Summer Slackin’ at Passion Trail Bikes

This is one of those predictable emails from the warmth of the Passion back office, summertime napping version. El Queso Grande is away, sipping the koolaid in the high mountains and riding next year’s bikes, generously provided by Specialized for its dealers. So, cat being away, mice are slackin’ and eating his cheese. Here’s the latest news on the trail, for July 13, 2010.

1. Wednesday Wrides: Wride Leader/Sweep Swagage
2. Trailwork: Thursday Night at the ‘Dog
3. Squaw Valley and Kirkwood Lift Access to MTB Trails


1. Wednesday Wrides: Wride Leader/Sweep Swagage
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Sunset is at 8:32PM this Wednesday 07/14/2010. Twilight ends and near-darkness falls right around 9:20pm.

Lately our groups have been getting a bit on the large side. This is great for the enthusiasm it represents, but not so hot when groups encounter other park users, or other groups. So we’d like to have more, and thus smaller, groups.This week we are hoping to recruit some leadership among the wregulars so we can be slightly more organized and dispersed than usual. If you think you know your way around the park, and if you think you are qualified to say “let’s go this way” with the well-being of all the wriders in your group in mind, please come equipped with a hand ready to raise as we assemble. We are also looking for sweeps, people who are willing to trail the group, keeping people on the route, or helping split the group if needed and then assume leadership duties.

We need leaders and sweeps for all levels of the wrides, from Frisky to FBG, so speediness is not a requirement. Leaders and sweeps will be thanked with modest little tokens of our appreciation, also known in the local lingo as swagage, so y’all step forward and raise yer hands now, y’hear?

Wednesday wriders, grouping and queuing for departure

P. L. E. A. S. E. . . . P. U. T. . . . L. I. G. H. T. S. . . . O. N ! ! ! !

Please remember to put a light on your handlebar and have a blinky ready for the ride back to the shop! CA vehicle code requires it. Don’t get caught out on the streets in the dark! Also, a reminder that we need to be super conscientious about stopping at stop signs and lights, yielding to pedestrians, and operating our bikes predictably and responsibly while on the roads and trails. Let’s be safe and kind out there.

For all the details about what makes each group listed below unique, please refer to this webpage. If your questions aren’t answered there, you can also email us for info at info@passiontrailbikes.com.

All rides start pedaling from the shop: Passion Trail Bikes, 415 Old County Road, Belmont, CA 94002 650-620-9798.

The FRISKY rides will go out at 6:15 PM.
The REGULAR rides will go out at 6:30 PM.
The WHITE SOCKS ride will go out at 6:35 PM.
The FBG or Fat Bottomed Girl ride will go out at 6:35 PM.
The STRAGGLERS ride may form and start chasing around 6:45 PM.
For future planning, we have the upcoming start times each week for the first wave of the REGULAR ride posted on our Community Calendar

Note we may not have leaders for each ride but usually someone knows their way around. All groups will meet back here at Passion Trail Bikes right around dark for the usual story telling & beverage enjoyment. We will have stuff to eat plus chips and fatty snacks and EANABS to pair up with the Devil’s Canyon Brewery’s Full Boar Scotch Ale, Silicon Blonde Ale, and Little Devil Root Beer. We will hang out until about 10pm, so come on down, even if you can’t make the ride! Passion Parties are better with YOU in the mix!

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2. Trailwork: Thursday Night at the ‘Dog
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So, having learned a lesson last year that people just aren’t that into doing trailwork on the weekends in the summer, we are working on setting up a bunch of small weekday evening projects. We’ve even stashed a box of tools in the woods, so you can ride to do trailwork and the stuff is all right there. We may do some needed maintenance in the form of cutting back brush, or work on some specific projects on the Lake Loop.

So far, the dates are:
Thursday July 15, 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Thursday July 22, 6:00pm to 8:00pm

To get an idea of who might be interested please RSVP to Patty at patty@passiontrailbikes.com, and let her know if you are a maybe or a for sure helper, and for which day. That way you’ll be sure to get the info on where we are meeting if we’re not at the dam.

Finish work on the Lake Loop Realignment

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3. Squaw Valley and Kirkwood Lift Access to MTB Trails

We got some emails earlier this year hyping lift access to trails at Squaw and Kirkwood this summer.

Here’s what our 661 rep had to say:
Squaw Valley is launching their new bike park next week. Although the higher elevations still have snow, the mountain and gondola will be open for mountain biking. I spent time with the staff this week, and am excited for the potential a second resort on the North side of Tahoe could bring to our market. A Northstar/Squaw weekend trip is a pretty do-able overnight adventure for Bay Area mountain bikers. The terrain at Squaw is much different from Northstar, with more of a technical feel to it. SixSixOne Vapor Suits, Comp pads, and Comp gloves will be protecting riders at Squaw Valley from the harsh truths of pointy rocks. Link to Squaw.

And here’s what the Kirkwood PR dude sent:
Two new trails were cut last summer. Our trail network is primarily XC, with some good climbs and fun flowly sections. We’re not downhill like Northstar, but we are building. We’re putting in a pump track this summer, spinning chair 6 one day to get a feel for how people like that terrain and looking seriously at chair 7 for a freeride/gravity section. Things are growing out here, but when you operate on forest service land that growth is a little slow, fortunately our head of bike operations is close with our liaison with the forest service and has been getting good buy in from her. Link to Kirkwood.

Back in 1997, Patty started dating Charles,
and then won this cute little tip jar racing DH at Squaw Valley

Read back issues of the Passion Trail Bikes Community e-Newsletter on our website.

To contact us, email us at info@passiontrailbikes.com, or call the shop at 650-620-9798.

Happy Trails, from the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, John, Bret, Sterling, Pancho, Will, Derek, Matt, Peter, and Reba