On Sunday we drove all the way to Bailey mountain bike park, only to find out they were filled
up.
Yes Bailey has a maximum occupancy.
I bought a pass online beforehand, but forgot to click the thing with the date and… yeah,
so there we were with our full face helmets, no water bottles, and every intention to ride
park.
What to do?
Devil: You could shuttle bennet gap easily.
It’ll be awesome.
Angel: Climbing makes the descent more satisfying!
Don’t you want to earn it?
Devil: You need to STS.
Shuttle that shit.
A shuttle can be any kind of motorized transportation from town to a trail, but that’s not the
kind of shuttle I’m talking about.
I’m talking about “shuttling” a trail.
You know… driving to the top on some nearby access road, enjoying a free ride to the bottom,
and then using another car to drive back up and retrieve the shuttle vehicle.
Sure you lose out on the climb and the feeling of accomplishment, but c’mon.
You get a sweet descent and instant gratification.
It’s tempting.
But let’s say you’re pedaling that fire road to earn your descent.
Every time someone shuttles it they drive past you 4 times, twice with the shuttle vehicle
and twice with the other.
As you breathe in the dust and watch a tailgate full of bikes recede into the distance, you
could care less about how much fun they’re having.
In fact you may even call them shuttlecocks.
But traffic on the access roads is not the only issue.
A tough climb is a limiting factor of who can and will ride a trail.
Shuttling can open a trail to more skill and fitness levels, creating more erosion, braking
holes, and drainage issues.
While these are legitimate concerns, you’ll find varying attitudes towards shuttling depending
on where you go.
It depends on the trail and the community.
Of course if a trail is shuttleable, some riders will decide to STS.
In those cases, here’s how to not be a dick about it.
1.
First of all, consider shuttling a treat and don’t make it a habit
2.
Keep it low key and remember that you’re not at a downhill park
3.
You can also time your shuttles according to traffic.
In other words, don’t do it on Saturday morning when there are tons of people pedaling
the access roads.
4.
Also, consider pitching in.
Public trails don’t always have paid maintenance crews like private downhill parks do.
Pick up garbage when you see it, and drag any debris off trail to make way for those
pedaling behind you.
Angel: So, are you ready to earn your descent?
Devil: Nope, he’s gonna STS
I’m gonna STS.
And it was settled.
Bobo and I set out to find a willing recruit.
We picked up Gus from Squatch bikes, and made our way out to Pisgah.
We then parked Gus’s car near the end of the trail so we could use it to retrieve our
shuttle vehicle.
We drove up the gravel road with our bikes, which was about 3.5 miles.
On that day we didn’t encounter anyone climbing it, and I could see why.
The road was kind of treacherous and moderately trafficked.
Of course this discourages people from pedaling it which just leads to more shuttling and
more vehicle traffic.
I’m not really suggesting a solution to this, but it’s good to be aware of these
factors.
Nevertheless, we arrived at the trail to enjoy our free descent—hoping that we wouldn’t
cause the trail gods to become angry.
I could almost hear them taunting us.
“”Shuttlecocks””
The anxiety faded away real quick.
Bennet gap is absolutely beautiful.
In the spring, these Rhododendrons form tunnels of flowers, also known as Rodotunnels.
In the winter, you get nice views through the trees and there are vistas to stop at
year round.
“”shuttlecocks””
The trail is also as gnarly as it is beautiful.
That day I got some help from Gus, who knows the lines better than anyone.
If you ever get the opportunity to follow a pro racer, pay close attention.
You will absolutely learn something.
It’s important to note that Gus didn’t get this fast by shuttling.
When things level out or turn into a climb, he doesn’t slow down a bit.
When you pay the trail gods with a climb, they give you the gift of strength.
Shuttlecocks!
Those trail gods were determined to collect their fee.
We forged ahead.
Shuttlecoooocks.
And the mission was a success.
We pedaled a short way back to the car, glowing with exhilaration from our descent.
All we needed to do was drive to the top to get our shuttle car.
Wait.
Thanks for riding with me today, and I’ll see you next time.