One to end the week

    Headed for a family trip, quite a filled itinerary but highlight being Disney. I managed to squeeze my 50 miles in before Friday somehow even after a long Backpack trip. I headed out to Corner Canyon, I arrived by 7:20 and realized my light would be going on much sooner than I expected. Did a nice climb and since it was dark sped down Ann's, I like how long it takes to get down in, a nice long comfy ride. Then a mini loop and I was headed back up for Corner Canyon Hollow. A run down Ghost falls and now severely missing my Serfs light that puts out 2500 Lumen vs my now old riding light that puts out maybe 500 Lumen. Riding none the less, I wonder how I have gotten by for so long on this lamp that was mostly used in CT. Really fun ride and got my last miles for my 50 for the week! Just a few more and I will be at 1,600 mountain riding miles for the year. I would LOVE to hit 2,000 as a goal but it's looking grim, but I am soon impressed with amount of riding this year.

Another quick lap

  Landon was at school as usual so I took 30 minutes to hit the trail, love the bonus ride and 5 miles. 

Park City

   Man Park City never ever disappoints, started at the base of the ski resort taking Jenni's up to Mid Mountain. I was surprised to find the morning so warm as I started in darkness. I love watching the sky grow from black to navy blue until the sun happily arises over the Uintas. I had different plans but felt lazy and wanted miles so hit Mid Mountain and went south to Deer Valley. Around bend I caught a male moose quite close. Up ahead a female moose I am sure he was stalking her as the rut is just around the corner. I love moose they are majestic animals and while I was nervous he just watched me as he moved slowly away from me but still too close for comfort. He was making these throat noises, little whooos. Neither were budging until after 5 minutes it came to the point where I had to throw sticks near them to startle them to move. Still not far away enough I floored in in between them and escaped unscathed. I was loving this ride, a really really nice ride along the aspens.  Not many more of these left. As I tore down Deer Camp I came across a Momma moose and her Calf, a very very unnerving sight. Her hair was raised on her back which meant I mess you up if you get near. Again they lazily blocked the trail as I waited peacefully until then again needed to rustle around them to get them to move. I think the Park City Moose fear very little, people not being one of them since Park City is full of them, They know exactly what I am on my bike and think little of it. 

3 laps of Herriman

   Some newish trail are in, I planned to hit the new jump trail, man it was crappy, like a child built it, oh well. I had 90 minutes to ride and 3 laps fit the bill, after lap after lap I am so thankful most trail systems are as big as they are cause it was kind of boring.

One More Please

    Was scheduled for a backpack trip with my lovely wife but the morning before I had just one more ride to get in to reach my 50 miles for the week. Looking for something different but close, I started at the Hidden Valley Park. Now that the bridge on shoreline trail is in place this section has some tough sections but not the hike a bike it use to. I got my Serfs light replaced and I ma still having issues, looks like it will go back to them one more time. It really sucks to be battling a bike light since I rely very much on it working. Anyway this one started in the darkness of morning of course, a quick ride as I mixed it up and was trying something new. I headed for the equestrian center and looked for a trail that showed on a map but was completely grown in from no use. Luckily later down the road I picked up a faint trail that eventually lead me to the golf course on Mike Weir. The ride was nothing special but still cool to find trails I have not ridden after many many rides in Corner Canyon. It was soon good to be back on my Trek, I think ZI can stop missing my belltown frame a little.

Quick Lap

   Not much to say here, just a quick 30 minute lap of Herriman while Landon was in school.

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The Redline Has arrived.

  So after a long battle to replace my second cracked frame from Raleigh over a year ago, I finally ended up with a Redline Monocogue in it's place. I am familiar with the frame, and have no doubts in not having another Raleigh XXIX frame. When I was in CT during July I boxed it up and had sat for awhile until my brother shipped it for me. I was somewhat eager for it to arrive, to have another bike to my fleet. Once it arrived It had been damaged, only the rear brake rotor and spots on the paint, mostly due to poor packing. I took it out one morning and headed right from my house for my 20 mile ride to Little Cottonwood Quarry Trail. The bike felt heavy as I pedaled and felt like I was standing still, it's got big east coast knobby tires that are heavy and probably slowing down the wheels, but most the parts are a few years old and not as new and light as my Trek. The ride was tough, it felt like I had different gearing and was riding in sand. I had t much hard to get it up to the top of the trail. But on the descent is where that steel frame shined over Aluminum, that sweet spot of metal that is just pleasure on the trail. My other two custom made steel rigid frames were also steel so I know that feeling. I made it home and was slightly unpleased probably due to my new bikes sweetness. Still a solid fun ride on the Redine.

Yellow Fork Butt Whoop

  Landon started school back up so I am looking for other options than the standard Herriman loop. I have ventured into Yellow Fork area once before and missed a vital turn but still had a good ride. This time I was back for vengeance with more knowledge and looking forward to new trails. From the beginning there was horse crap everywhere, adding to my despise for horse back owners. It was a pretty comfy ride was I climbed up and made my right turn this time. It soon got steep and narrow and I began hiking, lack of ambition and drive I walked happily along the stormy aspen fall filled forest. The ground was incredibly tacky as I walked for longer than expected but finally reached some trail to ride and welcoming sunshine, made for quite the view as I could see down into the valley. A short run down some double track and then dropped onto some sweet sweet single track. Really fun run down the the junction and I was done for the day. Not sure I will be back, the climb was brutal, maybe gears would be the way to go next time. Had a little time to ride the skatepark, pretty fun but scary on a 29er

 

Deer Valley you delight

   Set off on a good one, started in the darkness of morning and headed for a creative figure eight of Deer Valley Trails. It was weird to drive up and over Guardsman and not be riding the Crest but it was a nice ride avoiding I80. I arrived and started at Mid Mountain and then up Team Big Bear and onto some other trails so I could access Tidal Wave. It's about as it sounds for a description, a wave of one after the other line of wide easy jumps. I love this trail, nice to access and easy enough for a rigid or a full suspension. Lucky for me they finished the trail so it was 3x as long than last time I rode it. So much fun blasting down it catching air, would love to really charge it hard next time since I was still very reserved. Came Across moose after moose on this trip, the first three was when I came around corner to find a momma and two calves, not a comforting sight to see just 20 yards in front of you but they were happy to run off into the meadows and I was on my merry way. Another Bull moose in the distance from them made for a count of 4 for the morning. I love moose, I think they're cool. Another Bull later on as I rode up Boulder, another switchbacking uphill trail. This trail I never rode before, it was a nice way back up the hill to head to TG. I missed a few turns but had a mighty fun time down various trails until it was time to head back for the car to get home at a decent time. Not many Park City rides left, maybe 2-4 just depends on my ambition and time I guess. No pics of this ride, got deleted somehow.

Back To Herriman

   Landon went back to school on Thursday, I had an hour to kill so I figured why not do it on my bike. Travel time is around 10 minutes so it would give me about 30 minutes to ride. I wasn't all too excited to get back to riding Herriman but thankful for it's proximity to Landon's school to offer up rides. Getting back on trail after a 3 months break from this area it had not changed, maybe drier than it has ever been since in NEVER rains here in Utah. I headed out on the normal loop and half way through got put on a re route trail, slightly confused as to if they added trail I took a fork and ended up in a sandy wash. Back up to where I began and ready to explore but short on time I could see a jump trial off to my right, turns out they built a wimpy little jump trail. I wanted to try it out obviously but my direction was wrong and I did not have the time. The next trip maybe I will give it a go, it looked hardly worth it but I guess any change can be welcomed.

Corner Canyon

      Went out on a very early morning, drove to the hidden valley park to start off somewhere new and mix it up. I planned to straight shoot the shoreline trail for an hour and make my way back. The nice thing about this ride, it was another mellow one on the legs. I kept waiting for light to come but it never really did. The ride was uneventful until I went up Canyon Hollow and made my way to Rattler, that was a fun run. Then to make my way back so I could be home at a good time.

Muehler Loop

    Was off on a early Monday headed for a easy ride on my legs, the destination was Mueller Park to North Canyon. I got out of the car and turned my headlamp on and NOTHING! I continued to press and fiddle with everything I could and ended up hopeless as I was in complete darkness with still a little while for any kind of light. A car pulled up and I heard a familiar voice, I said Candice? Yea I heard back, turns out it was my friend Brent's wife and her sister in law. We talked a minute and then they went and I still stood again in the dark. I looked into the woods and decided to see how it looked, I had no idea but the thought of being idle was pissing me off more about my new light that has been problematic all year. So I went onto the trail in hope, It was hard and took some skill with the moonlight but I was able to maintain my composure. Light did come slowly and I happily had a great pedal up to the saddle and then a good ride down North Canyon. I lost 4 miles on my tracking since I screwed up on my strava so I didn't track my 20 miles but I did ride all 20 of it. Such a great morning and good ride!

Shoreline You Old Dog

    A quick drive had me at the across from the Zoo starting on an old trail I have enjoyed for a long long time. It's a bland ride until you get to Dry Gulch and start a strong climb, one after the other. As I got the first big climb done I rounded the bend to find My little city, I do enjoy seeing it from a distance, I am not much of a city lover, I like the quiet woods much better. I cranked on on very familiar trail, feeling good I got my last climb done and headed for Bobsled. The ride down Bobsled was rough, I really really need to start riding a bike with suspension more often. Disappointed in my run but I had plenty left to get back to the car.

Salvaging the fail

as I was heading down I did not want to admit defeat, no way screw that. I had in my mind that I could ride Pipeline trail, an old very mild trail I use to ride many times, some with my lovely wife. I parked and decided to ass miles by riding the entire trail, I forgot how much climbing there is going up the canyon, this was far from a mellow ride as I climbed for 20 minutes before it mellowed. Once I reached the far end the ride was a breeze, I have always loved this trail filled with high views. But it's a very very easy trail and I guess that it why I have not rode it in maybe 8 years. Happy to say I added my weekly miles and enjoyed the ride very much.

Human Fail

I left on an early morning Friday with my aim set to get back on the Wasatch Crest via Millcreek Canyon. It was pitch black as I exited the car, the stars shining bright and a cool quiet morning. I began climbing, feeling weak, I ate plenty to fuel me, kept climbing and just did not feel right. Light headed and wiped out I sat down on the trail, found myself frustrated but was enjoying my headlamp off and in darkness blending in with the dark woods, the moonlight shined through the trees hitting slivers of trail. I feel better so let's try some more, I got sick again and sat down. This time I accepted defeat and listened to my body as I should, I headed for the car.

Corner Canyon Mess

Didn't make it out of Bed Monday Morning, I as in hope for an evening ride that day. Luck was on my side and headed for Corner Canyon, upon arriving to the car lot, it was tremendously busy. Evening rides here are out of hand, it's great that a lot are riding, just not fun for me since I like the trails to myself :) It wasn't too hard to get by a few people and then the high school groups were swarming around and I headed for peace and quiet over on the far end trails. I used the trails in a way I don't think I have,using Shoreline to Maple Hollow DH, ouch that was tough, this trek rigid is massively stiff and not much fun. I need to start riding suspension again, it has been awhile. I have rarely been able to mix it up in Corner Canyon, I don't even try anymore since there is no way of spicing things up after riding it heavily the last year. Going by the construction site it was harder than ever to get by it, still unsure of what they are up to but I got by it and had a solid rest of the ride. When I got back to the lot what was easily 100+ cars was now 4, crazy.

Double Ride, this one WOS

Headed for the new trail system called Road To Wos. I started further down the trail so I could add miles and trail. As I got started it was a grunt with a tough climb but plenty of traction on smooth firm pine filled woods. The trail was beautifully cut with a butter knife as is swooped and turned on the terrain. I eventually hit my first intersection and headed for the upper trailhead to hit all the trails in this tiny network. I took all the trails that it offered in and was back to the car with dead legs and a feeling of a complete morning, that was fun. I don't think I would go back to WOS unless they extended the trail network.