SOMO

After a healthy start to the week I eagerly found some free time on Wednesday to pursue a ride. Apparently many people have off this week and were enjoying their time in the outdoors. Desert Classic is not my favorite spot, but if your willing to crank for it there are some fun sections that go up and out of washes that are about all that makes it worth doing. Feeling particularly good this day was nice, I have been feeling a lot better lately relating to the diet and low carb performance. I have lost 15 pounds so far which makes me so happy! Regaining my performance has been the icing on the cake the last two weeks. Plan is to loose another 5-15 lbs but I really feel good about where I am now and we will see where it goes. So yeah feeling good on this one, really want more less gear, ever since trying an 18tooth I really like it for flatter rides, but again when I want to climb something very hard I could only get it done on 22.

Catalina Golder Ranch Tucson

Another cool morning and off I went for a sunrise ride. This time I was ehading North to Catalina just 30 minutes north of our new lovely hotel we moved to. I did my research and planned to ride the 50 year trail into a network of more technical riding. The 50 year trail was a blast, lots of single track and flow, then it climbed a bobseld run which was a bit of a challenge but the trek ate it up for the most part. The whole time I was thinking I should be descending this but I stuck to the MTB Project Advanced loop. Once Upper Fifty Year was conquered I was now on a trail not marked on trailforks. This trail was crazy tech and not ridden. I messed around on it for 10 minutes and decided I had enough hiking my bike and headed back to upper fifty year to complet the loop. This section of upper 50 year was spectacular, good descents and tech for nay level. After that work it was onto Middle Gate, another beastly techincal playground of narrow trail along the rocky hillside. I was defeated on some rollers with being on a rigid and all but I rode the entire trail mostly which was very challenging. Now that beast was over and I headed for the Chutes, it was a smooth mellow ride over to them which was welcomed by now. When I reached the chutes I was excited, it was explained as windy fun trails. It was over all too soon and really thought about a 2nd go. I decided to go and head for the car, the fast route and ride 50 year trail south. I got a taste of 50 year south and filled my time quota back to the car and was content on a good morning.

TUCSON! Sweet Water Preserve

Well my Mother in law came to town and that normally means a good break from parenting duties and me and my lovely planned a two night trip to Tucson to check out the area. It turns out I was extremely fortunate and my wife obliged for me to bring my bike :) I was geeking out trail hunting over the interwebs and man I was pretty excited. There were lots to choose from, mostly I was going to go with XC over Mt. Lemmon Gnar so I could get more of a taste in comfort. I manged to fit the trek in the trunk of my wifes sedan which I did two other times now, the first time we came to AZ for her school interview and now. It's not fun but having the safety of the bike in the trunk can't be ebat. So we headed for Tucson, had a bit of a bumpy start to teh trip with a disapointing hotel and location but we could fix that. The next morning would be my time to go out and let my wife get the peace and rest she deserves. Me being the child I am could not sleep in and was out the door by 6:30 headed west for Sweet Water Preserve. It was a little network of 15 miles or so to play, I began my ride before the sun rose and it was chilly. The trail was fantastic, plenty flow and a ripping good time. I then made loops around the place, a few sections stood out, it was minimal on climbing and that was fine by me, it must be a pretty new trail system and well marked. There were tons of Saguaros, this place had a special feel to it, already loving Tucson trails. Hit my 20 mile goal and then it was off to see what Mt Lemmon had in store.

The Bonus Ride

So the weather didn't really come that evening, it was gloom and doom but when I awoke and found that my wife was going to the gym and taking the kiddo with me I checked the radar and found the valley was not getting hit hard yet. I had instant hope and left the house after they did and headed happily for Gold Canyon since the valley was filled in SMOG and this was the cleanest option. When I drove through a light sprinkle the weather was really magical. As I got pedaling into the trails it began a light sprinkle. The desert was glowing marvelously despite the lack of sun, the plants were definitely enjoying it. The views and senses were unreal the majority of the ride, it began to rain a good bit at one point and then let off. Absolutely loved this bonus ride and closed out 2016 as the best season yet. Happy new year people!

2500 Mile success

I aimed for a 2,000 mile year, I got to do even better with making it just before New Years with 2500 so that was a bonus. This ride was built for miles so I could have it done before the weather came in. It was a bit like disneyland on the trails, I was not quite prepared for it, but 4 horses and maybe 30 people I spun around the park with little problem with it. The weather was scheduled to roll in and so was Grandma to come visit us and this was suppose to be my last ride this week.

Hawsey Lazy

Cranked out onto the dirt on an overcast morning, ambition was low but I just kept pedaling as the morning came. Nothing fancy here just getting them miles before the end of the year :)

Beginning of the end

The last week of December is here and man it's good to close it out on a good note. All limbs are intact and only minor cuts and bruises throughout the year. It has been a good year, no doubt about it, I rode all over Utah and Phoenix and tapped into Sedona and Flagstaff. I have nothing to complain about what so ever. So My wife is now off school and this allowed me to get some more travel time to less ridden locations. I headed for McDowell with a plan in place and got spinning into the cool morning to the beat of the sun rise. The first victim was escondido, a pretty sweet way to start the ride on mellow twisty up and down single track. From there it was pemberton to tortoise to wagner to granite to delsie. All kind of blandish mellow trail, legs actually get quite stiff at McDowell as it's nearly all sitting and spinning. After that I got to the good stuff, Saguaro Nest Trail was a first for me, started off plenty narrow, the way I like it. Then it was my favorite trail in the park known as Gooseneck, really like this trail! By now I was running over my ride time, I had already covered 20 miles and had plenty more to get to the car. I Hit Pemberton and wanted Bluff but ended up on Tonto. That run is such a long DH I love it, just enough grade to keep it somewhat exciting. Then the last bit to the car on shalom Wash which was a fun ride!