Mid-State: Burchfield

[flynnster]

Didn't get out on the mountain bike trails but was out playing some disc golf (awesome course by the way) and the mosquitos were so bad we left after 3 holes. I have never in my life seen such bad mosquitos. We were in the middle of a feild of short grass and all three of us had a cloud of bugs around us. Watch yourselves.

[geardaddy37]

you actually made it thorugh 3 holes?!! sheit, I can't barely take out the trash before I'm inhaling em'...
At least when you ride you're usually ok until you have to stop...

[flynnster]

We jogged the second and third one, throwing on the run. Also, these seem to be so angry that riding aways from them isn't possible. I wish Burchfield had a mosquito cast so I could know when they are gone without going out there.

[geardaddy37]

went out tonight cuz I just needed to ride...skeeters were thick, and the trail was muddy but fun! as long as I kept moving it was ok, but I stopped to say hi to a guy in the McNamara parking lot, and another guy on the trail, and within about 10 seconds they would be all over...talking dozens of them, so we cut the chit chat short and got back in gear. I skipped Bob's and headed straight out to dragonball, followed the trail along the river, and really got a mud bath on the double back after new swamp thing, then shot over to Burch parking lot on red. saw several cars but no peeps, so I headed back around the pond and skipped glorious poupards and managed to avoid sucking any of the little critters into my lungs. (I usually like to wear a bandit scarf over my mouth on nights like these...)
All in all a sweet ride, and I have to believe that going into the woods, doing hansons, annies, etc would be certain death, either from the slick trails or the skeeters, or both. Twas a beautiful night though, and I met a guy who just moved here from K-zoo named Jonathon, and told him about the website...
Bill

[F7Cannon]

What time were you out there Bill?? Didn't see you or your car. Hopefully I'll see you next Monday or maybe this Thursday at Anderson.

[AllMountin']

No joke on the skeeters. Bob's Supremacy seemed to be the worst IMO. You are basically riding through a cloud of skeeters and can feel them bouncing off your arms and face by the dozens. Peppermint Creek bridge is a feeding frenzy. I applied 3 times and still got served on a platter.

Bob's is still a bit greasy and has a couple of downed trees near the entrance. There is a lot of debris strewn about from the flooding.

The river portion of Swamp Thing can be ridden, but gets a little greasy toward the North end. The problem is that exiting on the beginner trail to the North OR South takes you right into a sloppy mess.

[geardaddy37]

What time were you out there Bill?? Didn't see you or your car. Hopefully I'll see you next Monday or maybe this Thursday at Anderson.

I was out there 7:30 and rode for about an hour...parked at McNamara. got to riverbend and there were about 4 cars left thought I might run into folks but only saw one guy on my way back... I am reffing on thursday this week (last one of the summer, yeah!) then I'll be heading straight from work to Anderson...
As for the burch ride, I can never do that one cuz it starts at 5...I can't get there before 6 due to my job. I sometimes get out there later though and manage to see some folks. Hope to run into you guys who are doing an "extra" lap on group ride nights.

[Paul_D]

As for the burch ride, I can never do that one cuz it starts at 5...I can't get there before 6 due to my job. I sometimes get out there later though and manage to see some folks. Hope to run into you guys who are doing an "extra" lap on group ride nights.

The official group ride starts at 6:30 at Burch Monday nights. A few of us like to head out there around 5 to get an early lap in. So no more excuses see you there monday!

[jonw9]

As for the burch ride, I can never do that one cuz it starts at 5...I can't get there before 6 due to my job. I sometimes get out there later though and manage to see some folks. Hope to run into you guys who are doing an "extra" lap on group ride nights.

The official group ride starts at 6:30 at Burch Monday nights. A few of us like to head out there around 5 to get an early lap in. So no more excuses see you there monday!

[geardaddy37]

duder, I'm there like fred astaire!

[reidabel]

Rode Sunday, then played disc golf afterwards. The mosquitoes were indeed very bad. I reapplied three times also, but I rode everything, including getting my feet soaked when turning left at the closed Swamp Thing bridge-area entrance. I played disc golf with soaked shoes, then when I went to change into my spares before heading home, they were still wet from disc golf the day before, so I drove home in dry replacement socks! I ended up throwing away one of the pairs of shoes because they smelled so bad. Saw Jeff the TC buying shoes when I was getting a replacement pair! What a coincidence ...

If I get out there with my chainsaw in the next few days, or maybe not until Saturday, I'll take out those two trees at the start of Bob's Supremacy. Does anybody know of any others that should be taken out? If so, tell me where and I'll get them.

[Paul_D]

The 2 downed trees at the beginning of Bob's are perfect for creating some nice size log piles, either there or somewhere else along the trail. There is also a few places that I think we could make some more log rides. This is all with approval of course. I would also like to do something with the stunt near the beginning of Loomans run.

If your interested Reid or anyone else, I might be able to go out there Sunday to work on the trail. TBD

[reidabel]

Those trees are so close to the short technical downhill that maybe we could make a log pile at the top of the hill, wedging the logs up against some of those little trees? We'd need a bypass, or else put the log pile off to the side of the current trail. It could add some fun/height by having it at the top of the hill. We'll have to find out what the TC thinks about that.

I won't be able to make it out on Sunday, though ...

[alec]

Rode at about noon today. The mosquitoes didn't bother me at all. I just put on bug spray and kept moving. If I'd gotten a flat, I probably would have just abandoned the bike and run for it, but it really was fine as long as I kept moving.

I rode Randy's Maze, Annies, etc. - I didn't risk Bob's or Swamp thing. Trails were still pretty greasy, but passable - just take it easy on the corners.

[reidabel]

Okay, it's starting to look pretty doubtful that I'll be able to get out there to take care of those two trees down at the bottom of the first technical downhill at the start of Bob's Supremacy. If anybody else wants to do it, go ahead - chainsaw required, bugspray required.

If by some fluke I manage to get out there, I'll post and let all of you know it's done. Probably not, though ...

Reid