M
Mattb
Guest
Hartman Rocks still hasn't opened. Not sure why (reason given has to do with wet trails). I checked
it out last weekend and it's already drier then it's ideal moisture level. Hopefully that will be
changing soon (moisture and closure). Instead of Hartman's I decided to head ENE towards Signal
Peak. This is the closest offroad riding to my house. A couple of friends (a coworker's husband and
a friend of his) came by to join me just before leaving. We made a quick climb to a contour trail
that hugs the south-facing hillside. It continually crosses gulches and ridges so it's got some nice
fast turns to lay down pretty regularly. The Epic is rolling along nicely alternating between being
a hardtail and FS at the appropriate moments. I'm running some new high tech chain lube and it seems
to be working very well. Smooth shifts are such a nice thing! The guys keep dropping off the back so
I double-back periodically to make sure they are still with me and they know where we're going. We
climb an 800', 3 Mi. singletrack we call Chicken Gulch. up to a ridge near signal peak. It was a
little hot in the gulch since it faces South and doesn't get much wind. The cooler wind up near the
ridge was a welcome refreshing change. We stopped and snacked and chatted a little. Seems we all
have great women in common (common thread is that we think they are great, it's not the same woman).
That's a nice thing to chat about when you don't have to hold back because there's someone in an
unhappy situation present. We are very fortunate. We continue climbing until we merged with the
ridge trail and headed up a long, steep granny gear grind along a fence. One of the three makes it
to the top where we turn across the hill again. The views up here are really nice. We can see
Hartman Rocks on the opposite side of town framed by the San Juans behind them. Continuing to the
right reveals McIntosh Mt., the Palisades, the West Elk range, the Anthracites, Carbon, Flat Top,
Axtel/Whetstone, and Teocalli Ridge in the distance toward Crested Butte. Dropping off the North
side of the ridge gave us a great, smooth and twisting singletrack ride through the sage in a gully.
The traction was just right with just a little frost lift to make the tires really bite and hook up
through the turns. The turns are perfectly banked, making use of the terrain and reinforced with
fine, hand-crafted burms where needed. All too soon we were down on Lost Canyon road, exchanging
grins. 100 Yards on the dirt road brought us to another trail out the back of a little parking area
off opposite side of the road the road. Another grunt for several Miles, following a dry creek bed
and then cutting across the hillsides. It was hot again and this seemed to be taking it's toll on
the other riders. One guys fell a couple of times wrestling with his SPD's, but managed to come out
of it with just a few scrapes and bumps. The views return with the cool air once we gained a little
elevation. This time we're across the valley from our last vantage point, looking at the spot where
we stood earlier from about the same elevation but several Miles to the North. I discover one of the
other riders has now run out of water. I'm also starting to run short on time, so we take a nice DH
back down a singletrack spur to the road. We looked around for a connector trail I know has to be
there in the sage somewhere and find the beginnings of one. After a quick scout we decide the road
is the best way back to town since I need to get home to watch the baby while the Mrs. goes for a
ride. Also one of the guys I'm with is going to dry up if we don't get him back and hydrating soon.
We spin the few miles back to town and part ways. It was a good day, but I really wanted to complete
the loop on dirt. I think I'm going to have to do that on my own or with someone who rides at the
same pace I do so we're not out there all day. In the end, we did about 23 Miles and 2200'. Not bad,
but I bet completing the loop on dirt would have taken us over 3000' in about 15 Miles. That will be
good when I get it all worked out. Anyone want to come help me figure this out (JD)?
--
Matt
"Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"
it out last weekend and it's already drier then it's ideal moisture level. Hopefully that will be
changing soon (moisture and closure). Instead of Hartman's I decided to head ENE towards Signal
Peak. This is the closest offroad riding to my house. A couple of friends (a coworker's husband and
a friend of his) came by to join me just before leaving. We made a quick climb to a contour trail
that hugs the south-facing hillside. It continually crosses gulches and ridges so it's got some nice
fast turns to lay down pretty regularly. The Epic is rolling along nicely alternating between being
a hardtail and FS at the appropriate moments. I'm running some new high tech chain lube and it seems
to be working very well. Smooth shifts are such a nice thing! The guys keep dropping off the back so
I double-back periodically to make sure they are still with me and they know where we're going. We
climb an 800', 3 Mi. singletrack we call Chicken Gulch. up to a ridge near signal peak. It was a
little hot in the gulch since it faces South and doesn't get much wind. The cooler wind up near the
ridge was a welcome refreshing change. We stopped and snacked and chatted a little. Seems we all
have great women in common (common thread is that we think they are great, it's not the same woman).
That's a nice thing to chat about when you don't have to hold back because there's someone in an
unhappy situation present. We are very fortunate. We continue climbing until we merged with the
ridge trail and headed up a long, steep granny gear grind along a fence. One of the three makes it
to the top where we turn across the hill again. The views up here are really nice. We can see
Hartman Rocks on the opposite side of town framed by the San Juans behind them. Continuing to the
right reveals McIntosh Mt., the Palisades, the West Elk range, the Anthracites, Carbon, Flat Top,
Axtel/Whetstone, and Teocalli Ridge in the distance toward Crested Butte. Dropping off the North
side of the ridge gave us a great, smooth and twisting singletrack ride through the sage in a gully.
The traction was just right with just a little frost lift to make the tires really bite and hook up
through the turns. The turns are perfectly banked, making use of the terrain and reinforced with
fine, hand-crafted burms where needed. All too soon we were down on Lost Canyon road, exchanging
grins. 100 Yards on the dirt road brought us to another trail out the back of a little parking area
off opposite side of the road the road. Another grunt for several Miles, following a dry creek bed
and then cutting across the hillsides. It was hot again and this seemed to be taking it's toll on
the other riders. One guys fell a couple of times wrestling with his SPD's, but managed to come out
of it with just a few scrapes and bumps. The views return with the cool air once we gained a little
elevation. This time we're across the valley from our last vantage point, looking at the spot where
we stood earlier from about the same elevation but several Miles to the North. I discover one of the
other riders has now run out of water. I'm also starting to run short on time, so we take a nice DH
back down a singletrack spur to the road. We looked around for a connector trail I know has to be
there in the sage somewhere and find the beginnings of one. After a quick scout we decide the road
is the best way back to town since I need to get home to watch the baby while the Mrs. goes for a
ride. Also one of the guys I'm with is going to dry up if we don't get him back and hydrating soon.
We spin the few miles back to town and part ways. It was a good day, but I really wanted to complete
the loop on dirt. I think I'm going to have to do that on my own or with someone who rides at the
same pace I do so we're not out there all day. In the end, we did about 23 Miles and 2200'. Not bad,
but I bet completing the loop on dirt would have taken us over 3000' in about 15 Miles. That will be
good when I get it all worked out. Anyone want to come help me figure this out (JD)?
--
Matt
"Gravity. It's not just a good idea, it's the law!"
