Okay, this is a ride that I have wanted to do for years, but have been too scared to attempt. First, it's a 25 mile ride. Second, it's hard, technical singletrack, skirting the canyon rim. It is gorgeous however! Due to the cancellation on Saturday because of rain, our friends Chris and Gayle rescheduled for a shuttle at 10:30 am Monday morning. We got to the Poison Spider bike shop to load up. Seventeen people fit into the van with bikes on top! Before we left, our driver says "the mud has gotten better so if people want to, I can take you to the upper drop off point which will add 4 more miles of single track onto the trail. You'll ride upper porcupine, lower porcupine, porcupine, then the very technical single track out of Negro Bill Canyon." This announcement was met with cheers from the van group. I said nothing. The ride up was a "motion sick" nightmare. Very winding and bumpy on a rocky road. We got the back seat. Ugh. Poor Steve was extremely queasy when we finally made it to the top. Not a good start to a 25 mile technical ride with a 1.5mile climb at 7600 feet right from the get go!
This ride turned out to be truly amazing. The best views I have ever seen on a ride, great people, challenging riding, lots of miles, and the fact we made it down in one piece! We are amazed that not only our bodies made it, but our bikes survived the punishing pounding. It was very bumpy and jarring with lots of drops onto rock. :)
This might have been my best/favorite ride ever! (and at least so far).......
Today we are recovering and doing laundry and shopping. Major rest day. ;)
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