For those of you who don't make it over to the Arizona forum, dirtbag and I (along with about a dozen others) hit up Goat Camp. Durtgurl made up a great video, with some great music. Check it out.
[URL=http://vimeo.com/2327236]Goat Camp - Nov 2008 - rev 2 from DurtGurl on Vimeo.[/URL]
The video does not do any justice to jackhammer. Here is a photo of Dirty D hitting it
excellent stuff..looks like a real technical challenge in places ..and a lot warmer than the high of 30 degrees we had on our Saturday morning NJ ride!
yep. ya made my night! till now i was down in the home shop makin xpel tape templates for the dhr and drinkin cheap domestic swill. now theres a good time.
I rode the Highline from Crown King to Lake Pleasant (with Paul B) while you guys were doing Goat Cramps. I had fun, and actually did pretty damn well on the Highline, further destroying perceptions of what is possible on a 43lb bike, no doubt due to the extreme pedaling prowess and my new 888 WC RC3. We passed a dirt biker with a broken rib, lots of jeep type things and quads. Apart from a frayed derailer cable that started giving me fits, the highline worked amazing. The upright seat position helps a LOT. At first I was kinda bummed on that feature due to not being as agressive on strict DH stuff, but it makes riding EVERYTHING else so damn easy that it's worth it, and it still rips DH as well. You can raise the seat and ride around and it doesn't feel all jacked.
My friends and I had the pleasure of riding Goat Camp yesterday(after 2 days and 10 runs on SoMo), and Goat Camp was all that and a bag of chips. I'm very surprised that the opening act of the descent doesn't get as much press as the Spiral and the Jack. That first 500 yards down into the wash is some of the most fun I've ever had on a bike. The rest of the down delivers as advertised, just SO DAMN FUN.
You may have seen this van parked in front of Christie's when not navigating around SoMo....
I don't usually take a lot of pix when I ride, especially somewhere like SoMo where we've ridden a dozen times. A few of my friends took a lot more video and stills, so hopefully that stuff will trickle in.
A couple of us had chance to finally ride Old Man's, which also delivers quite a punch. All in all a great weekend, no "serious" crashes or mechanicals, 6 big bikes, 2 runs on each... National/Mormon 24th, Holbert, Geronimo, Kiwanis, Corona Loma, Old Man's, + Goat Camp, all tubeless = no flats the entire trip. Stan's might actually replace the wheel as man's greatest invention.
You made the Jackhammer look easy and so smoove on the new HL, Brandon. Nice work. Richard made it look pretty dang simple too (it's not!). What's he riding now? I thought he sold his RFX. .
You up for a return visit around New Year's?
And nice video DG. Thanks.
Dusty Bottoms said:
I'm very surprised that the opening act of the descent doesn't get as much press as the Spiral and the Jack. That first 500 yards down into the wash is some of the most fun I've ever had on a bike.
Sounds like you had a good time DB. You missed the two most technical lines on the mountain though: Alta and Cochise. Did ya clean the Kiwanis railroad ties switchbacks this time, or just blow past it off trail again?
I agree, the top of GC is really really good, it's just hard to film so it doesn't get the bandwidth it deserves. The bottom of Viejo is a good warm up for it though, ya think?
Nice job on the Spiral Staircase, try it without taking the ladies line at the top next time
Yeah, too bad vids or photos just can't capture what is really going on. Goat Camp is a seriously fun DH, you better hold on
The top of GC is nice and loose now. The last ride dirtbag and I did there in the spring, it was so run in, it was smooth so to speak. All of the rain this summer sure mixed it up nice.
Dirtbag and I will be doing tours all winter/spring long Just PM us if you are interested. Bring your big bike for the most fun!
I'm not having much luck giving my 6.6 away either. Tough times for selling used bikes with brand new '08 Highline and RFX frames going for $1200-1300 (or less).
Sounds like you had a good time DB. You missed the two most technical lines on the mountain though: Alta and Cochise. Did ya clean the Kiwanis railroad ties switchbacks this time, or just blow past it off trail again?
I agree, the top of GC is really really good, it's just hard to film so it doesn't get the bandwidth it deserves. The bottom of Viejo is a good warm up for it though, ya think?
Nice job on the Spiral Staircase, try it without taking the ladies line at the top next time
Ha, every time I think I have SoMo completely dialed, you throw a couple more trails names at me. We were just excited to have the backside shuttle pickups figured out.
I actually didn't even make the cheater line this time on Kiwanis! I tried twice and kept hydroplaning(for lack of a better word) on the loose rock off to the right. 230lbs geared up has a way of moving things around. I took the natural line, made it to the bottom left hander, and the only way I could see making it is rolling past it up that slight bank....then rolling backwards while turning the bars to the right. Those rail ties make that a super beefy switch.
I had really good runs down Viejo, and the top of GC. Two terms that come to mind are "dumb luck" and "ignorance is bliss". The problem with that is, I was so locked in that I barely remember it, kinda like Frank the Tank in the debate contest. So I have nothing to marinate on for next time.
I did see the more challenging slots down Spiral, even wondered if anyone ever drops the rock that divides the two into the next slot. We were all in survival mode after 3 days of hard riding, and some local guy ahead of us kept telling us to "put our game face on". Go figure.
You guys got it good out there, other than the oppressive heat. :thumbsup:
Ha, every time I think I have SoMo completely dialed, you throw a couple more trails names at me. We were just excited to have the backside shuttle pickups figured out.
You definitely have most of our goods tapped, Goat Camp, Viejo, and Holbert are all top shelf. Alta is the separate ridge to the north of the main ridgeline as you are first heading into the Park off Central Avenue. The trail goes up a grinding climb on the Southeast side and descends straight off the West. A couple of moves are as good as anything on Goat Camp. Cochise is a spur off Geronimo, about half-way down, just before that little uphill section. It drops down to the east side of the Boy Scout Camp. It's the alter ego of Geronimo, slow, plodding tech. At the bottom it has three tough switchbacks with serious penalty for error. Just that section is as good as anything in Phoenix.
Dusty Bottoms said:
I actually didn't even make the cheater line this time on Kiwanis! I tried twice and kept hydroplaning(for lack of a better word) on the loose rock off to the right. 230lbs geared up has a way of moving things around. I took the natural line, made it to the bottom left hander, and the only way I could see making it is rolling past it up that slight bank....then rolling backwards while turning the bars to the right. Those rail ties make that a super beefy switch.
I've never tried your 'cheater' line, but it does look a lot like surfing to me. The rails switch is completely doable, even on a bigger bike (I don't see a triple-clamp making it though). No back and forth or bouncing required, but you do have to very delicately turn at almost 90 degrees with the front tire on the rocks armoring the outside.
Dusty Bottoms said:
I had really good runs down Viejo, and the top of GC. Two terms that come to mind are "dumb luck" and "ignorance is bliss". The problem with that is, I was so locked in that I barely remember it, kinda like Frank the Tank in the debate contest. So I have nothing to marinate on for next time.
Those are always the best runs, you don't exactly know how you pulled it off, it just flows. The very best thing about both of those sections is that it is totally improvisational. Every time I do them it's a different line and every time when I'm thinking left I end up right.
Dusty Bottoms said:
I did see the more challenging slots down Spiral, even wondered if anyone ever drops the rock that divides the two into the next slot.
The original line was the middle, it's the original trail. It was a tough move just to drop in. About two years ago someone put in the outside line (really dumbed it down). Later some guys put in a cheater ramp at the bottom to avoid to rubble pile at the bottom. We took the bottom cheater ramp out because every schmo was gloating about cleaning the Spiral. We tapped into the top left line last spring because it's tough and direct. It's also a stanchion eater.
Dusty Bottoms said:
You guys got it good out there, other than the oppressive heat. :thumbsup:
You definitely have most of our goods tapped, Goat Camp, Viejo, and Holbert are all top shelf. Alta is the separate ridge to the north of the main ridgeline as you are first heading into the Park off Central Avenue. The trail goes up a grinding climb on the Southeast side and descends straight off the West. A couple of moves are as good as anything on Goat Camp. Cochise is a spur off Geronimo, about half-way down, just before that little uphill section. It drops down to the east side of the Boy Scout Camp. It's the alter ego of Geronimo, slow, plodding tech. At the bottom it has three tough switchbacks with serious penalty for error. Just that section is as good as anything in Phoenix.
Ah yes, we HAVE done Cochise a couple times in the past. I think we all get geeked up about Geronimo being the "speed run" of the bunch, and just blow right by it.
Every time we drive thru the gate we look at that north ridge someone in the truck says "there MUST be something on that".
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