Ahh - mini training camp time. Time to work on tan lines, technical skills and get some awesome hours in the saddle. Our weekend escape wasn't as exotic as Sedona or Moab, but convenient, closes and afforded many opportunities for different trails and fun. First stop on the agenda was a few hours at the Lunch Loops. We rolled out of the parking lot, ready for sunburned and fun dry riding. Nick's goal - find Holy Cross trail and play on some rocks. My goal? Ride as much as I could of the technical stuff and try to keep up!
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| Sunshine and singletrack with great views - What more could we ask for? |
Keeping up was the hard part - coming off a few super easy days and sitting in the car for a bunch of hours left me feeling sluggish and stiff. And a little whiny. We did part of Kid's Meal to warm up and loosen up, which I needed. The snow and muddy trails had kept me off the Era for a few weeks and I was feeling a little twitchy. Always happens on my first ride on that bike after riding the Fate exclusively. But j got over it quickly this time and we were soon climbing. Up Curt's Lane, through the fun twisting switchbacks to the top of the ridgeline. A few moments of crankiness as Nick dropped me easily, then I got over it.
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| Nick found a rock to play on - actually a feature in the trail |
We kept climbing up to the entrance of Holy Cross. Nick appreciated the sign at the entrance - this is a technically challenging trail. Do not modify or bypass any of the features... Yep! I knew I was in for some "fun" riding. And I was right. Nick was in heaven - hard features with consequences, some really challenging rock gardens and some really cool sections. I rode about 60% of the really hard chunks, but chickened out on a bunch of others. Nick showed me a few good lines, but I just wasn't up to it. I reached a few rock gardens and just bailed - off the back of the bike, stomach on my saddle. Nope. Not even gonna try! Nick was loving the dropper post on his Stumpy - I was more than a little jealous as we rode down Holy Cross. It was an awesome trail - can't wait to try it again next year!
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| Holy Cross - one of the easier sections that I was able to ride. Super fun, super hard |
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| Coming off the rocks, heading into the trees of Holy Cross |
After the fun of Holy Cross, we decided to climb up Gunny Loop to the Little Park Trailhead. Oh my. That was a climb! Nothing super hard, but long and unrelenting. I just rode - letting Nick climb away. I knew I had to ride own pace in order to survive. A few loose rock gardens, one really big steep climb and we found ourselves at the top. And with a choice. Take a new trail back down or enjoy the one we'd just climbed. I voted for returning the way we came. I was getting tired and we had a long weekend of fun planned. We knew what was coming by descending back down Gunny loop. So we did - and it was a cool ride. One section Nick cleaned and I thought about - but came to the edge and freaked. Another "nope, don't have the guts to ride this" moment!
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| Climbing up Gunny Loop. The reward would be coming down later! |
A good start to the training camp/get away weekend. Three more days of riding left....
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