Today's episode of I'd Rather Be Riding In...comes to us courtesy of Amigo Chris. Photos is taken in Crested Butte on Trail 403.
Blue skies, epic climbs and descents, and a whole host of wildflowers...uh, yes I'd rather be riding in Crested Butte.
-Kid
Labels: Big Mama, Crested Butte, Mountain Biking
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This post filed under the topic(s): Big Mama , Mountain Biking
Monday, I shared a brief video of my Kokopelli Trail ride. I had an ambitious plan. Some things went well. Some did not. I had planned on heading out on Sunday, but the weather forecast wasn't great and I decided to head out on Saturday instead. I was three hours into the day, I changed my plans. Instead of riding to Moab in two days with a campout, I decided to keep going and ride it in one day.
I had crazy weather on this day. Temps were relatively mild but I had severe wind, rain, dust storms, and even some hail/snow! I was actually thankful for the little bit of rain. I would have been in trouble had it really rained. Thankfully, it was just a little bit of rain and it kept the dust down and firmed up the soil, making my ride faster.
Because I changed plans mid ride and decided to do Fruita to Moab in one day, I decided to roll the last 30 miles into town on pavement. I was crushed as I had been pedalling for 9.5 hours straight with little rest. The last 30 miles were no cakewalk either thanks to more wind and rain. Finally, the weather broke for good and I rolled into Moab.
That's a wrap folks. While I didn't do the whole Kokopelli, I did end up riding almost 120 miles in 13 hours. All in all a great test of body, mind and equipment. Just what I was looking for from this trip.
I finished the night off with a Subway feast and then rode up to the Slick Rock campgrounds in the dark to meet some friends from Nebraska, Colorado and Montana. The wind was gone and the stars came out making for a perfect evening.
What a day! I will never forget it. It was without a doubt one of my more difficult days of riding ever.
Labels: adventuring, Big Mama, bikepacking, Colorado, touring, Utah
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This post filed under the topic(s): Big Mama , bikepacking , adventuring , touring
The Kokopelli Trail is a 130 or so miles long and links Fruita, Colorado and Moab, Utah. It's a beautiful mountain bike trail filled with amazing singletrack, stunning views, solace and mountains. Really, it has a bit of everything. Most folks spend several days riding this trail. I was looking for another experience. I was planning on knocking it off in two days but my plan did not go as planned.
I'll be sharing my stories over the coming days. I'm a bit worn out but pretty darn excited about the trip. Take a look at this short video and check back here for more stories and videos.
Yes that whirring sound is wind. That section in the vid is about 8-10 miles and it took me almost two hours.
Labels: adventuring, Big Mama, Fruita, touring
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This post filed under the topic(s): Big Mama , adventuring , touring
Greetings folks. Hope you all are enjoying your year and that the 2009 riding season is off to a good start. 2009 is going well, both for Salsa and for me personally. As you have likely noticed, I personally have been blogging less. That's because I've been riding more. I've got some fun riding plans for the upcoming year. I'll be sharing those adventures here throughout the coming months.
I spent the bulk of the past 6 months riding my Salsa Fargo. Since the very first prototype of the Fargo arrived, I've been peddling and planning a 2 week adventure tour for later in the year. I love this bike. It has seen thousands of miles and provided nearly as many dreams.
Recently however, I've decided to challenge myself a bit more. I decided my adventure would take a different route and would require a different bike. I'm not sure where this newfound confidence has come from, but I wanted something a bit bigger and more challenging. Risk more and receive a greater reward. As such, I've committed myself to do the Colorado Trail in a 530 mile two wheeled, self supported, ultra light adventure.
I'll be riding my Salsa Big Mama. I finished this final build last fall and got a few rides on it. I'm in the process of final set up and gear selection. I'll be doing a tune up trip later this month with a Fruita to Moab to Fruita ride. This trip will involve many hours of riding, lot's of picture taking, and overcoming some challenges. I can't wait. I'll also share my final bike set up on or around that time. I tell you this, it is going to be one sweet Big Mama.
Ride & Smile! Ride more. Risk more.
Labels: adventuring, Big Mama, Fargo
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This post filed under the topic(s): Big Mama , Fargo , adventuring
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