Wakefield Conditions

[joep]

Has anyone been to Wakefield today (2/7/05) to check on trail conditions? I imagine it will be slushy so I'm leaning towards cancelling tonight's ride. If you know otherwise, let me know.

Thanks,
JoeP

[Dirt]

The bowl and parts of the race course were showing signs of getting sloppy on Thursday. I can't imagine that 3 days of weather in the 50s has done much to improve the situation.

Sorry I can't be of more help. That is just a guess on my part.

Peter

[halfinch]

we rode black hills yesterday and will make the assumption that it is like most of the trails in this region- far to wet. it appears that it's best to give all the trails a rest and ride on pave until things freeze again..

[esfand]

I saw people leaving accotink yesterday completely covered in mud. Conditions have probably worsened, if anything.

[firedog]

I saw people leaving accotink yesterday completely covered in mud. Conditions have probably worsened, if anything.
I tried to ride Wakefield yesterday and made it about 50 feet into the creek trail and turned around. I took the gravel path down to and around accotink and even it was preaty muddy with a lot of mud and water on the trail. Didn't make it off the main trail at accotink but what I could see of the side trails they all were preaty sloppy. I doubt very much has change in the last 24 hours.

[joep]

Thanks everyone. The ride has been cancelled. Now go sit on the couch and watch some TV. ;)

[esfand]

Thanks everyone. The ride has been cancelled. Now go sit on the couch and watch some TV. ;)

I feel like Mr. Sheen in the beginning of Apocalypse Now.

[drevil]

Too ugly to ride tonight (2/10/05)? JoeP's bike has been very, very bad, so I need to thrash it. Lemme know!

[MyOtherBrotherL]

Yo' - Ricky-D,

Here's a REPRINT of what I sent to the LIST this morning. We are going to attemp a ride, but I reserve the right to CRY foul and go for a run.

Peter and I exchanged a couple of E's today and he's doing the same thing.




All,

I've been pinged a couple of times this morning in reference to tonight's night ride at Wakefield.

Here's my thoughts:

1. We got a minimal amount of rain.
2. It is windy - windy - windy out there. That means good drying conditions
3. The temperature is dropping like a rock.
4. Today is the last Thursday ride before the IMBA trail team comes in to survey the property. Next Thursday will be the last night ride before construction starts. Trails that we have ridden for years may end up modified, armored or may just plain disappear. New trails are going to be built. I know it's hard to be sentimental about muddy, poorly constructed, poorly designed fall line trails - BUT - I've been personally leading rides out on some of them for over 10 years.

Sniff.....

Sniff.....


Ok - that being said, the ride tonight will probably be shorter than normal (No PRE-Ride), WILL NOT go into "The Bowl" and will have more hills than usual.

Bring the bike you don't mind getting dirty - Not the one you just dumped $400 in replacement XTR parts.

L

[drewdane]

Is the Casual ride still on tonight, or is the white stuff too slushy, or did it get folded in to the Saturday trailwork? Just curious, since it's not posted on the home page per usual...

[Dirt]

I think its on. The temps have been steadily dropping all day. The snow is still piling up. I don't think we'll have a problem.

Peter

[drewdane]

I think its on. The temps have been steadily dropping all day. The snow is still piling up. I don't think we'll have a problem.

Peter
Oh Goody - I need to break in my new baby!

[Dirt]

Me too. It is a perfect night to break in a new bicycle.

[Dirt]

DOL is closing down early, so I'm going to go out and do a little pre-ride ride.

I'll have a better idea after that. If in doubt, give me a call.

Peter

[drewdane]

DOL is closing down early, so I'm going to go out and do a little pre-ride ride.

I'll have a better idea after that. If in doubt, give me a call.

Peter
I've been caught in the grip of a classic wimpout! :rolleyes:

See ya next week, with any luck...

[Dirt]

You were the wise one. Wakefield was pretty much a big mud hole. I cancelled the ride after doing one small loop in the pre-ride.

Peter

[joep]

A lot less snow is coming down than expected and if the ground gets frozen (and this is a big IF), we have perfect conditions for a snow ride tonight at Wakefield. Anyone think this is a good idea? Gimme three yays and your commitment to show up and I'll be there to lead the ride.

JoeP

[MyOtherBrotherL]

My gut reaction is a NAY. The temptation to ride the new trails will be great. They're NOT ready.

Food for thought. Sunset is 6:01 PM. That means you can legally be on Accotink property till 6:31 PM. Your ride "COULD" roll out at 6:00 PM sharp, cut into Accotink by 6:08 and be exiting the Park into Danbury Forest at 6:31.

Just a thought

L

[joep]

Yup, I knew the new trails would not be ready. I was just thinking about sticking to the creek, bowl, and powerlines.

BrotherL, how about an update on the status of new trails? As you know I had to bail out at lunch last Saturday.

Thanks!
JoeP

My gut reaction is a NAY. The temptation to ride the new trails will be great. They're NOT ready.

Food for thought. Sunset is 6:01 PM. That means you can legally be on Accotink property till 6:31 PM. Your ride "COULD" roll out at 6:00 PM sharp, cut into Accotink by 6:08 and be exiting the Park into Danbury Forest at 6:31.

Just a thought

L

[joep]

Temps have been above freezing for most of the day and the trails will be slush. I've cancelled tonight's ride. We'll try again next week.

Joe

[JFritsch]

Anyone know the conditions of Wakefield?

I'm thinking of driving down there to ride on Monday or Tuesday Evening.

[drevil]

Anyone check it today (3/14/05)? When I was there last Thursday, a massive truck did hella damage to the power line fields. Will there be a ride tonight?

[Dirt]

I'm going to swing by and check it tonight. I can't ride very long, but I wanted to get a little first hand info for tomorrow night's ride.

PEte

[joep]

I'd say the ride's on since we've had two days of wind and sunshine to dry the trails out. Also, a couple of soft spots on the new trail have been armored. We can always bail if it's no good, but this is unlikely IMHO.

See you there, square bear.
JoeP

[firedog]

Trails in Great Shape :D :D Went riding today with a friend on the creek trail and the new trail on the hill. Both are pretty dry with only a few muddy spots. The power lines are still a little wet. With 24 more hours of our current weather and the trails will be great for the tuesday nite ride. :D :D :D

[tsteele999]

I had the best ride so far this year out there today...trails are in perfect shape, even the lowlands in the back are dried out enough to blast through. Accotink is completly dry. It looks like a tank blazed through next to the boardwalk being built by the powerlines. Luckily the 8" ruts from the wheels are rock solid so once you get in one you're stuck. Good thing I had practice from all those miles on the rollers this year.

The new trails are great, sometimes it's hard to even figure out where the old trails were, and by summertime I think they'll be completly erased. I rode it both directions, the only tricky spot was uphill on the switchbacks, but if I had been on a geared bike I probably could have made it. It really is different riding these trails than it was working on them/walking them, just the right amount of up/down, perfect for single speeds. I defy anyone to even show a reason to bring a multi geared bike to Wakefield at all.

[themonkeyman]

but you definitey need one at accotink!

[tsteele999]

but you definitey need one at accotink!

Nah...you just gotta get a little speed up for the hills, you know, the monstrous 35 foot elevation gains are brutal.
:p

[drevil]

Nah...you just gotta get a little speed up for the hills, you know, the monstrous 35 foot elevation gains are brutal.
:p

Just make sure to gear properly. I've seen some of those singlespeeders out there before (I think he said his name was Joe Pergano riding a green bicycle), and he said he uses 32 teeth in the front chainring and 24 teeth in his back chainwheel. I heard he's a fast guy but rude because he doesn't wait for his friends.


:D

[joep]

Just make sure to gear properly. I've seen some of those singlespeeders out there before (I think he said his name was Joe Pergano riding a green bicycle), and he said he uses 32 teeth in the front chainring and 24 teeth in his back chainwheel. I heard he's a fast guy but rude because he doesn't wait for his friends.


:D

Them's fightin' words! Uh, not the rude part, I mean the 24 teeth part. ;)
That is, if my name were indeed "Joe Pergano." Ok I'll shut up now.

JoeP?????

[tsteele999]

Just make sure to gear properly. I've seen some of those singlespeeders out there before (I think he said his name was Joe Pergano riding a green bicycle), and he said he uses 32 teeth in the front chainring and 24 teeth in his back chainwheel. I heard he's a fast guy but rude because he doesn't wait for his friends.


:D

32:24? Sure he could make the climbs, but his top speed must 6mph. Hopefully this is just a joke I'm not in on.

I run 32:16, mostly because thats what came on the bike and it works for me.

[themonkeyman]

34:16 on mine.... Harder on the climbs, but better on the flats and the DH's

[drevil]

It's 5:30. The rain has stopped and the sun is coming out. That means the ride's on for tonight, eh? :rolleyes:

The best time to get sick is during a rainy week. I slept for about three hours during the day today :D , but I still feel like a truck ran into me so I'm crawling back into bed. G'night y'all.

[Dirt]

Get well soon, Ricky. We'll cancel all rides and close all the trails within a 500 mile radius until you're feeling better.

Pete

[joep]

but I still feel like a truck ran into me so I'm crawling back into bed.

Not feeling well, eh? Ok, let's RACE! :rolleyes:

Rest up, slacker!

[indyfab]

Coming out of the Wakefield Rec. center last night around 9:30, noticed a dude on a bike finishing up a ride. Usually bite my tongue, but after all the rain we’ve just had? C‘mon! Politely asked if he had been riding the singletrack and after he said yes, gave him the usual spiel about not riding in soft conditions. The blank stare I got in return tells me the word just isn’t getting out about responsible riding.

Any chance a trail closure system can be implemented at Wakefield similar to Fountainhead? I’m sure with today’s warm weather, kooks are gleefully trashing the new trails as we speak.

[kev0153]

I tried riding it today and got 10 feet and bailed. Stuck to the gravel and pavement. No way it is rideable even with the nice weather. Won't be rideable tomorrow either.

[gaz]

Won't be rideable tomorrow either.

SHUT UP!! SHUT UP!!! WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!! IT'LL BE FINE!!! UM, THE WARM WEATHER WILL DRY IT UP, AND IT WILL BE 100% PERFECT!!

(Sniff!) :(

[joep]

Not feeling well, eh? Ok, let's RACE! :rolleyes:

Rest up, slacker!

Umm, lemme take my foot out of my mouth for a second. Rickyd just handed me my a$$ on tonight's Fountainhead ride.

Good to have you back in form... slacker. ;)

JoeP

Sorry for the momentary thread hijack.

[Dirt]

A buddy rode this afternoon. The Bowl is in okay shape. The new trails are in pretty good shape. If we don't get any more rain, I'd say the trails will be ridable tomorrow and the ride for tomorrow night is on.

The creek trail was completely flooded and under water for more than a day. It shouldn't be ridden.

If you're coming out tomorrow night, please be advised that if we've had rain, the ride will probably be cancelled. I'll try and post up before the ride goes. I've got a weird day tomorrow and may only be able to post to the e-mail list.

Pete

[kev0153]

Your probably right about the bowl. I attempted to get on the river trail and my front tire sunk about two inches and thought now way.

[drevil]

Umm, lemme take my foot out of my mouth for a second. Rickyd just handed me my a$$ on tonight's Fountainhead ride.

Good to have you back in form... slacker. ;)

JoeP

Sorry for the momentary thread hijack.

I'm not fast, I was just pretending. Maybe the constant "Vroooooom, vroooooom, screeeeech! Vrooooooooooooooooooooooom..." threw you off?