Urban XC
On Wednesday for lunch I decided to try something new. Commute by bike to the trailhead. After all, it is National Bike Month and since my wife won’t let me commute to work on my bike (I’ll wear the upstairs carpet out) I figured I’d ride to the closest trailhead instead of driving there.
For me that trailhead is the new Goldmine TH in the north end of San Tan park. Very few mountain bikers ever enter here…In haste I threw some goodies and 100oz of water in my CamelBak and hit the streets.
When I am forced to ride the road on my mountain bike I like to stay off road whenever I can, you know, in the dirt along side the road. It makes me feel like I’m training for Leadville and is much more fun than just spinning an MTB on pavement. Here in Queen Creek there’s rideable dirt along side just about all the country roads.
I made it to the Park entrance paid my dollar ride in fee and set out to climb the rite of passage.
I won’t go in to any details of the ride, but it sufficeth to say that I made an epic out of riding the San Tans. Who would’ve thunk? Basic stats: 30 miles, 3000K climbing, 4 hours on the bike. Up the “drag-a-bike” rite of passage to fast and flowy wide trail. Plenty of views, plenty of sand…(the newly cut trail on Malpais is fun, but bring a beach towel). Lunch in the Malpais wash then to the ranger station for a water refill (100oz goes fast!). Up Little Leaf to Goldmine, almost cleaned the first half of the climb…(it’s totally rideable) to the rite of passage descent (that’s all rideable, loose, but I stayed on the bike the whole way down) to the seven mile return into a head wind.
Next time I’ll remember to bring the sunscreen. I got baked and have some serious helmet tan.
What is terribly wrong with this picture?
I’ll give you some hints by telling you what it’s not. These are all wrong by all means, but not terribly/horrifically wrong…
1) The photo shopped blue sky.
2) The duct tape strapping my front brake line to my fork.
3) There is no trail on this beach.
4) There is no water on this beach.
6) There is no surfing allowed on this beach.
7) A full suspension bike in the San Tans? (For reason refer to Rite of Passage)
6) The Crossmark tire instead of the a Larsen TT on the rear.
Give up? Look closely at my rear derailleur…
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> I will not cheat.
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> I will not cheat.
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> I give up.
What a huge rookie mistake letting my bike fall into the sand on the derailleur side. The entire thing is practically buried in the sand! I deserved a little dehydration for that.