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"dgaddis1" wrote
Another win for the CSRA. We just got a pump track! First, THANKS are due to those involved in making it happen:
Specialized Bicycles, the City of North Augusta, SORBA-CSRA, Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse, Fox Racing Shox, the Augusta Futurity, B4 Construction & Consulting, Inc., and WH Reeves Construction Co.Press release:
SORBA-CSRA in conjunction with the City of North Augusta and Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse have contracted B4 Consulting and Construction Inc. to build a bicycle pump track!A pump track is a dirt course full of small hills and turns that form a circuit. Riders traverse the track, not by pedaling their bikes, but by “pumping” their bikes. A rider uses their entire body to create speed and momentum carrying them throughout the pump track. On a properly designed pump track, riders can do as many consecutive laps as their fitness and skill level allow with only a few initial pedal strokes. A pump track is an absolute blast for riders of all ages and all skill levels.
Construction is scheduled to begin April 4 with a projected completion date of April 18. The pump track will be located behind the North Augusta Activities Center at the old campgrounds in Riverview Park. It’s a perfect recipe for family fun complete with a covered picnic area, a grill, and restrooms nearby. And since it’s just off the Greeneway, it’s only a bike ride away! This will be yet another great recreational offering for the CSRA.
The Riverview Pump Track is being made possible by the following contributors: Specialized Bicycles, the City of North Augusta, SORBA-CSRA, Andy Jordan’s Bicycle Warehouse, Fox Racing Shox, the Augusta Futurity, B4 Construction & Consulting, Inc., and WH Reeves Construction Co.
Future plans for the area include a “bicycle skills area” consisting of skinny bridges, rock gardens, and other natural obstacles, as well as 3 miles of single-track, mountain bike trails. When complete North Augusta will be a total “ride center”.
I finally made it out there this afternoon for the first time – the track itself was actually finished last weekend. It’s sweet! Ben did a really great job. If you’re coming to the Summit there will be an official grand opening party Friday night. You can ride to it from the Marriot.
The whole area is really nice. It’s tucked away in the woods, lots of shade, nice pavilion, just a really cool place to hang out. With such great weather I was surprised to have the place all to myself this afternoon, except for all the disc golfers walking by.
Alright, on to the pics!
Coming out of the bowl, this is the view. Lots of rollers on the tree-side of the track, 8 or 9 I think. A few options to cut to the interior section of the track. The sun overexposed my pic…
At the other end of the track there’s two lines. The inside line is SUPER tight radius, steep berm. Can’t wait to see someone else ride it, with any speed you have to go pretty high on the berm, and really lay the bike over. It’s fun.
See how steep the inside berm is?
Standing on the top of the outside berm you get a good view of the track. The rollers on the pavilion-side of the track are tighter than the tree-side. There’s all kinds of different lines on the interior section of the track. A few places to get air if you’re into that sort of thing.
The hexagonish thing has lots of lines over it. Be creative!
Getting closer to the bowl. Narrow and very steep jump on the right of the picture, almost like a spine. Again, there’s an inside and outside line. BUT, the back side of the inside line is another berm, making the outside line a bowl. And there’s four ridges running along the bowl/inside line. LOTS of different line options here.
The inside of the bowl still needs some work, not many people riding this yet.
That’s the track! Now, on to the log features. These things blew me away, Ben is an artist. You’ll see in a few pictures…
The little guy. This is for folks to learn how to ride over logs. It’s tapered, so there’s varying heights. This is the high part.
Low, high, and everything in between. Sorry it’s overexposed….
The log ride. This thing is awesome. Starts super low and wide. Gets higher, and narrower as it goes. The left line is the lower/easier line…sort of. I fell twice on it. The kink at the far end doesn’t play well with my long wheelbase 29er…I have to go as wide as possible so the rear tire doesn’t drop, but since the log isn’t flat on top, you can only go so wide. I dropped each tire off opposite sides of the log, and down I went. Twice. Nice.
Ben put his logo in the low side.
The high side is black diamond rated.
It’s not level either…don’t want it to be too easy.
It gets higher and narrower the further you go.
The high line ends right after you go between two trees. My bars are pretty narrow, and I don’t have tons of room.
See how rounded the top of the log is at the end? This makes it interesting since it leaves just a few inches of usable space.
Now, the details. Check out the joints where the logs join. Ben did all of this with a chainsaw. I’m impressed.
Shims keep everything tight and solid.
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Super rad, can’t wait to check it out!
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