banks-vernonia bike trail

Pardon all these questions! I'm new to biking...

Has anyone done the length of this trail? I've only done the paved portion
and about a mile of gravel. Is the trail in decent condition? I've heard
that there were some washouts at some point, but don't know if there has
been recent maintenance...

Also, has anyone done Timothy Lake? Does the trail go around the lake, or
is it an out and back trail?

Lastly, on longer rides, what is best for nutrition? I get queasy if I eat
much on a warm day and then do a bike ride, but the other day we tackled the
paved portion of Vernonia-Banks, and afterwards I felt like I was going to
barf and pass out. I didn't eat until the end, but I drank a ton of
water...

Thanks!
Betsy

On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:56:04 -0700, oregonchick wrote:

Has anyone done the length of this trail? I've only done the paved portion
and about a mile of gravel. Is the trail in decent condition?

B-V trail is 21 miles, all paved or gravel. Since its such a bunny trail,
experienced riders don't usually ride it and no one I know talks about
trail conditions. If there were any washouts they've probably been fixed
by now (since access for repair is easy, and its a state park). If you can
find last month's Portland Monthly magazine, there was a good 2-page
writeup on it with a map of the paved & gravel section.


Also, has anyone done Timothy Lake? Does the trail go around the lake, or
is it an out and back trail?

Its a 16-mile loop. That's another trail in the area I haven't ridden,
reports are that its very easy to take wrong turns. I've read a lot of
ride reports of people who never made the loop because they couldn't find
the right trail. Check with the PDX club (www.pumpclub.org), they do a
group ride and campout there so people are familiar with it.

Lastly, on longer rides, what is best for nutrition?

I know where you're coming from; the post-ride beer is kind of a mountain
biking tradition, but over time I've found that eating and drinking after
a hard ride just makes my stomach hurt. I try to eat a decent meal a
couple of hours beforehand and during the ride I'll eat a Clif Bar. After
the ride I have a non-carbonated drink (the Arizona green tea with honey
is particularly good).

--
-BB-
To e-mail me, unmunge my address

oregonchick wrote:


Lastly, on longer rides, what is best for nutrition? I get queasy if I eat
much on a warm day and then do a bike ride,

It's been really tough trying eat down here in SoCal with the heat. 1/2
hour into a ride and I'm nauseated.

Greg

--
"All my time I spent in heaven
Revelries of dance and wine
Waking to the sound of laughter
Up I'd rise and kiss the sky" - The Mekons

On Sat, 22 Jul 2006 18:56:04 -0700, oregonchick wrote:

Pardon all these questions! I'm new to biking...

Has anyone done the length of this trail? I've only done the paved
portion and about a mile of gravel. Is the trail in decent condition?
I've heard that there were some washouts at some point, but don't know if
there has been recent maintenance...

Also, has anyone done Timothy Lake? Does the trail go around the lake, or
is it an out and back trail?

Lastly, on longer rides, what is best for nutrition? I get queasy if I
eat much on a warm day and then do a bike ride, but the other day we
tackled the paved portion of Vernonia-Banks, and afterwards I felt like I
was going to barf and pass out. I didn't eat until the end, but I drank a
ton of water...

Thanks!
Betsy

Hey, are you the same Betsy that used to post here a year or so ago?

I recommend you pick up a copy of Zilly's _Kissing the Trail_ as well as
the Adventure Maps map for the area.

(Sorry I don't have any other content to add, it would have been pretty
much "What BB said" anyway).

gabrielle