Dirt Jumpin' 101

The Victor Bike Park opened on the weekend of July 20th and that was my first ever experience riding in a bike park. Before the big build weekend, I was excited about the pump track and looking forward to honing my cornering skillz and learning to generate my own speed. However, I did not expect to get hooked by the dirt jumps. But then Fitzy let me take his new Norco Two50 dirt jumper for a couple of laps...and I didn't want to give it back to him. Despite the fact that I could only clear one out of three table-tops on the smallest jump line, I was having a blast.

Landing cleanly on the transition is the coolest feeling

I tried jumping on my Turner Sultan, clipped in and lycra clad, but it just wasn't the same. The low center of gravity, wide bars, compact frame, and overall burliness of a true dirt jump bike has a specific purpose...to launch you into outer space and then let you land safely. I had to have one. After all, I helped bring this park to fruition and I plan on spending a lot of time there in the future so I might as well have the right bike.

My new Dirt Jump Hotness

I had a small breakthrough last night at the bike park. I finally landed all three trannies on the small jump line...repeatedly. What a cool feeling! For those who have never dirt jumped, landing cleanly on the transition generates speed and sets you up to clear the next jump. If you come up short of the transition and land on the table-top instead, all speed is lost.

Tonight I am back to training and will attend the Tuesday Night World Championships in Jackson where I plan to launch to several Kamikaze attacks that will surely fail spectacularly. Ha!