Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountain biking. Show all posts
Lambert Park
YoshRama

Lambert Park
(biking info)


This is at the end of our ride...

So today Amjith and I did some more exploring. We found a nice rock jump on the Ziggy trail. This was more challenging than yesterday's jumps!




Here is Amjith biking down the first stretch of Ruin.
(Watch the red blur...)



I apologize for the poor quality, these videos were taken on my iPhone.

For those who are thinking about trying out Lambert Park, here are my thoughts:
This is an excellent place for both beginner and advanced mountain bikers. Beginners can focus on single track technical skills. It is quite rocky and there are some sharp turns. Beginners can stay on trails with mild elevation changes. Advanced bikers can simply let loose and play around. I would figure out where all of the fun downhills are, then plan the uphill routes accordingly. The downhills are fun to go down fast - though they always seem to end too soon! One major pro is that it is a four-season park. I'm curious to see how the riding is in the winter.

Is this the greatest trail in the world? No, but it's a "biking park," so play around, have some fun, and you will leave with a smile on your face. :)




If it is your first time and would like an intermediate/advanced route I, would recommend starting at the parking lot near the church. (map)
Head up High Bench for a nice cool uphill (alt route: River), turn left when you get to the Middle trail, then ride up Rodeo Up. Next, enjoy the thrill of Rodeo Down. Repeat Rodeo Up and Rodeo Down to your heart's content. This is a great bobsled-like downhill.
Now, take River (or Middle) to Ziggy. Take Ziggy up, and then back down again, it's not the best downhill, but it does have a couple of fun rock tricks that marked by diamonds around the intersection of Zag and Ziggy.
Halfway down Ziggy, take the ZPC trail and head up Poppy. Take Ruin down, and make most of the rock jumps! When Ruin hits a wide gravel road (the second gravel road you'll come across), head uphill. You'll pass the Homestead memorial to your left. Pass it and continue north northeast. This will connect to the Poppy trail. Continue to the top of the Poppy trail, where you have the option of riding down Ruin again, or if you're ready to head home, take the Luge down for a fun ride that seamlessly connects to High Bench, and will take you back to the parking lot.

Take a map with you! (Unless you don't mind braving the trails without a guide!)

My favorite downhills:
Rodeo Down
Ruin
Luge
(I haven't tried Lambert's Luge or Wildcat yet)





For more information on Lambert Park, visit utahmountainbiking.com.
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Adventure + experimenting = fun with a sense of accomplishment
YoshRama









Imagine yourself at a beautiful water park on a hill, surrounded by mountains everywhere you turn.











You grab your water tube and jump onto the first water slide at the entrance. This is going to be awesome! You get to the bottom of the first slide on an exhilaration high, but you quickly realize that the water park has been designed in such a manner that you can not tell where you were supposed to go for the next slide. Luckily, you find that you have a waterproof map. There is a route drawn for you, so you can hit every ride in an efficient manner. "Awesome!" you say to yourself, and head in the direction of the next exhilarating ride. For each plunge you take, you have to find your way to the next slide as well as walk up exhausting flights of stairs that are the equivalent height of the next slide. There are no lines, but you feel like every 10 minutes you spend walking up, is rewarded by a mere 2 minute invigorating experience. Is it worth it? Of course! As a bonus, you have amazing views at the top of each slide. One slide is an enclosed tube, so there is no way for you to fall out. Experimenting a little, you find that at certain turns, when you position yourself in a certain manner, you go up so high on the side of the tube, that you begin to wonder if you can generate enough momentum to go so high that you actually circle the tube and make yourself upside-down for a split second. Now that would be intense! You go back and slide down several more times, each time being a little more daring. A couple of times actually succeed - it feels so smooth and effortless when it actually happens! Finally, you get tired and decide it's time to head back home. You know you'll be back though. You can't wait to tell your friends about this wonderful place!
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Lambert Park

That was pretty much my experience today mountain biking in Lambert Park. It was my first time, and I really didn't know what to expect. The pictures at the top of the blog are the pictures I took from the trailhead just after I got out of the car - it was beautiful!


Here is one of my fun "slides."



Here are pictures of the not-as-fun "stair" views.


...did I mention it's very dry here?


Instead of the tube slide where you experimented with high turns, I experimented with well-made rock jumping platforms:


The first time, I went over each rock really slowly, and it was similar to biking down stairs, really bumpy (the front tire hits the ground below well before the back tire does). However, the faster I got, I was eventually able to keep both tires in the air and land them at the same time. That was awesome! Though I can imagine, in the future, trying to show off and face planting...

I went up and down the first part of this trail about three times! Seriously, 1 minute to bike uphill, just for a 5 second downhill rush!


"Zag Tree"
A striking tree I found on Zag trail. Zag is an uphill trail that leads to a fun downhill ride called Ziggy!


No, not the fat clueless funny cartoon guy!

As I pedaled back to my car, I realized that one of these days, I might have to use one of these!

wooden benches, everywhere!


Can't wait to go back with Amjith tomorrow! ;)





For more information on Lambert Park, visit utahmountainbiking.com.
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