West Thompson Lake Park 7-27-09

[drjeff]

Checked out another park in my area tonight with a good amount of enjoyment and frustration at the same time Was playing "beat the Thunderstorm" tonight so I didn't check out all the on map stuff, but a return trip will be happening for that!

Rode the yellow trail which loops around the lake and the Garmin had me at just under 5 miles. Parked by the South Overlook near the SW corner of the Dam and rode clockwise around the lake from there. The ride up the West side of the lake was tons of fun, a bit of open work rode on the first maybe 1/3rd and then lots of fun (and suprisingly dry) single track which had me really looking forward to the return trip down the East side of the Lake. Unfortunately, the East side has LOTS of really techy rock garden stretches that had me spend quit a bit of time out of the saddle hiking than in the saddle and riding All in all a good ride for me that definately warrants a return visit in my book (although next time maybe just and out and back along the West side rather than the full loop

 

[Marc]

Ah, the Thompson Dam. I cut my MTB teeth there so many years ago. Keep riding the East side. I took me quite a while to ride it clean, but it really improves your bike handling, balance and line selection abilities. Let me know if you ever want a tour... it's hard to get lost, though, now that it's well marked. There used to be virtually no trail markers there, but I think they got added, along with some of the bridges, as part of someone's Eagle Scout project.

I know the place so well that it was the first place I started practicing night riding.

 

[drjeff]

Ah, the Thompson Dam. I cut my MTB teeth there so many years ago. Keep riding the East side. I took me quite a while to ride it clean, but it really improves your bike handling, balance and line selection abilities. Let me know if you ever want a tour... it's hard to get lost, though, now that it's well marked. There used to be virtually no trail markers there, but I think they got added, along with some of the bridges, as part of someone's Eagle Scout project.

I know the place so well that it was the first place I started practicing night riding.

Yup, I vow that I will be able to ride that East side at some point! Marker wise, yup, don't know if it was Eagle scouts or what not, but 98% of it was very well marked and only once did I make a wrong turn which actually ended up on a nice scenic overlook at the North end and gave me a good excuse to hop out of the saddle and grab a few swigs of h2o from the camelback, so all was good!

Gotta get the Eagle scouts back though in one area on the North End as one of the small bridges they installed fell victim to some high water and was practically perpendicular to to the main trail, and let's just say that the mud/water were a bit thick and deep in that area as I was navigating(a much more appropriate term than riding given the recent rainfall ) through there!

I can see why a bunch of folks ride there! Fun stuff

 

[Marc]

Also, a good indication of your ability to balance is if you can ride the bridge over the river including the exit around the post and the rock without touching or putting a hand on the post (as I have done before).

 

[drjeff]

Also, a good indication of your ability to balance is if you can ride the bridge over the river including the exit around the post and the rock without touching or putting a hand on the post (as I have done before).

Was going to go for it(and probably crash in trying ), up until I saw the 12-18" deep washout the full width of the bridge on it's East side Due to all the rain lately and all the water that's been behind the dam (the NAE water regulation data has had the pool of water post downpours recently almost upto the 20 foot level in the last 2 weeks instead of it's normal 14 feet or so) there was some pretty distinct and fresh high water debris marks about a foot above the roadway just East of the bridge at the Northern end last night

We've had too much rain!