Mid-State: Burchfield

[reidabel]

I've cleaned it a few times, but most of the time I don't make it over cleanly. I think it's safer in the new direction (river on left) because you see the worst of it right away. I saw somebody go OTB as they followed somebody else over it (in the old direction with the river on the right) and didn't realize the down "ramp" was so much smaller than the up ramp. I consider it to be dangerous the old way and just difficult the new way.

Sounds like the rebuild would be a good project for somebody who is helping out and learning on my current build! I'm starting to get burned out on it and there's no way I'm doing any other building out there this year. I may even stop on my current build after I've finished the line I worked on this weekend. But we'll see ...

[geardaddy37]

...I think that is a wise consideration given the amount of time and the exponential growth of this thing over the past month...also the fact that you have pretty much been out there alone for most of this. You are to be commended for your work, and probably hospitalized for your OCD propensities...

[reidabel]

Heh-heh ... yes, there are some things for which it helps to be a bit obsessive. Perhaps this is why I am a computer programmer

[xcrdr]

I have cleaned it but I don't enjoy it. I think eventually I'll break myself on it. Usually difficult things are something I look forward too, not that one. I think it would be good to have a simple ramp near it or a bypass. That way you could chose. Either way I'm getting used to the backward thing. *beep*, I have been riding it since it was built and during build as well. Old dogs, new tricks.

[reidabel]

I think a second ramp would be a good idea as well, leaving the difficult one intact. What year was it built?

[xcrdr]

Looking at my photos I think maybe late "01 or early "02. Memory is the second thing to go.

[geardaddy37]

Looking at my photos I think maybe late "01 or early "02. Memory is the second thing to go.

So the first thing to go is...the first wife?

[xcrdr]

Looking at my photos I think maybe late "01 or early "02. Memory is the second thing to go.

So the first thing to go is...the first wife?

LOL! Yup!

[mjpo]

Anyone else think that the new reversed direction on dragonball run is great? Loving it! The only bad spot there is the first (used to be 2nd) log crossing right near the beginning of the run (used to be near the end) It was sketchy but doable as an exit ramp, but as an approach, it's steep, narrow and angled so your wheel wants to slide down the log and away from you as you top it--might be a good small project to add a better approach ramp to that? I'm no carpenter but I could maybe help knock something together sometime...

Last I heard, Jecc the TC does not want that feature modified. I recall he stated that he can do it on his Raleigh hybrid, so anybody else should be able to as well.

That being said, I don't enjoy that log, and it was the main reason Dragonball wasn't in the TT.

if it's what I think you guys are talking about, there's no way jeff did that on his bike...I got 10$ says nobody other than maybe a trials guy could hit that thing in the opposite direction and clear it... he must be thinking about something else...
As for doing the stunt at the beginning of the dragon ball section (used to be the end) now that is fun to do "backwards" and very do-able. It will probably need to be rebuilt in the next year as it looks like it is getting a bit rickety. Perhaps Reid's next build...?

Have cleaned it many times. Not on my Raleigh though. I can see I am being out voted on this. Seeing how I don't even ride anymore, you guys win. Fix it. I have lumber in the yard if you need it. I gotta brag a little bit.....as far as cleaning stuff, ask Nathan Dynamite about the sketchy section by the river that he said I couldn't do and then he watched me do it. If you go just south of the Dragonball stunt, there is a washed out, heavily rooted line on the edge of the riverbank. Check it out. Ride it north to south. Last time I did this line was about a week before I blew up my shoulder. I am sure it is a little worse than it was last year, but I bet it can still be done. I think my low center of gravity helps! Colin ALMOST made it and ended up swinging from a tree branch, bike down the embankment. True story.

[geardaddy37]

I know that section...never tried it though. didn't feel like going for a swim. Jeff, bring your bike out I wanna see you do that!
...ok I guess you guys know better. I have never tried it, but I have endo'd going the old way a few times...right off the edge and pogo'd on my front wheel before flipping it. There used to be a rock three quarters buried right next to where my head used to land...

[xcrdr]

I know that section...never tried it though. didn't feel like going for a swim. Jeff, bring your bike out I wanna see you do that!
...ok I guess you guys know better. I have never tried it, but I have endo'd going the old way a few times...right off the edge and pogo'd on my front wheel before flipping it. There used to be a rock three quarters buried right next to where my head used to land...

That rock was a killer. I and many others fell prey to that rock. Since it's disappearance that drop is a whole lot easier. And ya, that embankment section has always been tough. Keep your pedals right or you get wet and sore. I tried to wheelie over the biggest root once and lost momentum and the wheel came down right smack dab on the root. Endo to the left thankfully. My son tried to double jump (ya) the double ramp ladder right before that sction. He landed upside down in the crotch of the support tree. UGLY! That is surely not a double jump! Now he spends his time in a Blackhawk helicopter. Burchfield was good training for soldiers.

[reidabel]

I tried that rooty sidehill section by the river a few times, never made it past the biggest root. I'm just glad I never went end-over-end on the little down-ramp we're talking about, I tend to break things when I fall like that. I've seen two guys get dumped on their heads doing Dragonball Run the old way (headed South, river on the right), but they both somersaulted and were fine.

It takes a lot of guts to try to jump that double ramp in one go - that's what, 10 feet? It wouldn't have even occurred to me that it could be tried. I hope he was armored up!

[xcrdr]

He still has a sore hip to this day if he aggrevates it. I think it was in 03 there was a timed race on just Dragonball. Organized by the old group ARM. (Aggressive Riding Movement). The kid was looking for an advantage. He took 3rd on the day which was *beep* good. The ARM guys had some very good riders. You had to ride all of the toughest lines on DB. Even the square cement block. It was a great event. The drops by the pond were still open and we all sessioned it. Great day at Burchfield.

[SteveF]

I've ridden that cement block a couple of times--fun challenge. I used to ride that drop down along the riverbank before it got so eroded but now it's too sketchy and/or I'm too old...I mean, smart. Yeah, that's it.

[Zak]

Burchfield ARMJam, good times, Don, good times!!!