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HAB goes funemployed

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
Thought about that, but my new gig starts about a week after the wedding anyway.
A week sounds about right to finish out the SLC/Tahoe/Downieville leg of #funemployment.

also, post ride lake swims.
YASSSSS.

@Full Trucker seems to have covered most of it.
I've done this before.

I'd recommend getting both Trailforks & Mtbproject on your electronic device. They seem to each have some obscure trails that the other doesn't.
Agreed. But also tap into the collective barrel mind† of the Monkey when you get your route sorted and we'll get you to the goods.

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.
And perhaps even if you don't make it as far east as the Front Range. But if you do, there is still a metric shit-ton of riding (a lot of it rad as balls) and plenty of great beers.





Fun fact: Groups of Monkeys are known by the following terms: Troop, Barrel, Carload, Cartload, Tribe.
 

KenW449

Thanos did nothing wrong
Jun 13, 2017
2,704
329
Floating down the whiskey river...
Bug Spring in Tucson...
Bug springs is a short ride, but if you hit more trails with it like Prison camp/ Milagrosa, it can extend it significantly. Or ride the whole Lemmon drop, which can take about 8 hours. Or AZT.

If you get as far south as AZ, you might want to stick to higher elevation places, it gets hot down there I hear.
Its not too bad right now* IF decided to go farther than Flag or Sedona, skip Phoenix and come straight down to Tucson because Phoenix is way hotter.

*see weather report below.

I've always been intredasted in La Milagrosa down in Tuscon.
Rode it once, several months back, still not ready to go back. It can be a bike killer if you're not careful. People take their bikes into shops lot because of that one. My boss had to get several stiches from a wreck there. Lots of hike-a-bike on the AZT to get the trail head. Still fun but its Insane.

Skinny dipping at Secret Cove
Black Canyon section of the Colorado River about 3 to 5 miles below Hoover, the Arizona hot springs allows it. Only 2 ways to get there, Kayak/raft or hike. First campsite on our 42 mile kayak journey down the river.


Alternately, we have trails for every type of rider. Fantasy Island where i learned to ride is great. Lots of loops off the main trail to extend your ride for miles. Pretty flowy, low tech. Bikes only.

Starr pass at Tucson mountain park is large multi-use trail. Lots of choices, tech/ flow, long or short ride.

Sweet water, small multi-use. difficulty in between Fantasy and Starr pass.

Honey Bee, large easy single track. flowy and lots of fun.

AZT, Single track XC type trail depending where you go.

New XC trail, Makenzie Ranch. Haven't been there yet.
 

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TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
Black Canyon section of the Colorado River about 3 to 5 miles below Hoover, the Arizona hot springs allows it. Only 2 ways to get there, Kayak/raft or hike. First campsite on our 42 mile kayak journey down the river.
Been there several times. Tripped balls in the springs with an old hippie desert rat couple & some folks from canada once. good times.
paddling to that spot beats the hell outta the hike especially in summer.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
Rode it once, several months back, still not ready to go back. It can be a bike killer if you're not careful. People take their bikes into shops lot because of that one. My boss had to get several stiches from a wreck there. Lots of hike-a-bike on the AZT to get the trail head. Still fun but its Insane.
Yeah well, I'm not exactly wired right.

Also in AZ:

 

TN

Hey baby, want a hot dog?
Jul 9, 2002
14,301
1,353
Jimtown, CO
Lots of Canadians, and English people travel there. Skinny dipped with some Canadian girls that hiked in last November.


Sucks paddling in the Summer too. But at least the water is a steady 54 year round.
Every summer when I lived in Vegas I heard of a hiker dieing on that hike.
 

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
15,827
13,063
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.
Wasatch and Park City is ok, plenty of better riding in CO IMO if you're in the riding season. Tahoe area riding is a winner.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
Wasatch and Park City is ok, plenty of better riding in CO IMO if you're in the riding season. Tahoe area riding is a winner.
Sure, sure... but if you gotta mosey back towards Seattle at some point, why not make a stop? I mean, you could stay longer in CO/UT/wherever and do a highway burn straight through back to the PNW in a day or two, or do the drive/ride/beer/camp/repeat dance for 3-4 days to get home.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
@HAB note that my suggestions do not take into consideration what sort of riding you might wanna do, really more what sort of riding I might wanna do: big hairy trail rides in rad places. I have no idea what sort of shape you're in (round is a shape) or what level you ride at. Your Internet Vibe leads me to believe you Get Rad on the Regular™ so my suggestions aline with that assumption.
 

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,562
24,182
media blackout
@HAB note that my suggestions do not take into consideration what sort of riding you might wanna do, really more what sort of riding I might wanna do: big hairy trail rides in rad places. I have no idea what sort of shape you're in (round is a shape) or what level you ride at. Your Internet Vibe leads me to believe you Get Rad on the Regular™ so my suggestions aline with that assumption.
he has a fox 40 on what might be the longest trail bike in existence.
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
54,232
20,015
Sleazattle
@HAB note that my suggestions do not take into consideration what sort of riding you might wanna do, really more what sort of riding I might wanna do: big hairy trail rides in rad places. I have no idea what sort of shape you're in (round is a shape) or what level you ride at. Your Internet Vibe leads me to believe you Get Rad on the Regular™ so my suggestions aline with that assumption.

HAB is a 390lb mouth breather who likes to shuttle XC trails.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
@HAB note that my suggestions do not take into consideration what sort of riding you might wanna do, really more what sort of riding I might wanna do: big hairy trail rides in rad places. I have no idea what sort of shape you're in (round is a shape) or what level you ride at. Your Internet Vibe leads me to believe you Get Rad on the Regular™ so my suggestions aline with that assumption.
Pictured: my trail bike, atop the last descent on a day when I pedaled about 8k feet solo, if that gives you an idea. :D



And yes, it has a 40 on it.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
he has a fox 40 on what might be the longest trail bike in existence.
HAB is a 390lb mouth breather who likes to shuttle XC trails.
Pictured: my trail bike, atop the last descent on a day when I pedaled about 8k feet solo, if that gives you an idea. :D



And yes, it has a 40 on it.
Well FKNA forget everything I said before... get your ass to the Front Range and we'll just shuttle Apex for a month.
 

Full Trucker

Frikkin newb!!!
Feb 26, 2003
10,484
7,528
Exit, CO
Not sure if serious...

Anyway yeah, I like burly trails, and I'm more than happy to pedal for them.
Not serious. Shuttling Apex is a long running joke / source of contention 'round these parts. Not that Apex isn't a friggin' hoot and/or semi-burly, mind you.

Then next trip, Pisgah Proper and Wilson Creek. Most of the good stuff begins after an hour or so of climbing.
With 3-1/2 weeks one cold get from PNW to Windrock/Pisgah. I might check this out if I were the @HAB... Spend a week or so drive/ride across the country, spend a week in Pisgah-ish, a week back via a different-ish route.

That said, the SW is good, and will be less on the windshield time.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
Yeah, I think the SW is the plan, looping back through CO on the way back. Exact route details TBD.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
Okay, things are taking shape. Here's my rough outline:
  • May 5th: Drive to Boise
  • May 6th: ride somewhere in the Boise area (recommendations?). Maybe hit the road after and put in a couple more hours.
  • May 7th: Drive to Grand Jungtion. Ride there a few days.
  • May 11th(ish): Drive down to Ouray, visit a friend there.
  • May 13th(ish): Start working my way towards Denver. Ride as much as I can that's good and open through there. This is where I am less clear on what my options are, especially with snow line. @Full Trucker @Nick @Pesqueeb @stoney @SkaredShtles @TN, any thoughts?
  • May 20th(ish): By this point, have made my way to Angel Fire. Hopefully get a day in the bike park if I can time it with the weekend, ride around Taos.
  • May 22nd(ish): Drive to Durango, ride there a couple days.
  • May 24th(ish): Drive to Moab, ride there a few days.
  • May 28th: start heading back to Seattle. Haven't decided on a route yet. Thoughts?
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
LaGrande Oregon has a place called Mt. Emily, its pretty close to 84. Its pretty great trail and well signed. Boise is loaded up with trails out of all sorts of trailheads around town. Outside of Hermiston, OR theres a trailhead called Echo. Easy xc trails that are in a gully. 20+ miles though and very quite trailhead primitive camping.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,005
Seattle
LaGrande Oregon has a place called Mt. Emily, its pretty close to 84. Its pretty great trail and well signed. Boise is loaded up with trails out of all sorts of trailheads around town. Outside of Hermiston, OR theres a trailhead called Echo. Easy xc trails that are in a gully. 20+ miles though and very quite trailhead primitive camping.
Thanks! I'd like to hit you up on the way back too.
 

boostindoubles

Nacho Libre
Mar 16, 2004
7,839
6,145
Yakistan
You should ride all these spots and rip my trails on the way home. It'd be fun to see what you'd compare them with.


Salt Lake had a shit winter and probably has lots of open foothills trails. If you wanted to skip the traffic mess in SLC, go to Pocatello and ride City Creek. Lots of trails up there above town. Then take 15 S/30 E into SW Wyoming and hit Vernal via Flaming Gorge. Vernal is pretty much on the way to GJ and has lots of mtb built trails.

After Pocatello and a little while after you get on route 30 you'll go through LAVA hot springs. There's camping there and year round hot springs. Its a developed spot but still, right off the road and hot springs.
Cortez, CO has a trail system called Phils World that is pretty outstanding. That'd be a good stop between Durango and Moab.