Hi all

I'm planning on doing the race on the 27th and would ideally like to ride at least some of the course before hand. I live in Mass [~2 hrs drive] and will be up that way this weekend.

1) Can I get around with the town forest map off this site? What trails should I be sure to hit?

2) Any locals riding the trails this weeknd? I know 24 GG is this weekend, so many people may not be around.

Any info would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks...
-Rob

I think your just about correct as far as the 24 GG goes. Pretty much Rockboy and I are the only two that won't be at 24 GG, but Rockboy is away for the weekend and I am going to be riding the roads this weekend.
 
"If you brake, you don't win." Racer Mario Cipollini

Rob,

Couple things to know. The trail map on the site is a bit out of date, there is a few trails in the Town Forest that are not on the map and there are a lot of trails outside of the Town Forest that are not on the map. Next anything outside of the Town Forest is not marked and most of it is single track. I'm not sure the course is 100% set but here is how the course starts as far as I know:

Race starts in the field at the Newport High School, usually adjacent the track on the Rt 10 side, proceeds around the track clockwise. Next it enters the woods right of the Ski jump / Plummet and takes immediate right onto an unnamed trail, stay to the left on this trail in it dumps you onto Cheney St (tar road), stay straight and then turn left onto dirt road (Cheney St Ext) where you will see a chain across the road to keep cars out, proceed straight to the 4 way intersection and take right onto Forest Trail, go up Forest Trail and take right onto South Trail, then left onto South Boundary, cross Summer St and veer slightly right onto Snake Alley, next left at top of Snake Alley and quick left onto Summer St and quick right onto Tower Circle then left onto Forest and right onto Upper Loop, left onto North Trail, then take first left onto unmarked trail I call Inner North, right back onto North and stay right onto Ledge at the end of ledge left onto Upper loop and go straight through field past water towers and left onto Summer and ascends to the summit of Summer. That's the beginning of the race as I know it subject to change. The second time round you enter to woods from the field onto Lower Loop and left onto Ridge to Inner North to North to Ledge etc.

Coming back you will be heading up Summer then left onto the Pinnacle Summit Trail and directly across from Pine Link is an unmarked trail we call Pinnacle Bypass take right onto that which will dump you out onto Barton Woods, stay right onto Barton then take a left onto Old Barton on the map (not named) then stay right onto a new unmarked trail, and right again, then left back onto Barton stay straight onto Snake Alley left onto South Boundary right onto South, left onto No Name, left onto Forest, then bare right at 4 way intersection you came through at the start, go straight past the big 30 meter ski jump and come down the Plummet which you can see from the field and around the field clockwise again.

Pine Link and Bear Trap would also be good trails to become familiar with, the rest of the trails aren't on the map and I'm unclear of the order.

Perhaps PJ or Brian could chime in and clarify any mistakes I made.

Hope this helps,

Ryan

I will be marking it next week. but Ryan is generally correct. Go Down Pinelink, down Beartrap, then up outback which is not on the map, connects to Skunk hollow and follow summer street extension back up to Pinelink where you take a right onto Bypass directly across from Pinelink (not on map) to get back down follow that until snake alley, then southboundary trail to south trail to noname trail, down forest trail and fly down the ski jump.

Is is a bit confusing to say the least, and I was hoping we could send a guide with you, but as stated we all will be at GG. Explore the trails as best you can.

The most confusing part is Outback to skunk hollow connection. Once you come out of Bear Trap into an open area, go straight until you see an orange container then take a left up the road. stay on this road as you climb up (don't take a left or a right, stay straight) you will come to a clearing at the top keep going straight until you run into 2 planks take a left onto the planks and you are on skunk hollow. Stay left at the first intersection on skunkhollow and follow until you connect back up with summer street extension. (this way skips outback singletrack, which is hard to find, but gets you to other parts of the course).

Good luck, and hopefully you will run into other locals who frequent the trails. If you don't make it up this weekend, next weekend you will find arrows to follow.

PJ

[quote:8cd51584b7="Ryderjag"]The most confusing part is Outback to skunk hollow connection. Once you come out of Bear Trap into an open area, go straight until you see an orange container then take a left up the road. stay on this road as you climb up (don't take a left or a right, stay straight) you will come to a clearing at the top keep going straight until you run into 2 planks take a left onto the planks and you are on skunk hollow. Stay left at the first intersection on skunkhollow and follow until you connect back up with summer street extension. ([/quote:8cd51584b7]

This is where I was last weekend - Are they planning on building up there? Is that wy there is a lot of cutting going on?

I would suggest printing this off as a reference and you will be able to make your way around for the most part . Great trails up there!
http://www.newportnh.net/newporttownforest.pdf
 
Stearing by IMPACT in search of FLOW

Thanks for all the great info guys! I'm thinking I'll give it a go on my own and then maybe head up again next weekend to ride it with markings.

Though I've been riding for years, this is my first year racing and it's really frustrating to ride hard on unknown trails...especially when riding a SS!!!

Thanks again...
-Rob