Trip to the Moon (MTB Part 14)

... took a round-trip excursion last weekend to an area located in the 'Dunbar Mountain' region of 'Chestnut Ridge' known locally as the 'Moon'...

... about 19.5 miles there and back - follow the 'Yough River Trail' (YRT) from 'Connellsville' until you reach the obvious trail access gate just past 'Camp Carmel'...

... slip past the iron gate then it's a totally "non-technical" (but great)  ~1.6 mile hill climb following an old gravel and rock mountain road that parallels the picturesque 'Morgan Run' for most of the distance...

... gets pretty steep for the last quarter mile or so before topping out initially at the entrance to an old abandoned strip mine...

... just before the final steep climb to the 'Moon' which is actually the high ground of the old strip area (as usual, photos do no justice to the incline)...

.. pretty nice view out across the 'Laurel Highlands' from the top...

... it's a long, fast downhill retracing your tracks back to the 'YRT' - we were in no hurry so decided to check out a few old "attractions" on the return...

... but first came across this 'Wooly Bear Caterpillar' predicting a mild winter (they're correct ~80% of the time - same as the local weather "forecasters")... we like the 'dewdrops'...

... as well as some (very) fresh 'Black Bear' tracks - nice print...

... a size 11 for scale...

... then headed over to the nearby 'Buzzard Rocks' (known to climbers as 'Kraylick Rocks - never spoke to anyone who could explain the origin of that name)... 'brother Howie' at the precipice...

 

... 'ditto'...

... pretty nice view overlooking the stream valley from the "point"...

... some nice contrast between the fall colors, green 'rhododendron' and the gray sandstone rock...

... after that we stopped over to check out 'Blue Hole' located just across the valley...

... found some cool mushrooms growing in the hollow of this old tree...

... a pretty decent  old "one off" boulder (as we recall - been many years) located further down the valley...

... finally, a brilliantly colored 'Maple Tree' heading back along the 'YRT'...

... a "trail map" for information... (note: we incorrectly located the trail up thru the valley as shown here on several previous maps - this is correct)...

Comes the Time

... toward the light at journeys end...

... 1997 - 2015... so long ol' buddy - we shall meet again...

... update 10/30/15...

... livin' large in dog heaven - found an old buddy we see...

Everything's Alright Until It Isn't (MTB Part 13)

... just mentioned a few week back assorted "field fix's" of the past... so last weekend it was just like old times while peddling a favorite trail loop with 'brother Howie'... cold with a bit of snow and for the second trip in a row wound up accidentally jamming the rear derailleur with a downed tree branch - first time was able to bend the derailleur back into place and readjust - also was necessary to pry the broken plastic dust shield temporarily back into place - usually remove that useless part - cut it off using a 'Dremel Tool' and cut-off wheel a bit later in the week... bought the bike new a few years back and never got around to making the usual "off road modifications" (other than some better knobby tires) as the plan was to stick to only "easy old fart riding"...

... this time, however, snapped the derailleur off completely right at the mounting bolt - we're sure it was additionally weakened by bending back in place during the prior accident... wasn't the first time we encountered this problem...

... yep - it's busted... luckily we has just finished the last of the difficult riding and had only about a mile of upgrade with a few short hills followed by three miles of fast downhill to go...

... managed to shorten the chain as usual to ride single speed to make it "out of the woods"... 

... 14:22 (~ 0.64) gear ratio... not gonna' do much hill climbing without probably bustin' the chain, but you could ride the entire 'Yough River Trail' in this configuration to get ya' back to the vehicle... 

... beats pushin'...

Biking and Boulders (MTB Part 12)

... pedaled the 'Cow Rock Loop' (a.k.a.: 'Elk Rock Loop') last weekend... been a few years since we were up there... a little over six mile "round about"... around 960ft elevation gain in the first three miles...

... a bit steep, rocky and technical in a few spots - GoPro photo - doesn't do the terrain justice...

... rolling and fast up along the ridge top...

...  a few 'Elk Rock' boulders...

... "George Washington slept here" - he carves a pretty nice 'marijuana leaf' as well...

... 'Daddy Long Legs'...

... boulder giant with a few very steep (Tim Anderson and Co.) face climbs...

... nice view overlooking the 'Laurel Highlands' a bit further down the trail...

... immediately after which the real fun begins... Howie approaching a long, steep downhill...

... around 240ft drop in about 0.3 mile - washed out a lot worse than remembered - very loose with a few steep, technical ruts and boulder drops... again, photos do no justice...

... great rolling single track afterward overlooking the west flank of the 'Youghiogheny River Gorge'...

... "ditto"...

... a few decent "one off" boulders scattered there and about...

... final steep hill climb...

... before the fast "home stretch" - some very nice large boulders just beforehand - included the bike for scale...

... pretty nice boulder field - some large blocks pictured with a few others slightly smaller scattered about...

... been admiring this area for many years while passing thru...

... we talked about it a bit..

... but never made the short hike up to check out the considerable hard bouldering potential...

... too "old and decrepit" for that now'days - but here's a location map for anyone willing... park at the "frog pond" and hike up washed road - park further up the road at the 'Game Commission' gate if ya' got some decent ground clearance - follow the obvious four-wheeler trail to the left just near the top of the hill - mapped location is approximate, but take the upper trail to the left when ya' reach the trail intersection - if ya' start heading steeply downhill you're off route...

... back at the "frog pond"... loaded with "peepers" in the spring... people have really loaded up the area with dumped trash, though, since we been here last... too bad...

Tools - Old and New

... was rearranging some closet space which involved organizing new and packing away (probably for ever) some old camera and lighting gear...

... which included an assortment of film and digital format cameras ( above - in no particular chronology) ...

1 - Bolex H16 EBM (electric bayonet mount) 16mm (film) cinema camera

2 - Sony PMW-EX1 HD (digital) cinema camera

3 - Olympus OM-1 35mm (film) SLR still camera - first SLR ever purchased - beat it to death and is 

     still like brand new to this day

4 - Focal XL-303 Super 8mm (film) cinema camera

5 - Bolex H16 16mm (film) cinema camera (dropped it once and cracked the 12mm prime lens - hence

     the empty space on the lens turret - never got around to replacing the lens) - spring wound

6 - GoPro Hero HD (digital) cinema/still camera

7 - Canon EOS Rebel GII 35mm (film) SLR still camera

8 - Canon ES 4000 HI8 (video tape) cinema camera

9 - Canon GL2 SD (digital tape) cinema camera (never understood the term "digital tape")

10 - Canon EOS Rebel XT (digital) still camera

11 - Krasnogorsk K3 16mm (film) cinema camera - spring wound

... Ha!... wonder how many 'You Tube' videos you'd view now'days if ya' had to:

> ration each shot (only a few minutes of exposure on a 100ft film roll - additionally - spring wound

   cameras gave ya' between 17 to 25 seconds of exposure time)

> change film rolls by feel in a black bag

> send the exposed film out to a lab for processing and wait several days to view the processed

   footage - all the while hoping that you got something acceptable

> physically editing the processed "work print" by hand ("cut and paste" while tediously keeping track

   of all the "clips")

> pretty much repeating the entire process while editing the film nagative

> re-submit the edited and sound synchronized (two roll if 16mm) negative to the lab for final printing

   (all the while hoping ya' hadn't yet screwed something up)

... and I left out quite a few steps and associated functions to keep it short ... the majority of people now'days (including me, sorry to say) wouldn't even want to wait a day (or even one hour) to receive processed still photo prints from the local drugstore let alone view 'em for the first time...

... ya' gotta' love (and appreciate) modern technology... to a certain extent... with reverence for the old...

... Note: That old Bolex H16 originally belonged to an old WWII combat photographer and later (long retired) Hollywood cameraman who lived a few doors down from me in Silver Spring, MD - boy, did he have some Hollywood stories ...never mentioned the war...

Duct Tape, Wire Ties and Band Aids (MTB Part 11)

... began the Fall season riding regimen a few weeks back...

... with typical results while chasing 'brother Howie' thru the local forest...

... mounted a 'GoPro' camera to the handlebars last weekend for fun... a few stills...

... unimproved township road...

... leading up to some good "track and a half" along a favorite six mile loop up on the ridge...

... a bit rocky with a few good hills - photos do no justice...

... beginning of the final downhill which drops around 400ft in around 0.6 mile... just around the bend Howie is approaching (the last view ya' usually get of 'em before meeting at the bottom) it gets pretty technical with lots of large loose rocks and deep, steep ruts - a pretty good ride...

... found a few old photo prints while searching the "archives"...

... the same approach in winter...

... Howie along a good singletrack descent along the 'Elk Rock Loop' (around '98)...

... which has a few good scenic views...

... early morning - lot's of fog shrouding 'Indian Creek Valley'...

... 'buddy Matt' near the same spot during clearer conditions...

... and cooling off in 'Indian Creek'...

... some steep uphill along the 'Old Foundation Loop'...

... and fast downhill...

... Howie zippin' across the abandoned railroad trestle...

... and hangin' out with Matt...

... before the wide river crossing...

... a young Matt crossing a mudhole...

... and takin' a break along the 'Yough River' at what is now the 'Yough River Trail' - this was a few years before construction of the trail began - there was still a section of the railroad along this spot...

... Rob Goodman and Matt at the 'Indian Creek Reservoir' dam (print dated 1988 - Goodman on his old 'GT' before suspension - Matt on an old 'Novara' ) - remember that we were out exploring new trails that day - later after this photo we followed a steep trail we found near the mouth of the creek - the whole way up the ridge we kept encountering large half-buried rocks that had been recently flipped over - ? - at the top of the ridge we ran in to a guy cutting firewood who owned the property - we mentioned the rocks and he said that they had been flipped over by a large local 'black bear' looking for insects to eat - he said the bear weighed in excess of 600lbs and was a nuisance as it had been rolling around in his corn fields scratching it's back and taking out much of his crop... 

... the same two guys after stoppin' to make some repairs... sat down recently and made up this list of all the remembered "field fix's" performed over the years:

> Flat tires (patch or replace tubes - once Goodman packed his sliced tire with leaves and sealed the 

   sidewall with plastic and duct tape  - rode probably three miles back to the vehicle with no problems) 

> Adjust or replace numerous brake pads

> Adjust or replace brake and shifter cables

> Repair numerous broken chain links (a few times shortened destroyed chains as to ride out of woods  

   in single gear)

> Tighten or adjust bottom bracket or headset bearings (pre sealed bearings)

> Adjust/tighten wheel bearing cones - front and rear

> Replace front or rear axle

> Adjust derailleur - front and rear

> Replace broken rear derailleur (got to carrying an extra if conditions were extra muddy)

> Repair/replace bent or broken spokes and true wheel alignment

... Ha!... could have practically rebuilt a complete MTB... once Howie broke a seat bolt with quite a distance of rough trail ahead to return to the vehicle - there happened to be some logging machinery nearby (it was the weekend and the crew was off for the day) - we looked inside the cab of a 'Franklin Log Skidder' and found a whole coffee can of nuts and bolts, including the correct size! - has the bolt installed to this day... never once did anyone ever push their "wheels" back to the trailhead, although once Rob towed me five miles along the 'Yough River Trail' after stripping the ratchet gear in a rear cassette cluster...