Arkansas anybody's MTB destination?

[oldpotatoe]

Can't even spell 'MTB' but this sounds really amazing..

What kind of front suspension is on that rig in the picture?

https://www.velonews.com/2019/11/news/qa-with-gary-vernon-on-building-mtb-trails-for-the-walton-family_502460

[fmradio516]

Can't even spell 'MTB' but this sounds really amazing..

What kind of front suspension is on that rig in the picture?

https://www.velonews.com/2019/11/news/qa-with-gary-vernon-on-building-mtb-trails-for-the-walton-family_502460

Not sure about the fork, but this is supposed to be the hot spot! My buddies went there over the summer and the videos looked awesome! Lots of big air.

[biker72]

I'm not a mountain biker but I went to Bentonville earlier this year. Was going to go again before my accident. The Walton Foundation is dumping millions of dollars into both road and MTB trails.

A couple of co workers retired to Fayetteville jut for the MTB riding.

[45K10]

I'm pretty sure it is a Lauf linkage fork like this one:https://www.laufcycling.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA2ITuBRDkARIsAMK9Q7NOjund4C37VFVDyLe uCNBCrkRS0N3_J1WZ4lMEXgn_fT8Ma4f_zo0aAl93EALw_wcB

I spoke to a guy the other day who rode Betonville this past summer. What he described sounded pretty sweet. According to him there are pump tracks strewn throughout downtown. The art museum is supposed to be really good as well.

[JAGI410]

That's the Trust fork. It's not cheap, but gets rave reviews. https://trustperformance.com/

And I'm headed to Bentonville in the spring. It looks amazing, and completely worthy of its destination status. As much as I hate Walmart, they sure did pour a ton of money into their hometown.

[FlashUNC]

A fig leaf on the destruction the family and that business has wrought on the US economy.

But hey, fun trails amirite?

[rallizes]

A fig leaf on the destruction the family and that business has wrought on the US economy.

But hey, fun trails amirite?

eh i get it but what Walmart does is pretty much what the United States is

[FriarQuade]

There's good riding in Arkansas is not limited to Bentonville. There's lots of other great trails in the Ozarks.

Are the Walton grandsons actively involved in Walmart at this point?

[joosttx]

There's good riding in Arkansas is not limited to Bentonville. There's lots of other great trails in the Ozarks.

Are the Walton grandsons actively involved in Walmart at this point?

Agreed the Ozarks has excellent MTBing.

[bikinchris]

It's not just Northwest Arkansas. There are good trails around Hot Springs and a few good ones near Little Rock.

[FlashUNC]

There's good riding in Arkansas is not limited to Bentonville. There's lots of other great trails in the Ozarks.

Are the Walton grandsons actively involved in Walmart at this point?

Steuart is on the board.

And, uh, Walmart money bankrolls their entire effort to make Bentonville into the bike paradise they want it to be.

Whether they're involved in day to day operations or not, all of this effort stands on the shoulders of the family's work to ruin large swaths of the American economy for their own benefit.

[45K10]

That's the Trust fork. It's not cheap, but gets rave reviews. https://trustperformance.com/

And I'm headed to Bentonville in the spring. It looks amazing, and completely worthy of its destination status. As much as I hate Walmart, they sure did pour a ton of money into their hometown.

Oh yeah a Trust fork good call.

Yeah I'm no W-mart fan either but at least they are building trails and getting more people into cycling. Has Amazon (Bezos) done anything like that? The only thing I know they are actively involved in is creating a spaceship to punch out before the Earth finally falls apart. ;)

[FriarQuade]

Steuart is on the board.

And, uh, Walmart money bankrolls their entire effort to make Bentonville into the bike paradise they want it to be.

Whether they're involved in day to day operations or not, all of this effort stands on the shoulders of the family's work to ruin large swaths of the American economy for their own benefit.

These two have a portfolio that's a little more diverse than what Grandpa Sam built. If they aren't involved in the operations of Walmart I'm inclined to cut them a little slack. Besides they're pouring millions into our collective hobby, why are you trying to run them off?

[peanutgallery]

Heard a lot about it, might go next year

Oddly, it seems like velonews has an article about it like every day. Wonder if the Waltons bought them, too?

[zmudshark]

As an aside, I rode will his dad, Rob, years ago in PHX. He was fast as hell. He was part of the 'Champions Club'. Bennett Dorrance was another one who I rode with a few times.

For guys as rich as sin, they were actually pretty nice to converse with.

At least they aren't building golf courses.

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/high-rollers-who-live-the-cycling-dream-9xq2cmvvcdg

https://www.outsideonline.com/1824431/high-rollers

[FlashUNC]

These two have a portfolio that's a little more diverse than what Grandpa Sam built. If they aren't involved in the operations of Walmart I'm inclined to cut them a little slack. Besides they're pouring millions into our collective hobby, why are you trying to run them off?

Serving on the board is pretty well in the thick of the operations. And whatever they do is all fruit from the poison tree of what Grandpa Sam created.

I'm not trying to run them off, nor could my opinion much matter to them. I don't spend my money with RZC owned companies and that's about the extent of the stumping I can do on the matter.

They're free to do with their money as they wish. But rather than turning Bentonville even more into their personal playground for the hobbies that fill their idle days since they're both richer than Croesus, I'd prefer they focus on things like advocating for Wal Mart paying their employees a living wage and providing benefits so their workforce wasn't the among the largest groups accessing Medicaid or food stamps.

If anything I'm disappointed in Velonews running this glorified image makeover nonsense for the them. At least carrying that much water will help the Velonews staff's cardio regimen.

[clyde the point]

The wife and I stopped in Bentonville on our summer trip. We spent 2 nights and 2 days about; had the wrong bike, 650 with 47 GK's were not so great for either road riding or trail riding, but we did both! Amazing trail systems right out of downtown. Good bike shops, restaurants, and lots of expensive cars and clothing displayed by the folks who sell stuff to Wally World. Reminded me of Boulder sorta kinda but more pretentious. And less of the hilly feeling compared to what it looks like when you are accessing it from the South. Cross worlds there in 2021 I think, at least in Fayetteville. Good score for them. We'll probably road trip out for that.

[oldpotatoe]

These two have a portfolio that's a little more diverse than what Grandpa Sam built. If they aren't involved in the operations of Walmart I'm inclined to cut them a little slack. Besides they're pouring millions into our collective hobby, why are you trying to run them off?

Gotta agree...so many paint Wallmart as the very blackest part of US free market economy. Guess the one who has chosen to interject politics has never needed to find cheap toilet paper or t shirts or oranges when in a small town with 800 or so people in it. That's exactly were the small farming community of Holly CO was and is..These farmers(after Holy Sugar closed..NOT WW fault), work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet..paying less for staples or some 'luxury' items you may take for granted means they can at least think they are living the 'american dream'...
paying their employees a living wage and providing benefits so their workforce wasn't the among the largest groups accessing Medicaid or food stamps.

A LOT of why this is, Medicad and food stamps, is the region/town some of these employees live in. Most of Holly are the working poor, they were on food stamps and Medicad before Wallmart opened in Lamar..A LOT of Lamar is on food stamps and medicad also, before WM opened..Wallmart provides employment to a LOT of people in the area, in LOT of poor regions of the US, the 'richest nation on earth'...

Probably not a lot of WM in Berkeley, eh?

[FlashUNC]

Gotta agree...so many paint Wallmart as the very blackest part of US free market economy. Guess the one who has chosen to interject politics has never needed to find cheap toilet paper or t shirts or oranges when in a small town with 800 or so people in it. That's exactly were the small farming community of Holly CO was and is..These farmers(after Holy Sugar closed..NOT WW fault), work 2-3 jobs to make ends meet..paying less for staples or some 'luxury' items you may take for granted means they can at least think they are living the 'american dream'...


A LOT of why this is, Medicad and food stamps, is the region/town some of these employees live in. Most of Holly are the working poor, they were on food stamps and Medicad before Wallmart opened in Lamar..A LOT of Lamar is on food stamps and medicad also, before WM opened..Wallmart provides employment to a LOT of people in the area, in LOT of poor regions of the US, the 'richest nation on earth'...

Probably not a lot of WM in Berkeley, eh?

And they work 2-3 jobs because Wal Mart won't pay a living wage. Or finagle their hours to leave them at part time and deny them benefits. We could bring up the decoupling of worker productivity from wage gains nigh on 40 years ago to help explain that plight.

The American dream would be paying these people a fair days wage after they've all but eliminated any retail alternative in their local communities.

Wal Mart is very blackest part of the US economy. It's the most American company ever created in a lot of ways.

But hey it got some cool trails for Bentonville.

[Mikej]

So, Flash, what retail establishments that don't require a high school diploma DO pay a living wage? WM in my area pays 12-13 an hour for stocking shelves. What were mom and pop paying? Your argument probably touches everything in your life more than you know.

[peanutgallery]

Blackest part of the US economy? Hyperbole

I would venture that, if we were to put a label on such a thing, you're living that part of the US economy in the bay area. VC folk, weasel-like tech giants, cats with MBAs, fault line, crazy cost of living? All the makings for a Pacific Rim sequel:) Start the revolution there and leave the rest of us alone. We're going riding


And they work 2-3 jobs because Wal Mart won't pay a living wage. Or finagle their hours to leave them at part time and deny them benefits. We could bring up the decoupling of worker productivity from wage gains nigh on 40 years ago to help explain that plight.

The American dream would be paying these people a fair days wage after they've all but eliminated any retail alternative in their local communities.

Wal Mart is very blackest part of the US economy. It's the most American company ever created in a lot of ways.

But hey it got some cool trails for Bentonville.

[arcadian]

Blackest part of the US economy? Hyperbole

I would venture that, if we were to put a label on such a thing, you're living that part of the US economy in the bay area. VC folk, weasel-like tech giants, cats with MBAs, fault line, crazy cost of living? All the makings for a Pacific Rim sequel:) Start the revolution there and leave the rest of us alone. We're going riding

This

[Tony]

Blackest part of the US economy? Hyperbole

I would venture that, if we were to put a label on such a thing, you're living that part of the US economy in the bay area. VC folk, weasel-like tech giants, cats with MBAs, fault line, crazy cost of living? All the makings for a Pacific Rim sequel:) Start the revolution there and leave the rest of us alone. We're going riding

Like

[72gmc]

The trails do look nice.

Re Walmart--I hear the points about how people lived before that company came to town. I also do not blame the people in the family foundation, or other family-funded foundations, for feeling good about what they're able to do with the endowments they manage.

But it's always valid to question who has the money, and why. In this case, once you're several generations downstream of the person who actually made something of value, it's essential to debate whether inheritance economics are a net gain or loss for our country. This isn't an interior vs. coast thing.

[FlashUNC]

Blackest part of the US economy? Hyperbole

I would venture that, if we were to put a label on such a thing, you're living that part of the US economy in the bay area. VC folk, weasel-like tech giants, cats with MBAs, fault line, crazy cost of living? All the makings for a Pacific Rim sequel:) Start the revolution there and leave the rest of us alone. We're going riding

This is some epic whataboutism.

Wal Mart's have destroyed small businesses while grossly mistreating employees, creating stores that are literal havens for crime in their local communities where they exist. Their labor policies are such that their employees are some of the largest recipients of public aid. We, all of us, are subsidizing the profits that flow back to the Walton family.

Better be some epic trails in Bentonville, we all paid for them.

[Butch]

Big money can do big things. In a ten year period the Waltons invested $74 million into building trails etc. in their back yard.

https://www.bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2018/11/21/northwest-arkansas-trails-and-events-just-keep-growing#.XcMDQDNKg2w

Here in Steamboat we have a multiyear commitment from a lodging tax the voters passed several years ago committing about $10 million to trial building in and around the area for mountain biking and hiking. That has become somewhat contentious with a group that wants to minimize trail building in the area.

I wonder if the Walton's impact has been seen as all positive? Everyone I know that has ridden there loves the trails just wondering if the locals are all on board. I only ask this because of the push back we have gotten here in town.

[daker13]

This is some epic whataboutism.

Wal Mart's have destroyed small businesses while grossly mistreating employees, creating stores that are literal havens for crime in their local communities where they exist. Their labor policies are such that their employees are some of the largest recipients of public aid. We, all of us, are subsidizing the profits that flow back to the Walton family.

Better be some epic trails in Bentonville, we all paid for them.

For what it's worth, there is more than one writer on the far left arguing that Walmart's market efficiencies (especially with respect to supply chains) are going to be appropriated by the people, and will be crucial in the coming centralized economy.

[oldpotatoe]

This is some epic whataboutism.

Wal Mart's have destroyed small businesses while grossly mistreating employees, creating stores that are literal havens for crime in their local communities where they exist. Their labor policies are such that their employees are some of the largest recipients of public aid. We, all of us, are subsidizing the profits that flow back to the Walton family.

Better be some epic trails in Bentonville, we all paid for them.

Hmmm, with the US hovering around what's considered 'full employment', why does anybody stay at this place that 'GROSSLY' mistreats them?
"Havens for crime" isn't WM's fault.
How many employees of 'put discount store here' that pays what WM pays...about $12-$15 per hour for unskilled labor, are also on public aid? How about that single mom at MacDonalds? "WE" are subsidizing this gooned up, let's continue to screw 'main street', US economy in all retail, not just WM.

[Hellgate]

The Bentonville Stage Race is a great time too.

[zmudshark]

Interesting to see the Walton hate, and Penske praise.

[FlashUNC]

Hmmm, with the US hovering around what's considered 'full employment', why does anybody stay at this place that 'GROSSLY' mistreats them?
"Havens for crime" isn't WM's fault.
How many employees of 'put discount store here' that pays what WM pays...about $12-$15 per hour for unskilled labor, are also on public aid? How about that single mom at MacDonalds? "WE" are subsidizing this gooned up, let's continue to screw 'main street', US economy in all retail, not just WM.

Havens for crime is Walmarts fault. Stay open 24 hours and run barebones staff and you get crime. Weird right?

You use full employment as if that's some implication that employment is at anything nearing stability or a living wage.

And agreed! Modern American retail is garbage. But some companies at least pretend to care. Wal Mart can't even be bothered to do that.

Hope the trails are fun.

[peanutgallery]

Been to many WalMarts over the years, never felt unsafe? It's not Beruit or anything. Seen some characters, though. Heck...that's half the adventure

Havens for crime is Walmarts fault. Stay open 24 hours and run barebones staff and you get crime. Weird right?

You use full employment as if that's some implication that employment is at anything nearing stability or a living wage.

And agreed! Modern American retail is garbage. But some companies at least pretend to care. Wal Mart can't even be bothered to do that.

Hope the trails are fun.

[Tony]

Havens for crime is Walmarts fault. Stay open 24 hours and run barebones staff and you get crime. Weird right?

You use full employment as if that's some implication that employment is at anything nearing stability or a living wage.

And agreed! Modern American retail is garbage. But some companies at least pretend to care. Wal Mart can't even be bothered to do that.

Hope the trails are fun.

They really are, beautiful and well maintained.

[Tony]

More trails from the Walton's, this near Redstone, Colorado. https://www.bicycling.com/news/a27530266/walmart-mountain-bike-trails/

[oldpotatoe]

Havens for crime is Walmarts fault. Stay open 24 hours and run barebones staff and you get crime. Weird right?

You use full employment as if that's some implication that employment is at anything nearing stability or a living wage.

And agreed! Modern American retail is garbage. But some companies at least pretend to care. Wal Mart can't even be bothered to do that.

Hope the trails are fun.

Kinda like every 7/11, StopandGo and liquor store...weird, right?

I see help wanted signs around the republic and Denver all the time. If I were at a place that 'grossly mistreated me', I'd go next door and find a new job.

'Some companies' DO pretend but it's the same in the trenches for every minimum wage worker. Whether it be pay, hours, health care, benefits, etc.
You have an issue with WallMart, 10-4, but it's really no better at Kmart or Target or Cosco, etc, etc......

[trener1]

Actually I would not put Costco in the minimum wage boat.
Actually Costco is one large company that actually DOES care about it's employees.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/reasons-love-costco_n_4275774

[FlashUNC]

Kinda like every 7/11, StopandGo and liquor store...weird, right?

I see help wanted signs around the republic and Denver all the time. If I were at a place that 'grossly mistreated me', I'd go next door and find a new job.

'Some companies' DO pretend but it's the same in the trenches for every minimum wage worker. Whether it be pay, hours, health care, benefits, etc.
You have an issue with WallMart, 10-4, but it's really no better at Kmart or Target or Cosco, etc, etc......

Goes a but deeper than that as some horrifying reporting in recent years has borne out.

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-walmart-crime/


Also the minimum wage is intended to be a real living wage, not the funhouse mirror pay floor it is today. But that's a whole separate discussion.

[oldpotatoe]

Goes a but deeper than that as some horrifying reporting in recent years has borne out.

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-walmart-crime/


Also the minimum wage is intended to be a real living wage, not the funhouse mirror pay floor it is today. But that's a whole separate discussion.


'Minimum wage' hasn't been a 'living wage' for decades. BUT, to bad this has evolved into a slam WM thread, cuz when I started it, I was impressed by these guys making cycling better in Arkansas....I won't build with Mavic cuz of their philosophy, guess flash won't be riding his MTB at WM family related bike parks.

[Mikej]

'Minimum wage' hasn't been a 'living wage' for decades. BUT, to bad this has evolved into a slam WM thread, cuz when I started it, I was impressed by these guys making cycling better in Arkansas....I won't build with Mavic cuz of their philosophy, guess flash won't be riding his MTB at WM family related bike parks.

I agree Spud. The arguments are utterly ridiculous to me, I would love a 10 million dollar set of trails like these near me. I’d even let a Bay Area VC group foot the bill.