Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - Forums

I've been up the steps a couple times before and usually I can get up about the first 4-5 steps before my legs/technical ability cause me to falter.  Yesterday was a different story though.  About an hour in (starting at Livezey Pavilion) I hit the steps.  On the second step I clipped my pedal and went down.  Attempts at a restart were foiled without mercy.  After walking up the rest I felt utterly beaten, so I rode back to the car with my tail between my legs.  Anyone else have a ride go sour on the steps?  It just took me out mentally.

I hear ya... that's definitely a spot where you can get dejected really quick. Going the other way from the bottom of that climb is my spot. It's usually towards the end of my ride (park at Northwestern) and it's the last real tricky section, and if I blow it, it tends to take the wind out of my sails.

Then again, when you make it, it's a great feeling:

Here's a video (http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoman/2405389973/) of me and a buddy doing the steps on the way up. He had the legs, but he just got stopped on the last one.

Squads where's this section at? I just saw the vid & I've never been on this.. I generally new to the park as it is, so I usually park at Northwestern & head up towards Germantown Ave & turn right at the college & cut into the trails to the right when the bridge ends. When I come out of the rock gardens, I shoot up Bells Mills.

Sweet vid man! I can't believe how different it is in summer! Soon enough it will look like that. But I must say that this trail is shaping up beautifully! I mean it looks awesome and it is super difficult both up and down. It is a true challenge of your skills. Squads, get out there again and kill it man. That's the only remedy for me when the trails beat me down, which is more often than I wish. Gotta love the Wiss!!!!!

Bonkers, when you get to Bells Mill from that rock garden, cross straight over and head up the trail past that little gazebo. Follow that along the creek, then head up the hill to the left when you get to a fork. At the top of that trail when you get to the "Wish You Were Here" bench (http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoman/1570844427/), make a right like you're heading back downhill to the creek, but make your first immediate left back onto the singletrack from the cinders. That will take you right up to the steps (http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoman/1570846825/in/set-72157602418795044/) and the Indian (http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoman/1570849709/in/set-72157602418795044/) statue.

dirtmechant, thanks, and I felt the same way watching that video again. I can't wait for the park to be like that... lush, sunny, no more winter clothes. While I love the increased sight lines in the winter, you really can't beat the Wissahickon in the summer.

Agreed on all points, except that you forgot to mention that summer often equals humidity :o

Cool pics and video Repoman!!!  ;D I need to make more of an effort with the camera. What are you using?

Ugh, yeah... humidity is not our friend.

That video was done with someone's digital camera in movie mode. I really want one of those Vio POV.1 rigs. Where's my economic stimulus check?!

Here's a better one from a couple years ago about this time of year I did using a helmet cam/camcorder setup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a20fqYYxJfs

I miss those logs by Kitchen's Lane.

It was like summer today. Sweating my ass off making a super sweet log ride with a crack PMBA crew. You people are gonna love it. It's on Yellow trail right behind the Pavilion at Pachella Field, Roxborough side. Livezey Lane is road that leads into Pachella Field...

As soon as I get my stimulous check I am buy this camera: http://gopro.vsocial.com/

Awesome helmet cam footage! I love the wiss..I miss those logs at Kitchens too. That was some of my early work making those two ramps and outsloping that section so it would not stay wet. Now it's a boring mudhole.

Keep on trying at the Demo 2. When you get it your going to be buzzing like crazy.

I already rode the log ride we built today and it's tough, but very low consiquence. The hard part is making the turn.

I think your STIMULUS check would be better spent on spelling lessons.   ;D

RepoMan, that was a great video......great editing job too!

Doode, dis is a mountin byke klub, what doo yew xpect?  :-*

Perfection!!!

Non of this crashing shit!!

 ???

Tom, come now. We put some work into outsloping and draining that section when we were there last year and then some tweeks afterward. It's remarkably dry now compared to what it was 2 years ago.

dz

Yea at the kitchens reroute workday, right? I remember now. I was actually referring to right after they cut out the logs it became a boring mudhole. The logs were actually helping to channel the water away from the low spot. I think I'm just bitter because I spent a good amount of time down there, and really enjoyed plowing over those logs. I hate trail sanitizing!....We're off topic. oops.

Thanks for the footage. I didn't get to ride today so that was my fix.

My rear derailleur got crushed by the demo steps yesterday. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/repoman/2526957670/)

...and the hanger, and a few spokes, and the shifter when the cable got violently pulled out of it. Bad ending to a great weekend of riding.

Got to talk to some cute ladies while I sat there crying over the wreckage and steeling myself for the walk back to Northwestern, though.  ;D

Wrong pictures...  ;)

Rohloff!
 
;D

 :P

 :D