TRESTLE Bike Park

Guest Blogger: 

Trestle Bike Park, Winter Park Village 

July 10, 2011

 ”Decided to test drive the ‘bike park’ today.”

          “The idea of a “bike park” with defined boundaries, designated uphill and downhill routes,  and a lift to take you up… is not entirely new to me.  But still it is weird. At 5 pm the lift closed to uphill riding so I was gonna have to “earn” it.  I stalled by getting a cup of coffee at the ridiculously convenient Starbucks, thinking maybe another hard-hitting storm was soon to hit.  It didn’t… so I headed up the logging road on the side of the mountain with java in hand.  The java sipping acted as self-imposed governor, riding only as fast as I could tolerate maintaining the dainty grip on said joe.  Still breathing hard, it was a simple reminder not to impose any pain beyond that required to ascend indefinitely at a reasonably pedestrian pace.  Yes, got the strange looks from the DH bomb squad coming down on last run of the day at casual breakneck.  In the clarity that followed,  I realized why dedicated DH rigs are so seemingly overbuilt.  I turned downhill and found the trails “jury duty” and “boot camp”.  I figured they were named just for me because even though I didn’t really want to go, it was my moral obligation.  After barely moving uphill for an hour it was shocking how quickly simple gravity can accelerate a body down a moderate slope.  I  thought my bike was a fine piece but quickly felt inadequate as I scooted over the bumps and trestles at some speed.  What was it 20, 30, doesn’t matter.  I felt what I was looking for.  So if you see the tatooed, pierced, super-gnarlboro crowd dressed in baggies, neck ROM limiters, and armor,  realize some of it is for show but much of it is downright appropriate.  I can’t say what might happen if you left one of those elevated trestles at even a moderate rate but the knee pads and chest plate would be like appetizer crackers between hungry teeth as you swept through the trees.  I can say it would be fun to clean up.”

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