Oak Flat, Arizona -- Trials November 4

[thegraydog]

Oak Flat Trials is coming up. The site is an hour east of Phoenix, about 3000' elevation, on USFS with unsupported camping. These are from two trials in 2008, my first trials.

Freeriding out to the south












And Trials:







thegraydog, at the other end of my career...














I'll add the event flier when it goes up. Come join us!

[lineaway]

Great pics, Most places have rocks,usually round rocks. Arizona has the most brutal rocks ever!

[broncobowsher]

And sharp pointy plants that like to draw blood too.
Been out there many times, always run out of skill and nerve before running out of traction.
I plan to be there this time as well. Taking it easy, still waiting to see how the knee recovery is doing.

[thegraydog]

Have you ridden here, Bob? I come lately to the game, so know only a smattering of the history.....

[caryder]

Of all the places we compete, Oak Flats is my favorite. It will be a sad day if we lose that site to the mining operation.


Chuck

[lineaway]

Originally Posted by thegraydog

Have you ridden here, Bob? I come lately to the game, so know only a smattering of the history.....

No I have always wanted to, always a schedule conflict. It has always been on the CAT schedule as long as I remember!

[thegraydog]

[grizzzly]

its too bad that trials is on the same weekend as the NMTA 2day @ San Ysidro

[thegraydog]

Indeed. I'll be exhorting that my posse share schedules with yours next year.

I'll make a San Yo trials this winter, and bring some pals, I hope.

It's even worse -- I'm missing a mtn bike trip to Gooseberry Mesa on that weekend too!

Life is so full of a number of things....

[Gordy]

Originally Posted by grizzzly

its too bad that trials is on the same weekend as the NMTA 2day @ San Ysidro

Dang, that place looks killer. We may have to miss a SY event to try it out!


Greydog,
Do you guys only have this event in Nov.?

[DerViking]

We had one in February this year as well. Usually try to have two, but as alluded to above, we may loose it to a mine at any time.

If there was one AZ Trial I would unequivocally recommend making,even if you miss another fine event, it would be this one. I have never ridden anywhere as magical. Visiting in the spring after rain can be a religious experience.

Visiting when the Asshats from Phoenix are shooting with nothing but slickrock for backstop, not so fine. The Sheriff actually busted them last time we were down there!

[thegraydog]

Gordy, there's climbing and bouldering there too. I got kind of a buzz out of running over anchor bolts along the edge of a big drop, inside the ribbons!

The shooters -- feh. Anywhere around Phx somebody is gonna be trying to wear out his Mac-whatever. Amusing to be downrange, even though we'd talked to them, and having the richochets humming by. Not as hazardous as the terrain, I figger.

It's not as variable as San Yo, but it's a trials amusement park that takes more than one trip to know where you're gonna come out. Interesting that the Viking would put this one on top, over Moab, La Garita, Paria Plateau, The Little ***, *****, Black *****...... anyway.... [And he hasn't been to San Yo yet!]

Re the copper mine: that's the plan, but the recent six-year economic trainwreck has a, um, copper lining I think. I bet we'll finish our careers before they need Oak Flat.

[stoneyony]

Having only rode a buddies trials bike for a hour or so. Thinking about borrowing his bike and doing this after working graveyard Saturday.I have raced offroad the last couple years in b-class. What would I be in for? How out of place would I be in offroad boots and helmet? Just show up pay the $35,register and ride?

[thegraydog]

Absolutely. Consider an open-faced helmet if you have one, and consider hiking boots with kneepads rather than enduro boots. Some will be riding in street clothes. I wore elbow guards for a year or so until I wasn't hitting the ground so often.

There is enough strangeness about the bike and the format that you'll be satisfied in the novice class for your initial event. Trials is uniquely close and collegial -- lots of people around to watch and ask. If you take to it you can make a lot of progress in a single outing.

And after you ride the morning sections, you can watch the afternoon round which is somewhat mind-boggling. You'll be invited to check an afternoon section, but following the whole round would be better use of your day.

Welcome. Bring yer date! Somebody's gotta drive home....!

[stoneyony]

I don't own a open faced helmet.Do you think can get away with a enduro helmet?

Hiking boots, yeah I dont own any of those anymore either.Guess I can always use my steel toed boot's from work.

You think novice would be the class,not begineer. Since I do have some dirt bike experince.