Addressing the other creaking source

Now that my headset creak is gone I decided it was time to address the EBB again, especially after throwing a chain on a particular steep climb on Saturday. Took everything apart, cleaned and relubed.

The jury is still out on whether the BB Shell is ovalized. While putting everything back together I made this little video of how much play there is in the EBB. If that is normal than I am just going to live with it. If not, then I will exercise the warranty on the Dillinger and get another.

I think I need to work on my chain line, too, and I discovered the other day that I probably need a new chain, too!

Mo ichido Gussy kudasai

Pulled a Hat Trick this weekend with a ride back at Upper Paugussett to round out the holiday weekend. Nothing spectacular, just another circuit but what is interesting is my endurance is improving more and more.

Did a little more work on the new up-and-over. It rides even better now and the log on the other side won't roll away either.

You Must Obey

Came across a You Must Obey sticker on a sign on the Yellow Trail at Sunny Valley, yeah, obey the climb! This is where I should have trained for the Domnarski Farm race. This route that I took climbs a total of 2000 feet over 7 miles. I think just looking at the map tells you it is a climb fest.

Also on the yellow trail is a nice balanced rock from glacial times. Lots of slick rock and rollers all over the place on this ridge. The trail down to the You Must Obey sticker is a serious descent and thus serious hike-a-bike if you were going the other way - no thanks. Stupid hikers and their fall line trails. Well, there is a some dual track (old cart road) that the yellow trail follows for a bit which connects back into the trail further up the mountain. If I were to climb this section that is route I would take.

Nice lookout where the Yellow and White Trails intersect. You can see Brookfield and New York off in the distance.

The red trail descends all the way down to Lake Lillinohnah and what comes down must climb again.

Looks may be deceiving. This section of the trail skirts a cliff over a stream that is 30+ feet below.

The profile says it all. Lots of descending and lots of climbing. Thinking about coming back with a 21 or 22t and see how that works out.

Long time no Gussy

It's been awhile since I have ridden at Upper Paugussett State Forest. I met a friend of mine in the lot at Echo Valley and we rode up the Brody and then hit the Mulikin Trail in which there were two blowdowns that I am going to have to take care of. They will make for some interesting obstacles to say the least.

This blowdown is on the downhill section before you bang a left onto the old cart road. Too low to get under so it will make a nice little up-and-over once I get it cut.

On the lower section of the cart road just above the Newtown Trail Way is another blowdown that I am going to make into an up-and-over to as a deterrence against ATVs.

On the Gussy trail we discovered yet another blowdown that we made into an angled up-and-over. Nice thing about this is you can roll it or huck it. Pix of the new feature on the Gussy Blog.

Trail Gnomes found ramped a skinny that I knew had potential but had not had the time to try it. Rick needed to get moving so I didn't try it but maybe some time this week. I did however hit the Log Ride Short for the first time on the Dillinger. I will be doing that again. And the new skinny rides nicely, too.

ACTION ALERT: Public Recreation Threatened at MDC Properties.

ACTION ALERT: Public Recreation Threatened at MDC Properties.

CT NEMBA urges Connecticut mountain bikers to attend a public meeting and help convince the MDC not to close its doors to public recreation. Mountain biking is an important activity on MDC property, especially at the West Hartford Reservoir, and we need to show the MDC that we wish public access to continue.

As you may have heard, last May a Superior Court jury awarded $2.9 million to a mountain biker who was injured at the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) Reservoir property in West Hartford. In response to this surprising verdict, the MDC is considering a closure of all its lands to all recreational activities.

CT NEMBA is working with other recreation groups to prevent the closure and to support the MDC by urging the Legislature to strengthen the protections offered to individual and municipalities that allow public recreation. While Connecticut’s Recreational Liability Statute offers private individuals and utilities a high decree of liability protection, protections offered municipalities and non-profit municipal corporations, such as the MDC, have eroded over the past 15 years. This needs to be changed by the legislature.

Here’s what we wish Connecticut mountain bikers to do:

1) Sign the Online Petition urging CT’s Legislature to strengthen the Recreational Liability Law:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fixtherecreationliabilitylaw

2) Be listed as a “Friend of the MDC” by going to the www.SaveTheMDCTrails.org. Both the online petition and the list of “friends” will show politicians that the public supports recreational access to MDC properties. You can become a “friend” here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/fixtherecreationliabilitylaw

3) Attend the upcoming public hearing before the MDC’s Water Bureau to discuss closing MDC properties to all recreational access (not just mountain biking). We need to fill the room with cyclists who support the MDC and wish to continue to ride on MDC trails. The meeting location has changed a couple of times, though the date has been set for Tuesday, July 20th at 5:30pm. The meeting location currently is the Auditorium at the Town Hall in West Hartford. We urge you to attend. Please check out www.SaveTheMDCTrails.orgfor any last minute venue changes.

4) Pass on this Action Alert to any and everyone who enjoys riding, walking, running, skiing, bird watching, or dog walking on MDC lands. We need broad support from everyone who enjoys recreating on MDC properties.

If you have any strong personal political contacts in state government that could be useful in helping change the Recreational Liability Law, please let CT NEMBA’s Art Roti know via email: artroti@hotmail.com

Thank you for your support.

Philip Keyes
Executive Director
NEMBA
800-576-3622
pk@nemba.org
www.nemba.org