Separation of Bike and State?

With all this talk about reaching across the isle to the opposing political party President George W. Bush is trying to do just that for mountain bikers who are both red and blue. The Biker-in-Chief is trying to open up more trails in national parks across the nation to mountain bikers. President Bush, who actually is an avid mountain biker himself, wants to put the trail making of trail regulations to the managers of the pubic lands instead of those that sit behind a desk in DC. The process of opening up trails to bikers is a long and tedious one; in which the public has to be formally notified a process that currently takes years.

What the President wants to do is streamline the process so he can legally take “Mountain-Bike-One” out for a spin in what was once forbidden backcountry. This new regulation is not without opposition. In an article written by the Associated Press the author cites Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch, “Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders.”

After doing some research for this article it turns out that many sources agree that President Bush is quite an avid mountain biker, and quite good as well. He took up biking as a lower impact form of exercise after suffering a knee injury. “Mountain-Bike-One,” as the President has nicknamed his steed, is a Trek Top Fuel 98 with a custom paint job. Bush frequently rides around both his ranch in Crawford, Texas and in and around the DC area.

I am not one to mix biking and politics, but this is one political move that most bikers should agree on regardless how much you like or dislike the “Biker-in-Chief.”

Associated Press article below:

This just in from the Associated Press:

WASHINGTON — The Bush administration plans to make it easier for mountain bikers to gain access to national parks and other public lands before the president — an avid cyclist himself — leaves office.

The National Park Service confirmed Tuesday that it is preparing a rule that will allow decisions about some mountain bike trails to be made by park managers instead of federal regulators in Washington, a process that can take years.

A park service spokesman said the rule would be proposed no later than Nov. 15 so it could be final before Bush leaves office. If adopted, the proposal would likely result in more mountain biking opportunities on public lands.

Currently, the Park Service has to adopt a special regulation to open up trails to mountain bikes, which requires the public to be formally notified. The same process is required for all-terrain vehicles and other motorized recreation on park lands.

“We are trying to give superintendents a little bit of latitude especially for non-controversial proposals for bicycling in parks,” said Jeffrey Olson, a spokesman for the service. “We are responding to public demand.”

Environmental advocate Jeff Ruch called the rule a lame-duck gift for the mountain biking lobby from the “Mountain-Biker-in-Chief,” referring to Bush.

Ruch, executive director of the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, said the proposal would open up backcountry trails to mountain bikers. Mountain bikers are blamed for erosion of trails and trampling native plants. They also disturb other park users, such as hikers, birders and horseback riders.

During his tenure as president, Bush has embraced mountain biking as a low-impact alternative to running, which is hard on his knees. The president — who has a blue and white Trek bicycle dubbed Mountain Bike One — often rides on his ranch in Crawford, Tex. and in the Washington, D.C. area. He also has received several mountain bikes from companies like Cannondale and Trek.

The International Mountain Biking Association, which is supported by some of the same companies that gave Bush bikes, said Tuesday it didn’t believe the timing of the rule had anything to do with the president’s penchant for pedaling.

“It is extraneous to this (rule) that the president has interest in mountain biking. I don’t think that has been an influencer in this case,” said Mark Eller, communications director for the group, which has been lobbying to change the rules since the early 1990s.

About 30 properties managed by the National Park Service include trails approved for mountain bikes now, he said.

A calendar for Lyle Laverty, the Interior Department’s Assistant Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks also shows that the mountain bike rule is one the administration’s remaining priorities.

In April 2006, after a 65-minute ride through Napa County wine country on Earth Day, the president told an AP reporter: “We’re able to enjoy the beauty without really disrupting pristine nature of the place. It’s a classic way for mankind to enjoy God’s gift.”

The Ride at Waterton Canyon, Colorado

The Waterton Canyon mountain bike ride is really quite spectacular. Its about 30 miles south of Denver. There’s a gravel service road that goes up to the Colorado Trail. Its about 6 uphill miles with an elevation gain of about 500 feet; 5,490′ - 5,925′! My friend Dan took me there several weeks ago on a sunny afternoon to ride there. Here are directions.

The trail follows the South Platte River for the entire distance. While I was riding there, I saw numerous fly fishermen casting in the water. The water is so clear, that on the trail, you can see the fish swimming and coming up to snatch a tasty insect or a fly lure. The trail passes by 3 dams, which are very picturesque in the bucolic countryside.

About the halfway mark, a dozen mule deer flitted across the road and startled us. These were magnificent creatures, full of energy and bounce. There are signs along the trail telling you about the mountain sheep and goats. The ride is really a feast for the eyes. You will see young families, hikers, and fisherman carrying their poles, all enjoying the beauty. It is hard to believe that it’s all up hill; you hardly notice it. Bring your cameras. I would even guess that kids as young as 8 could ride with mom and dad to the top.

At the top of the six miles, you see the largest Dam to the right. Its huge with several bore holes spewing water at a high rate. I assumed it was for hydroelectric power. If you stay straight, there is a trail to Lenny’s Rest. The trail is quite technical. That’s “bike-speak” for: single track, switchbacks, narrow, deep center ruts, rocky, dangerous, nasty riding. Naturally, I decided that I could take that track. Halfway up, I ran out of water; shortly after that, I ran out of desire and will power.

My excuse to the Mrs. was that I ran out of water and that I started too late in the day. We didn’t hit the trail until 2pm that afternoon; but I have to tell you the single-track technical piece just really kicked my butt. I was bathed in heavy sweat, eyes stinging, wet clothes, breathing hard at 6,000 feet, darkness approaching, and I just whimped out. I plan on hitting it again in the Spring and I will bring three times the water and start off at 8 am.

There are rules in Colorado about hiking and biking in the summer. Colorado has over 30 peaks above 14,000 feet. When you hike/bike in the summer, the thunderstorms roll in every afternoon sometime around 12 noon. Be sure to summit by 11:30 am or you have no place to hide on a deforested mountaintop where you are the tallest object for lightening to find.

The ride back down to the parking lot was really a lot of fun once I made it back to the service road. Imagine a 6 mile downhill; relaxing, scenic and with the river below you to your right. What a ride!

See you on the trails.

Waterbury, Vermont & the SMBC

The Town of Waterbury is very similar to the town in the movie “State & Main”. But one thing the movie doesn’t have that the town does is some truly awesome mountain bike riding. Waterbury is about 40 minutes south of Burlington, right down the road from Stowe, VT. The Stowe Mountain Bike Club (SMBC) maintains the Perry Hill trails and have recently added a little warm-up hip table at the entrance to the trails. The trail begins right off the road to the Ice Rink. Just about everybody plays hockey, hockey, hockey up here. Hockey is a weird word when you look at it for a minute…

I’ve been finishing out the fall at the Waterbury trails and hope to get a few more in before rifle season (or the snow) starts. Everyone talks about the initial climb, it is a killer, but the trailhead itself speaks of the magnitude of these trails. After crossing the railroad tracks, there’s a 50 yard concrete tunnel that travels under the highway, I always imagine I’m traveling through some Dr. Who portal into the land of the super-stoked. Once you pass through, there are some instructions on reading the trail markers (nothing too complicated, red arrow is the red trail and blue arrow is the-you get the idea), a dilapidated rusty old bike sculpture (which seem to have an omnipresence in the VT) and then the climb.

Now I’m sure everyone has experienced a super fast, smooth descent with rollers, berms and natural wall rides but this aspect of the trail is one of the best finishes I’ve ever experienced, its boarders perfection. As you reach the top, the trail breaks and I always take the red. Red is best. Not much in VT reminds me of North GA, except for here. As you reach the top of the red trail, you pass an obscure gravestone with some crude carvings on it. Not sure what the story is but someone is buried right on the side of the trail. Its subtle and I knew of the story but finally saw it last week.

The descent provides the sensation we all crave when riding. Just wide-eyed and bushy-tailed. And it doesn’t stop, that’s the best part. If you rip the whole thing, you’re ready for a break at the end. You don’t have to go down to the concrete tunnel to start again, which is good. After the first run, I’m so wound up and buzzed that it would be difficult to start the whole climb again, but that’s just me.

The trials are everything a 6’’ bike is designed to do. And my FAT JACK from Lenzsport is quite at home in Waterbury.

So when you make the trip, ask a local how to get to the ice rink, look for the little parking lot on your right, cross the street and start the climb. Stick to the red trail, stay right so you can hit the pine tree section. And after your done, go to the Alchemist and get toasty on some strong brew…and I’m looking outside, wondering if I’ll time to get some runs in this afternoon.

Nobel Canyon, Mount Laguna, San Diego County, California

Believe it or not San Diego does have Mountains. I lived there for a few years and thought nothing more of playing in the ocean, what mountains? Not until I used my long arms and broad shoulders to show a friend what surfing was like did I get turned onto mountain biking by my friend with calves oddly similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s in Conan the Barbarian did I find out about Mount Laguna. Located at 6,000 feet above sea level in a forest of Jeffrey pines sits Mount Laguna, there’s even snow for a few months in the winter, who knew? Mount Laguna is located about one hour east of San Diego traveling along interstate eight in the Laguna Mountains on the eastern edge of the Cleveland National Forest. Mount Laguna is quaint, comprised of a general store, cozy lodge and cabins, greasy spoon restaurant, Billy Bob post office, and car camping campgrounds abutting the Pacific Rim Trail.

Within the Laguna Mountains lays the royal by name “Noble Canyon” single track trail. Nobel Canyon is comprised of moderate to forearm rock pounding single track with seat adjustments needed every few miles. I just say screw it and keep my seat all the way down on this down hill ride. Until they make a handle bar lever for an adjustable seat, keeping the seat lowered is easier than getting off your bike to make adjustments every few minutes. Nobel Canyon is a beautiful ride traversing three different ecosystems, bambi style alpine meadows with Chester chipmunk oak trees giving way to skin scraping scrub which is the local chaparral descending into dry sauna gnat infested desert ambiance. Keeping this in mind you can find weather at the top of the mountain requiring a jacket and at the bottom of the mountain you’ll be sweating with your shirt off enjoying the opportunity to sun tan. My Conan friend apparently had a bone to pick with me after I almost got him drowned in six foot surf. He never once mentioned to me on this ride that I might want to consider walking certain sections. Keeping in mind when I first went down Nobel Canyon I was fairly green albeit an athlete with some skills but green non-the-less when it came to mountain biking. Note to first timers: Nobel canyon has some gnarly sections feel free to walk these parts. Needless to say I did not get this warning and by the time the three hour round trip was over let’s just say I was bruised, battered, and limping. My Conan friend offered to drive my cars back home I looked so messed up. He on the other hand was boulder hopping, flying through the air up cliff faces and down them, cruising over treacherously technical terrain, and generally screaming with joy most of the trip.

Some people opt to take two cars to Mount Laguna. Obviously parking one at the bottom and driving to the top via Sunrise Highway with the other. We did not. We started at the lower trailhead just outside of Pine Valley down Old Highway 80 and Pine Creek Road at the Pine Creek Picnic Area. Starting at the bottom of the mountain you travel for a good hour and a half up and up a patch work paved gravel jeep road called Deer Creek Road and Laguna Meadows Road. For those uninitiated to hill climbing, let me just warn you that this up hill climb will drain your energy, requires several stops if not flat out walks, and will make you worthless for the fun down hill single track of Nobel Canyon so make sure you bring lots of water and some sort of high energy quick food. I like an apple and a sneakers candy bar when I get to the top. And again, it can be hot as hell at the bottom and darn right freezing up top so bring layers during the few winter months.

Once you reach the forest of the upper Laguna Mountain, the fun starts. Nobel Canyon begins with some frolicking kind single track through the alpine forest with gentle climbs and drops good for peddling hard and jumping around. Not long into it the official hour and a half long decent begins with lots of quick silky sections of packed fast dirt no rocks. Twenty minutes or so you’ll roll past a gate a notice a gradual change in the terrain. Hear things start to warm up with technical skills needed over rocky terrain, sharp switchbacks, and brush that scrapes away at your legs. Along this up one third of the trail you’ll encounter narrow rocky terrain as well as friendly fast sections, just keep your seat down as drops and sharp turns can come at you unexpectedly. The middle third of the trail has some technical aspects adjacent to steep drops into an unfriendly ravines. The flora and fauna changes drastically so stopping once in a while is a good thing if you’re into that type of thing. About halfway down there is series of very technical trail which looks like a moonscape. Rocks and ruts completely cover the trail and I for one walk some of these sections. That said, Conan charges down these sections with the skill of a mountain goat navigating sheer cliff faces. At one point in the trail there are some large boulders off to the left side shortly after you go over a stream. If you are like Conan then feel free to do what he does and boulder hop around are just peddle hard and jump off some of these obstructions. I tried this and not going fast enough or pulling up hard enough, did a nose dive flailing right over the handle bars as my from tire hit first at a nasty angle. The bottom third of Nobel is dry desert style riding with occasionally rocky patches so keep an eye out. There is also a nice lush valley where you cross what on what some days in winter and spring can be considered more of a rushing river than a creek. Eventually about an hour and a half from the top and three hours later you arrive back at the bottom.

Finally thoughts on this ride, if you’re in San Diego then go for it. Of the several rides I have done in San Diego County Nobel Canyon is one of the best. Not only does it offer the technical ride a challenge, I have seen some hot shots with full protective gear on doing Nobel, but it also offers the intermediate a good place to learn technical skills. This is not a trail I would recommend for a beginner because I don’t think it would be fun for a beginner, to much work and no play make Jack a dull boy. However, it is beautiful, covers a lot of ground, changing scenery, and fantastic views. Nobel Canyon definitely lives up to its name and helps to put San Diego County on the mountain biking map.

Poachers Need Not Apply

With the election one week away, it is not politics as usual here in Fort Collins, Colorado. The sun shines brightly through the cloudless sky onto the mountain bike only trails of Bobcat Ridge Natural Area (well, we do allow hikers as well).

Originally ranch land that was left exposed by a forest fire in 2000, Bobcat Ridge was bought by the City of Fort Collins and turned into a natural area, complete the with the Ginny trail. “Horses not allowed”, reads one sign. Another reminds us to yield to uphill traffic—imperative to keeping those cranks in motion as you climb the five miles of technical black diamond, switchback to the top. Cross country lovers delight as you stand at the top admiring the panoramic view of Rocky Mountain National Park, knowing that they earned their turns to the bottom. Apparently the rangers have come to realize this mountain biker’s delight as they frustratingly removed yet another self made alternative route put in place by a mountain bike poacher. The pitch, slope, and natural objects make it almost impossible to not build your own jumps, ladders, and bridges.

Their patience had run thin about the time when they consulted Greg Mazu of Singletrack Trails. A part time resident of Fort Collins and part time resident of his truck and trailer, Greg is known around the area west of the Mississippi for his trail building. He in turn looked to Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol as his man (or woman) power.

Together we-Diamond Peaks, the City of Fort Collins, and Greg-loaded up trucks and trailers, then later our hands with picks, Pulaskis, rock rakes, chains, and chain saws to hike up two miles into the Ginny Trail. Flags, blue with thin metal spikes, marked the spot on the trail and the only directions given were “be creative.” Greg had divided us into two groups each with a crew leader of his choice and two city workers to main the chainsaws. He had only marked out the path that he knew was sustainable enough to hold alternative routes. The question remained where to start. The crew leader began by having us haul as big of rocks as we could without hurting ourselves into a pile that grew quickly. We had the city workers cut down what looked like two solid trees, hard telling as most of the land was ravaged in a forest fire 8 years ago. We laid the logs along the path of the blue flags, making sure that they were solidly in place and shimmying in rocks where needed. We connected the two logs with large flat boulders that would have you gain the perfect traction as you rolled over.

The ladder bridges turned out to be more tedious. I myself was on the log crew, but in between breaks of heavy lifting I would head uphill to check out the crew that from a distant resembled Keebler elves; one marking 8 inches on a log, another sawing at the marks and tossing the logs to a splitting crew, all forming a perfect assembly line. Somehow the end product was a twisty, turny roller coaster of riding fun.

In six hours we had hauled rock, split trees, and carried logs to build the new ladder bridges and log rides alongside the trails. The city had the chainsaws and workman’s comp and we had the knowledge and expertise of riding- Discussing lines and angles that we would be able to keep our bikes on.

In a time when the general population is still waking up to the idea of mountain biking downhill and not across hills, the City of Fort Collins is realizing that they can’t beat the Mountain Biking Man, but rather they can work with them in creating a safe environment for people to have fun. Did I mention that Bush might open up the national parks to mountain biking before his term is up? Politics is not as usual.

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park Mountain Bike Trail - San Diego County, California

Just east of San Diego is an astonishing feat of nature in an area called Cuyamaca Rancho State Park with over 26,000 acres of oak woodland forest, mixed with a smattering of pines and charming meadows with playful creeks. There are over 100 miles of trails which offer hikers, bikers, and equestrians ample stomping grounds. Within the Park are two great places for mountain bikers to establish base camp and spend the night, one of which is called Paso Picacho camp, which is nestled between Stonewall Peak elevation 5,700’, and Cuyamaca Peak elevation 6,512’, both peaks present spectacular views of the deserts to the east, the coast to the west, and Lake Cuyamaca at the base. The other campground which I prefer is Green Valley because it has a refreshing stream that runs through camp replete with waterfalls. Both camps are great base camps because you can start your ride to anywhere in the park from either one of them. Cuyamaca is just a maze of trails and if you are like me then you will want to mountain bike as much of the 100 miles of trails as possible. Cuyamaca is in fact so popular with mountain bikers that they have annual bike events held there. The popularity of the place does have its draw backs though as you shall soon see, some riders are caught off guard by the beauty and relative ease of the trails succumbing to hell bent egos of tearing the trails up.

On a beautiful rainy day three of us went to ride in Cuyamaca, conveniently, just 50 miles east of San Diego off sports car blistering highway 79. We parked at the day use Green Valley campground and saddled up for a three hour tour along Cuyamaca peak and around middle peak via several kind fire roads.

Dennis my good friend and normal riding partner who always wakes me up early on the weekends considers himself to have the balance of a cat and likes smoking cigarettes. He brought his friend Willie who just bought a used mountain bike and was itching to get to try it in the Cuyamacas, he had never done any serious riding. Cuyamaca is almost all intermediate to beginner riding; the trails are wide fire roads and not very technical. They are however fun and fast. More of the technical riding can be done on the hiking trails throughout the park which I often go on and fake ignorance if stopped, so far no problems. This could be a debate for another time that I would like to get into with any dire hard hiker protective of his precious trail if that is the problem or is he just worried I might come careening down a hill and hit him?

On this particular wet rainy day with the green horn Willie along, I opted to stick to the regular designated mountain bike trails, in this instance Fern Flat, Azalea Springs, and Middle Peak fire roads. The trail along Cuyamaca Peak and Middle Peak is a vast woodland forest with the occasional pleasant out looking vista. This is the type of playground where at one point going down hill a buck snorted fiercely at me, yes I did fear for my life, and pranced right along side of me for a good 50 yards then cut right in front of me and disappeared into the woods; fun stuff, even for the animals apparently. I have yet to run into the elusive Mountain Lion but there are plenty of posted warnings and several reported human stalking and killings. Yes indeed fun stuff.

I enjoy all kinds of inclement weather so riding in the rain on this day was a treat, first we went along Japacha Spring Creek, then the wide base of Cuyamaca peak. Watching the trinkets of water flow down the trail during a rain storm is amusing and after about an hour we came to a clearing which opens up to middle peak. The trail goes around middle peak and takes about an hour. The fork in the road goes left starting with a down hill or right leading into an uphill.

Dennis and I were doing what we normal do during these easy types of rides and were talking and enjoying nature. Not paying much attention, the green horn Willie, who apparently loves speed, instantly took off left down hill, obviously he wanted to get a feel for his bike on our first downhill of the trip. Keep in mind this is a wet rainy day and he is new to the sport. Dennis and I looked at each other and thought alright lets go, we peddled for a few feet and began our downhill decent.

As we followed after Willie who was now way ahead of us and not just going down hill holding his bike in line like most riders, he was all over the place and oddly, still peddling at a ferocious rate. I start out this section with a few hard turns of the crank but it is steep enough that you pick up speed and follow your line, not Willie. He was well down the hill and still peddling wildly. He had to be crazy I was thinking and wondered if he was so green that he didn’t realize he had free wheel and could stop peddling. Even now I can see him peddling, flying down hill like some speed demon, swerving out of control, careening off the trail, flailing into a sharp ditch, bike and body flying, and Willie going over the handle bars flying like a man shot out of a cannon.

Dennis and I stared at each other in disbelief hoping for the best but expecting the worst. Not that that wasn’t scary enough but when we caught up to him he was not moving but talking and was sprawled out inches from having collided head on with a nice sized boulder. I’ve seen this before, dare devils just missing catastrophe by a mere fraction, perhaps there are angles out there protecting some of us. At the speed he was going hitting that rock most likely would have broken something and possibly put him lights out. Not wanting to think about it, we made sure he was alright and I went back to get his bike about 20 yards back up the hill. Willie starts talking about how he’s fine and we should continue on the ride. I’m still baffled at how nonplussed he is when I pick up his bike and quickly discover that the bike was not so lucky. The front rim majorly bent and will not rotate, along with brakes and levers that need to be adjusted.

Obviously the ride is over and we decide to turn back much to Willies dismay, I think he was trying to man up and didn’t want to ruin the rest of our ride, out of the question, I’m not going any further into the forest with Willie in this condition we must get back to civilization. In order to get Willies bike in some kind of working condition we disassemble the front brake taking off the front tire and hammer away on the rim trying to bend it back to some semblance of straight. This technique does not work well but we do manage to get the wheel to go around without getting stuck on the front brake. Now the hour to get back takes two hours of slow riding through the rain but tragedy has been averted so all is well that ends well.

Lessons learned; any senior rider in a group with a green horn or for that matter any rider not familiar with the terrain, has a responsibility to the pack. I believe the experienced rider should keep a fairly constant dialogue about the trail and trail safety. When we came to the fork in the road I should have minutes before talked about it and had us all stop and at that point talked about the trail and certainly instructed Willie to follow Dennis or myself. I can still see Willie just screaming out of control down that hill and of all things constantly peddling when he was clearly out of control. When I saw him go flying over his handle bars will nilly, I seriously thought he was going to be messed up. And when I saw how close he was to hitting a serious rock obstruction I think we all realized how lucky he was. So all experienced rides keep your group informed and don’t let any green horns lead the pack even if they have a new bike. It’s similar to someone getting a new sports car they think they need to floor it and speed around.

Needless to say, Willie never fixed his mountain bike; he sold it and joined the Army.

Cool Places to Ride in Colorado – Winter Park, Colorado

The first time I rode in Colorado was about 10 years ago in the Winter Park Resort Area. We were renting a cabin for a family re-union and I rented a bike for a week. My older brother, Mike a committed biker, also rented a mountain bike.

Winter Park is just up I70 to Route 40 and up straight over the pass to a piece of Heaven.

What is cool about Winter Park is that in the summer, the main chair lift operates for Mountain Bike Kamikaze’s and you know whom I am talking about; that’s right: “YOU!!” You take this lift straight up the mountain; tie your bike on and then it slows down for you to take it off at the top of the lift. It’s a nominal fee for the day.

Ok have to stop. Did you know that they make these bikes called “Down-Hill” bikes? They aren’t meant to ride for speed; they are meant to RIDE downhill like a maniac….ok ok ok, It helps to have suspension and steel frames. Carbon Bikes tend to crack when abused. Ask the good folks at MTOBikes.com. to help you pick one out.

Ok, so, you take the lift to the top and then it’s all down hill from there. Make sure to have elbow pads, kneepads, and full gloves. Do I have to say a good Helmet? You can get in about 10 rides in one day. Its called downhill “technical” riding by the purists, but I think its just about the most fun you can have mountain biking.

Drawbacks? Well, a few, one is altitude sickness, its easy to dehydrate at 12,000 feet and the symptoms are flu like; stay well hydrated and no beer the day you fly into Denver. The other is that it is damn dangerous; easy to break arms and legs and necks, but the views are spectacular; heaven on earth is in Colorado. Also, your shoulders and hands will feel like you are an arthritic old man after about 5 rides, but man is it fun; take your Camel-backs; water is a requirement.

There is also an attraction at Winter Park called the “Alpine Slide”. It is basically a concrete track that goes down the fall line under the afore-mentioned chair lift. You get a car that has a rubber brake and down you go. There are no safety rails and broken limbs are an every day occurrence. Here’s the link: Winter Park, Colorado Summer Activities - RockiesGuide.com

Ok Winter Park for Mountain Bike Riders is the place to go in the summer. I have a good friend who bought a summer cabin in the area; not for his kids, or for the skiing, but for the Mountain Biking. His bike costs 10 times what mine does…sigh. Check out Winter Park for some of the best Mountain Biking in the world!

Sherman Branch, Section Two

With the Ninja Rabbits, Snake, Roller Coster and the climb out of section one behind you, you’ll find the Farm Silo is a good place to hang out and take a break while you wait for your buddies to catch up. Section two begins at the intersection of the Farm Silo, the same silo you passed while riding section one. So be warned the Ninja Rabbits are on the loose and they’ll out to get you.

Rolling up a slight grade between the woods and an over grown field, you’ll eventually find yourself back into single track that winds through and then begins to descend again into three log jumps that are spaced perfectly apart to catch a little air time, the last being the best to lob off of. Bank back to the left and hammer your way up a short easy climb into a left turning berm. Once you’ve cleared the berm, there’s some nice straight-aways to pick up some momentum just before you enter into a tight right banking berm that will sling-shot you into a short straight and back into a left banking turn. Then there’s a nice straight away with a log jump, then you enter another right banking berm that is fun to ride high and rail out of, back into another left banking turn and right back into another right banking berm. Read more

Oasis in the Desert: Black Canyon Trail

Off of the I-17, in the center of the Arizona desert, lies Black Canyon City. This is home to one of the greatest trails in Arizona. It is the ultimate getaway with spectacular views and a completely different experience from what many are used to.

The Black Canyon Trail is one of many trails in the Black Canyon City area. It has quickly become an epic ride for valley mountain bikers and a great exploration location for hikers. If you have ever rode any of the other local trails, BCT is a completely new experience. The trail was designed with the mountain biker in mind. Although you’ll get in some good climbing time, long climbs are soon interrupted by short straight-aways and descents: This is all while weaving through mountain sides on the 8-inch wide single-track. The beautiful thing about it is you can never get bored. Flat and straight is something that simply does not exist. It is an epic single-track journey, 13 miles out and back. At the end of the ride your shifting thumbs and arms will be feeling the burn much more than legs.

But epic singletrack is just one of the claims to greatness BCT has. Among mighty Saguaros and the usual scrub brush an oasis lies waiting for you. You’ll find a lush riparian habitat with creatures ranging from the usual creepy crawlies to herons, tortoises, fish and much more. Small mines from a generation long gone lay hidden behind lush tree lines, and a river flows through a winding canyon down to meet Lake Pleasant. It is a sight that will lead you to ask yourself, am I still in Arizona?

The great views and heart-pounding single-track also mean extreme exposure. There are many sections where protruding cacti and brush turn the 8-inch single track into barely passable, all while you carve on the edge of a mountain with a several hundred foot fall on the other side. Make sure your skills are up to the journey. You can easily get yourself severely injured and even killed out here. Be careful, be prepared and be amazed!

For more information on this and other trails around Black Canyon City, including directions, visit http://www.bctaz.com. BCT is the last on the trails list.

Left Loop Mountain Bike Trail – Tsali Recreation Area (Graham County, NC)

Overall Difficulty: Intermediate
Technical Difficulty: Moderate
Physical Difficulty: Moderate
Configuration: Loop
Length: 11.9 miles

Public lands offer endless riding opportunities, especially with the adoption of recreation by many state and federal agencies as a valuable resource to manage. Tsali recreation area of western North Carolina, considered by some as a southeastern mecca for mountain biking, is located in the Nantahala National Forest along the banks of Fontana Lake. The area is managed by the U.S. Forest Service and offers a trail system that covers over 30 miles of terrain that explores the banks of Fontana Lake, climbs to awe-inspiring overlooks of the Appalachian mountains, and travels through dense, ancient hardwood forests. The left loop trail, one of the four designated trails of Tsali, is open to mountain bikers on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and open to horseback riders the other days. An 11.9 mile loop trail, the left loop trail hops from cove to cove of Fontana lake, with the occasional climb and subsequent fast descent that eventually leaves the banks of the lake and returns to the trailhead via a gravel doubletrack.

To begin this trail, ride past the information kiosk and bike cleaning station and immediately take a left following the trail signs for the left loop trail. An initial climb and quick descent will drop you into the horse trailer parking lot, from which you will cross and drop into the forest following the signs. Gentle rollers take you across the contours of the hillsides, with bank turns allowing for smoother transitions between opposing aspects. An abrupt left turn places you in a drainage that leads you to your first glimpse of Fontana Lake. Begin following the shoreline with the occasional creek crossing as many tributaries are crossed as the trail hops from cove to cove. Dry oak forests transition to fern and moss laden under stories as dynamic moisture gradients are encountered while constantly climbing and descending opposing hillsides.

Only slight climbs have been encountered thus far, but a moderately larger climb is encountered as the trail ascends to an overlooking peninsula, and then continues up the ridgeline. The climb peaks and the trail rolls over and begins a fun descent through Rhododendron trees that ends at another drainage and continues traversing more peninsulas. At this point, the climbs and descents begin to become a larger. One particular stretch of downhill includes water banks that increase the technicality of the descent and sharp, exposed turns require slight speed checks to avoid unwanted full bodied launches off of the embankment. An intersection is soon encountered that offers an extra 2 mile overlook loop that climbs for one mile to the cusp of a rock outcropping. Enjoy a nice view of Fontana Lake and the surrounding Appalachians, and then continue on the overlook trail which descends quickly and eventually returns to the left loop trail.  Read more

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