the 7th lip, but some fine tuning needs done to make more effortless. Being flat trails, I don't think they will ever ride like down hill trails, but we are trying. NBL line is getting better every day.

Snow is coming, get to the trails.

Mid-July Moss Report

Brad jumping 4th set in Main Line and me missing his X-up.
Nice moss growth on left side of 4th lip in Main Line.

Moss close up on 3rd lip in Main Line.

4th lip moss overview.

The trails are starting to recieve more visitors everyday now that stuff is getting dry enough to actually ride. It has been a long wet year with the last 2 weeks having great weather finally. The new 5th and 6th sets in Main Line were cleared over the weekend and the 7th lip was watered heavily and smacked into shape. We need to ride in the re-worked berm before the 7th lip, but the lip is ready to go. 8th lip to be watered in and smacked soon.

NBL Line is getting heavy sessions and the 1st berm is going to recieve some loving soon with some root removal and new clay. The end of the NBL Line will hopefully have another berm / jump soon.

Plans are in the works to go to the Heathen Jam on July 30th. If you are interested in going, let Brad or me know soon so we can get a head count. Should be good time like always. Get to the trails, its going to be snowing soon.

July 4th Weekend

Lee nosing in on the transfer set on NBL line.
Nate tailwhiping the spox.

Tommy 3-ing mid NBL line.

The weather finally held out and we had a good turn out. I showed up to a crowded parking lot and was excited to try out the new ride. I took it easy, since it was my first trail session of the year and getting used to a light bike. The Sunday Conductor seams like a pretty sweet set-up and hopefully we will be leading some trains thru the trails soon.

The NBL line saw heavy action and is getting smooth. The 3rd and 4th sets in Main line were finally cleared. Main line looks to be shooting everyone a couple of feet higher and it is still wet. Going to be dialed come this Fall. Time to get the new 5th set smacked in soon and the landing peaked. The new spox saw various stunting and trickery from the quarter direction and NBL line direction. Nice to be in the woods chilling out with everyone.

Here comes July

NBL Line is running and hopefully to the end this weekend.
Hip right had been removed from NBL line so left transfer in on into berm.
Roller line future berm to???

Roller line decision maker. Right easy? Left harder?

Weather permitting, alot of people are suppose to be coming to town to help ride the trails in. Most of the lips completely rebuilt this spring are still having troubles hardening up to try out. Its been the first dry week this season so hopefully some curing took place this week. Water table is still high at the trails and everything still looks like it was formed yesterday.

The Roller line expansion project is making progress and splitting into 2 directions. Option right will continue to be a beginner line with a roller step-down going into real sets of doubles. Small, but hopefully get some younger kids jumping doubles. Option left will start by jumping into a berm followed by Terrasi's imagination taking over.

Between crappy weather, completely new lips and my absent shovel, the trails are way behind schedule compared to last year. Brad's been doing the best he can along with Jordan and Terrasi on ocassion, but its alot for one person 90% of the time. It's alot, even if we had 2 or 3 more totally dedicated people like Brad, but we are getting there. This fall should one of the best ever. Want to come ride, dig and hang out? Shoot me a message for info. First riding pics this weekend? Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Pennsyl-freakin-vania

Roller Line Expansion Project thru the NBL berm area.

Main Line's new 5th lip stacked and waiting for finishing.

Main Line's new 6th set now in the form of a long-n-low.

Main Line's berm after the long-n-low has been gutted.

Progress at the trails is still going slow, but everything is getting worked out. I have been missing from the trail, so that's the explanation for the lack of blog updates. Weather is still not trail riding friendly, but it is helping us build and stack when we normally couldn't this time of year.

This morning we are leaving the Georgia coast and heading towards Pennsyl-freakin-vania. Can't wait to get away from this sand and back to where there is real dirt. Missing the trails and need a vacation from vacation, before I head back to work Monday. Hopefully I can get the new ride thrown together Sunday and get some saddle time in.

Ferns are back

I love this time of the year. The ferns are back and the folliage has the trails shaded again. I really haven't had the chance to enjoy it yet, but we are getting closer.