Pinkbike.com takes to the road-Day 4 and 5: Falls City Oregon and Driving time.

Apr 11, 2007

Woke up at the Best Western in Dallas Oregon after a sleep that was too short, but that I can deal with as we were getting ready to hit up the Black Rock Mountain Bike Area just outside of Falls City Oregon. Everyone we've talked to said that we had to check it out, but to stop at the shop in Dallas-Santiam and talk to Chris for directions. Glad we did because the results from the day of riding kicked ass!

We were greeted by Chris at Santiam in Dallas and given the run down on the B.R.M.B.A. and how they had created a legal freeride area just outside of Falls City Oregon. BRMBA is a non-profit organization that is building and maintaining sustainable freeride trails. After chatting it up and grabbing a map, we were off to see the wizard.




Now for all you keeners out there, Black Rock is a NON SHUTTLE freeride area, meaning you need to earn all your runs the old fashioned way-Ride up or push. Since it was a Tuesday, we were the only people in the parking lot this early. (Ok some guy walked by dragging a tire and carrying a gun, but he said he was training-no more questions were asked). From the base (parking lot) to the very top Of Grannies Kitchen is about 1500 feet of climbing, so its a nice warm up for sure. Helmets on our packs (the only time I can condone no lid is when climbing a safe non traffic road), we headed up and up and up-haha these two rounded riders were dying by the top. I'm trying this new technique though that our mechanic Kakah has and that is you can stop as much as you want, but you just can't walk. The summit was reached with less than 5 ft of walking need-hope you're happy Kakah!


Along the way to the top you pass various intersections of the trails as they criss cross the road. At about a third of the way up there was an area called Basic Training and it offered a vast variety of skinnies, drops and tables to aid in building your riding skills that you would be able to apply to the trails later on.



Way up near the top of Banzai Downhill and Granny's Doubles we saw this one hit wonder of a cliff drop (we'd be skipping it today-ok for ever):


Once we reached the top of the Black Rock area and the trail head to Granny's Kitchen it was time to relax, eat a snack and gear up for the ride down. Radek was looking at me and I guess he was baffled as his pack was bigger, but mine looked way more full. So he asked "what the hell do you have in that thing?" Here is what my pack looks like loaded down, emptied out and then what the big carries in his pack:

Loaded Up

Emptied Out

Learning

Now that my little lesson in how to pack gear for almost any situation was over, it was time to hit the trails. Here are shots from every trail we rode or simply looked at and went WTF:

Granny's Kitchen:

Little Butter

Big Butter

No way Butter

Yes way Radek

Granny's Doubles:


Sunday Strollnote we only hit one jump on this run as the others we a few steps above our capabilities)


Our last run out was on Sickter Gnar and there were 2 long crazy skinnies that ran along the trail at about mid way. The big man had to give them a try. I didn't get the camera out in time, but the first one has a gapper at the end of it and all I heard has BOOM! Yep the family jewels were hurt, but rest of the bike and rider were ok to keep on moving after a few minutes breather.


I carry a folding saw in my pack and like to clear fallen trees and debris from trails as I know that most of us appreciate a clear path. Well I got to use my saw near the bottom of Sickter Gnar.


It was about 3:30 by the time we got back to the van and sat back to relax for a few minutes. Wow is all I have to say! I am so impressed that a local organization has done so much for freeriding and that they are out there talking with IMBA and doing things together to further create legal areas for all of us to ride it. Respect these areas and follow the rules if and when you go there and they will be around for others for years to come.

We stopped back in at Santiam and thanked Chris for the rad day we had up at the Black Rock Mountain Bike Area. From there it was a straight shoot to Ashland Oregon for a quick stop at the Knight's Inn for some shut eye.


Day #5 was spent on the road as we wanted to get here to Monterey California in order to check out the Sea Otter Classic. We pulled in here a few hours ago and were greeted by the Calgary Cycle DH Team. We'll all be bunking together for the next few days and they will be providing reports from the gravity scenes down here.

See you tomorrow!