We’ve been getting a lot of emails asking how the trails are holding up to the relentless round of storms rolling through. If the camp was this weekend we’d be in trouble – next weekend it would likely be good to go based on the 7 day forecast (sunny and 50’s).
Yesterday we even ran into muck on Prospector trail (just north of Church Rocks). That opened the door for riding the Bracken’s loop, a trail that I never considered would be rideable. OK it wasn’t for the most part, but lots of it was frozen sand full of deep horse prints. Fun in a bizarre way…and killer scenery.
The bottom line is we just don’t know what conditions will be like in a month. They can improve – or deteriorate – quickly around here. A week of good weather and everything under 4k’ will likely be good to go. We will call it the week before the camp. What we really don’t want is to invite y’all here from all over the country and then ask you not to ride vulnerable trails when you get here.
Rant: The trails are kinda rideable when they are wet with a lot of slipping around and churning up the clay and dirt. This kind of riding is fun once in a while but trashes the trail, sometimes beyond repair. It is super tiresome to hear out of town folks say “I drove 400 miles to be here so I was gonna ride…” Then they go home with a mucky bike and we are left with crappy trails. That is so common. We do stay off the trails when they are mucky. We are riding the road today.
CL v1.0 vets will recall the windy Blakes climb of day 2. I’d estimate 2+ feet of snow up there right now. (!) We won’t be riding Blakes, or Jem, or Gooseberry – those areas all got pretty hammered. Still a lot of options if the weather cooperates. Stay tuned.
Lynda,
Keep me in the loop on this. I need to get out!
I’ll be there and even if its just some road miles with folks.. Love to see yah yah and hang….
I’m in!! Coming from So Cal with Mike Troy. Hope the weather holds! I just booked the nights through priceline.com they took $40 per night for three star accomidations (they list at $87). Looking forward to lots of fun riding.
I’m kind of confused about your quote “400 miles”. Are you saying I shouldn’t have been there? Please explain.
No, I’m saying that driving 400 miles is a big effort and it clouds riders judgment on whether it is appropriate to be riding on trails that are not ready for rubber and wheels.
When you have hauled your bike 400 miles to ride, the desire to ride is high. It makes it easy to overlook environmental damage created by the act.
Good, thats the same message I was trying to say myself, “the high desire to ride,” “clouding our judgment”. And the reason I started that thread. My hope is that more people start to check the boards before making the journey, and educate them of other fun options if they do. Keep it up.