N.H. training/racing hill found!

Slalom Skateboarding in New England U.S.A.

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Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

N.H. training/racing hill found!

Post by Eric Brammer » Sun Jun 21, 2009 7:21 am

Sorry to all in the N.E area for my prolonged absense, the Twins + job take up ungodly amounts of time + energy, and my own health isn't what it was these days... That said, I did find this little gold-nugget hiding in Claremont, N.H. thanks to a carpooling buddy who lives nearby.

If you go to Exit 8 off of I-91, then head East towards Claremont along Route 12, until the first light in N.H., be in the right lane, as to get on Route 12A heading South. You'll procede up along a ridge, then downhill to a speed-zone change of 30 mph, and two intersections. Ignore the first, pay heed to the 2nd, with River Road + 12A, procede to your Right downhill along Route 12a, watch the Speed Limit along here, very deceptive.. Watch to your Left for the 'Brigdeworks" plant, and shortly thereafter, take the Left onto Grissom Lane. You'll travel about 2/10th of a mile along the lane, when you'll see on your Right, a slightly delapidated sign for Syd Clarke Pkwy. Take that Right, procede slowly up past the garage (don't park there, please) to the T, turn Left, park where-ever, but watch for broken Bud bottles. You'll be at the lower end of an 1/8th-mile stretch of 3% grade fairly-new blacktop that has almost no traffic, and you'll see that after the T intersection, there's another 1/10th of a mile of tarmac down past the garage, all at 3-4% grade. No speed worries here, as the tar is Sticky, smooth, kinda fast, with only a few sewer lines and manhole covers to worry about. The lightpoles turn on at around 6:30 pm, so darkness is not an excuse. No houses, no buildings other than the garage at the bottom, and no pavement markings either, just a Stop sign before you pull back ont Grissom Lane.

That's my new "zen" spot for impromptu skate/cone sessions, all nearby are welcome!
;-) Joe I., please feel free to talk about this as a future sight for a Race. I think Claremont might be receptive to the idea, using Antrim as a role model.
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Joe Iacovelli
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Location: Bristol, CT

Post by Joe Iacovelli » Sun Jun 21, 2009 5:44 pm

Right on. How about some pics? Is there a run out?

Rick Floyd
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Post by Rick Floyd » Sun Jun 21, 2009 9:27 pm

I've been talking with Dave Kirkpatrick in Antrim about a New England Outlaw series, using the Antrim start ramps. This might be a good spot. Hoping for 2-3 races before the season is over.

-RF
"All the money in the world can not buy sharing the excitement of life with other people. Nothing else matters."

- Jason Mitchell (Criddlezine Interview)

Dave Kirkpatrick
Posts: 194
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:39 pm
Location: Antrim, NH USA

Post by Dave Kirkpatrick » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:27 am

This looks to be about an hour from here. Backroads are slow, but 91 is conveniently fast for others.

I'd be more than happy to talk about a race there, any kind.

Antrim's ramps are at my disposal, although I don't have hauling capability myself. (Working on modding a trailer)

Keep me posted / let's keep talking.

dk

588-3941
teencenter a t tds do t net
What could POSSIBLY go wrong??

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
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Syd Clarcke Prkwy.

Post by Eric Brammer » Mon Jun 22, 2009 7:23 am

No need for runout concerns, as with any planned event, the traffic flow can be detoured to offer more tar for racers, in which to slow down. The pitch is perfect for speed control, not fast enough on its own to require foot braking, but fast enough to work pumps for speed. It'll be a 'tech course' hill, where attention to flow + grip will own the day. Claremont, as a town, is skateboard friendly enough to have built two skateparks in the last 8 yrs, the newer one along the Sugar River just downhill from the Fire/Police Depts., but they kinda lack vision, as this "Industrial Park" has yet to rent out any lots to manufacturers. But, hey, at least the Tar is there, and streetlights, and ample parking, all nearby the I-91 corridor.

This is not a 'Steep" hill, but has easily the value of some other spots I've seen in New England by way of these virtues; No Cars; No disruption of family/business traffic flow; Lights, if needed; Parking; Easy to find, not far from the Interstate; Good tarmac, probably an 8 of 10, except for the odd sewage/manhole divot and gravel debris from corner-cuttters; Visibility up/down the lanes, which means easy course settingand a good view of upcoming obstacles; less-than-normal bugs, as the river is 1/2 mile away with few large conifers nearby(few DeerFly!); and lastly, a nearby town (Claremont) that's in desperate need of an Econonic Boost, who's Town Chamber of Commerce may give us some serious heed, espacially after the successes at Antrim, which is only some 30 miles away.

Food for thought, and while I'm busy enough to not promise any direct help, I'm willing to give a few mid-morning meetings on all skater's behalf for using this hill. It's not 'The Best' I've seen or found, but it is WORTHY of some attention, and a contest or 3! ;-)
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

Syd Clarke Pkwy.

Post by Eric Brammer » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:08 am

July 3rd, provided weather is o.k., I'll be running some cones there. No timer, no permission, just chalked-in courses + cones. I'm aiming for being set-up by 11 am, although, weather may be the factor in just 'when' I can set a course. I'll likely hang out until 2 pm or so. Anyone's welcome. ;-)
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Eric Brammer
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the Pkwy.

Post by Eric Brammer » Fri Jul 03, 2009 1:28 am

The weather looks better for the 4th than the 3rd; That said, I'll be around on the 3rd, 11 am thru 2pm, and I'll check in here to see if anyone prefers the 4th to run some cones?
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

N.H., fickle Holiday weather.

Post by Eric Brammer » Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:31 am

I was too optimistic about the rain (well, the TIMING of when it'd rain..) both Fri. and Sat., got squelched both times by noontime. :-( Still, I've got a feel for courses now, keeping them laterally snug with lane shifts or wedge-sets, a JG curve or two, as the tar (when dry, ahem..) is nicely grippy there. Don't bother looking for cones circles, as my chalk washed away with today's passing cloudbursts. I'll get some paint dots down next week, I hope.

Meanwhile, CMC has been telling me go to Antrim for sunday practice. Dave K., I'll be calling in the mornin'.. :-D
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Rick Floyd
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Post by Rick Floyd » Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:23 pm

Hope you guys have fun...I'm savin' my pennies for the CO/OR trip or I'd make the drive. Will train GS here today and channel some stoke your way!

See you in late July I hope!

-RF
"All the money in the world can not buy sharing the excitement of life with other people. Nothing else matters."

- Jason Mitchell (Criddlezine Interview)

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

N.H. training

Post by Eric Brammer » Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:24 am

Hey, Rick, you should've been at Antrim today. Then CMC would've had someone to chase after! Me, just a tad too slow + out-of-shape, but I still Look Good... ;-)
They've got a nice hill out where there's No One with fresh tar + a nice 3-1/2 % grade with a good cul-de-sac runout area. The kids were flying (straight shots, in full tuck mode), Curt was ripping, and Ryan set a pretty nifty course (3 actually!). Dave's got a good crew there, with lots of stoke! Definately the best day of summer so far. :-D
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Rick Floyd
Pink Floyd Skates
Pink Floyd Skates
Posts: 998
Joined: Tue May 08, 2007 4:39 pm
Location: Six foot two above sea level.

Re: N.H. training

Post by Rick Floyd » Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:44 am

Eric Brammer wrote:Hey, Rick, you should've been at Antrim today. Then CMC would've had someone to chase after! Me, just a tad too slow + out-of-shape, but I still Look Good... ;-)
They've got a nice hill out where there's No One with fresh tar + a nice 3-1/2 % grade with a good cul-de-sac runout area. The kids were flying (straight shots, in full tuck mode), Curt was ripping, and Ryan set a pretty nifty course (3 actually!). Dave's got a good crew there, with lots of stoke! Definately the best day of summer so far. :-D
Nice! Yeah, I skated that road with those guys and Glenn C. a few weeks ago. They have a number of good spots around there. Did they bring the ramp(s)?

I hope to head down there again once or twice before the big event in Sept.

I got 25 runs of GS in here at my private spot. :-)

-R
"All the money in the world can not buy sharing the excitement of life with other people. Nothing else matters."

- Jason Mitchell (Criddlezine Interview)

Dave Kirkpatrick
Posts: 194
Joined: Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:39 pm
Location: Antrim, NH USA

Re: N.H. training

Post by Dave Kirkpatrick » Mon Jul 06, 2009 4:30 am

Thanks again for coming out, and for all your help and support. That was a hoot! I might just get up early and re-chalk 'em, run one a few times.

The variety of courses was great, left me feeling pretty confident about our ability to set em right for the crew (even though I let you guys do most of the work today), set them for a challenge, and skate em all well enough to get a time. Rick and Glenn taught us a lot about courses too. We'll have to try to assemble all you guys and the rest of my crew sometime soon. On that subject:


I'll be aiming for 2 dates in the summer to be the biggies for training up here, slalom clinic / outlaw days, hopefully both on Summer Street:

Sat, July 25, rain date 26th

Sat, August 22, rain date the following Sat 29th


Pencil them in, I'm pretty sure they will fly!


Eric Brammer wrote:Hey, Rick, you should've been at Antrim today. Then CMC would've had someone to chase after! Me, just a tad too slow + out-of-shape, but I still Look Good... ;-)
They've got a nice hill out where there's No One with fresh tar + a nice 3-1/2 % grade with a good cul-de-sac runout area. The kids were flying (straight shots, in full tuck mode), Curt was ripping, and Ryan set a pretty nifty course (3 actually!). Dave's got a good crew there, with lots of stoke! Definately the best day of summer so far. :-D
What could POSSIBLY go wrong??

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

Syd Clarke PkWy.

Post by Eric Brammer » Thu Jul 30, 2009 6:50 am

Pending Weather, I'm looking at setting up a nice 'adjustable' course on the PkWy hill's straight upper section this weekend. Saturday, at this time, looks more promising, but I'll be watching the weather carefully. Since my personal schedule is 8 hrs out-of-whack to everyone else, I won't plan to be set-up until 11 AM, and I'll run until whenever, or 4 PM, whichever comes first. I've only got 20 cones, so if anyone wants a longer course, please bring more cones. There's room for for, Lordy, maybe 200 cones on that lane, another 100 after the T-Intersection. I'll check back here to guage any interest. If none, I'll be home swilling down homemade Dandelion Wine. 8-D
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

Eric Brammer
Posts: 324
Joined: Sat Sep 25, 2004 4:48 am

Claremont

Post by Eric Brammer » Sat Aug 01, 2009 6:19 am

Well, no replies, so Saturday,I'll be drinking danelion wine whilst mowing dandelions in my yard with the tractor. Sunday, I'll be up on that hill, running laps, but likely on my DH set-up in the early afternoon. I'll have a slalom board or 3 in the trunk, as well as cones/chalk if anyone wants a course to run.

My apologies to the Antrim Crew, would LOVE to be there, but gas money (damn tractor!) is tight, as is time (as always!). I'll still be checking in, though, maybe I can get over that-a-way 2-3 more times before Autumn kills the hills with wet leaves..
"Surfin' these Old Hills since back in The Day"

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