Rays MTB park - trip #2 - March 14th and 15th

[jabberwocky]

Well, I'd like to go back. What say we make it a trip?

Same deal as last time. Leave early in the morning on Saturday. Get to Rays around 1pm. Ride until either they close or we get tired (9pm closing time). Put ourselves up at the Holiday Inn down the road, head back to Rays when they open on Sunday (9am), ride until we get tired and head home. Last time, we left Rays around 1pm and got back to DC around dinner time.

The thread for our previous trip (with some pics towards the end) is here:
http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=12916

For those who are unfamiliar with Rays, its a giant indoor mountainbike park in Cleveland Ohio. They've got stuff to keep pretty much any class of mountainbiker entertained. We had 7 people of various abilities and backgrounds on our last trip and everyone had a good time. Total expenses for the weekend can be kept around $100 with little difficulty (figure 20-30 bucks for gas and tolls if carpooling, $30 for the hotel if sharing a room with someone, and $37 for the admission to Rays itself).

Post up if interested. If you are interested in carpooling, a rough idea of your geographical location would be useful as well.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

I'm in. Can I carpool with you? If you need a 3rd tray (if it fits), I can bring mine.

[jabberwocky]

Sure. I did 3 without difficulty last time by borrowing Petes extra tray. I definitely had room for one more on the roof.

[Original Gangsta]

I'm in. Can Slumbers and I ride with you? I think Katie is interested too.

[jabberwocky]

I'm in. Can Slumbers and I ride with you? I think Katie is interested too.Absolutely. I'll try not to elbow Slumbers in the face while shifting this time. ;)

I was gonna email Katie (and you, but you responded already) when I got home and check with her. I think we can do 4 in the chris-mobile with another rack on the roof (plus Phil is a scrawny little thing). Should be fun.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

(plus Phil is a scrawny little thing).

Damnit, I'm totally going on a bacon-bringe from here till the 14th just to prove you wrong dude.:cool:

[Original Gangsta]

Awesome, I am looking forward to the trip. Cant' wait :)

[jabberwocky]

So, Katie is a maybe (schedule dependent), and Britta and Phil are in. Anyone else? We haven't heard from the Maryland contingent yet. Jamie, Elizabeth, Jim? You guys in, out, maybe?

[skijim668]

Jamie, Elizabeth, Jim? You guys in, out, maybe?

Its not probable for the whole weekend.Theres is a good chance that might meet up w ya for the day .I need my all weekend credit for Windrock :thumbsup:.

[StuHaight]

I will DEFINATLY consider doing this trip, will write this on my calender. Another possible contestent might be Dennis, a buddy of mine. but i will definatly go to that.

[StuHaight]

And I'll bring my CAMERA

[jabberwocky]

Alright, lemme know if you are definite when we get closer to trip-time. At the moment it looks like my car is full, so you might be on your own for transportation unless someone else wants to come and carpool.

Hotel reservations can be made a day or two before leaving (or even the day of the trip) so there is no hurry to make a decision.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Man, I just got done watching the videos (http://www.raysmtb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=17)posted on Ray's site and it just looks so damn fun. I can't believe how big the place looks! So stoked to go.

[jabberwocky]

Check out some of the Odd Couple videos (the contest they had the weekend of our last trip).

Dennis Enarson & Phil Sunbuam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7shu8SRLIRs&feature=channel)
Jeff Lenosky & Taj Mihelich (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiYpM2XGbbg)
Eric Porter & Steve Woodward (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjiuzRwdyIA&feature=related)

[skijim668]

Check out some of the Odd Couple videos (the contest they had the weekend of our last trip).

Jeff Lenosky & Taj Mihelich

Going over the lights in the bowl area was amazing.Thats waaayy up there!!Those vids/riders make everything look small.

[jabberwocky]

Going over the lights in the bowl area was amazing.Thats waaayy up there!!Those vids/riders make everything look small.Yeah, if you go back there and look at that, its huge.

I'm trying to remember which crazy BMXer it was that did the transfer out of the quarter pipe in the foam pit area and wall planted on the arched opening. That was crazy. In person it looks pretty much impossible (go from a 6 foot high quarter, across like 15 feet of open space and up several feet to a wall plant on a vertical wall? Totally nuts).

[jabberwocky]

I remember now, it was the winning video (Greg Watts and Justin Simpson) that had the sick transfer, but for the life of me I can't find the video anywhere.

I can add another one though: adam hauck and jason dorito (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R59PzrLOEU&feature=channel_page).

If you want a little more convincing how awesome this place is, check some of these pictures:

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/6042/pumptrack.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/8733/rays.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5008/rays2.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/3730/rays5.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/5518/rays6.jpg

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/7064/rays7.jpg

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9475/rays8.jpg

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/1951/rays9.jpg

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9666/weirdbits.jpg

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/9302/berms.jpg

[jabberwocky]

So, we are at roughly t-minus one week. Any late additions? Anyone look at those pictures and decide whatever they had planned for that weekend isn't as important as they thought it was? ;)

[jamiejones]

So, Katie is a maybe (schedule dependent), and Britta and Phil are in. Anyone else? We haven't heard from the Maryland contingent yet. Jamie, Elizabeth, Jim? You guys in, out, maybe?

i would Love to go back, but we are really having to budget now – and i want to do everything i can to make sure i make it to Diablo, & Snowshoe this season... stupid recession. :(

[jabberwocky]

Ah well, thats understandable.

I'm looking forward to Diablo as well. It'll be a few months until they open though.

[skijim668]

Im out also.Really wish I could go but I have other obligations.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

I'm still pretty set on going. Neither hell nor highwater (unless there's substantial flooding in Ohio:rolleyes:) will keep me out of riding my bike somewhere for spring break. Cabin fever's reached a peak for me. All this studying, working, and no riding makes for some chewed up finger tips and bloodshot eyes.

Kinda sad there won't be a bigger group going though. At least there might be Diablo or Snowshoe this season.

[phat possum]

I'm not going to be able to make it either. I don't plan on riding much until there is no snow left to ski on. Have a great trip!

[jabberwocky]

Yup, we are definitely still on, Phil. I'm in the same boat as you: cabin fever is taking its toll. Road biking just doesn't cut it after a while. And Rays is just so much fun to ride.

Don't worry about the smaller group; we have at least 3, which is enough to split gas and a hotel room.

[pirate]

Excellent trip, guys! Thanks for letting me tag along. :thumbsup:

BTW, I feel like someone took a baseball bat to my entire body... So sore. (and tired)

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Yeah, it was definitely a fun trip. I went home and realized that half of my right thigh is purple...:nope:

"Nothing will happen to you in the foam pit." *cough*Jabberwocky*cough*:p

[jabberwocky]

"Nothing will happen to you in the foam pit." *cough*Jabberwocky*cough*:pIf it makes you feel better, I ate it trying a 360 into said foam pit and landed on the pedal from 5 or 6 feet up. Got a huge scrape and bruise on my ribs under my right arm.

I'm also sporting a badly swollen right thumb, a gigantic bruise on the inside of my right leg that I don't even remember, and numerous other small dings and scrapes.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

If it makes you feel better

Actually, it kind of does. :)

[pirate]

Wow, we are all a mess.

I've got a pretty badly bruised knee (also from the foam pit) and a ridiculously sore back from who-knows-what.

Oldskoolbiker has a jacked up ankle from the foam pit, too.

[HuckFinn]

Too bad they don't have foam bikes to use in the foam pit. :p Then all you'd have to worry about is actually landing in it. Anyone try a flip?

[Original Gangsta]

The trip was a blast. And Brian, you didn't tag along ... we did ... in your beautiful RAM 2500. U feeling me?

[jabberwocky]

... in your beautiful RAM 2500.I know exactly what sort of noise you made as you typed this. ;)

[Original Gangsta]

So true!!!