A source at Weyerhaeuser Company has informed us that the Growlers Gulch area will not be included in the company’s plan to charge hunters, bikers, and hikers for access. Weyco’s policy change for the Pacific Northwest is due, in part, to influence of [Continue Reading]
Tag: Growlers Gulch
SHAG 2014 Video
When you watch the video, you’ll see that people are smiling. There are no tears and no blood. I tried to tell you guys it wasn’t that difficult. Maybe you’ll believe me when the 5K rolls around. Thanks to Greg Ogden, Bob Stanton, and Ted Dodd for [Continue Reading]
Growlers Gulch Trail News
We have a goal of adding three miles of single-track to the GG system each year. Last year was our most productive of all time, with the addition of Legacy, WTF, Vortex and Little Sister, for a total of approximately four miles. This year, we have completed Plan B, [Continue Reading]
Adopt-a-Trail Assignments for 2012
We started Adopt-a-Trail in 2010 when we realized that the system at Growlers Gulch was becoming too large for a handful of people to maintain. We have been adding three miles per year, which means the maintenance load keeps growing along with the single-track [Continue Reading]
Trail Gnomes - Fact or Fiction?
Do trail gnomes really exist? Holmes and Watson were unavailable, so the Board of Director recently set out to examine a question that has puzzled mountain bikers for years. The Legend Many riders believe that trail gnomes are native to biking systems. They labor [Continue Reading]
Legacy Trail Crew Makes a Big Dent
Huge thanks to the trail crew from Growlers Gulch Racing that hit Legacy on Saturday. Thanks also to Dara Hartman for organizing the effort. The crew included Dara, Laurie Larsen, Wynne Lobel, Chris Laughlin, April Kincaide, April’s friend Kalani, Nancy [Continue Reading]
Growlers Ride Report from Tony
Just worked out that I was back in town after grueling vacation stints in Vegas and LA and was able to connect with veteran rider Tony Harisimowic from Vancouver on July 17th. Tony has a great blog that details his wide-ranging ride experiences on 254 trails in 26 [Continue Reading]
Golden Spike in Pristine Condition
If a brain injury or bad DNA has left you unconvinced that the Growlers and Stella systems offer some of the Pacific Northwest’s best trail, Saturday’s ride would have changed what’s left of your mind. Joel, Dave, Jack, Erik, Lipton, Paul, Mel, [Continue Reading]
Three Vids from Kelley Hinkle
Thanks again to Kelley for providing several nice vid clips, this time from the Rocky Mountain demo day at Growlers on Thursday. Kelley rocking the Element on the Big Easy: Ken Noble (dark blue shirt) taters himself on the log at the bottom of Beauty. Bob [Continue Reading]
Rocky Mountain Demo Day Draws Big Crowd
The Rocky Mountain demo day, sponsored by Highlander Cycling, drew nearly 20 people to Growlers Gulch last week. John Olden, U.S. sales manager for Rocky Mountain, noted that 25 people showed for the demo day in Bend. He was impressed by the turnout at Growlers and [Continue Reading]
Growlers Trail Update
A small but efficient trail crew was out on Saturday to do clean up and repair at Growlers on June 18th. Big thanks to Dara and Jeff Muldoon, Vaughn Martin, Thomas Mueller, Brian Mahon, and Lance Brigman, who connected with me to knock a few items off the TDG [Continue Reading]
Godfather Falsely Accused
Normally, when I receive flak, I simply bust out my forgive-and-forget hat, turn the other cheek, and drive on. Unlike my brother, I don’t hold a grudge or rail about unjustified character assassination. But this time, it’s hard to remain silent. By [Continue Reading]
Vaughn Martin - Miracle Man
When I look back at 2010, it’s easy to find all kinds of candidates for “Story of the Year.” Eric Loney was second at the World Cup in Brazil and finished the season as the top-ranked pro in the Pacific Northest. Ryan McMaster completed the Bend [Continue Reading]
Biking Poem from an Eight-Year-Old
My number-one grandson, Carter J. Hanley, had surgery yesterday. See the photo at the bottom of the page. He has two more incisions further below the belt. It’s going to take him a while to get back on his bike, but this post is for him. I know most of you [Continue Reading]
Travis Eats Feces on Beauty
Travis is a beginner, but we’ve all been there. Too far forward. Out of control and trying to rein it in - and then the second obstacle shows up. [Continue Reading]
5K Sign-up
Who’s in? If I haven’t listed a start time for you, or if the one listed is incorrect, please let me know. Nicholas Baker - 7:30 Jack Berry - 7:30 Lance Brigman - 9:00 Chase Bryant - 9:00 Andrea de Ruyter - 9:00 Jerry de [Continue Reading]
Carnage at Siouxon
Andy Plassmeyer’s buddy Leif Hansen at Siouxon last weekend. [Continue Reading]
Growlers Trail Update
Big Wow: Dave, Keith and I raked off the Big Wow and the Ridge Trail. Dave also cut out the trees that were across the trail near the bottom. Jack had two buckets of rock along the trail, so we appropriated those and tamped the rock in on the Big Wow hill. By [Continue Reading]
Muddy Mamas Hit Growlers
Six members of the Muddy Mamas were at Growlers for their inaugural mountain biking ride on Sunday, April 10th. The crew included Tricia Allen, Amy Hartley, Tiffany Ostreim, Katy McEwen, Jenn Huffman, and Jessica Ness. All six borrowed rides, helmets and gloves [Continue Reading]
Plassmeyer and Friends at Growlers
Andy Plassmeyer, his sons and some friends came out for a ride at Growlers recently. They were grateful to be able to hook one of the kids up with a ride from the Bikes for Beginners fleet. Check the vid. Near the end you will see Andy go over the bars on the [Continue Reading]
Snow Ride
Dave, Denise, and I were the only ones dumb enough to show up for the Saturday morning snow ride at Growlers. There was a minimum of 3-4 inches of snow under the canopy, with 6 to 10 inches in spots. I was in 1-3 for almost the entire ride but it felt like 2-6. [Continue Reading]
GG5K Returns to Its Roots
The Board of Director has voted unanimously to make several minor adjustments to the 2011 Growlers Gulch 5K. We would like to make sure the 5K returns to its roots by emphasizing finishing as opposed to racing as the primary goal. Several people have noted that [Continue Reading]
Crew Breakdown for February 26th
Meeting Time: Be at the intersection of the 9312 and 9319 no later than 8:30. If you aren’t sure how to get there, meet at 8:15 (Growlers time) at the gravel parking area just past Four Corners. Same as going to Growlers expect as soon as you go through the [Continue Reading]
GG Pioneer Mike Patterson Returns to the Fold
Unless you rode at Growlers back in the day, you probably wouldn’t recognize Mike Patterson. You also probably aren’t aware that he is a GG pioneer who played a significant role in shaping today’s ride scene. Patterson helped the Godfather [Continue Reading]
Legacy-WTF Vid
Probably the best video to date of the DH run off Legacy and down the new WTF line. Thanks to Kelley Hinkle. [Continue Reading]
Jamiesons Sign with Yeti
Darrell and Chase Jamieson have signed contracts with Yeti Bikes for the 2011 season. Both will be riding Yeti’s new 303 RDH in downhill events. For trail riding, Darrell will be on an ASR 5 and Chase will have a DJ hardtail. They expect to have the bikes by [Continue Reading]
Camas Bikes Visits Growlers
A crew of 20+ from Camas Bikes led by shop owner Ed Fischer connected with a dozen Growlers riders for a tour of the system on Sunday, January 30th. Conditions were a little sloppy, especially on Jekyll and Vortex, but we were able to get most of the crowd to [Continue Reading]
High School Cycling League in the Works
Washington High School Cycling League Leaders’ Summit is Announced SEATTLE, Wash. – The first annual Washington High School Cycling League’s Leaders’ Summit takes place in Snoqualmie, WA, near Seattle, January 22-23 featuring special guest Matt Fritzinger, [Continue Reading]
Special Deal on Canfield Yelli Screamy
From Aaron Althaeuser Last December I had a chance to ride the Yelli Screamy with Chris Canfield of Canfield Brothers Bikes at Growlers Gulch outside of Castle Rock. I had contacted Canfield, asking if there were any bikes in the PNW that I could throw a leg [Continue Reading]
Trail Update
Thanks to everyone who came out on Saturday - despite the tough conditions - to help with trail work. New Line: We finished hacking out the connecting trail between Vortex and Legacy. A group of us rode it down on Sunday and it wasn’t bad. My [Continue Reading]
McMaster Hit by Car
Ryan, Ryan, Ryan. How many times has your Godfather warned you about the dangers of road biking? The story I got was that you were on your way back from work, riding on a multi-lane road, when a woman coming from behind at almost 40 miles per hour swerved into [Continue Reading]
Harmonic Convergence Set for February 5th
After a two-year hiatus, the Harmonic Convergence returns to Stella in 2011. It will be held on Saturday, February 5th. Organizers Bob Stanton, Joel Rogauskus, and Ken Pearson have extended an invitation to all riders with Growlers connections. Parking is available [Continue Reading]
Custom Bike Racks Now on the Market
Camas rider Jarred Jackman - who attended our mega-work party in November - has come up with an efficient bike rack design for pick-ups and garages. It’s well built, inexpensive, lightweight, and versatile. See photos at the bottom of this [Continue Reading]
Vortex Vid
Kelley Hinkle shot some vid of the new line on Christmas Eve day. There is even flow in a couple of spots on the way down. Check the vid at the bottom of the post. Greg Ogden, Miles Olin and Ryane Olin are handling the maintenance on Vortex. Big thanks to them for [Continue Reading]
Photos of Al
A few photos of Al Hansen, winner of both the Super D and Climbing Championship at Growlers Gulch in 2010. [caption id="attachment_6742" align="alignnone" width="459" caption="Fort Stevens"][/caption] [caption id="attachment_6744" align="alignnone" width="720" [Continue Reading]
Growlers-Stella Trail Update
GROWLERS Vortex Now Open: Dave, Jeff, Kelley and I went up to finish the newest Growlers line on Sunday. It eliminates the dreaded gravel climb from Upper Jekyll to the top of the 313 hill. Now you can gain the same amount of elevation without the inconvenience of [Continue Reading]
Canfield Brothers’ Yelli Screamy Reviewed
Ryan McMaster previously submitted a story about Chris Canfield’s recent ride at Growlers. In the article, Aaron Althaeuser provides a full review of Canfield’s Yelli Screamy. The Yelli Screamy is, by far, the best 29er hardtail I’ve ridden. It [Continue Reading]
Legacy Trail Gets Wheels
The new line at the top of the 313 hill has been getting some action of late. It could use more. As I mentioned previously, we need to hit this hard to keep the vegetation under control. Elevation: Kelley Hinkle says the elevation at the top is 1,728 feet. This is [Continue Reading]
Chris Canfield Rides Growlers
Story by Ryan McMaster It’s not every day that mere mortals get to ride with a mountain biking legend. Last Saturday, a group of local riders were given that very opportunity when Chris Canfield showed up at Growlers Gulch for a tour of the trails. In [Continue Reading]
Black Friday Beer Tour
In my eternal quest to find the spirit of Christmas, I loaded our rental van with the usual group of losers - Paul Norris, Dave LeMonds, Larry Morehead, Jeff Muldoon, Ryan McMaster, Jeff Lipton, and Lance Brigman, along with the incredible Melanie Norris [Continue Reading]
New Trail Gets Wheels
Dave, Lance, Lipton, Rob and I rode the new line on Sunday. There was 3-4 inches of snow in places, which complicated things. But as a guy told me once, “That just makes you a better rider.” I put together a very short vid to give you a peek. [Continue Reading]
White Brothers Fork on G-Bay
New in the box, never mounted, White Brothers Fluid 110 29er fork with 20mm axle now available from Aaron Althaeuser. $500 OBO. Contact Aaron at aaronalthauser@msn.com Specifications: Dropout 20mm thru-axle Brake [Continue Reading]
Hartman Studio Shows on Tap
GGG co-founder and ceramic goddess Dara Hartman is offering open studio shows from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, December 4th and Saturday, December 11th. Dara has a wide assortment of beautiful pieces available, so this is an excellent chance to pick up a gift [Continue Reading]
Bustin’ in the New Line
It was snowing on Sunday but Lance, Ryan, Keith and I decided to head up and check out the new line. Hey, somebody had to step up. The gate is probably going to be closed soon, so this was a rare opportunity to drive to the top and dive in. We rode it both ways. [Continue Reading]
Mega-Work Party Draws 90!
It was cold. It was snowy. But that did not stop 89 hardcore volunteers from showing up for the annual mega-work party at Growlers Gulch. The turnout blew away last year’s total of 67. [caption id="attachment_6424" align="alignnone" width="491" [Continue Reading]
Nuts and Bolts for Nov. 20th
Weather: Don’t expect it to be balmy. The weather-guessers are predicting a high of 44 and a low of 35 that day, with a 60 percent chance of showers. Expect it to be slightly colder where we will be working with a high likelihood of wind. This area feels like [Continue Reading]
Growlers Clean-up Nets Loads of Trash
Thanks to everyone who came out to help with the clean-up at Growlers Gulch on October 23rd. Twenty-seven people picked up enough trash to fill three pick-up trucks. Special thanks to Dave LeMonds, Chris Laughlin, and Keith Gianella who hauled the garbage to the [Continue Reading]
Growlers Retro Vid - Mr. Rogers
Ryane Olin put this together last year. Makes me nostalgic for Mr. Rogers. [Continue Reading]
Grandsons at Growlers
Somebody said it was a CPS violation to take a three- and four-year old to Growlers for their first trail ride. I disagree. If they can ride at Growlers, they can ride anywhere. Check this 60-second clip of my grandsons, Nick (3) and Sam Raheem (4) at the bottom of [Continue Reading]
Is This Really the Best We Can Do?
I assume there must be a big cribbage tournament or square-dancing extravaganza in town on October 16th. Obviously, something is limiting sign-up for the Growlers Gulch Climbing Championship. If, for some whacked-out reason, you are intimidated, this makes no [Continue Reading]
More Knorr
Contact Kevin Knorr at k-nor@earthlink.net FSA Gravity Light MegaExo crank arms/bottom bracket: Used for 5 rides. Some scratching on the bottom of the crank boss. Works as either a single or double/triple crank set. Price $165. I can provide chainrings 28/36T combo [Continue Reading]
Hansen Takes Super D Title
Al Hansen fought off a challenge from Project 529 teammate Eric Loney to win the Growlers Gulch Super D championship on Saturday, September 18th. Nate Marsh finished third to make it a clean sweep for Project 529. [caption id="attachment_5790" align="alignright" [Continue Reading]
Super D Itinerary
Who’s Coming: Eric Loney - 2010 World Masters’ Silver Medalist and the Top-Ranked PNW Pro on the 2010 Fluidride Cup Series Chase Jamieson - 2009 U.S. U-10 DH Champion Al Hansen - 2009 Pacific Northwest 19-29 DH Champion and 2009 [Continue Reading]
New RockShox on G-Bay
Nick Hansen is selling a new RockShox Domain 318 with Motion Control. Still in the box. Asking price is $350. Specs and photo below. Contact Nick by phone at 503.440.0383 or by email at tricky_rokstar@hotmail.com Coil spring system with internal preload [Continue Reading]
Golden Spike Officially Christened
Nearly 30 riders participated in the formal christening of the Golden Spike trail that connects the Stella and Growlers systems. The event took place on Saturday, September 4, and was organized by Ken Pearson and Joel Rogauskus. Total distance was 21.5 miles [Continue Reading]
Break Out the Black Arm Bands
Well, we knew it was coming. Weyerhaeuser has had the lower trails at Growlers ribboned and prepped for logging for more than a year. Based on feedback from one of our good Weyco sources, cutting will commence within the next few weeks. It’s going to take [Continue Reading]
Jamieson Sidelined with Injury
Darrell Jamieson will miss the Growlers Gulch Super D and the World Masters’ Championships due to a severe shoulder injury. The defending Cat 1 Masters champion was at the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Nationals at Granby Ranch Bike Park in Sol Vista, Colorado, [Continue Reading]
Twelve Riders Complete REA
The crowd was small but the tread and the temp could not have been better at the Growlers Gulch Ride ’em All on July 10. The event saw 12 people cover 31.5 miles with 5,300 feet of climbing. The 7 a.m. start and a high temp of 82 reduced the chances of [Continue Reading]
Golden Spike Vid
Maybe this will entice you. Nice vid from Bob Stanton of the descent on the Golden Spike, heading toward Growlers. The crew took about eight hours at a moderate pace to ride from the Stella gate the Monahan Creek crossing and back. [Continue Reading]
Ride Route Announced for 2010 REA
Who’s Dumb Enough? Jack Berry Tonya Breedlove Marcus Faber John Gibson Rob Larsen D. LeMonds J. LeMonds Jeff Lipton Denise Livingston Ryan McMaster Thomas Mueller Dara Muldoon Jeff Muldoon Greg Ogden Randy Toney Mike Van Hoose 2010 REA Ride Route - [Continue Reading]
Two Wheels Down, Three to Go
If you completed the GG5K, you know that the wheel you received for riding the Tour de Gulch was a gimmee. The next one won’t be that easy. The Ride ’em All is on tap for Saturday, July 10th and you will have to earn this wheel. If you can suffer [Continue Reading]
How Dumb Are You?
It’s well-known that we have some of the dumbest riders in the region. Help us prove it by signing on for the 2010 Ride ‘Em All, a hurts-so-good event in the Growlers’ tradition. The fun begins at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 10th and will end [Continue Reading]
Van Hoose, Livingston Score Points at Vernonia
Denise Livingston and Mike Van Hoose came up big at the Vernonia Short Track Mountain Biking Race on June 12th. Mike covered the six-lap course in 45 minutes to finish sixth in Men’s Cat II 35-44, while Denise was third in Women’s Cat II 35-44. Both [Continue Reading]
Tour de Gulch XIII Defeats Gloomy Forecast
You can’t count on the weatherman to come up with a decent forecast, but you can count on Growlers Gulch Racing to deliver a sterling single-track experience at the annual Tour de Gulch. This year was no exception, as nearly 60 riders enjoyed tread that held [Continue Reading]
TDG XIII Event Details
Entry: $5 for all participants. Don’t forget to bring $20 for Dara if you ordered a cup. Parking: Please carpool. If it’s dry, you can park along the driveway. There is also parking on the right side of the spur road just past my driveway. Be here and [Continue Reading]
June 12th Work Parties, New Lines Coming Soon
June 12th Work Parties will be buffing things out to prepare for the Tour de Gulch the following weekend. Here’s the plan. Be sure to check where your group is meeting at what tools you need to bring. Start time is 9:00 a.m. Don’t be late. • Rob and [Continue Reading]
2010 Growlers Gulch 5,000 - Vid
Multiple hours of pain boiled down to four-and-a-half minutes of video that includes 21 clips and more than 20 photos. I’m watching this on my laptop in the kitchen. I’m dry, my adductors aren’t screaming, and I’m not cramping so bad I look [Continue Reading]
Video from Sam Loney
Fortuately, the women of Growlers do not need to subscribe to this offer. [Continue Reading]
Brigman Helps Team Bike Tires Direct to Title
Not satisifed with the workout he got at the Growlers Gulch 5,000 on Saturday, Lance Brigman traveled to Corvallis, Oregon, on Sunday, May 23, to help Team Bike Tire Direct win the the OBRA Team Time Trial Championship. This is Brigman’s sixth OBRA win of [Continue Reading]
Video - Donkey Punch
Jeff Muldoon shot this vid with an HD helmet-mount camera. Jeff is following Mike Van Hoose down the Donkey Punch trail at Growlers. Van Hoose — Donkey Punch from Dooner on Vimeo. [Continue Reading]
TDG XIII Set for June 19th
For the thirtheenth consecutive year, the foremost mountain biking event west of Castle Rock on the third Saturday in June will take place at Growlers Gulch. The 13th Annual Tour de Gulch will be held on Saturday, June 19th, with the usual festivities to follow at [Continue Reading]
McMaster Wins 5K Title
Ryan McMaster of Growlers Gulch Racing hammered a strong field as he cruised to an easy victory in the Growlers Gulch 5,000 on May 22nd. The 2010 5K was sponsored by the great beer people at Belmont Station. In an incredible tribute to the this year’s [Continue Reading]
Video - Alley Oop
This was shot with my HD camera with a chest mount on the first part (the fun part) of Alley Oop. I didn’t include the second half since you would have seen nothing but a couple of fat boys huffing up the hill. [Continue Reading]
Team Fajardo Threatens Return to GG5K
Shock. Anxiety. Fear. I felt all of those things in an instant last week when I received a formal request for an overnight camping permit from Team Fajardo. They have not fully committed to the ride, but the application for a camping permit will likely be [Continue Reading]
Board of Directors Tabs 5K Favorites
Five members of the Board of Directors of Growlers Gulch Racing have gone out on a very shaky limb to predict the top finishers and times at the 2010 GG5K. Keep in mind that this group is not the smartest. I was forced to rely on them because they do nothing at [Continue Reading]
Latest Trail News
Growlers News: Dave, Jeff, Ryan and I added two berms to Lower Jekyll and fixed the second creek crossing. We also added a series of berms to the first Lower KMA and did some work on Bitter Bitch. June 5th Work Party at South Coldwater: We will be leaving from the [Continue Reading]
What’s the Problem with No Problem?
We seem to have a recurring problem with No Problem. In January, the Board of Directors met to come up with some general guidelines for trailbuilding and trail maintenance at Growlers. You can view this information at [Continue Reading]
Ridiculous Training Taints 5K Spirit
Remember the golden days when the Growlers Gulch 5,000 was a mellow ride, not a stroke-inducing hammerfest? This year’s participants have taken things to absurd new levels by starting their training earlier and hitting things harder than ever. As the Voice of [Continue Reading]
Training Update - 60 @ Sixty
First, I’d like to thank everyone who has pledged support or indicated that they plan to do so. Thanks also to those who have provided encouragement. It means a lot. The response has been outstanding and very inspirational. It adds a little pressure since I [Continue Reading]
Training Advice for Women
This info is from The Cyclist’s Training Bible by professional trainer Joe Friel. Training Advice for Women Studies have deomonstrated that elite women athletes have aerobic capacities somewhat below that of elite men. The highest VO2 max ever recorded for a [Continue Reading]
Breedlove, Loney Overcome Evil, Dominate at Soaring Eagle
Training at Growlers Gulch is definitely paying off. Tonya Breedlove placed first and GGG teammate Sam Loney took second in the beginner’s division at the Soaring Eagle XC race in Redmond, Washington, on March 21st. The event, which was sponsored by BuDu [Continue Reading]
Van Hoose, Norris, Butler Conquer 5K Quiz
Mike Van Hoose was the first respondent to answer all ten questions correctly in the GG5K quiz. The questions were posted at 8:00 a.m. on Monday; amazingly, the reigning 5K champ had his answers in by 8:26. “It was a slow day at work,” Van Hoose [Continue Reading]
Project to Improve Parking at Stella Trailhead
Brad Burger is heading up a project to improve the parking situation at the Stella trailhead. Burger has agreed to front the cost for having gravel trucked in. He has also been in contact with Mark and Shelley White, whose father owns the parking area. Mr. White [Continue Reading]
Test Your GG5K Knowledge/Win Beer
Let’s play for keeps. First person to correctly answer all 10 questions gets their choice of a 22-ounce Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine (9.25 percent/100 IBUs) or a Southern Tier Unearthly Imperial IPA (11.0 percent/100 IBUs). If no one gets all 10, the [Continue Reading]
Ride Route Set for GG5K
View list of participants. View ’09 times and race report. The Board of Director of Growlers Gulch Racing has finalized the ride route for the 2010 5K. The ride will be broken into four legs totaling 5,000 feet of elevation gain over approximately 26 [Continue Reading]
How the Other Half Lives - The Godfather Rides Road
I know that Mike, Lance, Jack, Denise and others actually enjoy road riding, so - since I was in Bellevue hanging with my grandsons this weekend and unable to get on single-track - I decided to climb on my Niner hardtail and give it a try on the posh [Continue Reading]
GG5K Hits Max Ridership
When it comes to stupid, we are number one! We maxed out at 35 on Friday, which is up from 24 last year. Now the minor details - learning the route, training for the event, and finishing. Very cool that nine women are signed up for this year’s [Continue Reading]
GG5K on the Not-So-Distant Horizon
Defending Growlers Gulch 5,000 champ Mike Van Hoose once said, “At Growlers, the dumber the event, the more people show up.” Here’s your chance to prove him right. Sign-up begins now for the storied GG5K, the first event on the 2010 ride circuit [Continue Reading]
Trail Update, Spike, Parking, 4-Wheelers, LT
Trail Update: Paul, Mel, Ryan McMaster and I connected with Darrell, Eric, Casey and Ryan Hicks on Sunday to work on Bitter Bitch. We added a switchback and a reroute near the bottom. These will transform the BB climb from ridiculously painful to just really [Continue Reading]
Local Trail Update
Golden Spike Joel Rogauskus led a crew that included Paul and Mel Norris, Brad Burger, Ken Pearson, Jerry DeRuyter, and the mysterious Derrick. They completed 1-2 more miles of the 4.5 mile reroute, leaving approximately one mile to go. Paul said the new line is [Continue Reading]
Mel Norris Suffers Injury, Fans Concerned
I have received several reports about the knee injury Melanie Norris suffered on Sunday. She apparently went over the bars and landed on rocks. The result was five stitches in the emergency room at Legacy Salmon Creek, followed by a Vicodin and a medicinal [Continue Reading]
Another Day Older and Deeper in Debt
Yes, my brother, Dave, turns 56 today. For a guy who’s almost as old as Lipton, the old geezer still gets around pretty good. Leave your birthday wishes at the bottom of this post. It probably won’t surprise you to learn that Dave was a problem child in [Continue Reading]
Golden Spike Work Party This Saturday
Joel Rogauskus is asking for help with the final 1.5-miles of the reroute of the Golden Spike trail, a unique 12-mile single-track link between the Stella and Growlers Gulch systems. The work party will take place Saturday, February 20th. Joel asks that you bring [Continue Reading]
Carnage and Canoe Log Vid
These two clips courtesy of Kelley Hinkle show footage of the middle part of Carnage. In the first vid, John rolls the canoe log with his 29. Things don’t work quite so well in the second clip when Miles tries to do the same thing on his 26. [Continue Reading]
Cozysweet Has an Accomplice - Episode #8
I-5 was reduced to a skating rink, the landscape lit by flares and the flashing lights of emergency vehicles and tow trucks. We were crawling by the time we reached the 6th Avenue exit in Vancouver. I decided we needed sustenance. On a whim, I veered over to By the [Continue Reading]
GG Trail Guidelines
Members of Growlers Gulch’s Adopt-a-Trail program met at the Backstage Cafe in Kelso on January 20th to establish informal guidelines for trail maintenance and construction. There was general agreement about the following: No one is obligated to add [Continue Reading]
GGG Vid Clip
After starting the new year with a big ride early in January, the Growlers Gulch Girls will have things rocking again this Saturday. Ride time at Growlers is 11 a.m. GGG queenpins Melanie Norris and Dara Hartman promise that the pace will be mellow and have tagged [Continue Reading]
New Trail Line
You can count on Dave to make sure that you get the most out of your health care dollars. By jettisoning some of his trivial “work-related” projects, he has once again found time to conduct extensive research of area topo maps. The result is a [Continue Reading]
GGG Kicks Off 2010 in Style
The Growlers Gulch Girls got the new year started with a group ride at Growlers on Saturday, January 9th. Fourteen women showed for the event. GGG queenpin Melanie “The Hammer” Norris and her assistant Dara “Hardball” Hartman took the crew [Continue Reading]
Mountain Bike Quantum Physics
Neat vid of a Tuscon rider who charted routes from his home. At first, I thought the vid was tracking Denise Livingston as she tried to escape A, B, C. Courtesy of Paul Norris. Mountain Bike Quantum Physics from Scott Morris on Vimeo. [Continue Reading]