MTBikeAZ.com

So little riding time with all the rain….I’ve made a few notable updates. First, I’ve added an interactive Google Map to the Phoenix Trail Index.

The map shows the locations for most of the riding areas in Phoenix. Click on the green biker and you’ll get a link to my trail page or blog entry about the trail. It’s a work in progress, and I expect to add more to in the future.

View Larger Map

I also updated the Lost Goldmine trail page with new maps of the East and West sections of the trail plus a complete map of the MTB loop portion just south of Lost Goldmine East.

All the rain this week inspired me to update the Weather page with new radar graphics. Check them out, they are so cool. You can follow the Monsoons in “near” real-time.

And lastly, I added the add this button on all individual posts. It’s at the top of the post and the bottom for your convenience in bookmarking.

Happy Labor Day weekend. Get out and ride!

I can’t believe that it’s Interbike time again… My badge came in the mail this week. Less than a month away and I’m counting the days. The Outdoor Demo is the best place in the world to be. Thousands of bikes, power bars and gels, along with endless trail, turn Bootleg Canyon into a mountain biker’s dream world.

As working media I get to go ride and review all the gear I want. Which is awesome to say the least. As an independent blogger, I have no agenda, no sponsors to please, no one paying me to say anything. I ride whatever I feel like and write about the gear that I enjoy most. I’ll be there with my long time riding buddy and fellow blogger Rico Suave. Between the two of us we should be able to give plenty of the 2009 models a shake.

Last year we rode, Trek, Titus, Santa Cruz, Specialized, Rocky Mountain, and Ellsworth. This year I’ve got my sights set on riding singlespeeds and 29ers.

Here’s our video from Interbike 2007.

A gorgeous morning on the Lost Goldmine MTB Loop.

If you like bugs for breakfast!

The first few weren’t bad, but the last few dozen or so were a bit much. The Monsoons last night pushed out the heat, but brought in humidity and bugs. They hit my body like a hail storm, a constant peppering throughout the trail. Sticking to my wet skin then squirming as they struggle to fly free.

Aside from the bug action, the trails were just a few hours away from perfect. Just a bit soft in only a few spots. Tomorrow will be bwetter.

There is singletrack up in them there Goldfield Mountains…

And it’s all mine!

(well, at least it was on Saturday morning)

I’ll be sure to share the wealth, after I’ve mined a few loops for myself…

The Leadville 100 is tomorrow. I like to kid myself and think that I could do this race if I tried. But then I think I’d better have more than one 56 mile ride under my wheels before I even think about racing 100.

That said, I really admire all the racers who do enter the Leadville. For whatever reasons they have, one thing is the same: 100 miles of high altitude mountain biking with a chance to be passed by Lance Armstrong.

This year Lance is actually in the Leadville. He’s number 7 and he’s riding a Trek Top Fuel 9.8. UltraRob has some video footage of Lance’s Leadville recon.

Last year Floyd Landis took second to Dave Wiens by less than 2 minutes. Dave has won the overall every year since 2003. If Landis got within two minutes of Wiens, Armstrong can surely do better than that even if he’s not in Tour de France shape. I wish I could get live updates…

UPDATE: Wiens beats Armstrong by 2 minutes.

Superhumanmag.com: Video of the race between Lance and Dave

Good luck to all 40 Arizonans headed to Colorado this weekend to compete. I wish for you oxygen in your lungs. Also good luck to Fatty, who’s riding this year on his WaltWorks singlespeed.

Leadville Course Maps