Pump Track Update: Ground breaking, and first ride...

So, I wake up Sunday morning feeling rough. The night before I played in a poker tournament for like 5 hours, finishing of course at the final table.

The plan for Sunday was to go Mt Biking at Post Canyon in Hood River. But when I got the call, and was told the car was full and I would be driving myself, I decided to go riding Monday morning instead. I mean, after all it is Sunday, and I am slowly playing Bike Polo again.

With a few hours to spare, I putz around in the garage for a while, finishing the work on the Redline 24" cruiser.

Still bored, so I finish the Schwinn SS 24" cruiser. it really needs a new rear wheel, but as I have the original wheel set, it means I need to rebuild around the hub. So that s gonna be a while. it rolls good, but the hop makes the braking feel funny.

This morning is dragging on too long, I should have slept in.

I recall saying fuck this, grabbing a shovel and a 11 foot length of twine, and heading into the backyard. I looked at the major obstacle in the yard, a huge Douglas Fir tree, and started envisioning berms around it.

Once I got the radius's laid out for a few berms, I realized that my original plan would not work.

I did however see a new line around the tree, and put the first pile on.

A hour later and I had a full berm up against one side of the tree, and a nice little booter on the other side of it.



I moved west from the booter, and built two pumps. This is a slight downhill, and heads towards the fenceline.

I put the dirt for a third westward pump in place, without shaping it. Ok, here we go.

Time for a test ride. Only problem is that I would have to test ride it backwards. A proper pump track is pumpable either direction, but mine will only be pumpable the right direction when it is done, as it goes up and down the slight hill.



There will be a line of 11 pump bumps south along the fence, which will build enough speed to jump right next to the tree and into a berm.

With rain on the way, I am going to spend this afternoon making pump bumps. By this evening I should be able to ride most of the fence line, maybe the tree, and the two berms.

If anyone wants to to dig and ride some, next weekend is going to be pretty nice...

If my first day digging is any measure, the track should be done within the month.