Busco Beach Trail Ride - Input Wanted

[CBass]

I love this group, and enjoy riding with all of you. It does suck to miss out on some of the rides and to not get to ride with each and everyone of you like Mike said to start with. I like the idea of one large group ride on Saturday. I would say Saturday morning around 10 would be ideal, you get enough time to sleep in and for those that got maintenance issues, you get sometime in the morning to work on things. The afternoon brings heat and with some of us driving from long distances away, a nap would do the body good.

I am an early riser (6 or 7) and would gladly help anyone that has issues in the early morning. Lewis' idea with the dry erease board is great. You could post Start time, who's leading and those in that group. I would also add in trail/direction you are going because if there are some that can't leave at that time they might know the trails well enough to catch up. This would even be good for smaller group rides if they wanted to post what time and direction they headed out in just in case others wanted to catch up and join them.

I will say one of the great meeting spots on the trail is where we met up this last ride by the bridge (the one I was stuck under) that is right next to that one open area that everyone gets stuck in where Jim was up to his knees in on the night ride. Also for a large group ride it would be cool for those of us that have ants in our pants to scout ahead for nice mud holes or obstcales for the group to go though along with by-passes for the new riders and then double back for the group. That way you are still moving instead of sitting for a long time. When it comes to smaller groups I know some just like to ride, some like the mud, some like the swamps, and others don't care but if it is posted where you are doing, it might attacked others that want to join. Just wanted to add my thoughts.

[lewis]

I like the 10:30 to 11:00 start time for the day group ride on Saturday and as Jim said 30 machines at night is a bit much the ride gets lost in the translation. There is very little to video in the dark except the occasional "did you see that" item. Saturdays are when all are on site and wanting to ride with each other. With at least one structured ride I think it would fit what we are looking for as far as the group ride. Fridays we can still use the same tactic for a ride or two. A little structure is good. The board could be used for many things to help make the event more fun for all. I think one thing that I miss was in the evening all the (guys and ladies) would sit down with something that they prepared and we all ate together and fellowshipped. Will this work now, don't know with such a large group, but it sure was fun. I know you members that travel very far want to get as much stick time on the trails as possible with a balance of fellowshipping with the members= Putting names to faces is always nice. I look forward to each ride with the group and come away with NEW great memories for the scrap book.

Just my 2 pennies.

[racerone3]

One of the many factors in us not attending the Busco rides over the last few years is how little riding we actually get to do for the money we spend. Back when there were 6-15 of us attending we covered a ton of ground in a weekend, and still managed a ton of socialization. The last several rides have been an exercise in trying to plan a ride without leaving people behind and instead of social time, running camp to camp to plan. The second factor actually pertaining to the ride is that when I show up, I am usually expected to lead. I don't mind doing it some, and almost always can find camp if we get lost but I would like to ride back in the pack and actually see what other people are doing sometimes.

I for one am not a fan of "the big ride" although I would gladly participate (not lead) in a 10am Saturday ride. I would also be willing to lead one ride per day and I'm sure my wife would ride back of the pack to make sure no one gets left. Along with a dry erase board with times, we could laminate a google earth map of the park and # zones on the map to indicate general direction the ride is headed. Then on the dry erase board, mark a leader, a zone, 10 empty sign up slots and a tail rider. Fill in your name and show up if you want to go. This would have to come with the understanding that if the posted leader mangles a machine or is having an epic time on a 10 am ride, someone else has to step up.

Racerone3. 2pm saturday Zone 6 (swamp behind camp). Racerone3sgirl
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Racerone3sgirl

Those who don't want any structure, don't sign up for rides and do your own thing.

This does nothing to address the issue of not getting to ride with everyone, but as the event continues to grow that has gone from hard to nearly impossible.

My 2¢

[MAX IV Mark]

There are lots of free "find my friends" apps out there that run off GPS coordinates and show you everyone on a map on your smartphone. It would be nice to find a good one and designate it the official one for the ride. That way you would know if someone was left behind or be able to join up with a ride in progress. Sounds good in theory at least.

[lewis]

Race good to hear from you again. I was thinking the same thing about the laminated map. Several of the regulars could do the recon and mark some routes on the map. I think that a lot are worried about not being able to find their way back or worry about a mechanical problem and return to camp machine left in woods. This is not the case as far as i know everyone has made it back in some form or fashion. I don't mind leading either but do not want to do it all the time. I do not always go through all the mud holes but do not mind to stop and smell the mud if members want to jump in. There is no really getting lost unless you cross the road or river you can only be detained or misdirected internally in the park. I don't do as much night riding due to vision but will go time to time. Our one landmark for night rides is the lite tower but sometimes it is obscured by the trees but you will pop out somewhere on a main trail head and be good to go. I have a lead foot if i am in front a lot of times and like to haul butt in the trails when i get a chancebut i will not leave anyone behind. The wife and i plan to make a trip or two to Busco for a day ride and can do a little trail marking prior to the end of the year.

[fmints]

There are lots of free "find my friends" apps out there that run off GPS coordinates and show you everyone on a map on your smartphone. It would be nice to find a good one and designate it the official one for the ride. That way you would know if someone was left behind or be able to join up with a ride in progress. Sounds good in theory at least.

Great Idea Mark,, I like it!!!!

[amphibious drew]

Great Idea Mark,, I like it!!!!

He stole that idea from swift. Swift puts those apps on all his lady friends phones to make sure he is at least 1 mile away when 2 of them intersect.

[fmints]

He stole that idea from swift. Swift puts those apps on all his lady friends phones to make sure he is at least 1 mile away when 2 of them intersect.

Swift is a smart dude!! Very clever!!

[JoeMeg]

He stole that idea from swift. Swift puts those apps on all his lady friends phones to make sure he is at least 1 mile away when 2 of them intersect.

Back in the good old mid 70's,my friend and I were sitting on his parents front porch when a group of about 20 girls came around the corner with a piece of rope terminated in a very interesting looking loop. They all had 2 things in common.
1. Find Bobby Kimble
2. Use the piece of rope
Bobby could've used a cell phone with some clever apps back then!!

I'll leave this thread alone now

[CBass]

Race glad to hear from you. Miss yall once again. I aggree with you about not leading all the time. I don't mind doing it but I also like being in the middle or back to enjoy the mud. I was just thinking this morning about using Google Earth to mark the trails I know on a map and to post once there at Busco so others can mark trails they are going on in case others want to join. There is a plenty of area to cover and I am sure everyone wants to cover as much as they can. I like the idea of a gps link/app that we could use to follow or catch up with a group. I am not that tech smart but I am sure someone here is.

[locolouie]

I'm DUMBER THAN A ROCK

[Shawn H]

Ok ok I'll lead, but I don't know where I'm going, that has not stop me before!

[racerone3]

Ok ok I'll lead, but I don't know where I'm going, that has not stop me before!

Perfect! 6 years ago none of us knew where we were going.

[amphibious drew]

Perfect! 6 years ago none of us knew where we were going.

Sometimes the best rides happen by mistake. Knowing where you're going only matters when trying to get back to camp.

[john swenson]

hey guy's , this is going great !! sounds like by the time april comes we will have this down to a science. and we have all winter to fine tune it. fun for sure.
and if we can get don and his boys to show, who know's how it will turn out. johnboy va.