Monday RAW (Ride After Work)

CT NEMBA is kicking off our Monday Ride After Work (RAW) series of mountain bike rides. Depending on turnout, we're hoping to do the ride every Monday during the 2012 season. Start times will be pushed back as daylight permits.

These rides are intended for ambitious beginner riders who want to work on their skills, and intermediate riders looking for a recovery ride or who prefer an easier pace. You should have a real mountain bike (not hybrid) in good mechanical condition with knobby tires, and should be capable of riding for 1.5 hours on rolling terrain. Depending on turnout and ride leaders available, we may be able to split into groups to accomodate all skill levels, but no one will be left behind. Helmets and signing a liability waiver are required for all NEMBA rides. NEMBA membership is not required to participate. Beer after the ride is optional :)

We're starting with the old standby Gay City, but I'd like to move the ride around to different locations in eastern and central CT this season: Case, West Hartford Res, River Highlands SP, Meshamosic State Forest, etc. I'm open to suggestions for other places as well.

Contact Al Tinti for more information on this ride! 

Season Opener

April 2

Gay City

TA Report: Collis P Huntington State Park

Date of Activity: 6/14/2010
Condition of Trails(s): Damp, but not muddy.
Observations: A great RAW ride with Mark and Paula last night. The trails were a bit damp, but not too soft. There is a big blowdown on the singletrack section at the south end of the Blue trail. The tree is in the trail right at the hard left turn over the slickrock.

Trail Ambassador Name: Vin Lore, Mark Lurie, Paula Burton
Trail Ambassador Email: vlore@alum.rpi.edu
Town: Redding
Location: Collis P. Huntington State Park
Trail(s) Ridden: Blue, Red, Big Burn, Green
How did you use the trail: Mountain Biking
What was the time of day: Late afternoon
Duration (Hours): 1
Distance (Miles): 7.4

Monday RAW Ride Recap

The second installment of the Monday RAW ride at Huntington SP had a new edition, Rick Brodsky from Newtown. Having gotten out late from work we started riding at 6 PM and it looked like it was threatening to rain. It was a nice temperature, though, and a little buggy. We rode counter clockwise today by hitting most of the single track but excluding a lot of what he rode last week.

Vin (above) now a 2 ride regular and Rick, first time at the Monday RAW.

We stopped so I could tighten my Eccentric Bottom Bracket. On the climb prior to this I threw my chain and on a Singlespeed that is kind of hard. I knew something was up and decided to retighten my EBB.

Monday RAW @ Huntington

There was only one member that showed up to Monday's RAW ride at Hunting this week. Vin Lore, pictured below. We rode for 6+ miles in the Big Burn, the northern single track and a south to north run on the Rock and Roll Trail. On the Rock and Roll Trail there is a very muddy section that needs to be fixed.

In the Big Burn, there is a really big branch down right in the middle of the trail but it makes a good up and over. Probably would be good to lean some rocks against it because it's pretty big. I am sure there will be go around formed in a matter of days.

In the Big Burn we hit a roller right next to the trail that I never knew was there and it's actually adjacent to a nice drop. We also took a run on the Saddle Roller, which is always fun to do. Finally, after the concluding run on Rock and Roll, Vin took a ride down a near by roller.