Ride Report Big Bear/Snow Summit, Aug 13, '11 (Big demo day)

The Path hosted a pretty big event that I couldn't miss, even though I slept in until about 9 AM and didn't make it out until about 11AM. By the time I got there, virtually all of the Path's demos were spoken for (I saw Tallboys and a TRc), Intense was almost all out (I saw Carbines, a Tracer2, and a Spider29), Ellsworth had a good variety with at least a couple of each model in their line-up, and Turner had some really decked out Flux DW demos and a couple of Sultans. Crank Bros even showed up, though it seemed they only had a display to see their stuff, including a display-only Ibis SLR with almost full CB gear. Most stayed past 5 PM, which is when I took off.

I ran into monstertiki, who I recognized by his Knolly Delirium. I also ran into bryguy and someone claiming to be Dino Brown/someone wanting to get more thanks than Dino Brown, Fearless Fly's representative, and a non-racist Asian lover that I forgot the name of (he was riding a black Intense SOCOM). I also ran into another group who had an Asian girl who also recognized monstertiki. I didn't ask for her name, but she was riding a black and pink/purple Intense and shared a story about buying a Canfield Jedi, but wanting to buy the bike monstertiki bought, but couldn't justifying spending so much in a short amount of time.

I rode the 5N10? first, with monstertiki and the Asian girl's group, which went around a gate and lead to a few log rollers (logs you ride the length of) and some loose steep sections which I wiped out twice on, on the way to "Wigwam". Earlier on this trail, someone launched off of a rock and disappeared in the distance, below the rock. I was absolutely stunned by what I saw and rode up to the rock he launched off of and saw it was a monstrous gap. On the next run, monstertiki and I met up with bryguy the SOCOM rider, who must've felt sadistic since they suggested I ride a certain part of lower falline that started with a rock garden that looked almost unridable and was steep, loose, and had a few drops (I'm on my XC bike, but with protective gear)--I think I dragged my brakes down most of that and did what I could to maintain any sense of control and retain my pride for wanting to ride it all and not walk it. I got about 3 runs after that, tagging along with another group, which led to another part of lower fall line and took a sharp left at a bench down some steep trail with a tree stump towards the end which felt like it launched me 6-8' in the air; once by myself; once with a local that was showed me Pirates (which is now a boring fireroad with a couple of moderately big jumps), Fern trail, and some trail between Pirates and Fern trail that followed 2N10 (to the right of the fireroad).

Didn't take too many pics, but here's what I got:


Demo tents set up by the parking lot. Racers and Chasers in the foreground, Intense and the Path (Specialized) in the back.


More demo tents. Ellsworth in the foreground and Turner and Crank Bros in the back.


I felt compelled to take photos of Ellsworth's proto freeride bike, the Ellsworth Method. (Click here for pic of BB underside and chainstay bridge).


Intense had quite a few of these new carbon Carbine bikes available to be demo'd, decked out in '12 XT/XTR and Fox F/R suspension.


Busy at the top of the lift. I overheard that they sold 250 lift tickets today. Lift lines weren't too bad.


Almost caught a pic of some crazy rider doing what appeared to be a 100 ft no hander jump. At least the view is nice.

Downloading the raw footage off my helmet cam which has some shots of the demo event plus some of my personal ride footage. I plan to post it later tonight or tomorrow, if anyone wants to be amused by how well I did riding Big Bear like a maniac on a 4" travel XC 29er with XC tires. I crashed maybe 4-5 times, 2 due to the front not turning and just going down the steep side of a steep and loose trail and the other times just hitting trees due to me just not being able to turn all that well. There were also 3 incidents in which I was glad that I had a forgiving top tube/standover clearance, from fudging up on log rollers and "dismounting" (2 separate occasions) and when my front tire bucked when I locked it up on a steep and my feet slipped off my pedals. Can do a quick edit of the video footage or maybe try to work it into my other footage... I kind of wanted to do a comparison video of me riding different bikes down the same trail to see which I handled better (but nothing really interested me, since I was hoping for bigger bikes).

JKing about that last pic's description, obviously. That's what it looked like to me when I saw a bike wheel and some white thing that could've been someone's arm, just floating above the treeline. That's just a bike loaded on the chair behind me.

Well, even though I didn't get to ride any demos, a great number of people did. Thanks to the Path and all the bike companies that came out and basically lent out their ~$4000 bikes to anyone with a drivers license and credit card to ride on real mountain trails. Events like this make the mtn biking industry special. At least I got out and did a long ride in relatively cool weather. Got to love Big Bear around this time of year. I would've otherwise just stayed at home and been lazy.

Update: I have a ton of footage. Might take quite a few hours to squeeze it down into manageable sized videos. I'll take a few interesting screenshots of the footage and post them as a placeholder while I get the footage downloaded and cut down. Gah, I need a faster SD card for my camera. It's downloading at 3.13 MB/sec, cheap Sandisk Class 4 SDHC cards...

 

Cool riding with you for a few runs. That group with the girl that wanted my knolly was a fun group too ride with too, along with all the other people I took some runs with. I don't think bryguy was at Big bear today, instead it was a bryguy and fearlessfly impersonator... cough cough kyle and other ed.

 

Thanks for the RR ... I wanted to head out but I have been refinishing our cabinets all week and was at the finish line... Looks like a good time.

 

Bryguy was not there. That was Kyle on the socom.

The turnout was insane. I was helping the path and we could barely keep a bike on the rack. We were out before 9 am , turner was pretty much out at 8:30 am. We had about 60 demos done and I would say everyone else went through eachbbike about 3 times too. SS had a record day , around 1pm they had sold over 270 bike passes.

 

Kyle coming to a skidding stop and "going over the bars"


Stopped cause Kyle fell, Kyle found a leak in his camelbak nozzle, and fell over again...


Maybe I should've said Kyle was masochistic instead of sadistic.


Sorry monstertiki, this is how your footage turned out for the most part... didn't take into account your position and height when I set up the GoPro. That or the camera lost its set position and got flattened flat against the chest mount.


monstertiki finding a nice stump to launch off of.


Me coming to the end of a log roller, not really knowing how to going to get off of it...


Mr Badass launching off of a jump that everyone else skipped.


Didn't get a clear shot of Mr Badass flying off of rock gap/drop. But pics of the drop:




Moments before me eating dirt due to my front tire washing out.


Ellsworth Tent


Intense Tent


The Path Bike Shop Tent

Should be enough pics for now. Video later. Probably not within the next 10 hours (sleepy time).

 

I recognized most of those spots on the trails. Especially nice to live vicariously through your RR since (for the first time in many years) I probably won't be getting up to BB this summer. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks for all the pix!
That demo was ridiculous and so glad so many folks made it up to check out the trails and some new toys.
Big Thanks to Intense, Ellsworth, Crank Bros and even Mr. Dave Turner came up to lend a hand at his booth, that was pretty cool in my book!

 

I was up there yesterday. Had a blast! it was my first time up there and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The chair lift operators were really cool, they let my brother-in-law ride the mountain with his 47lb Foes downhill bike. Word to the wise if your a heavy rider make sure you have enough tire pressure in your tires to clear all the rocks. Had two flats within the first two runs until I up'd my pressure, then the rest of the day was a breeze. The turn out was really awesome!

 

Big Bear = Big Fun!!!





Excellent Demo Day Big Guy!!!
Pretty stoked to try out so many new bikes back to back.
Now I wished I didn't try out all the bikes. I want them ALL!!!:lol:

 

A BIG THANKS goes out to The Path for setting up the ultimate demo of bikes. On our last run of the day we met a couple in line with hardtails and they were bummed cause they didnt know about the demo going on. Several folks asked if the demo was going to be there Sunday as well. It was a huge success and fun was had by all.

 

I saw a bunch of "casual hikers" (plp in casual clothes and no outdoorsy gear) approaching demo tents as if they were offering "free rentals" and were also asking for helmets and other gear too. LOL.

 

Big thanks to the Path and the bikes company's Intense, Ellsworth, and Turner. I now have a better idea of what AM bike I will be purchasing. I was only able to test two bikes the whole day, but that will do. Thank you again.

 

It was a very fun day! Made more fun now because Tink Bell found my misplaced gear.
I had some good runs with very fun people and I got to sit on the chair lift--alone--with Noel.
Sweet dear darling Noel.

 

dont kill it for us.. thx!

 

1x1clyde, did I happen to ride with you? I rode with someone on a white Yeti that I met at the start of upper fall line, around 3PM who was with another rider on a black enduro. I was pulled over to change the battery on my POV camera... Superfly 100 in black gear inc. full face and armor.

These guys were fast, but I looked up videos of Big Bear for some inspiration for editing mine, and you seem way faster in one of your videos from a year ago than these guys were. Probably the fastest I ever went down upper and lower fall line and I couldn't imagine it going much faster until I saw some other vids, including yours. Just asking since you seem to be riding a white Yeti in your vids too and you were there that day. Might boost my ego to know I rode alongside a veteran, considering my experience level.

I ran into dirtmistress as well, but I didn't introduce myself in order to connect the face to a name. I simply overheard the name Liz and saw you drive off in a white pickup after I heard a second of loud music blasting away before being turned off. I also remember being given a strange look at the Intense tent by a girl who joked that I looked like a special agent in my get-up. Was that you too? I think that girl had a "The Path" jersey on and had brown curly hair. It wasn't Nancy (denmo), but the face seemed familiar, but I was lost trying to remember.

 

1x1clyde would have been on a black Sworks Epic.

 

Hey. Sorry to chime in so late, but we spent a couple of good fam days at BB after the demo day, which included...



But, you're here for the MTB pics, right? Moving on...

Let me just say at the front, that The Path really, really outdid themselves with the demo day at Snow Summit this past Saturday. As others have mentioned above, it was just a really fantastic event, and really well attended. Kudos to all who made the trip up. I was able to meet a bunch of STR peeps for the first time, and ride with some old bubs as well.

We arrived at 8:40-ish, and with no Penny in sight, Maddie immediately commandeered our Boston, Joey:



The Path EZups were pumpin' with activity:



I mentioned to Neil that I wanted to ride a 29'er, so he immediately got to work on a Speshy Epic 29'er for me:



Bob put the final touches on it and futzed with the suspension to suit my weight:



They hooked my son Willie up with a Santa Cruz Nickel, and we were off:



It was an absolutely perfect day out:



Willie realized on the lift that he had no triple-As for our GoPro, but when we got to the top, a couple of bubs yelled at me in my STR jersey -- "STR SUCKS!!" or some such friendly greetz. We were thus introed to STR bubs kyle M and 1mtbjunkie and with hardly another word they kindly gave Willie some batteries:



Thanks, Eddie!! YOU ROCK!!



Willie and I ventured east onto 2N10E and down Pirates, Fall Line and lower Fern.

I gotta say, the trails is all tore up at SS -- mushy and loose rocks and all kinda shiat. I'm not used to that kind of thing (all worn in like that), so I was off my game a bit. Also, it was my first run ever there, and I was a bit nervous being on a tall bike and all. I was definitely skittish (and some of that stuff is steep!). Willie had no trouble at all with any of it. The 29'er was responsive, especially on all the bumpity-bump stuff, but I found it kind of lethargic in feel. Maybe it was just me.

On our second run we both stayed on the same bikes and went right at the top down 2N10W. It was a bit more difficult to find the right ST to descend, but we had a good run. I felt slightly better on the Speshy on this run. Willie flew off that same stump seen in Varaxis' vid cap shot above:



The Path's large bikes were all out being enjoyed by others when we got in, so I opted for an Intense Carbine for my third run. The Intense guys setting it up for me:



Would it serve me well?.... Well, my pack was certainly agape at it:



We gathered at the top of the lift with a bunch of STR peeps -- 1x1clyde, surlygal, dirtmistress, Hanzo and a few others.

Neil and Jamie off the lift, game faces on (should I be worried?...):



Traci ready to roll:



Do those kids even know who they had the incredible pleasure of riding the lift with?!?!?!?!?!



We saddled up and went left onto 2N10E again, and I immediately felt like I was riding on thin air. It felt like there was NOTHING under me at all. I've never ridden a bike nearly as nice as the Intense Carbine I had put my leg over for this ride. WOW, what an incredibly responsive and plush ride I was treated to by that bike. Just fantastic -- so smooth, so effortless, and so FUN! What an amazing ride.

I went ahead of the group on Upper Fall Line and grabbed some shots as they went over the big tree drop, one after another...

Hanzo:


Ride2live32:


surlygal:


dirtmistress:


BandMan:


I had been scoping for a good point to shoot some pics, so got caught by the front of the group (sorry guys), so I missed a few over the tree. But I got ahead again and set up quickly this time and got:

1x1clyde:


xXP00L$hReDDaXx on that Nickel:


Jay:


Ride2live32:


Hanzo:


BandMan:


dirtmistress:


surlygal:


We regrouped after all my shots, so that was cool -- I was able to stay up with everyone. We just flew down Lower Fall Line onto Lower Fern -- fantastic trails, fo sho. A great time had by all.

I really wanted to ride the Carbine for the rest of the day, but went with a Hei Hei from The Path -- I was really trying to give the 29'er thing a good go! The Hei Hei is not as plush as the Speshy, but it felt like a good solid ride. Willie wanted to stay on the Nickel, but I talked him into jumping onto a medium Carbine from the Intense tent -- it was a demo day, after all!

Before we got rolling I went over to the Crank EZup and talked a bit with the folks there, and saw that awesome Ibis they had on display (unridable -- yeah, I asked...):



All decked out with Iodine bits -- someone is gonna get a really nice bike when it goes to auction at the end of the season.

...more...

 

...continued...

Couple more pics of the CB display:





We had some lunch, and then headed up the lift for one more run. We went down 2N10E for this final run. I got ahead of Willie as I wanted to get a shot of him coming over that tree. When I rolled up, there were about 12 guys there, walking over the tree. No shame in that -- I get skittish around techy stuff like trees and shiat, so I walk it as well (gotta keep my spleen in place, after all...). But, I knew Willie was gonna hit it hard on that Carbine, and he did not disappoint. I told the guys he was coming through soon and they all stood around for a minute waiting for him. Felt like a downhill race crowd hanging out at the edges of the course. And then we heard Willie. He yelled, "Oh no!! A crowd?!?!?!" and then he just flew over that tree...



Before they got back on the trail, one of the guys pointed out that my rear had flatted. Great. I had a 26'er tube, so I spent a few minutes stretching it into place. I figured Willie had long gone down the hill, but I found him waiting a few hundred yards further down the trail, so we rode the entirety of Fern together, but I flatted (again!) in a rock garden at the bottom of Fern. Farking tubed bikes. Argh.

My day was done. I ran back the last few miles as time was marching on. When I got back, Neil had loaded everything up onto the trucks. Mine was the last bike in. Ah, well. Ain't gonna be no Hei Hei in my future.

But, a Carbine?

Just maybe...

Great day!!!

- shud

 

Thanks for the great pictures Shudder! Maybe I could buy one from you?
Everyone looks great and it was a very fun time!!

Gee Hanzo..you look scared!

 

^^ Sure thing, Liz. Glad you like the pics. PM me and we'll do the deed.

- shud