Thursday, September 18, 2008

The real posts on the track are over here for the week.

Some personal observations:
It is really waaay harder to ride a pump track than I thought it would be. If I'd known how hard it would be, I'm not so sure I would've pursued this. A couple laps totally wears you out, and you come off the track breathing like you just powered a time trial. The legs do get worked, much to my surprise.

Our track is still totally soft, and hasn't yet had a drop of water, but it's still ridable on a bike with no chain. Tim keeps busting his chain somehow, and he was able to ride 11 laps without a chain. This means our track is very well designed and built thanks to Ben.

One of our Town Councilman, the one most interested in our track, and the man most responsible for getting our rail-trail built years ago comes by each day on his morning walk, and again each evening on his Harley. Tonight, he got off his Harley with a big smile, saw about 25 kids, parents, and adult mtn bikers around, and said "...this is not big enough......we need to cut that bank there down, and expand down into there.....".

People are showing up out of woodwork. There's a guy who won the 1999 Cycle Messenger World Championship bunny-hop competition. He now lives here, and talks about starting a Trips for Kids program where he'll bring city kids here to ride the track. He's trying to beat Ben in who can first gap the backside's berm-double roller-berm combo.

There are a couple kids who can manual the block, and only quit because of the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. Hopefully some decent video to come of them. Other kids can whip 360's and J-hop about 4 feet high. None of them had ridden a pump track before either, and some of them are killing it.
I'm pretty surprised about all the interest and support. Seems every other local is too. The only person who doesn't seem at all surprised, is Ben.

folks should start finding an excuse to get to Chambersburg for a few hours.

3 comments:

riderx said...

Too cool!

pabiker said...

Congratulations!

Todd said...

Nicely done sir.