I don't think we needed much motivation thi
s year to quickly eat breakfast, pack up camp, and get back on the trail. It was freezing that morning when we woke up, and getting back on the trail, getting the blood pumping again, was refreshing and provided a lot more heat.I love this trail for the wide variety that you get from it - lots of hill climbs, lots of fast, sometimes technical downhill sprints, weaving in and out of the woods, and lots of flat cruising through meadows.
I particularly remember this year that after you have about the first half mile or so just cruising through flat meadows, nothing too challenging, the trail plays a cruel trick on you by having a brutal uphill that requires good bike handling skills and an extra set of lungs. This year it seems like only a couple of us made it up this first hill without either needing to stop and look for our lungs or losing traction.After this point there is more up and downs, followed by a fairly steep grade up into the woods, some weaving back and forth in those woods, and then popping out to the view of the East Rim.
As we near the end of the trail there is a portion that
has become more or less memorable in our memories - there is this nasty hill pictured here. When first approaching, it looks fairly formidable, but you realize just how tough it is when you're already out of breath getting to the bad part. The last portion is a stiff grade on loose trail, that generally just about saps whatever I have left of me on the ride.
When we finally reach the end the sandwiches that are waiting for us at the parking lot seem so inviting! This particular year it took a bit longer getting there as one bike kept getting a flat that required pumping, cousin Brad shot past the stopping point and we went on to find him, and then Cade and I went back to find the group the second half of the group that we had lost earlier.It was an absolute blast, and the extra rides to prep were worth it in how much better I felt on the ride. Also, photos courtesy of Brock's picasa album.
