Just a dusting of snow on Cannon on the drive up.
Most of the leaves were off but they still looked pretty good on the ground.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
GETTING AWAY WITH IT
Nice when you're able to drive out of the crap weather for a nice weekend away of mountain biking. While Boston was pretty much socked in with clouds and wet snow we had a nice sunny weekend up in Vermont.
Just a dusting of snow on Cannon on the drive up.
Most of the leaves were off but they still looked pretty good on the ground.
Just a dusting of snow on Cannon on the drive up.
Most of the leaves were off but they still looked pretty good on the ground.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
THE LAST RIDE: PORCUPINE RIM
In case you haven't heard, Porcupine Rim is one of the best mountain bike rides in the world - 7000 feet of descending through spectacular scenery on one of the most fun-flowing technical trails I've ever been on.
We rode right out of the condo down to Poison Spider bike shop to catch the 9:30am shuttle. Best $20 we spent on the whole trip.
If snow conditions allow the shuttle can take you all the way up to the Hazard County trail head. I first rode this trail back in 2003 before it was legitimized by the forest service. It's changed a lot since then, mainly the huge gap jumps are gone.
Utah's got nothing on New England when it comes to pretty trees, however the color was still nice. We started down there in that parking lot.
The Hazard County trail had you railing single track through the aspens for a while. I love this.
New to me was the Upper Porcupine Rim single track - you heard it here this has to be one of the best single track rides on the planet. Downhill slick rock and single track through the pines - yeah it was that good.
Eventually the trail intersects with Porcupine Rim proper.
We rode the trail with this guy from Minnesota who was out in Moab alone for the weekend.
Air-Reenie
Also new to me was the bike path along highway 128. This makes for a more pleasant ride back to town. A great ride to end the trip.
We rode right out of the condo down to Poison Spider bike shop to catch the 9:30am shuttle. Best $20 we spent on the whole trip.
If snow conditions allow the shuttle can take you all the way up to the Hazard County trail head. I first rode this trail back in 2003 before it was legitimized by the forest service. It's changed a lot since then, mainly the huge gap jumps are gone.
Utah's got nothing on New England when it comes to pretty trees, however the color was still nice. We started down there in that parking lot.
The Hazard County trail had you railing single track through the aspens for a while. I love this.
New to me was the Upper Porcupine Rim single track - you heard it here this has to be one of the best single track rides on the planet. Downhill slick rock and single track through the pines - yeah it was that good.
Eventually the trail intersects with Porcupine Rim proper.
We rode the trail with this guy from Minnesota who was out in Moab alone for the weekend.
Air-Reenie
Also new to me was the bike path along highway 128. This makes for a more pleasant ride back to town. A great ride to end the trip.
Friday, October 16, 2009
FRUITA ROAD 18
The next day we headed over to Fruita to ride the Road 18 trail system. I wasn't too phyced with these trails, or more accurately was disappointed that they weren't as great as I heard they were. We rode Kessle Run up and down (ok that was fun) Joe's ridge, Western Zippity to Zippity Do-Dah. The problem I think that on most of the descents there was a big rain rut running down the middle of the single track. The trails were meant to flow, meaning the concept here would be to haul ass on the downhills gaining enough speed to make it up the next steep uphill in front of you. This wasn't possible since the rut was constantly trying to suck you in so you needed to scrub off too much speed. Maybe the trails we didn't ride are better I don't know.
The famed Joe's Ridge Trail
Cattle Guard on Western Zippity
Exposure
Reenie riding a big ass drop on Zippity Do Dah
After the ride we packed it up and headed back to Moab. They legs were starting to get a little fried from all the riding!
The famed Joe's Ridge Trail
Cattle Guard on Western Zippity
Exposure
Reenie riding a big ass drop on Zippity Do Dah
After the ride we packed it up and headed back to Moab. They legs were starting to get a little fried from all the riding!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
BARTLETT WASH
After the Sovereign trails we headed across the highway for a short ride at Bartlett Wash. Bartlett Wash is a ginormous expanse of Entrada Sandstone that you can ride bikes on. Awesome.
A rare shot of me.
We rode around there for a while exploring all the bowls, fins drops and ledges. I gotta say, it was kinda spooky being all the way out there by ourselves with the wind was whipping through the canyon across the barren rock.
A rare shot of me.
We rode around there for a while exploring all the bowls, fins drops and ledges. I gotta say, it was kinda spooky being all the way out there by ourselves with the wind was whipping through the canyon across the barren rock.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
SOVERIEGN SINGLE TRACK
In my opinion everyone needs more single track, including Moab.
These trails are located about 30 minutes North of town. I first rode these in 2004 and from what I can tell have become a Moab must-do ride.
By east coast standard the ride is all moderately technical single track. If you start at Willow Springs road it will be rolling uphill the whole way to the turn around point. If you decide to descend off the hill instead of turning around you have the option to ride out to a huge expanse of slick rock bordering Arches National Park. We headed out there riding from slick rock fin to fin going as far out as possible. This was my fifth trip to Moab and the landscape and terrain never ceases to blow my mind.
The ride back to the car is a nice downhill flow over chunky rocks and hucks.
These trails are located about 30 minutes North of town. I first rode these in 2004 and from what I can tell have become a Moab must-do ride.
By east coast standard the ride is all moderately technical single track. If you start at Willow Springs road it will be rolling uphill the whole way to the turn around point. If you decide to descend off the hill instead of turning around you have the option to ride out to a huge expanse of slick rock bordering Arches National Park. We headed out there riding from slick rock fin to fin going as far out as possible. This was my fifth trip to Moab and the landscape and terrain never ceases to blow my mind.
The ride back to the car is a nice downhill flow over chunky rocks and hucks.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
GRAND CANYON: NORTH RIM
After the Rainbow Rim trail we checked into the Grand Canyon National park lodge. Unfortunately, we just missed the sunset, which from what I could see as we arrived was incredible due to the numerous forest fires going on in the area.
The national park lodge is OK, what you are really paying for the location. The cabin accommodations are noisy and allow even the smallest sounds to go through the wall from the adjoining room. The bright side of this is that the people next door woke us at 5:00am and we got to watch the sunrise over the canyon.
After drinking coffee and watching the sun come up we ate breakfast and went for a two hour out and back hike on the Widforss trail.
Since I could only get one night at the North Rim lodge our plan was to book it outta there and make the six hour drive over to Moab, Utah where we would spend the remainder of our trip. Instead of heading back from where we came and up to the interstate we decided to take the back way, through Northern Arizona and past the four corners area.
Highlights of the drive: Dropping from the North rim into the Arizona strip district, the stretch of road between Page, Arizona and highway 160 - 7000 foot altitude, grasslands, slick rock horizons, cows roaming free in downtown Kayenta Arizona in the Navajo nation, of course, Monument Valley, dropping into Mexican Hat Utah and it's namesake roadside rock formation, the remote town of Bluff Utah and the "frozen in time" (1950's) towns of Blanding and Monticello and of course dropping into Moab from highway 191 and the anticipation of the great rides we were going to have.
View Larger Map
The national park lodge is OK, what you are really paying for the location. The cabin accommodations are noisy and allow even the smallest sounds to go through the wall from the adjoining room. The bright side of this is that the people next door woke us at 5:00am and we got to watch the sunrise over the canyon.
After drinking coffee and watching the sun come up we ate breakfast and went for a two hour out and back hike on the Widforss trail.
Since I could only get one night at the North Rim lodge our plan was to book it outta there and make the six hour drive over to Moab, Utah where we would spend the remainder of our trip. Instead of heading back from where we came and up to the interstate we decided to take the back way, through Northern Arizona and past the four corners area.
Highlights of the drive: Dropping from the North rim into the Arizona strip district, the stretch of road between Page, Arizona and highway 160 - 7000 foot altitude, grasslands, slick rock horizons, cows roaming free in downtown Kayenta Arizona in the Navajo nation, of course, Monument Valley, dropping into Mexican Hat Utah and it's namesake roadside rock formation, the remote town of Bluff Utah and the "frozen in time" (1950's) towns of Blanding and Monticello and of course dropping into Moab from highway 191 and the anticipation of the great rides we were going to have.
View Larger Map
Friday, October 09, 2009
RAINBOW RIM TRAIL
The Rainbow Rim Trail is up on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. It's an 18 mile (one way) single track that at times skirts the edge of the canyon. Obviously, the views are incredible. The riding is easy with no real technical challenges or big hills as you cruise along at around 9000 feet. When you're not taking in the views the trail veers off into the woods through an aspen and ponderosa pine forest.
Getting to the trail head from highway 67 is an adventure in itself with about 30 miles of forest service roads to negotiate. I've seen all kinds of information on the internet about how to get to the trail head, my advice would be to pick up a free map at the National Park visitor center at Jacob Lake. The roads are well marked, except for the right hand turn down onto the spur roads that take you to the trail head so keep an eye out. We parked the truck at Locust point and rode and out and back to each end of the trail for a 36 mile ride. Doing this allowed us to refuel mid-way.
The trail is rougher from Locust point North. Headed South on that stretch it felt mostly downhill. From Locust to Timp point and back the trail is mellow and buffed out. Good stuff either way.
As you can see, the views were terrible.
When you're not on the edge of the rim you're off flying along on buff single track through the forest and wide open grassy meadows. I came around a bend in the single track at one point and swear I saw a wolf crossing the trail. I've seen plenty of coyotes and foxes but this thing was large.
More terrible views.
We saw three other riders the whole day (this is how I want to experience the Grand Canyon) plus these friendly folks. They were camped out right on the rim and fed us smoked salmon with cream cheese on crackers. Nice way to end the ride.
See ya next time.
Getting to the trail head from highway 67 is an adventure in itself with about 30 miles of forest service roads to negotiate. I've seen all kinds of information on the internet about how to get to the trail head, my advice would be to pick up a free map at the National Park visitor center at Jacob Lake. The roads are well marked, except for the right hand turn down onto the spur roads that take you to the trail head so keep an eye out. We parked the truck at Locust point and rode and out and back to each end of the trail for a 36 mile ride. Doing this allowed us to refuel mid-way.
The trail is rougher from Locust point North. Headed South on that stretch it felt mostly downhill. From Locust to Timp point and back the trail is mellow and buffed out. Good stuff either way.
As you can see, the views were terrible.
When you're not on the edge of the rim you're off flying along on buff single track through the forest and wide open grassy meadows. I came around a bend in the single track at one point and swear I saw a wolf crossing the trail. I've seen plenty of coyotes and foxes but this thing was large.
More terrible views.
We saw three other riders the whole day (this is how I want to experience the Grand Canyon) plus these friendly folks. They were camped out right on the rim and fed us smoked salmon with cream cheese on crackers. Nice way to end the ride.
See ya next time.
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