[rideit]

Well, let's start this off with last weekend in SLC

Fast forward to the most exciting photo this season

More excitement

And finally riding some new beginner trails in Hurricane

more to come

 

[6thElement]

Wife and I are getting antsy for a road trip, maybe the usual early season Fruita in a few weeks time.

 

[rideit]

Something doesn't look quite right...(two laps on JEM)

Perfect form...inside leg down on a left hand turn...I should be a coach

Now off to Gooseberry proper for a solo thrash.

 

[6thElement]

Never ridden Jem, but up on Goose is one of the best places I've ever camped.

 

[Jozz]

...up on Goose is one of the best places I've ever camped.

 

[rideit]

I have been camping on Gooseberry for about 22 years, I still know of wood stashes!
Weird to be staying in town at a hotel.
Got up to Goose, and there was nobody there. This is the White parking lot at 5:30

Here is the view you all know

Now, about the bike (Yeti SB100)

HOLY CRAP, I LOVE THIS BIKE.
You know that feeling when you get on a bike, and it instantly feels like it is 'yours'?
I have this with this bike. Took about five minutes to get used to the 29 wheels. It actually wheelies/lifts the front end way easier than my Altitude.
Super poppy and playful, I can bunny hop this thing sky high. I quickly realized that the 35mm stem was way too short, I put on a 50 and it is perfect now. Cleaned 85-90% of South Rim going up, and about 95% of it going down. (there are a few moves with too much exposure for my taste). Only one death defying endo. Could really tell the roll-over advantage in some chunky spots...And South Rim is CHUNKY.
Went Up S.R, down to Windmill, then turned around, went out to the point, and back down S.R. I really love that climb.
Blown away.
The XTR shifts more easily under load than Eagle, and I really appreciate the 41/46/51 low end.
Went from a 30/50 to a 32 (oval) and 51, so torque is about the same. couldn't really tell much difference with the oval, but I was cleaning lots more in taller gears...but that *probably* has more to do with the 80 days on the rollers this winter in the pain cave.
The 4 pot XTR brakes were a marked improvement over my Guides. More modulation now (doesn't feel like a typical Shimano brake anymore) with lockup on demand. They got better as the day went on.
My only gripe with the bike is that it creaks like a motherfucker...but TBH, I put it together completely dry, no extra lube in the headset, seatpost, etc. I hope that fixes it, because this is a known problem with the rear end of this bike.

 

[rideit]

No great pics today, but if you know Bootleg Canyon, you know that this about as rowdy as XC/trail/AM gets before it turns into some other category.

I am BLOW AWAY by this bike. I have been riding a long time, and this is far and away the most capable bike (of it's type) that I have ever ridden.
Creak notwithstanding.
I found a solution for that, though:

That is all.
Now it is Sushi time.

 

[CBJ]

Nice! I am missing our yearly spring break road trip. Here in Denmark we get most of the week of Easter off so I might do something then plus spring will be more in full swing then too.

 

[canadmos]

I have been camping on Gooseberry for about 22 years, I still know of wood stashes!
Weird to be staying in town at a hotel.
Got up to Goose, and there was nobody there. This is the White parking lot at 5:30

Here is the view you all know

Now, about the bike (Yeti SB100)

HOLY CRAP, I LOVE THIS BIKE.
You know that feeling when you get on a bike, and it instantly feels like it is 'yours'?
I have this with this bike. Took about five minutes to get used to the 29 wheels. It actually wheelies/lifts the front end way easier than my Altitude.
Super poppy and playful, I can bunny hop this thing sky high. I quickly realized that the 35mm stem was way too short, I put on a 50 and it is perfect now. Cleaned 85-90% of South Rim going up, and about 95% of it going down. (there are a few moves with too much exposure for my taste). Only one death defying endo. Could really tell the roll-over advantage in some chunky spots...And South Rim is CHUNKY.
Went Up S.R, down to Windmill, then turned around, went out to the point, and back down S.R. I really love that climb.
Blown away.
The XTR shifts more easily under load than Eagle, and I really appreciate the 41/46/51 low end.
Went from a 30/50 to a 32 (oval) and 51, so torque is about the same. couldn't really tell much difference with the oval, but I was cleaning lots more in taller gears...but that *probably* has more to do with the 80 days on the rollers this winter in the pain cave.
The 4 pot XTR brakes were a marked improvement over my Guides. More modulation now (doesn't feel like a typical Shimano brake anymore) with lockup on demand. They got better as the day went on.
My only gripe with the bike is that it creaks like a motherfucker...but TBH, I put it together completely dry, no extra lube in the headset, seatpost, etc. I hope that fixes it, because this is a known problem with the rear end of this bike.

Is that your new bike or a rental?

 

[rideit]

New bike.

 

[StiHacka]

Meh

(I am very jelly)

 

[TN]

I miss that area. Looks like you are hitting all the great spots.
If bored of sand & dust & red rocks, ride the Bristlecone Trail in Mt. Charleston. its on the other side of vegas (45 mins) as bootleg though.
may be snow up there still though, they had a good year for precip.

 

[rideit]

There is definitely still snow up there.
We are in San Diego now, onward to ride with Junkyard!

 

[junkyard]

Yah!

 

[rideit]

Pushing up the Bootleg road...

Shredding some mellow trail

Dam Tacos

Welcome to Southern California

Greener than Irish Piss here...those are all poppies. Superbloom.

 

[rideit]

Junkyard encounter in the wild!
Thanks for the tour of Noble Canyon, absolutely loved that trail.
And my bike.

MUCH tougher section than it looks...

 

[junkyard]

I had a fun time riding noble canyon. A note to monkeys, careful riding with rideit as he is fast. Have fun on the rest of your trip!!!

 

[rideit]

East of Laguna Beach (San juaquin Trail, i think?) This is the 'Cocktail Rock' at the top of a 3500 foot climb. Seriously channelled out from all of the record rains, it was technically quite challenging.

If you look to the right, you can see some of the switchbacks

San Luis Obispo...Kiddo at the top of a 'meh' 2000 foot descent. It would have been fun at speed, but shitty at tip-toe speeds.

Kiddo is NOT impressed

We started getting hungry

YES, PLEASE

Welcome to rt 101

 

[johnbryanpeters]

East of Laguna Beach (San juaquin Trail, i think?) This is the 'Cocktail Rock' at the top of a 3500 foot climb. Seriously channelled out from all of the record rains, it was technically quite challenging.

If you look to the right, you can see some of the switchbacks

San Luis Obispo...Kiddo at the top of a 'meh' 2000 foot descent. It would have been fun at speed, but shitty at tip-toe speeds.

Kiddo is NOT impressed

We started getting hungry

YES, PLEASE

Welcome to rt 101

I paid $2.550/gallon last night...

 

[TN]

nice!

the only thing spring break means to me, is the mountain is going to be calling me everyday to see if I can teach.

 

[rockofullr]

Yo!! @rideit !! You in the bay yet? Gonna ride tomorrow (weather dependent) then for sure ride the UCSC trails Saturday.

 

[rideit]

Wow, thanks for the invite! I am already in LaMoille/Elko, on my way home. Have fun!

 

[rideit]

Well, just got home.
Amazing trip!
One of the best parts of the whole trip was 20 minutes ago...we had just come down Teton Pass into Wilson, and kiddo turned to me and said “Oh, man, I love this place”.
He will probably never be a city boy.