So there I was... bike flooded and stalled, out of breath, covered in sweat, staring at what had to be the 20th log of the day. How does a guy get a bike over a log?
I'm open to all the hints, tips, and war stories you've got. I got introduced to some of the A/B singletrack out here in the Snowies, even some new stuff they are still marking out. Needless to say, I got worked. I think I made it 15 miles in three hours, dented some metal, and busted some plastic. I am not a seasoned enduro pro, and I struggled most with logs: taller than axle height, no bark, moist, and at an angle to the direction of travel.
Please help, because I just can't leave well enough alone. [There's 67 miles of it in all]
Well I'm no expert but I usually dump the clutch and wheelie the front over. A little momentum and the back just pops over.
shift your butt over your rear tire, pull up on the bars and goose it and shove the bike forward as it goes over. crossing logs on a mountain bike is great training if you want to get better.
but if they are at 45 degree angles or more to your direction of travel, and barkless and slippery, you may want a 4 wheeler!
This advrider post has some advice on log crossings, but not much more than hank and loingrader have already given.
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9785919&postcount=4242 (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9785919&postcount=4242)
The Snowies you are talking about... is that the area south of Lewistown MT? How much of that is open to OHV traffic? I thought it was mainly hiking/mountain bike, but apparently not.
Okay, thanks guys. Sounds like there isn't any real magic that I was missing, and I just need to practice my wheelies more. Bummer. :evil
@ BogusJim: I gather there is a Snowy Mountain near Lewiston, but I am WAY south of there in southeastern Wyoming. The Snowy Range is located in a portion of the Medicine Bow National Forest a mere 30 miles from where I live, just North of the Colorado border. The forest is still completely open to OHVs, on marked roads, with a sticker. The travel management plan is coming, but a lot slower than in other places.
Also, I finally did the valves on the new bike, and the intakes had no lash whatsoever. That should help the hard-starting and some of the stalling that was really wearing me out, so I can focus more on riding.