Roadtrip 2014

Every October I like to take a mountain bike trip.  The destination the past two years has been Gooseberry Mesa in Utah.  However, this year I decided to mix is up and check out some zones I have never ridden.  I grabbed Mick Wolf and we set off into the desert.  The result was 4 days of fantastic riding in the Southwest.  We road a local trail system in Gallup NM, the slick rock and Whole Enchilada of Moab, and the finally stopped by Phil's World in Colorado.  It was all fun and definitely worth a return visit.

Enjoy a brief video of our weekend. If features Mick, Pat and Annie Phillips, and some random locals who rode in front of my camera.

Roadtrip 2014 from Arthur Evan on Vimeo.

The Hangover

The Map

So after a triumphant trip to Sedona last weekend, Mick and I decided to return again to explore more red rock greatness.  A trail that had been eluding me was Hangover.  I had heard both wonderful and terrifying things about this trail.  After riding it, I have to agree with both sides.

We started our day with a quick warmup on the Mystic trail.  Next, we zig zagged through the streets of Sedona until we found ourselves at the bottom of Schebly Hill Road.  We climbed the rock strewn dirt road choking on dust from the Pink Jeep tours.  The only one having fun was Mick's dog Taco, who managed to find several places to swim in the nearby creek bed.  After a few miles we found ourselves at the Cow Pies trail head.

Cow pies offers a slick rock playground.  With 360˙ views, it was hard to for me to keep my eyes on the trail.  In short order, Cow Pies led us to the Hangover trail head.  I was excited to finally get to ride this legendary trail.

Hangover Trailhead

Hangover starts with a technical climb that has you gripped from the start.  It took me a few minutes to get into the mindset required to navigate the treacherous terrain.  Next, the trail opens up a bit, but continues to climb.  With each pedal stroke the view changes dramatically, offering endless opportunities to take photos.  Huffing and puffing, we made it to the summit and took a few minutes to catch our breath and take in the scenery.

The view from the top

The "travers" as its called, is the most unique part of hangover.  It requires the rider to navigate a combination of off camber rock and pencil thin single track.  On your left is generally a rock wall.  On your right... well... you don't want to really look to your right, at least not while your pedaling.

Mick assessing the situation

There are a few sections of the Travers that were too narrow for my wide handlebars, and other sections that were loose and unwieldy.  That said, this section is pure magic.  It is the love child of some sick bastards that decided to build a trail literally on the side of a cliff.

After the Travers, the trail opens up again.  What follows is a steep and technical downhill.  This section reminded me a bit of the Highline trail in the Village. After navigating the slick rock faces, the trail delivers a fast flawy section that is littered with switchbacks and rock drops.  This was my favorite part of the entire trail, but unfortunately my GoPro battery died before I reached this epic section.

After arriving at the intersection of Hangover and Munds Wagon Trail, we took a short break.  Taco went swimming in the creek as Mick and I sucked down some water and granola bars.  Once rested we bombed down (and up) the Munds trail.  After 14 miles of Sedona bliss, we wound back onto Schnebly Hill road and coasted back to town.  It was an amazing ride on a one-of-a-kind trail.

The Mach 6 is always the right tool for Sedona

Thanks again to Mick and Jackie for making the trip happen.  Enjoy yet another crappy GoPro video. I'm too lazy to shoot a proper video so this will have to do for now.
Evan

                   


         

Sedona Sweetness

Last night I got a call from my friend Mick, the owner of our local bike shop.  He had just built up a Pivot Mach 5.7 and wanted to take it for a spin in Sedona.  I have been chomping at the bit to test out my Mach 6 on some real trails, so I jumped at the chance.

We met at the Bike and Bean around 3pm and I quickly changed into my mountain bike costume.  Minutes later, we had our butts on our saddles and red dirt under our tires.  Life instantly felt better.

We rode north on the Slim Shady trail.  Slim dished up some technical climbs, banked descents, and rock boulders begging to be dropped.  Next, we hooked into Templeton.  Templeton is more mellow than Slim and offers amazing views while you roll along a slick rock shelf.  Mick and I switched bikes for this section and I can tell you his Mach 5.7 is sweet.   After Mick's dog "Taco" took a short swim in the creek, we rode out the Back O' Beyond road.  Jackie met us on the road and we refueled on water and cashew bars.  

After saying goodbye to Jackie and the kids, we connected in with the Mystic trail.  This was my first ride on Mystic, and it did not disappoint.  The trail rolls up and down like an amusement park ride.  The trail is littered with short steep climbs and punchy descents.  Next, we hit Pig Tail, and Hog Wash.  I don't understand Sedona's fascination with pigs, but half a dozen of their trials have pig names.  Maybe its a hippy vortex thing.  Hog wash reminded Mick and I of a mini Mescal Trail.  The ribbon of single track stays tight against a rock wall, as you rotate around one of Sedona's many mountains.  Hog Wash is challenging, flowy and a bit exposed in spots.

After slaying the hog, we connected with Broken Arrow.  Broken Arrow starts off with a demoralizing climb up a technical rock-strewn path.  Starting your day from Broken Arrow the climb doesn't feel so bad, but after climbing out of the Village, Mick and I were feeling it.  Fortunately, the trail rewards you with amazing views from Chicken Point.  Mick and I snapped a few pictures and then promptly returned to our bikes.  The sun was going down and we still had a ways to go.

Descending out of Chicken Point on the Little Horse Trail is a hoot.  There are numerous rock ledges to boof off of.  The pace was quick and exciting.  The only downfall for this sections, was that the sun was directly in our eyes.  This minor detail made things extra special (i.e. and pain in the butt.)  This section of trail was where I knew I had my Mach 6 suspension dialed.  Up to that point the bike had performed flawlessly.  Bombing down Little Horse at speed, the suspension just sucked everything up.  The Pike fork is a godsend.  It really feels like cheating.

Running our of daylight, we merged onto the Bell Rock Pathway and pedaled are butts off until we made it back to the Village.  We met Mick's wife Jackie back at Bike and Bean.  Jackie was the hero of the day.  While Mick and I were enjoying the red single track, Jackie was keeping the kids busy at the park.  After our ride, we stuffed ourselves at Famous Pizza and then made the 1.5 hour drive home.  It was an epic day that the whole family enjoyed.

Saying goodbye to a good friend

Last night I said goodbye to a dear friend of mine.  She taught me so much about mountain biking.  She made me feel confident and capable.  She never judged me for my lack of skill.  She treated me well, no matter how much I abused her.  My time with her was special and I will never forget her.  She has left me now and is in now the arms of another man.

Luckily for me she has a super hot younger sister.

Payson, AZ Rocks!

Rim Country

Payson does rock, but more importantly Payson has rocks... lots of rocks. Lately I've been exploring the woods on the NW side of town, trying to find some creative lines. The trails have a few little drops and lots of technical moves. It's nothing epic, but it sure is fun. Even after a weekend Sedona, its still a pleasure to ride in Payson. We have vistas too.

This rock is just waiting for a swift wind

Granite as far as the eye can see


Payson Rocks from Arthur Evan on Vimeo.

Sedona, Hiline Trail

Here is a quick GoPro edit of the Hiline trail in Sedona.  The trail offers both challenging climbs and roller coaster descents.  It's one of my favorite trails in Sedona, and I try to ride it every time I visit the land of the red rocks.

Sedona, Hiline from Arthur Evan on Vimeo.

My First Stab at Night Riding

Night riding is very popular in Arizona.  The fact is AZ is really hot in the summer, even in the high country.  If you live in southern AZ, night riding is mandatory if you want to ride between May and October.

As 2013 merged into 2014, most of the online mountain bike retailers were offering aggressive discounts on many mountain biking products.  Just hours before leaving on a trip in San Diego, I came across deal for a light manufactured by Serface. The light boasted over 1000 lumens with 3+ hours of battery life.  After reading some positive reviews on MTBR and YouTube, I decided to buy two.

Last night I decided to take my new lights into the forest for a test ride.  I did my best to minimize my risks.  I picked a trail that was close to town (T200), limited my ride time to 1.5 hours and brought my fully charged iPhone.  Additionally, I called my brother to let him know where I was riding and how long I would be gone.  We agreed that I would call him before 11P.M., and if I failed to do so that he was to come find me or at worst, call the sheriff.

Before leaving on my ride, I setup the bike with one light on my handlebars and one light on my helmet.  Next, I broke tradition and got fully dressed in my riding gear before leaving the house. Finally, I drove to the trail head and set off into the forest.

To my delight, the Serface lights provided an ample broadcast of light.  The light on the handlebars lit up the trail like a headlight from a motorcycle. The light on the helmet often provided a redundant source of light on the trail, but was infinitely useful when I turned my head to look for critters.  Speaking of critter, although I didn't see any wildlife, there was a constant sense of fear as I traveled through the forest alone.

An example of the light broadcast 

Although I had plenty of light to safely ride, I didn't set any new Strava records.  I was riding my single speed, which helped me maintain a more conservative riding style.  There was a couple of close calls where I nearly rode off the trail, but that was more a result of pour riding than a lack of light.  In the end the ride was uneventful, yet thrilling.

I have two young children and having the flexibility to ride at night hopefully will allow me to sneak in more riding time.  Although the first ride went well, I have decided to test the light's battery before my next ride.  I'm going to turn them on after a full charge and set a stopwatch to see how long they last before they go dead.  I also need to address my cold weather clothing to ensure I stay comfortable during the winter months. The whole process of riding at night is new, and I look forward to working through the process.

Below is a quick video of me popping my night riding cherry.  After reviewing the footage, I was disappointed in how dark the footage looked.  I had more than enough light to ride, but the video made it feel like there was just a small beam.  Oh well.  By the way, what is worse than a GoPro movie?  A GoPro movie shot at night.  You've been warned.



Night Time T200 from Arthur Evan on Vimeo.