Page 68 - AMB Freelist

combined with Stairway to Seven, makes a fun blue loop. We descend through the pines, flowing through large berms and tabletops. Trail builders all seem to have their own distinct style and have a certain feel to them, and Three Chillies- built trails are no exception. Hitting the first few berms in Easy Tiger, the feel is there. This is a Three Chillies trail. It is reassuring, and although I haven’t ridden the trail before, it seems familiar and finding flow is easy. I push, to no avail. The skill of the builders way exceeds mine and I’m dropped quickly. So, I focus on the turns and trying to land smoothly on the down ramps of the tabletops.
Towards the bottom with light rain misting through the pines, we regroup, and the cameras come out. Spurred on by the cameras, a series of berms are ridden and re-ridden with intent. Who can get through them the fastest without rolling a tyre or crashing? Mitch, showing full commitment
in the first run, goes beyond the limit of grip on the rain slickened final berm and ends up turned around 180 degrees facing the direction he has come from. This doesn’t dampen the spirits of the rest of the crew, and so berms are slapped again and again. Climbing back Stairway to Seven I’m relieved the pace isn’t fast. The riding this week is building up in my legs. This climb has steeper switchbacks at the bottom and the top and an extended more mellow middle section.
BLACK, WITH EXTRA BLACK
Moving on, we drive across to the Galena Trailhead and roll from there across to Man
vs Machine. “This one is Double Black,” we are informed. “There is a step down just off the
fire road. You can walk in to shoot it.” These statements can be taken as a challenge or a warning. I believe I know my abilities on the bike
well enough so accept it as a warning. I walk to the gap jump. The trail is steep, initially slightly off camber before straightening out and opening to the jump. It is the type of trail I like, until I see the gap. There is no trail between the lip and the down ramp. There is no B-line, and the gap is huge. Pete, Dave and Mitch hit it no problem. The trail continues, it is packed with massive features, step-ups, double rock drops and berms large enough to park a small car on. All of them are handled with steeze by the Three Chillies
trail crew.
Conveniently, on either side of Man vs Machine
there are two black trails that they want to show us. Black Ice, named for the slickness of the tread when wet, is a tight rocky natural trail following a creek to the north of Man vs Machine. And
the second half of The Local to the south. We ride sections of both trails, The Local being very steep and rocky in places. Black Ice has a British
67