"Let's ride a trail," he said. "Foothills?" he said.

"benjrblant" (benjblant) 03/14/2018 at 11:34 • Filed to: MTB, colorado, bicycle

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18

Niner

Oh yeah, it’s still kind of chilly over that way.

A nighttime run of some icy, slushy, muddy mess. Mad fun. Mad messy. Mad good. It’s hard to remember that just because its 70 and sunny in town doesn’t mean it’s not 40 and icy just a few minutes into the mountains.

HammerheadFistpunch > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 11:44

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I made up my mind years ago that unless the trails are dry, its not worth riding. Im done snow riding.

benjrblant > HammerheadFistpunch 03/14/2018 at 11:46

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Unfortunately that leaves maybe 4 trails within a 45min drive of town and about two months of riding for the rest. The trail was mostly dry save for a few muddy patches. There was one water crossing that was shockingly cold.

HammerheadFistpunch > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 11:51

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I hear ya, for me riding season starts around april and ends sept, unless I do the moab/st george thing.

benjrblant > HammerheadFistpunch 03/14/2018 at 11:52

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Grand Junction is high on my list of biking destinations. I’m hoping to work off the winter gut and get ready for some day/multi-day bikepacking trips!

functionoverfashion > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 11:57

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A few years ago, I went riding in probably mid April, right from my house , on a trail that goes up a nearby mountain. I thought, well, I’ll ride up until I find snow, and turn around if it gets too messy.

The whole first part of the trail is in a valley that doesn’t see much sun - it’s all coniferous trees and quite beautiful; it just cold and dark there. You can’t really access the rest of the mountain without going through this valley. I came around a corner from riding completely dry trails for the first 10 minutes from home, and I could feel the air drop about 10 degrees. Around the next corner, the snow was a foot deep or more in every direction. I would have needed snowshoes to continue.

Sad trombone. I turned around and went home. My wife was like, “back already!?”

OPPOsaurus WRX > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 12:03

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i havnt had a good night ride in a long time

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 12:07

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I just took my bike in for some spring maintenance. I might go for a ride this weekend if the weather holds. Or I might go skiing. Second thought I think I’ll just go skiing.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 12:07

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Deer Creek?

benjrblant > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 03/14/2018 at 12:42

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Sounds like you need a

benjrblant > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 03/14/2018 at 12:43

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Just a smidge north at Lair o’ the Bear.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 12:44

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Ha ha, I’ve seen this video before, looks like fun and personal harm in one package.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 12:47

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Gotcha. Most trails in the foothills look the same to me, unless there is a super recognizable technical section or overlook haha

benjrblant > SPAMBot - Horse Doctor 03/14/2018 at 12:57

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Yeah, they have a lot in common. Trees, rocks, dirt, stuff, etc. We’ve been hitting North Table and Green Mountain so frequently last year that they got quite boring. Trying to ride some more interesting stuff but it’s still early in the season.

SPAMBot - Horse Doctor > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 13:06

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I was out there for thanksgiving and rode a pretty technical trail and was super rusty. I need to bike more haha

BeaterGT > OPPOsaurus WRX 03/14/2018 at 13:09

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Same here. I blame the Nor’easters.

BobintheMtns > benjrblant 03/14/2018 at 15:55

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I’m surprised you guys found that much snow and ice...

Buddy and I took the motos up the Little switzerland trail outside boulder a few days ago and it was 99.99% BONE dry....

AestheticsInMotion > benjrblant 03/15/2018 at 10:41

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Why the red light?

benjrblant > AestheticsInMotion 03/15/2018 at 10:59

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I was riding with someone else and wasn’t sure how crowded the trail was going to be so I added the light for visibility. In hindsight we were the only ones on the trail and the light was entirely not necessary. So I’m going with “looks cool?”