# Holyoke Range - 2011-07-09



## WoodCore (Jul 9, 2011)

Met up with some friends from CT this morning at the Batchelor Street parking lot around 10am and headed out on the trails shortly thereafter. It was my first time riding these trails so I really had no expectations other than what I had heard from others. The first part of the ride was a bit on the treacherous side as the rains from yesterday had not yet dried up and the roots were absolutely deadly. That combined with the technical nature of the trails made for a very slow start. None the less we continued on and humidity eased, things began to dry up and the riding improved dramatically. 

I believe we rode the outer perimeter in a counter clockwise direction hitting up Far East>Far South>Far Out>Pete's Wicked>Lizard King>Viper. Somewhere towards the end of Viper, Mtn-Fun blew her rear brake up and we needed to head back to the lot via the fire road. 

Luckily the GT Bike demo truck was waiting for us in the lot with some demos to replace the broken bike. Although my bike wasn't broken I decided to take out a Sensor 29'er http://www.gtbicycles.com/bikes/mountain/endurance/2011-sensor-9r-pro-green to roll some additional miles. This ended up really making for a great ride. I had previously never rode a 29'er and wow was I impressed. I was climbing some of the technical ups like a mad man and rolling over the most technical sections with ease. I had so much fun I might need to buy a new bike. ;-)

Anyway in the afternoon we rolled back out the fire road and rode the following: T-Rex>Jacob's Ladder>Roller Coaster. Loved Roller Coaster, so much fun but also enjoyed the unrelenting gnar on Jacob's. 

All in all really enjoyed the riding. It's unrelenting technical riding with plenty of climbing and very few buff flowy sections of trail. Didn't have the cycle computer with me in the afternoon but figure we rode around 12.5 miles and climbed over 2300 feet. Here's the GPS track. http://www.crankfire.com/bike/trail/71/batchelor_street__skinner_state_park__holyoke_range

Gotta get back and ride up there more often and perhaps even try the stuff on the other side out. I hear it's super buff.


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## bvibert (Jul 9, 2011)

I wish I could have made this ride.  I've heard a lot of good things about that place.  Bummer about Mtn-Fun's brake, I hope its easily fixable!  Awesome luck with the demo truck being parked there though...


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## WoodCore (Jul 9, 2011)

bvibert said:


> I wish I could have made this ride.  I've heard a lot of good things about that place.  Bummer about Mtn-Fun's brake, I hope its easily fixable!  Awesome luck with the demo truck being parked there though...



Not really luck with the demo truck.......Knew it was going to be there and actually helped Collin set up before we rode.


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## MR. evil (Jul 9, 2011)

Jocobs ladder is one of my Favorite! That trail is pretty unrelenting. Next time your there make sure to ride entrance exam and Twister. EE I'd very short but uber tech, not many people can clean it but it's still really fun.


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## MR. evil (Jul 9, 2011)

It seems like you rode JL in reverse, it's so much harder in that direction.


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## WoodCore (Jul 10, 2011)

Not sure which direction we rode but only dabbed 2 or 3 times.


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## MR. evil (Jul 10, 2011)

I'd you rode JL to the bottom of RC than is was the reverse of the way it's ussually ridden. Next time make sure to hit Twister going down, it's a sweet technical DH.  If you go back and want to explore the Earls side it would be best to get a guide. That side is very confussing, but completely different than B street. 

The loop you did in the morning is one my typical loops. But usually i will continue down viper to serpinetine than either finish off on Twister or IMBA to RollerCoaster.


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## MR. evil (Jul 10, 2011)

Btw - sometime very soon there is a NEMBA ride at Wendell St forest (about 20 minutes north of B Street). Really great trail system, lots of climbing! Pretty sure AZr Superbman is the mastermind behind Wendell. Anyway, I'm sure you would love that place.


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## WoodCore (Jul 11, 2011)

Pretty sure the Wendell ride was yesterday.


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