VULTURE'S KNOB....GOOD GOLLY, MISS GNARLY!
Egg cranked up some Southern Death Cult on the Pandora, and we rolled into the Knob for what turned out to be the most fun I've had on a mountain bike in a long time. Supe, however, was dragging some doggy ass since it was her first ride of the season. Sucks getting back in shape, doesn't it, girl?
Egg was riding his Heckler, Stumbo was on his new carbon Blur, Phat Jay was on the Phat Bike, and I was giving the Superlight one last chance. I'd been wondering why I need a full suspension bike hanging in my garage if I'M only going to ride it once or twice a year. I got my answer.
Flashback:
I can remember all the times I would ride VK and think, "man, if there were just some jumps and berms, this place would rule." Then, there would be a reason for owning a bojanglin' bucket of moving parts (which some people refer to as a full suspension bike) in Ohio.
Well, the Knob officially rules now (in my opinion, for whatever that is worth) (It has always ruled in a legendary sort of way, anyway). Jay and crew have been busy turning the upper trails into network of pure fun. The "upper" downhill lines have been integrated into a new "short course" that allows you to stay on the top of the hill and do loops filled with jumps, bumps, tabletops and berms. If you want a workout, then the rest of the trail is always there, but if you just want to blast out some fun without burning yourself up, then the new stuff makes the drive down to Wooster well worth your time.
Long story short: now I'm back to thinking I ought to keep the Superlight. We had so much damn fun rolling through those sections that I didn't want to stop and take pictures. You'll just have to imagine.
Conclusion: The Superlight is the perfect bike for that kind of all-mountain riding. She's finally found a purpose and I think I'll keep her (that is, until I change my mind again).
Now...
I've been lucky to ride quite a few places over the last few weeks: Soquel Demo in Santa Cruz, Cooper's Rock in West Virginia, The Wilds in Zanesville, and Island Lake in Brighton, Michigan. I have to say that VK in its current state beats them all (with Cooper's Rock a close second, and single speeding at Island Lake a close third).
So...
We did a couple of loops down to the gas pump and back up, then Phat Jay did one of the most amazing things I've ever seen on a mountain bike: he cleaned that nasty switchback near the top of the first ball-busting climb - on his Phat Bike!!!!! That switchback seems to get me every time. To see him roll right around it was just plum amazin'.
Thus, Pandemonium Did Ensue:
^^ Stumbo managed to dangle from a tree limb by his chin.
^^ Phat Jay's Jeep rolled into Killbuck Creek. A proper rescue manuever was executed.
^^ My truck got her rear wheels buried on a nasty hill climb.
^^ The crew rolled in, but Phat Jay's Jeep was all over the place.
^^ Then, we caught this guy waxing his dolphin. With both hands!
For the record, Dead Man Floating did not make an appearance.
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