A Good Summer So Far

Well, yes, the blog doesn't get as much love as it should but that's because we are always riding and thinking about the trails. This summer has been a great one so far and the Greensfelder trails have been exceptionally great thus far.

The singletrack tread is as buff as ever considering its multi-use status and the fact that the rains have been few and far between have also helped keep the tread less choppy. We're still on the look out for the person(s) removing trail rocks and features that are natural to the hillsides of Greensfelder. You wouldn't dig holes over at Creve Coeur because it was too 'tame', would you? Same holds for sanitizing a natural surface trail in West St. Louis county - let nature be.

See you on the trails and at a fall workday.

Greensfelder Challenge Recap and Gallery

Well, it's finally up. I managed to write up a short, accurate(?) piece on the Greensfelder Challenge on our blog and post up a few photos from Lisa's camera. If you have links to any other online galleries, shoot them to seamonkey on the message board.

Course Marked. Shred On!

With only a few days before the race this Saturday be sure to get on out there if you haven't yet. The trails are fast and as 'buff' as Greensfelder gets!

This is the last post before the big day so here's a recap.

+Beer on hand from Schlafly
+BBQ by Jeff Rippelmeyer (remember the awesome BBQ from last year? Yup, again!!!!)
+7.4 mile course
+Rigid forks are stupid but fun out there
+EQUESTRIANS always have the right of way - even on race day! Please remember this. Be nice.
+The rocks are rocky
+The dirt is flowy
+The creeks are wet
+The hills still continue to hurt
+Bring money
+Bring your fun-time personality
+A few people will be on the course to guide/offer aid
+Start/Finish at the VISITOR's Center (this is, if you're counting, the third lot from 6 Flags)
+The first rocky descent is scary when fast. Stay on the bike to continue having fun.
+The second rocky descent (Deer Run section) is faster and maybe scarier. Again, stay upright.
+To get some amazing BBQ finish your race quickly.
+Notice how much better this park has become in four years with our constant tinkering/construction
+Think how much more fantastic it will be every year thereafter. With your help!
+See you soon.

Course is dialed

The course has been prepped and the rains have ceased. The course is ready to ride today and is drying nicely.

Some of us plan to ride some laps around 5:30 meeting at the visitor's center.

See you soon!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Next weekend!!!

It's running up on us fast like a state trooper on 44!!

Let us know if you can help volunteer on the message board. We can use the help to make sure this thing goes off majorly supremo.

The trails will probably be ready to roll around Sunday. Reports are stating it's drying nicely but whole stretches are still too muddy to ride.

Let's hope for no rain this weekend!!!!!

More to follow.

Ten Days till the GF Race

Only ten days left and Mother Nature is making sure she keeps you on your toes. No training off-road till race day! Just kidding, I'm sure the rain will stop soon enough...

We're hoping to get some good food at the event and crossing our fingers for great weather.

Looking Like A Wet Week

It's looking pretty solid that Greensfelder will be but a passing daydream in many rider's heads this week as the rain continues to wetten the area. You can always ride the trainer, right? I thought so.

I wouldn't either.

Course is Rippin'

I finally got to ride the course in its full glory and it will be terrific. The new addition of singletrack will NOT let you recover as you make your way to the bottom of Eagle Valley. When you turn left up the gravel you will soon realize this isn't the highway speed slalom down EV like last year.

No, it's a mild sap-sucking gravel ascent to a 3/4 mile singletrack climb that is both beautiful and soul-crushing. It will appear to be innocent enough but after two or three laps it will begin to show its true face.

Don't fall off the edge, ok?

The course is in fine shape. All reports of equestrian damage are exaggerated and are probably coming from the riders who visit Greensfelder just to train for this race.

It seems to be as fast as last year.

please use your energy to remove fallen limbs, trees, rollercoaster riders from 6 Flags and move them off the trail. Leave roots alone. They are ALIVE, they add soul!

But let's not make it that fast!!!!!!

There are enough EASY parks to ride in St. Louis. Please DO NOT REMOVE THE PIECES OF AWESOME THAT MAKE UP THIS PARK'S SOUL.

Someone appears to have been grinding a chainsaw, saw, chainring, ginzu knife on this classic 15+ year old feature on the trail approaching the monkey heads (ahem, and THOSE have been stolen in the past year).

It looks like someone want a notch to run their tires past so they can go faster and win all the while hoping that all the rest of the racers will magically not know what to do with said notch. Probably ride around it?

Again, course is rippin' but PLEASE don't rip the course. This is a 'technical' park for the people. Leave it and Chubb alone. That's the purpose of Creve Couer, Bangert, etc.

Get out there and ride!

2011 Course Improvements

We've been busy since the 2010 race working on improvements to the course, as well as other trails in the park. Here's what you'll see that's different from last year, in order, assuming you're riding the course route counterclockwise:

- rerouted/reworked three turns as you descend the big hill going down into the valley on the backside of DeClue.
- did our best to repair the damage from someone pulling out rocks on the monkey head section.
- finished the two switchbacks on DeClue on the north side of the hill below the radio tower.
- designed and built a new section of trail after you cross the Scenic Loop road, which will eventually take you all the way to the bottom and the junction with the Eagle Valley trail. We had hoped to have this open for the race, but a low turnout at the last workday prevented us from finishing everything. We still hope to have it usable though.
- armored wet spots on the singletrack (southwestern) section of Eagle Valley. We weren't able to use this last year because of these muddy spots.
- continued maintenance of Dogwood, and DeClue to try to keep them in top shape.

The start/finish has been moved to the Visitors Center, and with all of the improvements, the course will be mostly singletrack, except for the doubletrack path from the start to the radio tower, and the 0.25 mile section of Eagle Valley as you turn left after descending Deer Run.

Remember to build your trail karma by helping out at GORC workdays.
Have fun, and good luck!

Map Up!

The 2011 Greensfelder Challenge map is up.