The Big Drop On Bob's Trail

ONE THING'S for certain -- this sucker gets your attention. You approach it through a snaky section of fairly technical singletrack which brings you to a corner where the trail simply disappears into thin air. Seriously! There is the trail, and then there is no trail. It's GONE!

Or so it seems. Actually, the good news is that it's really not gone. The bad news is that the trail goes straight down what most people would term a cliff.

Rolling off the log lip onto the rock and dirt face requires the rider to put the bike nearly vertical for more than one bike's length, which will reacquaint you with your breakfast if you're not on top of your game. Then the trail abruptly exits stage right, requiring you to flag down your hurtling bike, change direction and hit the power ASAP. 

So how do you approach the Big Drop? The tight exit means you can't wheelie drop it (even if you could), so you've pretty much got to just let the bike roll down the wall and through it. 

Some experienced Galbraith riders speak of "just letting the bike fall away beneath" them. Others say, "yea, right." However you describe it, basically the idea is to get back off the back of the bike and just let it roll down the wall.

There are now holes at the top of the face, right after you come over the lip of the log at the top, so you've got to keep the front end of the bike light.

Because you have to hit the brakes as soon as possible, you may want to lower your seat a little bit. Don't want to get belted in the crotch by brake jack at the bottom when you've got to hastily bring your bike back under control! 

But it's a serious thrill when you ride it the first time. In fact, this is one stunt that's cool every time you ride it. It's like being on a roller coaster. It doesn't matter that you know it's coming. It still hands you your stomach.

But please, if you're going to ride the Big Drop, wear a good helmet and have your medical insurance paid up. And remember, GalbraithMt.com recommends scouting every stunt and obstacle before trying to ride it. Best of all, watch someone who knows how do it before you try. 

See the GalbraithMt.com Bob's Trail Guide for more info on Bob's Trail. Click here for video clip. Click here for more GalbraithMt.com technical notes.

The following are sequence shots of the stunt. Click on the thumbnail images to view a larger version...