Klenke and Klein-ke. Yep, you...

Klenke and Klein-ke. Yep, you...

Klenke and Klein-ke. Yep, you can bike up to the summit if you want. Actually, you can push your bike up. But the ride down was nice except for the steep, rocky bit near the bottom (the first 800 vertical feet up from the trailhead). It took me about 90 minutes to push/bike up (which included a slow down to remove jutting loose rocks from the trail) and 45 minutes to ride down. November 11, 2004.
Klenke
on Nov 13, 2004 10:52 pm
Image ID: 78140

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Dean

Dean - Nov 14, 2004 10:47 pm - Voted 10/10

Incredible

That is the smile of a guy who intentionally has his hand in the cookie jar. Well done. You are most likely going to start people thinking about biking Mt. Rainier or even Bonanza.

What grade will this create? B2, B3?

Klenke

Klenke - Nov 15, 2004 1:05 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Incredible

Hey, Dean, that's a good observation about the cookie jar thing. I hadn't intended to ride/push all the way to the top, but it worked out that way in the end. And I'm glad I did, actually.

If a trailbiking rating was to come into being (a good idea, mind you; though I'm sure a rating system already exists) it might go something like this:

BK0 -- pavement, generally flat or not dangerous

BK1 -- unpaved railroad grade

BK2 -- benign trail, wide and not steep

BK3 -- steeper trail, narrower perhaps

BK4 -- steep trail, more rocks, narrower

BK5.# -- very steep trail and or dangerously mined with loose rocks. The decimal rating (like rock climbing) would further detail the difficulty.

BK5.10+ -- sure idiocy to have a bike on

BK6 or humorously BK86 -- cliff

With a scale like this, I'd say Silver Star's South Ridge Trail was a BK3 in the upper part with segments of BK4. The bottom part to the trailhead was BK5.3.

Dean

Dean - Nov 15, 2004 2:39 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Incredible

That is a well thought out system that has much merit. However, you left out one rating. The BS rating. : ))

Klenke

Klenke - Nov 15, 2004 2:45 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Incredible

That rating applies to partners...

BS0 -- partner doesn't talk at all

BS1 -- partner says a few things but is otherwise quiet

BS2 -- partner likes to think he knows what he's talking about for routefinding, peak name dropping, etc.

BS3 -- partner talks an average amount, some BS'ing interspersed in the conversation for humorous effect (this is most of us)

BS4 -- partner talks too much with an increased degree of BS'ing. BS stories are generally shorter, doesn't know what the heck he's talking about concerning routefinding and name-dropping

BS5 -- partner talks incessantly and won't shut the hell up. BS is suspected for most of what he's saying. Will get you killed if you follow his routefinding advice.

Dean

Dean - Nov 15, 2004 3:36 pm - Voted 10/10

Re: Incredible

Finally , the BS system that makes sense.

Tom Kenney

Tom Kenney - Nov 15, 2004 5:07 pm - Voted 10/10

Excellent shot!

That Klein looks quite at home. I like this one as much as the "Unicycles on White Mountain Peak" pic.



BTW, I've actually been on some rides with sections of BK6 - not so funny when you're actually there, but makes for some great stories (sometimes involving BS4-speak).

Klenke

Klenke - Nov 18, 2004 7:04 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Excellent shot!

All Kleins have been homeless since Mr. Klein sold out to Trek. Why that lousy bast...! [oh, excuse me; pardon my French]



Nice unicycle shot. I remember seeing it before.

Don Nelsen

Don Nelsen - Nov 28, 2004 6:42 pm - Voted 10/10

Did you find

someone up there to take this excellent shot? Great job. Also, your BK and BS ratings are most imaginative - that last part of the trail is definitely a BK 5+ I did it on a motorcycle with a passenger about 1965 and the memory was good enough to prevent me from going back until 1999!



Good to meet you at the get-together. Hope to see ya again.



don



Klenke

Klenke - Nov 28, 2004 11:36 pm - Hasn't voted

Re: Did you find

I put the camera up on the summit rocks and set it up on the timer. I was alone. Of course, about 15 minutes later a group of mothers and kids came up. They were sure Silver Star was the highpoint of Clark Co. I had to explain to them that Silver Star is in Skamania County, getting out my map to make my point. "Oh, so it's the highpoint of Skamania Co.?" No, that would be on the side of Mt. Adams over there [pointing]. "Huh?"

Viewing: 1-9 of 9