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Mtb TR - Colonnade bike park, Seattle

cbcbd

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So, since I have moved here I have shamefully not made it to Whistler yet, I've done minimal mtb cuz I had to fix the thing, and had been trying to find somewhere to replace my weekday haunt like I had in the East.

Well, trails here are different. I'm in the city and although there are plenty of parks everywhere, most of them are not really built for biking, biking is not allowed, or even if they were they just wouldn't provide continuous lines or technical terrain for a challenge - rock gardens aren't really things that naturally happen here.
30mi from the city you can get to the mountains and the sort of ride with 4+ miles uphill followed with a looong (4mi) good downhill. Good stuff, but not practical for regular weekday rides.

So this group called Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club began a project. They took an unused lot downtown under the highway and built something very cool... yesterday I had a little time and checked it out.

Tight twisty singletrack with log bridges, teeter totters, rollers, skinnies, rock gardens, multiple steps up/down, small drops, trials area, pump track, wall rides, rollercoasters, huge drops, huuge roller, jumps, looong skinnies... anyway, the place is really amazing and very well built (they are slated to finish the whole thing by oct 08).

I think I need to scope out chainlove for a full face ;)
Here are a few pics:
Easy section, many switchbacks, log bridges, skinnies, tetters
P1030867.jpg

P1030865.jpg


Wall ride, rollercoaster
P1030862.jpg

P1030860.jpg


Small drop, leading to huge roller:
P1030861.jpg

P1030859.jpg


P1030863.jpg
 

MR. evil

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Is that what you are planning for your backyard Tim?

Definitely a different type riding.

Not even close! I am just making a few cheesy obsticals so we can work on our bike skills. I JUST finished a 12'-0" long bridge about 10" wide. It is sitting on the garage floor as I write this. Now I just need to think about what else to make with the rest of the wood I have.
 

Trekchick

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Not even close! I am just making a few cheesy obsticals so we can work on our bike skills. I JUST finished a 12'-0" long bridge about 10" wide. It is sitting on the garage floor as I write this. Now I just need to think about what else to make with the rest of the wood I have.
I'll take some pics of the 'backyard' bike course one of my GF's sons built. He's an ambitious kid who has no access to cable tv or video games.
You'll get some ideas, I'm sure.
 

o3jeff

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I'll take some pics of the 'backyard' bike course one of my GF's sons built. He's an ambitious kid who has no access to cable tv or video games.
You'll get some ideas, I'm sure.

Is that the back yard were they ride the fence? If so was pretty neat. I snooped around one of the vid links you posted?:grin:
 

cbcbd

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They call this park a bike skills park, not a freeride park... I guess the drops aren't big enough for that? There's some big stuff I wouldn't touch... or just roll over :D

It is cool to see what they did with this space... a space that otherwise would've been forgotten and overgrown.

Nice thing too about it being under the highway is that it'll stay dry during the rainy months! At least I hope :)
 

cbcbd

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Here are some more pics to give evil some ideas ;)

Practice area
P1030868.jpg


Top of the switchbacks:
P1030869.jpg


Drops
P1030870.jpg

P1030872.jpg


More walls
P1030871.jpg


Start to rollercoaster
P1030873.jpg


Long skinny
P1030874.jpg

which ends at a loop
P1030875.jpg


This zig zagging route
P1030877.jpg
 

Greg

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So this group called Backcountry Bicycle Trails Club began a project. They took an unused lot downtown under the highway and built something very cool... yesterday I had a little time and checked it out.

Looks very cool, but I'm surprised they received permission to do this. Who owns that land?
 

severine

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Very, very cool use of otherwise wasted space! I don't think I'd have the guts to do much of that, but I like that they took advantage of the situation and made something out of it. Would be a great way to keep city kids out of trouble, too.
 

cbcbd

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Looks very cool, but I'm surprised they received permission to do this. Who owns that land?
The city, and it is basically a city park. BBTC worked directly in conjunction with Seattle Parks and Recreation. They raised a lot of money themselves through donations and also got a grant from the city.
They started building this in '05 with the work of volunteers. I think I'm going to hit up some volunteer days, it's just a great job they've done here and hopefully other cities will follow.

edit: land is officially owned by the DOT

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/getaways/309155_colonnade29.html
 
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Greg

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The city, and it is basically a city park. BBTC worked directly in conjunction with Seattle Parks and Recreation. They raised a lot of money themselves through donations and also got a grant from the city.
They started building this in '05 with the work of volunteers. I think I'm going to hit up some volunteer days, it's just a great job they've done here and hopefully other cities will follow.

Very cool. Most municipalities frown on stuff like that, I'd imagine.
 

Trekchick

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Very cool. Most municipalities frown on stuff like that, I'd imagine.
Our local town put in a skateboard, bmx park 4 years ago, in response to donations made on behalf of a local kid who died snowboarding. The donations covered the cost of the park building, but the upkeep is up to the city.

Edit: I took out the sad stuff about vandalism. No need to harsh your mellow.
 
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