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Loving my Trek Marlin 7. Of course I’ve also been enjoying tinkering and upgrading it too!! 🤗 #trek #trekmarlin7 #marlin7 #emeraldiris #bontrager #raceface #chesters #rockshox #rockshoxrecon #29er #trailsandtreads #tracestatepark #tupeloms #Pontotoc #trekownersAnother shot from today’s ride. Notice that nice, new Rockshox Recon RL fork!! 🤗 #trek #marlin7 #mountainbike #mtb #tennesseetombigbeewaterway #getoutandride #highway25 #graffiti #emeraldiris #2020I just bought the 2020 Marlin 7 a couple of weeks ago. Since then I have swapped out: 1. The stock pedals for RaceFace Chester’s, which have much better grip than the stock pedals. 2. The stock grips for RaceFace Gripplers, which honestly may not be as good as the stock XR Trail Comp grips, but I like that it has two screw locks rather than one. (I am holding onto the stock grips for future use though.) 3. The stock fork for a Rockshox Recon RL fork. This was the biggest upgrade, and one I didn’t think I was going to do, but I couldn’t help myself. I weigh 210 lbs and after reading the reviews of the stock Rockshox XC30 fork I felt it was better to just upgrade it. I actually did the install myself which was pretty straightforward, although I did end up breaking a Park Tools star nut setter (and after a phone call, they are kindly sending me the replacement piece). Even as a new rider, the new Recon fork does feel different... not as springy, and it’s not bottoming out so easily (although a new spring for my weight in the XC30 may have resolved this, but probably not the springiness...) Anyway, I am really excited about the new fork and I feel it was a good option for this bike. So far I have about 45 miles on my Marlin now and I love it. The only other addition I am considering is a dropper seat post.... but that will have to wait. I have only been on 2 rides that were actual MTB trails and have really enjoyed those, and now that I have the new fork on, I can’t wait to go back out on those again! Anywho, these photos are from my 16 mile ride this morning. These were along the Tombigbee waterway. I started at Highway 72 and rode 8 miles to this bridge (Highway 25), then turned around and went back. I even found an old GoPro and took it along... turns out it still has plenty of battery! And on another note, if anyone is interested in a basically new Rockshox XC30 fork, let me know, we may can work something out! 😁 #trek #marlin7 #mountainbike #mtb #tennesseetombigbeewaterway #getoutandride #highway25 #graffiti #emeraldiris #2020I think the DIY PVC bike stand looks better painted black! #diy #bikestand #pvcbikestand #trek #trekmarlin7 #marlin7 #emeraldirisTwo big helps since I’ve started biking... @sethsbikehacks and @trailsandtreads If you’re on the web, check out Seth’s YouTube channel, and if you find yourself in Tupelo, MS, be sure to stop in at Trails & Treads! #bicycles #sethsbikehacks #trailsandtreads #tupeloms #trek #trekbikes #trekmarlin7 #marlin #marlin7 #emeraldirisThanks to Google I made a very effective bike stand from PVC. I was afraid the 30+ lb bike would still pull it over but it’s solid! Now I just need to paint it and add some stickers! (The stand... not the bike, I love the Emerald Iris color on my new 2020 Marlin 7!!) #diy #bikestand #diypvcbikestand #trek #marlin7 #trekmarlin7 #2020trekmarlin7 #emeraldiris #mountainbike #mtb- Follow Stick's Blog on WordPress.com
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Tag Archives: Appalachian Trail
PHGT: Meet Virginia “SUL” Gear List
On June 23rd & 24th of 2017, I hiked the 50 miles between Dennis Cove Rd to Damascus, VA. This marked my 3rd state along the Appalachian Trail that I have now completed, and landed me on the first big … Continue reading
Posted in Appalachian Trail, Gear Reviews
Tagged Alpha Light Spoon, Alpine Carbon Core Trekking Poles, Anker, Appalachian Hammock, Appalachian Trail, AT, backpack, Backpacking, Black Diamond, Carbon Core Stakes, Carbon Fiber Stakes, Cuben Fiber backpack, Deuce of Spades, Eagle Creek, Enlightened Equipment, Esbit Cook Kit, Gear List, Gear Talk, Granite Gear, hammock, Headlamp, Hiking, Inov8, LiteTrail, MSR, Post Hike Gear Talk, Potty Trowel, Sea To Summit, Section Hiking, Shortie Spoon, silnylon tarp, Sorex Stakes, SUL Gear List, Suunto, Suunto Core, Synthetic Quilt, ZebraLight H51, ZPacks, Zpacks Zero
4 Comments
June 2017 AT Section Hike: Meet Virginia!
In September 2009 I took my first steps on the Appalachian Trail. It was only a few months before this time that I realized that “backpacking” was even a thing, and that there was such a thing as the Appalachian … Continue reading
Posted in Appalachian Trail, AT, Gear, Trip Report
Tagged Abingdon Gap Shelter, Appalachian Trail, AT, Backpacking, BeFree Water Filter, Damascus VA, Dennis Cove Rd, Dirty Girl Gaiters, Double Springs Shelter, Enlightened Equipment, GooseFeet Gear, Grindstaff Monument, Hiking, Kincora Hostel, Laurel Falls, McQueen Knob, McQueen Knob Shelter, Pond Flats, Sawyer Mini, Shady Valley, Stateline, TN/VA, Watauga Dam, Watauga Lake, Watauga Lake Shelter, ZPacks
5 Comments
What if I Had to Buy All New Gear!
“Every sunset brings the promise of a new dawn.” Rather than do an end of year gear review, what if I were to completely start all over! “What if…” I started 2017 off with absolutely no backpacking gear or clothing, only the … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear, Gear List, Gear Talk, Trip Planning
Tagged 0.9L Titanium Cook Pot, 475 ml Mug, Air Pad, Anker, Appalachian Trail, Arc Blast, AT, backpack, Backpacking, Battery Charger, Bear Line, Black Rock Gear, Blast Food Bag, Buff, canister stove, Capilene, Carbon Core Stakes, Carbon Fiber Poles, ccf pad, Columbia, Convertible Pants, Cook Kit, Coozie, CP3 Poles, Cuben Fiber, Cuben Fiber Poncho, Cuben Fiber Rain Kilt, Cuben Fiber Tent, Deuce of Spades, Ditty Bag, Down Anorak, Down Beanie, Down Jacket, Down Pants, Down Pillow, Down Socks, Duplex, Dyneema, ECA252, Enlightened Equipment, eVENT Rain Mitts, Evernew, Exped, Food Bag, Gaiters, Gear List, Gloves, GooseFeet Gear, Gossamer Gear, Ground Sheet, guylines, H52, Headlamp, Hikertrash, Hiking, Hot Lips, Lawson Kline, Light Snow Gaiters, Lightweight Long Bottoms, LiteTrail, Locus Gear, Long handle spoon, Microfiber Towel, Mini Water Filter, Mini-D Carabiner, MLD, Mountain Hard Wear, Mountain Laurel Designs, MSR, NeoAir, OD-1RX, OR, OR PL150, Outdoor Research, Pack Liner, patagonia, Photon Micro Light, Picharpak Workshop, pillow, Polycro, Poncho, Potty Trowel, Prodigy Quilt, quilt, Rain Gear, Rain Kilt, Rain Mitts, reflective cord, Sawyer, shelter, shepherd hook stakes, Silver Ridge 2, Silver Umbrella, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, SmartWool, Snow Peak, socks, Soft Bag, Soft Bladder, Soto, Squeezable Bag, Stake Sack, Stakes, Storm Safety Whistle, stove, Stronghold Mittens, Suunto Core, Swing LiteFlex Umbrella, T Shirt, Tall Gaiters, Tent, Therm-A-Rest, Thermal Weight Zip Neck Hoody, ThinLight pad, Titanium Mug, Titanium Stakes, Toak's, Trekking Poles, UL Air Pillow, UL cook pot, UL Ground Cloth, UltraGlide Bear Bagging Line, Umbrella, UnderArmor, underwear, Watch, Water Filter, Webbem Traveler, Wicked Lite, Wind Jacket, Windmaster, Wool Socks, XLite, Z Seat, ZebraLight, ZPacks, ZPacks Sleeping Bag
12 Comments
2016 GSMNP Thanksgiving Hike
While many folks decided to go “Black Friday” shopping this Thanksgiving weekend, a few of us decided to #optoutside instead! In the weeks before the hike, I proceeded to go through all the motions of someone getting ready for a much-needed … Continue reading
Posted in Appalachian Trail, Gear, Great Smoky Mountain national Park, Trip Report
Tagged Alum Cave Bluffs, Alum cave Trail, Appalachian Trail, Backpacking, Boulevard Trail, Charlies Bunion, Great Smoky Mountain national Park, Hiking, Icewater Springs Shelter, Mt LeConte Shelter, Smoky Mountains, The Jump Off
12 Comments
PHGT: October 2016 Mt Roger’s/Grayson Highland Hike
I recently finished a hike in the Mt Roger’s/Grayson Highlands area in VA with my good buddy Benny Braden (Plug It In on the AT). But, this hike was a bit different from my previous hikes from the get-go… While … Continue reading
Posted in Backpacking, Gear, Gear Reviews, Gear Talk
Tagged 0.9L Cook Pot, 475ml Mug, Anker, Anorak, Appalachian Trail, Arc Blast, AT, backpack, Backpacking, Battery Charger, Black Rock Gear, Blast Food Bag, camera, canister stove, Capilene 2, Carbon Core Stakes, Cook Kit, Cuben Fiber, Cuben Tarp, Down Bag, Down Beanie, Down Stuff Sack, Evernew, Ex Light, Exped, Food Bag, Gaiters, Gear List, gear reviews, Gear Talk, GooseFeet Gear, Grayson Highlands, Hexamid, Hexanet, Hiking, Inner Net Tent, Inov-8, Light Snow Gaiters, LiteMax Stove, Long Sleeve Top, MLD, Montbell, Mountains Laurel Designs, MSR, Mt Rogers, NeoAir, Panasonic Lumix, patagonia, Pillow Case, quilt, Rain Kilt, Roclite 243, Sawyer Mini, Section Hike, sleeping bag, Smartwater, Snow Peak, Solo Tarp, Stakes, Tall Gaiters, Thermarest, Titanium cook pot, Titanium Mug, Titanium Shepherd Hook Tent Stakes, Trail Runners, UL Air Pillow, USB to Lightening Cord, Vectrawire, water bottle, Water Filter, XLite, ZPacks
6 Comments
