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HAB goes funemployed

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,593
2,029
Seattle
I quit my job today. Last weekend I got back on a mountain bike after exploding my ankle back in January. My last day at work will be May 4th, and I need to be back in Seattle on the 30th. Between then I have a bike, a truck with a camper setup in the back, and a desire to road trip. I'm thinking CO/AZ, but have no itinerary whatsoever. Where should I go?
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,593
2,029
Seattle
You'll learn to appreciate Seattle's smooth roads, light traffic and dry weather?
:rofl:

Yeah, let's put some limitations in place here. As much as I'd like to visit every RM member and ride their home trails, with a little under 4 weeks to work with, I'm staying west of the Rockies.
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,884
450
Moab is refreshing this time of year, especially w the long shuttle opportunities. Camping at the bottom of the whole enchilada on the river is fun.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,593
2,029
Seattle
Congrats.

Lots of good riding to be had in North Van and Squamish these days.
No doubt. That's normal weekend range for me though, I want to get some places that are normally a little harder for me to get to. We should definitely catch up when I'm settled into the new gig though.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
8,490
7,075
Yakistan
If you come down 82 take a couple hours for the trail tour. Trails aren't far from exit 44.

I am a big fan of the hit n run trips and its pretty easy to tour Utah and the Western Slope. Once you get down there it's alot of under 3 hour drives between trails/towns/camping.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,979
14,234
In a van.... down by the river
I quit my job today. Last weekend I got back on a mountain bike after exploding my ankle back in January. My last day at work will be May 4th, and I need to be back in Seattle on the 30th. Between then I have a bike, a truck with a camper setup in the back, and a desire to road trip. I'm thinking CO/AZ, but have no itinerary whatsoever. Where should I go?
The 30th of August, I hope? :think:
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,593
2,029
Seattle
I've been to Utah a bit but didn't get to ride much. I've skied CO a bunch but haven't been in spring/summer. Haven't spent much time in AZ.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,167
8,851
Exit, CO
I've been to Utah a bit but didn't get to ride much. I've skied CO a bunch but haven't been in spring/summer. Haven't spent much time in AZ.
Well there you go.

If you get as far south as AZ, you might want to stick to higher elevation places, it gets hot down there I hear. If this were me I'd likely put together an itinerary that took me south as far as I'd like to go first, then work my way back north and towards home. This is just how I roll, get the big legs done in the beginning of the trip, do smaller driving legs all the way back. Plus, for the time of year you have available this makes a lot of sense.

When heading south, I'd see about possibly stopping at Cave Lake SP in NV (there's riding there) on the way if that makes sense. Thinking Prescott or Tuscon is probably still *not* murdery hot in May and AZ is real neat. I've always been intredasted in La Milagrosa down in Tuscon. After that, start working your way northward up or in the Western slope of the Rockies...

If you decide to go through NM from AZ, the South Boundary Trail in Angel Fire / Toas is worth doing and should be plenty dry and open, plus you can knock out a day at Angel Fire Bike Park if that's your bag. Also in that area is the East Fork to Lost Lake loop which I found to be super enjoyable.

If you head north through Utah... well... the options are quite boundless. Moab will be awesome, a lot of the high country will be opening up and there's so much trail there you can't go wrong. Pre-Moab coming from the south is Zion, St. George, Gooseberry, and a bunch of other stuff that (ashamedly) I've never ridden but you can just work your way north ¡no problemas señor!

Duck into CO from either UT or NM and there's a crap-ton of riding. You're probably still a bit too early for some high country (like San Juans or the Monarch Crest) but there will be some stuff opening up. Durango has some of my very favorite riding in the whole wide wide world of places Ive ridden, just not sure at all what'll be open up here down there. Mmmm... Molas, Engineer Mtn Trail, Kennebec. Depending on how warm it gets you might even be able to get into Crested butte for some riding, not sure. If you come from Utah, I'd say Fruita/GJ area is a must do, but I hear rumblings of some great rides south of GJ in Montrose (Whole Uncolada and Sidewinder) and the Ridgway area.

Northern Utah on the way back, there's probably good riding in SLC area. I hear great things about the Wasatch Crest (?) maybe... could you also wander through the Tahoe area on the way home? I rode a few rides in South lake a couple summers ago that were SUPER fun. Looped up somethin-something to Star Pass or Lake, over Freel Pass, across Tahoe Rim Trail and down Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.. that was a hoot. And then some other thing... Christmas Valley or something like that? Both real great. 10/10 would bang again. We also rode Downieville, and if that's on your way home and open/dry it's probably worth a couple laps.


Edited to add links to trails.
 
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Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
11,167
8,851
Exit, CO
Yeah. I'd like to have longer, but one of my best friends is getting married, and I should probably show up...
Dude.

Just make sure you're near a major airport around the 30th, fly back for friend's wedding, then back to your rig to continue the #funemployment adventure.

You're welcome.
 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
Holler if you hit the front range in CO.
Can make sure you have a face melting good time if ya know what I mean. :pilot:
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,593
2,029
Seattle
Dude.

Just make sure you're near a major airport around the 30th, fly back for friend's wedding, then back to your rig to continue the #funemployment adventure.

You're welcome.
Thought about that, but my new gig starts about a week after the wedding anyway.
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
67,979
14,234
In a van.... down by the river
@Full Trucker seems to have covered most of it. I'd recommend getting both Trailforks & Mtbproject on your electronic device. They seem to each have some obscure trails that the other doesn't.

Hartmann, Salida, Eagle, Glenwood, Basalt in Colorado. If'n you scoot as far east as the Front Range there will be a metric shit-ton of riding available and you might even be able to get some FRDB (Front Range DoucheBags) to join you in shenanigans.