Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
We again double back and cruise North through the neighborhood and find a left (dead end) that finally brings us to the long awaited trailhead. We ride w/o stopping much so there are only a couple of pix I took
I never did warm up much on this ride due to no sunshine and evidently becoming a wus in my older years. I don't know what the temp was but the wind was blowing somewhat and it just seemed cooler than usual.
Profile pic isn't quite as flat as R-A-L's was but then we didn't have snow to contend with. This would be a good ss ride if you stayed away from the one climb loop we did. Trails were mostly smooth with a lot of twisty.
Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
We again double back and cruise North through the neighborhood and find a left (dead end) that finally brings us to the long awaited trailhead. We ride w/o stopping much so there are only a couple of pix I took
I never did warm up much on this ride due to no sunshine and evidently becoming a wus in my older years. I don't know what the temp was but the wind was blowing somewhat and it just seemed cooler than usual.
Profile pic isn't quite as flat as R-A-L's was but then we didn't have snow to contend with. This would be a good ss ride if you stayed away from the one climb loop we did. Trails were mostly smooth with a lot of twisty.
Gary
Nice. Doesn't the Salt River go by South Mountain too? I seemed to recall stepping across it when I stayed at the Hilton Pointe some years ago (before the neighborhood around there got ugly).
Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
This is why I think we should have right of way laws similar to Great Britain. As far as backcountry access goes there is nothing more offensive to me than some private community going in at the base of the foothills RIGHT at a trailhead or fireroad that has existed for 100 years before their development. I believe it is highly immoral for a community of 20 or so people to block access to thousands or possibly millions of people. Historical rights of ways like these should have permanent easements.
Greg
-- "Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late The battles we fought were long and hard Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons
Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
This is why I think we should have right of way laws similar to Great Britain. As far as backcountry access goes there is nothing more offensive to me than some private community going in at the base of the foothills RIGHT at a trailhead or fireroad that has existed for 100 years before their development. I believe it is highly immoral for a community of 20 or so people to block access to thousands or possibly millions of people. Historical rights of ways like these should have permanent easements.
Greg
I agree with that notion. Who does AZ think they are, CA?
BTW, you should have called me back. I did a really cool ST ride in the SGs yesterday and finished well before dark.
Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
This is why I think we should have right of way laws similar to Great Britain. As far as backcountry access goes there is nothing more offensive to me than some private community going in at the base of the foothills RIGHT at a trailhead or fireroad that has existed for 100 years before their development. I believe it is highly immoral for a community of 20 or so people to block access to thousands or possibly millions of people. Historical rights of ways like these should have permanent easements.
They do in Colorado, although there is often a fight to maintain them.
"G.T." <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
GeeDubb said:
Only two of us showed up for the cool, overcast day of riding in the east valley. This is a fun area of trails with serpentine turns and some climbing if you want.
It had been over a year since I was last out here. We pulled into the park parking lot only to see a sign reading "HOA members only) so we doubled back and parked in a turnout that will someday be another road leading to probably more HOA members only areas. There appeared to be a trail entrance right where we parked so I let Scott take the lead (he likes to lead....) and we managed to wind around and cross right through the HOA park back out to the street....... we keep going to the real trail head some 100 yards or so North and head in a full pedal....only to come to a newly installed fence with warning/no trespassing signs....wtf, over?
This is why I think we should have right of way laws similar to Great Britain. As far as backcountry access goes there is nothing more offensive to me than some private community going in at the base of the foothills RIGHT at a trailhead or fireroad that has existed for 100 years before their development. I believe it is highly immoral for a community of 20 or so people to block access to thousands or possibly millions of people. Historical rights of ways like these should have permanent easements.
Greg
In this case many of these trails are new so it's possible the houses were there first. I can also understand the HOA restricting access to their park since they paid for it....but the fence and no trespassing signs were due to a rock and gravel yard expanding. They may have owned the land long before the age of the mtb and just now decided to mine that area. In reality the trail access we lost wasn't but about a half mile but it was just irritating not knowing if we could access the trails w/o driving around (or in our case, riding around).
In this case many of these trails are new so it's possible the houses were there first. I can also understand the HOA restricting access to their park since they paid for it....
Yeah, that I can understand.
Quoted message said:
but the fence and no trespassing signs were due to a rock and gravel yard expanding. They may have owned the land long before the age of the mtb and just now decided to mine that area. In reality the trail access we lost wasn't but about a half mile but it was just irritating not knowing if we could access the trails w/o driving around (or in our case, riding around).
Yeah, as long as there is alternate access that's cool. But there are several places in the foothills around here where a private little gated development has gone in right where a forest service road or trail starts and no alternate access effectively blocking people from enjoying public lands.
Greg
-- "Destroy your safe and happy lives before it is too late The battles we fought were long and hard Just not to be consumed by rock and roll" - The Mekons
