The drive went quick...the secenery is amazing on that route toward Taos (once you head west that is...Pueblo...well Pueblo is just Pueblo). We arrived in Taos...found the Super 8, grabbed dinner (served with a Divine Appointment)...hit the grocery store for some ride provisions and then hit the sack.
We headed over to meet the shuttle in town and met with two of the riders from Albuquerque BOMB. Tim and Darren were there and ready to roll! Chris was to meet us at the trailhead with another Albuquerque BOMBer. We loaded up and headed for the hills.
The South Boundary Trailhead is actually just outside the town of Angelfire New Mexico and it's a good 40 minute shuttle ride to the trailhead from Taos. We turned off the highway onto a dirt service road and headed further up the hill. We see a white pickup heading our way...as they got closer they started flagging us down. It's Chris and Carl...Carl forgot his hydration pack and were headed to their hotel in Angelfire to grab it.
We continue up the road...it got progressively more and more 4x4 like, the old shuttle van did an amazing job of getting us through to the trailhead. Rey...the shuttle drive and owner of the bike shop in Taos (Gearing Up Bicycle Shop) told us that good old van has even made fresh tracks on that road in a few inches of snow. Rey was fantastic, giving us a lot of pointers, the lay of the land and suggestions for other trails to hit in the area.
...on to the South Boundary Trail...
We get to the trailhead. Just a few minutes after unloading Chris and Carl arrive. We're all getting our gear together.
Tim takes a minute to check/adjust his rear shock (an air shock)...he removes the pump and PPPPPFFFFFFFTTTTTTTTTT! All the air in his shock is gone in about a tenth of a second. Try again...same thing. We all start monkeying with it, the pump, the valve...Tim is not having fun now. We finally manage to pull the valve stem, clean it, get it back in and it holds air this time! Poor Tim did the panic dance for about 15 minutes.
Tim...just before the PFFFFT.
Everyone McGuyvering it.
Fixed it...Tim is happy again
You know the old saying "When something sounds too good to be true...it probably is too good to be true?"
Well...I had heard from my old boss, and from Chris (Albuquerque BOMB) that there was a brutally steep and loose initial climb that was only a little over a mile long...and after that it was about 23 miles of just amazing, tight, buff and flowing DOWNHILL singletrack.
My boss...rides a road bike about 5,000 miles a year...and Chris is a 6'1" 150lb Cross Country monster that rides a 29" hard tail and races throughout the season. I should have known better.
The initial climb didn't seem that bad (above)...I pushed the bike a lot. It was steep. It was loose - but it was short. I think the GPS registered about 1.25 miles to the top. We started to head down a bit and stopped in a meadow to re-group. Chris said "OK...fast folks up front, we have about four miles of fast descending..."
The initial climb didn't seem that bad (above)...I pushed the bike a lot. It was steep. It was loose - but it was short. I think the GPS registered about 1.25 miles to the top. We started to head down a bit and stopped in a meadow to re-group. Chris said "OK...fast folks up front, we have about four miles of fast descending..."
My camera batteries died...and the spares were dead (note to self...replace the rechargeable batteries)...so most of the remaining are courtesy of Jeff! Thanks bro.
The next four miles or so were some of the sweetest, in the forest, loamy dirt, tight singletrack, over roots...BOMBING downhill I can ever remember. Chris said the section was called "Heaven On Earth". That was no hyperbole....wow, no kidding "Heaven On Earth". I would have shuttled that section all day if possible. Man...it was like butter. No pedaling...all gravity and all gravy baby!
The trail dumped right next to a hunter camp...we didn't see any other ridres all day, but we saw a few hunter camps and a few hunters...that was a bit concerning - but it is bow season, so we didn't have to worry too much.
The next section of trail went on for a LONG time...it was just slightly downhill - it would have been perfect...and just like the pervious section if it had been but maybe 2% more DOWN. It was JUST flat enough to require constant pedaling - wasn't as fast as "Heaven On Earth", but it was more of the same type of trail. Tight, sweet singletrack through the forest.
...and then...what? Uphill? Where was this on the trail description. It wasn't steep...it wasn't even loose, but it went on for what seemed like a long, long time.
Chris...apologies bro. I think we really started giving you a hard time about it. It was all good...we just didn't anticipate all the Up, Up, UpHill. Something over 2,000ft of it...ugh.
We stopped at a big clearing, rested a bit, ate some trail grub and prayed for the lady from the night before.
Finally...we started to angle down some more. I was in front and we were picking up speed again. Chris reports..."Ok for real...it's all downhill now!" I was having a blast dodging trees, plowing through root gardens and railing turns.
I came blasting down the trail and saw a log across the trail. Not big...and someone had stacked a small ramp up before it. I hit the log, lifting the front end cleanly over it...and carrying way too much speed into it with the rear wheel.
I'm pretty sure I broke the Olympic Record for the "Over the Bar Pole Vault"...man I was up there and slammed HARD onto my left shoulder. I'm pretty sure the wind was knocked out of my left lung and a searing pain in my chest. I jumped right up...walked over to a log and sat down to collect my thoughts. Holding my left arm...I first feared something was busted. But as I breathed in and moved my arm around...yup...collar bone is still intact, no death pain when I breath in...ribs not busted...but dang it hurt!
Everyone arrived on scene...I straightened my bars and walked back up the trail muttering "freaking log"...rode over it again and cleaned it like butter. On the way again! We hit some sections with unbelievable views, but not something you'd want to gander at unless you were stopped. I've seen freaky exposure before...but this was wierd because it was covered in trees and just dropped away to what seemed like forever.
We crossed another road...and hit what we'd been told was the final "very technical" section. It was fairly steep and loose - but not "technical" in the big ledges and rock gardens way. Just loose primarily. Still it was a hoot. Getting ever closer to town now as well...you could see the elevation dropping...
The trail eventually drops onto the same highway you take to get to Ange Fire and the trail head...a few miles of pedaling and on to Eskes Brew Pub for some fine dining and some good suds. A great trip...can't wait to head down there again and bring a bigger contingent from Coloraod Springs - maybe even some of the Denver BOMB crew!
The next four miles or so were some of the sweetest, in the forest, loamy dirt, tight singletrack, over roots...BOMBING downhill I can ever remember. Chris said the section was called "Heaven On Earth". That was no hyperbole....wow, no kidding "Heaven On Earth". I would have shuttled that section all day if possible. Man...it was like butter. No pedaling...all gravity and all gravy baby!
The trail dumped right next to a hunter camp...we didn't see any other ridres all day, but we saw a few hunter camps and a few hunters...that was a bit concerning - but it is bow season, so we didn't have to worry too much.
The next section of trail went on for a LONG time...it was just slightly downhill - it would have been perfect...and just like the pervious section if it had been but maybe 2% more DOWN. It was JUST flat enough to require constant pedaling - wasn't as fast as "Heaven On Earth", but it was more of the same type of trail. Tight, sweet singletrack through the forest.
...and then...what? Uphill? Where was this on the trail description. It wasn't steep...it wasn't even loose, but it went on for what seemed like a long, long time.
Chris...apologies bro. I think we really started giving you a hard time about it. It was all good...we just didn't anticipate all the Up, Up, UpHill. Something over 2,000ft of it...ugh.
We stopped at a big clearing, rested a bit, ate some trail grub and prayed for the lady from the night before.
Finally...we started to angle down some more. I was in front and we were picking up speed again. Chris reports..."Ok for real...it's all downhill now!" I was having a blast dodging trees, plowing through root gardens and railing turns.
I came blasting down the trail and saw a log across the trail. Not big...and someone had stacked a small ramp up before it. I hit the log, lifting the front end cleanly over it...and carrying way too much speed into it with the rear wheel.
I'm pretty sure I broke the Olympic Record for the "Over the Bar Pole Vault"...man I was up there and slammed HARD onto my left shoulder. I'm pretty sure the wind was knocked out of my left lung and a searing pain in my chest. I jumped right up...walked over to a log and sat down to collect my thoughts. Holding my left arm...I first feared something was busted. But as I breathed in and moved my arm around...yup...collar bone is still intact, no death pain when I breath in...ribs not busted...but dang it hurt!
Everyone arrived on scene...I straightened my bars and walked back up the trail muttering "freaking log"...rode over it again and cleaned it like butter. On the way again! We hit some sections with unbelievable views, but not something you'd want to gander at unless you were stopped. I've seen freaky exposure before...but this was wierd because it was covered in trees and just dropped away to what seemed like forever.
We crossed another road...and hit what we'd been told was the final "very technical" section. It was fairly steep and loose - but not "technical" in the big ledges and rock gardens way. Just loose primarily. Still it was a hoot. Getting ever closer to town now as well...you could see the elevation dropping...
The trail eventually drops onto the same highway you take to get to Ange Fire and the trail head...a few miles of pedaling and on to Eskes Brew Pub for some fine dining and some good suds. A great trip...can't wait to head down there again and bring a bigger contingent from Coloraod Springs - maybe even some of the Denver BOMB crew!
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3 comments:
and me????????????????
Wow! I did my first ride with the Denver BOMB guys this past weekend, but it looks like you guys have more fun...
Yeah Hack, where were you?
Fun riding with you guys and a great group too! We had the techno skills of Keith and Tony, the XC strength of Jeff and Carl, and the good all around riding skills of Don, Darren, and Tim.
Chris
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