Wilson Mesa

GeeDubb said:

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Quoted message said:

This was recommended by JD and worth every bit of the five hours it
took me. I can't say that I've been as exhausted as I was after this
ride. I got back to my car and just wanted to sleep.

Probably the most awesome combination of up and down I've ever done.
Trail was perfect as it had rained hard three days earlier and I was
under nearly clear skies.

Total altitude gain was slightly over 5000' on the out and back of 27
miles, 22 or 23 of which are pure single track.

And only 2 sets of 2 riders did I come across, and no hikers until I
got to the out where there happens to be a trail head into the
wilderness area.

Gary

what are the structures in photo #20... the two white pyramids ? Tipis?
Penny

Pas said:

what are the structures in photo #20... the two white pyramids ?
Tipis? Penny

Yes. I didn't see any activity around them. The old buildings and tipis
are on an abandoned dairy farm on the 'out' end of the trail. I tried to
stitch four pix together to get a panoramic view which included the tipis
and the moon over the mountain but the damn software kept crashing on
save......gggrrrr

Gary

GeeDubb said:

Pas said:

what are the structures in photo #20... the two white pyramids ?
Tipis? Penny

Yes. I didn't see any activity around them. The old buildings and
tipis are on an abandoned dairy farm on the 'out' end of the trail.
I tried to stitch four pix together to get a panoramic view which
included the tipis and the moon over the mountain but the damn
software kept crashing on save......gggrrrr

Gary

Cool.

I was hoping to get out for a N Idaho explore today, but I think I"m just
going to try and link up a couple local loops for one really long loop. I
was game to venture up into this one area solo, but Mr Adventure kiboshed
that idea. I have no fear for my safety in the back country, however this
one trail I wanted to check out is on a paved forest access road that has
one bar, way in the middle of nowhere, that is known for the record number
of DUI's and fights, and there's a lot ao long term psuedo- vagrant camping
along the road... so we decided it was not the place for a solo female ride.
He had to accompany a scout WW trip, so I'm up to my own devices today.

I went to the lbs to pick up my copy of Zinn ( and his bike, another story
there) and was informed that the trail I was thinking of has 24+ creek
crossings, up to 42 depending on what guide you read, and we are talking
over the hubs-wanna swim crossings, not little ride throughs. So I'm just as
happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike across some lagoon in the N
Idaho backcountry.
penny

GeeDubb said:

http://xpupload.hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=garyrwilliams&password=76628854

Damn nice stuff -- looks like it was an idyllic day!

Bill "wire one of those shacks for cable and I'd move in" S.

snip
.. So I'm just as happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike

Quoted message said:

across some lagoon in the N Idaho backcountry.
penny

There have been a couple of times I've waded across water, wishing I had
water shoes......I keep threatening to carry a pair but always forget when
the critical time comes.

Did a 3 hour ride this a.m. Mostly flat along our local canal system but
did enjoy the first 11 miles of single track through the Phoenix Mountain
Preserve. It was starting to warm up but still in the low 90's and dry
which is odd for this time of year. No water crossings unless you count the
bridges over the canal.....

It's nice to ride 40 miles and not be on a road with cars for most of it.

Glad you enjoyed the pix.

Gary

S o r n i said:

GeeDubb said:

http://xpupload.hpphoto.com/servlet/com.hp.HPGuestLogin?username=garyrwilliams&password=76628854

Quoted message said:

Damn nice stuff -- looks like it was an idyllic day!

Bill "wire one of those shacks for cable and I'd move in" S.

Will satellite and solar work?

For an early August ride, the weather was incredible. Usually fighting the
monsoon t-storms. I had a solid week of clear weather and did a little over
100 miles of riding with 15K feet of elevation gain. I cheated on one ride
though and did the roady thing, still, 36 miles and 3600' of climbing......
and it was hot. Thermometer on the bike said 96 in direct sun while
climbing up to the top of Dallas Divide and.....the wind was behind me so no
cooling effect.

Can't wait to go back.

Gary

GeeDubb said:

climbing up to the top of Dallas Divide and.....the wind was behind me so no
cooling effect.

Can't wait to go back.

Gary

We rode from Durango to Ouray, Ouray to Telluride, Telluride to Dolores
and back home the next day. That day up Dallas Divide was the toughest,
that frickin hill goes on forever! Then you have the final short but
steep climb into To-hell-u-ride.

Great pics BTW.
--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

GeeDubb said:

snip
. So I'm just as happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike

Quoted message said:

across some lagoon in the N Idaho backcountry.
penny

There have been a couple of times I've waded across water, wishing I
had water shoes......I keep threatening to carry a pair but always
forget when the critical time comes.

I'm curious as heck about this trail, now. I looked it up in my updated
hiking guide and evidently the trails was slated to be re routed. Strap my
chacos to the camel back and away we go... fall would be the time, too.

Penny

Craig Brossman said:

GeeDubb said:

climbing up to the top of Dallas Divide and.....the wind was behind
me so no cooling effect.

Can't wait to go back.

Gary

We rode from Durango to Ouray, Ouray to Telluride, Telluride to
Dolores and back home the next day. That day up Dallas Divide was the
toughest, that frickin hill goes on forever! Then you have the final
short but steep climb into To-hell-u-ride.

Great pics BTW.

Thanks.
Yea that stretch from Placerville up to T-ride is a narrow, scary road and
I've never actually done it. Not much shoulder in some areas, especially
near the top. I always go over the mountain on Last Dollar Road when going
to T-ride. It's a little further but no traffic. But then I wouldn't think
you'd want to do that on a road bike either....... I figured climbing up
Lizard Head would be tougher???

As a side note, I'm trying to buy a piece of property in La Plata Canyon so
if all goes well I'll be coming to your neck of the woods more often.

Gary

pas said:

GeeDubb said:

snip
. So I'm just as happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike

Quoted message said:

across some lagoon in the N Idaho backcountry.
penny

There have been a couple of times I've waded across water, wishing I
had water shoes......I keep threatening to carry a pair but always
forget when the critical time comes.

I'm curious as heck about this trail, now. I looked it up in my
updated hiking guide and evidently the trails was slated to be re
routed. Strap my chacos to the camel back and away we go... fall
would be the time, too.

Penny

Haven't heard anything about re-routing. If you go in the fall remember the
flame orange attire so as not to be mistaken for a deer.

Gary

GeeDubb said:

pas said:

GeeDubb said:

snip
. So I'm just as happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike
> across some lagoon in the N Idaho backcountry.
> penny

There have been a couple of times I've waded across water, wishing I
had water shoes......I keep threatening to carry a pair but always
forget when the critical time comes.

I'm curious as heck about this trail, now. I looked it up in my
updated hiking guide and evidently the trails was slated to be re
routed. Strap my chacos to the camel back and away we go... fall
would be the time, too.

Penny

Haven't heard anything about re-routing. If you go in the fall
remember the flame orange attire so as not to be mistaken for a deer.

Gary

heh, I"m talking about the trail **I** was looking at in N Idaho...

pas said:

GeeDubb said:

pas said:

GeeDubb wrote:
> snip
> . So I'm just as happy I'm not off by myself swimming my bike
>> across some lagoon in the N Idaho backcountry.
>> penny
>
> There have been a couple of times I've waded across water, wishing
> I had water shoes......I keep threatening to carry a pair but
> always forget when the critical time comes.
>

I'm curious as heck about this trail, now. I looked it up in my
updated hiking guide and evidently the trails was slated to be re
routed. Strap my chacos to the camel back and away we go... fall
would be the time, too.

Penny

Haven't heard anything about re-routing. If you go in the fall
remember the flame orange attire so as not to be mistaken for a deer.

Gary

heh, I"m talking about the trail **I** was looking at in N Idaho...

DOH! Guess I should start reading more carefully. I was wondering why you
would want to do a road trip all the way down to SW Colorado.....<(;-}

GeeDubb said:

As a side note, I'm trying to buy a piece of property in La Plata Canyon so
if all goes well I'll be coming to your neck of the woods more often.

Gary

I'm not too far from there, are you going to be neighbors with Charlie?

--
Craig Brossman, Durango Colorado
remove "mydebt" to reply

Craig Brossman said:

GeeDubb said:

As a side note, I'm trying to buy a piece of property in La Plata
Canyon so if all goes well I'll be coming to your neck of the woods
more often.

Gary

I'm not too far from there, are you going to be neighbors with
Charlie?

A little further up the mountain, about 4.5 miles after the pavement stops.
Thirty-five acres with falls and the tail end of Tirbircio creek running
into the La Plata. Unfortunately there's no winter access other than snow
shoes, skis or snowmobile (or for those more fortunate, snow cat). But
there is an awesome trail that the minors used on the east side of the
river, it just needs to be cleaned up a bit and I'll have my own 1/2 mile or
so of single track.

Good ol' Charlie....I fell asleep at one of his concerts. I still get
ribbed about that. I was still working construction getting up at 3:30 a.m.
I had a couple of beers and was out at 9:30 right after CDB came onto the
stage.......

Not much has changed, I still fall asleep around 9:30 most nights and wake
up around 4 a.m. Hard to change that internal clock.

Gary