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Author Topic: North Creek from a "Newbies" perspective  (Read 2156 times)
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Darrinw2001
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« on: March 21, 2008, 04:12:29 PM »

OK, I have only been riding for about 5 months now, mostly at WTA or Boyette. I have worked up my skills and stamina in that time and even started riding all of the trails at WTA and some of the harder blue trails at Boyette but not the black ones yet. I thought I was doing OK until I rode North Creek today for the 1st time. Although I did not crash, I felt like I had just started riding a bike again. I had to stop several times to get my breath and take a rest. When I was done I felt like I really accomplished something, but I felt I was still really out of shape.   

None of the trails I have rode at Boyette or WTA can come close to what North Creek is. I have only been to Alafia a couple of times and have ridden the river loop and sand pine trails since it was early on in my Mountain bike experience. I will be riding North Creek very often now to get myself back in shape and further improve my riding skills. I actually think I love that trail even though I think it was trying to kill me......

Darrin   
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« Reply #1 on: March 21, 2008, 04:24:05 PM »

When I first rode North Creek I felt like I was going to die, but I finished it. I've since made it a point to ride the trail every visit and now I can ride the entire trail without stopping.

To me, the hardest part of North Creek is the first half, the second half is much easier.

If you can do North Creek, try Bridges for a change of pace and look at the woops, you don't have to do them but they sure are fun.
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slowfatguy
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« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2008, 11:11:36 AM »

North Creek is a great trail. The key to that trail IMO is to go just fast enough. If you go fast enough the climbs aren't really climbs, you are over them before you work hard. I've run up behind alot of newer riders on that trail and almost everytime they are spinning away in the granny ring. Put it in the middle ring and just go, you'll be suprised how much easier it is. Smiley
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Jason
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« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2008, 11:33:09 AM »

So true Darrin Cheesy I had done a lot of riding on the WTA trail system prior to my first Alafia visit and thought of my self as a pretty decent rider, that is until my first ride on North Creek and learned I didn't know diddly about riding a bike! One thing that really helped me is to keep your headup, by this I mean look ahead rather than fixate on the impending DOOM Grin all around you. North Creek was my first introduction to a bench cut trail and fixating on the trail edge was paralizing Tongue Your bike is going to go where you look, so look ahead, pick the best line and your bike will respond, DO NOT !!! look at that wash out, root, rock or that's exactly where you will go Cry As you become more comfortable with this new style of terrain you will be like a kid in a candy shop as you continue to challenge yourself with progressivly harder trails. Next on your agenda should be bridges and the first loop of rock garden which can be ridden over and over starting and ending at the bailout by the wood fence. This section of rock garden is about a half to three quarters of a mile and consists of several small 3 to 4 foot drop and climbs and is a great training ground.
« Last Edit: March 22, 2008, 11:36:05 AM by Anthem1 » Logged
Darrinw2001
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« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2008, 05:59:20 PM »

SFG - you are right. but it being my 1st time on the trail, i had no idea there were that many up and downs and twists and turns. I was thinking it might be like loch ness or spider berm but learned real fast it was nowhere close.

Anthem1- That is how I felt. I thought I was doing pretty good although I know I am not ready for the black diamonds yet, I have been on the blues at Boyette and thought "No Problem here"! It just shows me I have a ways to go to be considered an B+ rider!

Legs are feeling it a little today. I cant wait to get back out there and try again! Oh yeah, I ordered my annual state park pass yesterday since I plan on riding it at least once a week. 

Darrin
« Last Edit: March 22, 2008, 06:06:12 PM by Darrinw2001 » Logged

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Gregg
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« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2008, 06:38:20 PM »

Darrin's got the fever!!!!! Grin Grin Grin
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« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2008, 09:04:20 PM »

Sometimes it helps to ride a new trail like that with someone leading you to learn the right line and pace to ride. PLus it pulls you along. I always ride faster and better in a group as opposed to riding by myself.
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CrazyWhiteGuy
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« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2008, 03:25:16 PM »

North Creek is a really fun trail. I remember my first time on it, back when it first opened. I ended up walking most of the technical parts, turned around and did it again. The newer additions have turned out really nice. Keep working on it, you'll learn how to ride those lines before you have a whole lot of skill. It was like that for me with most every advanced trail, but eventually you'll learn enough to be able to adapt to any trail you ride, even if it is your first time through it.
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kerbouchaud
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« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2008, 08:48:03 PM »

Did I miss something? I remember North Creek wearing me out cause I smoke like a pack and a half a day but I don't remember it being all that difficult just lots "o" peddling. Now you wanna see a worn out Mofo, just look at me after I get finished walking Gatorback. Cheesy yeah that's right, I walked it cause I'm too weak to ride it.
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Coach
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« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2008, 05:52:45 PM »

I need to ride with you!  Grin
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Darrinw2001
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« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2008, 09:15:09 PM »

Not that it was overly difficult, just all the ups and downs. plus on your 1st time riding you dont know what to expect around every turn and it seemed like it was a climb around every other corner. it took much more out of me than any trail at WTA or Boyette. So like the title of the post said, this is from a newbies perspective....
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Anthem1
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« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2008, 10:41:09 PM »

I don't care who you are, if North Creek was your first technical trail experience it will make you pucker Shocked
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« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2008, 09:04:08 PM »

I guess I can appreciate that, My first ride was following a couple and their college aged son. They were really cool and stopped before each of the heavier climbs and drops to warn us of what was coming up. Also, thier son was in worse shape than me so we thankfully took a lot of breathers.
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« Reply #13 on: April 06, 2008, 04:51:05 PM »

Finally got to ride Alafia again for the first time in months and the  North Creek liked to killed me. I rode it with the people I showed up with, and then some friends showed up as soon as we finished so we rode it again, and then some more of the crew showed up immediately after that run so I rode it again.....
3 laps in a row ain't no joke for a guy that usually only rides a 4 mile loop on his hometrail and then goes home. Omigosh I'm whupped!
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Darrinw2001
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« Reply #14 on: April 06, 2008, 07:42:46 PM »

I was out there Saturday with my 6 year old son, so we did sandpine and river loop only. North creek is still too much for him and we ran out of time anyway. I'll hit it this week sometime for sure! Got my annual pass in the mail Friday!
 
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