Untitled from andrew Weitkunat on Vimeo.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
The Sedona Ride
Destination: Bell Rock, Llama Trail, Chicken Point, Chapel Hill
. This is one of the first trailheads as you enter Sedona from I-17. We pay the fee of $5, take a quick look at the map and get on with our ride, We hit the trail about 11:30 am and our tires start kickin' up that famous red rock dust. Looks good, but doesn't taste good, trust me.
The trail gently winds through the brush and cypress, nothing to get excited about. Then we hit a dry creek bed that offers some technical maneuvering. Aaahhhh, there we go, that's what we're talking about.
We wound around Bell Rock and somehow we teleported to the other side very quickly via the "VORTEX". It was crazy, before we could figure out what happened, we were on a trail that prohibited bikes, with a lofty $300 fine that is strictly enforced with a "zero tolerance rule." We only know this because we ran across some hikers, with both tires..... they told us bikes were not allowed back in that area. We were suprised at first, we had not seen any markers or posted signs saying such "mean spirited" things. They were nice about it though, only because of the terrain was not bike friendly. Well, to the untrained eye, they did not realize Brooke and I were part of an elite trail stomping crew that decimates boulders and rocks and such.......uh hum! So we departed the hikers and ran across another hiker, with only one tire this time. He stated the same thing, how funny! We ask him which way is the fastest to getting off the so called "anti-bike trail?" "50/50", he says.
Ok then, we keep heading in the same direction and we came to some techy sections, not to be phased by the rocks, roots and water bars, Brooke and I cleaned the trail pretty well, in fact the anti-bike trail had more fun technical sections to it than the rest of the trails we rode. Up next was the split, Llama Trail, nothing too exciting here, just single track with some curves and some washes thrown in to mix it up. There was one rocky descent into a wash that was sketchy in places but fun. We came across a split in the trail, that took us up to Chicken Point. The trail led us into the rock formations and up to the lookout where my picture was taken. Also up top was the famous Pink Jeep Tour Group giving their guided tour to the evil bipeds aka: the lazy mans way to get there. We make our way back down the the split, hit trail HT197, which turned us onto a short section of Chapel Hill, then turned into the latter half of Bell Rock Trail which took us back to the car. It was a good first ride in Sedona.
Next time we will go with people that have done other trails in the area and offer more of what we're looking for out of a trail system, other than the path "well travelled."
Riders: 2
Total Distance: 13 Miles
Well the day started off with big plans to ride some good trails in Sedona. We were to meet Dan and some others, but they bailed last minute so it just ended up being us. We set out a little late in the morning and caught some slow traffic over Mingus Mountain which is always a plus.....not. We hit the trail section across from
. This is one of the first trailheads as you enter Sedona from I-17. We pay the fee of $5, take a quick look at the map and get on with our ride, We hit the trail about 11:30 am and our tires start kickin' up that famous red rock dust. Looks good, but doesn't taste good, trust me.
We wound around Bell Rock and somehow we teleported to the other side very quickly via the "VORTEX". It was crazy, before we could figure out what happened, we were on a trail that prohibited bikes, with a lofty $300 fine that is strictly enforced with a "zero tolerance rule." We only know this because we ran across some hikers, with both tires..... they told us bikes were not allowed back in that area. We were suprised at first, we had not seen any markers or posted signs saying such "mean spirited" things. They were nice about it though, only because of the terrain was not bike friendly. Well, to the untrained eye, they did not realize Brooke and I were part of an elite trail stomping crew that decimates boulders and rocks and such.......uh hum! So we departed the hikers and ran across another hiker, with only one tire this time. He stated the same thing, how funny! We ask him which way is the fastest to getting off the so called "anti-bike trail?" "50/50", he says.
Ok then, we keep heading in the same direction and we came to some techy sections, not to be phased by the rocks, roots and water bars, Brooke and I cleaned the trail pretty well, in fact the anti-bike trail had more fun technical sections to it than the rest of the trails we rode. Up next was the split, Llama Trail, nothing too exciting here, just single track with some curves and some washes thrown in to mix it up. There was one rocky descent into a wash that was sketchy in places but fun. We came across a split in the trail, that took us up to Chicken Point. The trail led us into the rock formations and up to the lookout where my picture was taken. Also up top was the famous Pink Jeep Tour Group giving their guided tour to the evil bipeds aka: the lazy mans way to get there. We make our way back down the the split, hit trail HT197, which turned us onto a short section of Chapel Hill, then turned into the latter half of Bell Rock Trail which took us back to the car. It was a good first ride in Sedona.
Next time we will go with people that have done other trails in the area and offer more of what we're looking for out of a trail system, other than the path "well travelled."
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, October 12, 2009
The Thumb Butte Ride
The Wreckin' Crew-L-R Danielle, Micki, Steve, Lil' Brooke and Jessi-bottom right corner.
We met at the Thumb Butte P-lot and headed out around 3pm, a late start as everyone had some things to do and finish up. We start heading up to "Green Rock" or FKAWR-Formally Known As White Rock and down the Circle Trail to "The Fire Place". Next up is the "Boulders Area" for a "Steve-free ride" and a "free - hike-a-bike" for the rest of us. Then onto Ta-Tonka, over to the grade to "the Luge" and for the return trip back to the cars, we took #317. All in all, not a long ride, just a get out and do it ride.
One handed downhill from andrew Weitkunat on Vimeo.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Mountain Biking and then some.....
The great escape........
Brooke and Micki...................Steve was also kind enough to slow down for this shot. Thx
Brooke and Micki...................Steve was also kind enough to slow down for this shot. Thx
These two get around........in the blog sense!
Not too much going on here, just trying to do as much biking as possible before the weather turns inhospitable and won't allow us to come out to play. We missed out on a fun trip to Phil's World and Durango Colorado a couple of weeks ago, but that's ok, there is still plenty of destinations we still have to do and we shall add that to the list.
This past weekend we rode in Phoenix on trail #100 up North in our old stomping grounds and had the pleasure of riding some demo bikes from Pivot that Micki had scored. The Mach 5's are very "plush" compared our bikes. My bike is going on 6 years old and technology has come along way indeed. I could be in the market for a "new" bike if I could bring myself to spend that kind of money...$$$$$. There's only a couple bikes that catch my eye these days....most look over engineered or miss the whole concept of what a bike should be and what riding is all about. That is where single speeds come into play. So easy, so simple. 1 gear, no clutter, just spin and you're in. Biking back to it's roots.
Sticki went to Interbike and took some pics of all the new concepts and products. Wow, a lot of new ideas and innovation out there. What's next? Check it out.
On Saturday we headed out with Millikin, Jason Kelly and the 2 of us for some fun around the Thumb Butte area, Millikin just got a new 20 tooth cog for his SS and new set of Kenda Nevegals, he was very excited. The only downside, he didn't go UST or otherwise known as Tubeless.....Booooooooo!!! and it's not even Halloween. We hit a newly cut trail, #317, here is a section from up top featuring Jason and Brooke.....Jason is a "roadie" or "twinkie boy" if you will. That is why his wheelie is lame. I kid...I kid....!!! sheesh!
It's kinda choppy in some sections, but once it gets some more traffic on it, it'll be a nice addition to the trail system in Prescott. It parallels #316 at the bottom of the creek bed. You get to #317 from the main parking area at the bottom of Thumb Butte and is at the intersection of #314#315#316 and now #317.
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