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MountainBikeReview.com's Forum Archives - - Passion -
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Epic ride @ Otero, how was your's BrianC (5 posts)
|  Epic ride @ Otero, how was your's BrianC | Mtntreker
Jan 19, 2003 4:41 PM | | Otero Cayon is one of the premier rides in the Albuquerque area and usually under a foot or two of snow this time of year. However, this year (no thanks to El Nino) the snow cover is sparse at best. Some of us locals have been wondering if it is ridable? After talking about it for a couple of weeks Brian C. and I plan to attempt it on Sunday at noon.
I arrive at the trail head and the place is desserted. I wait a little while but Brian (normally a very punctual person)hasn't shown so I decide to try it alone.
The trail is in excellent condition. God I love XC riding! As I'm ascending I hit my first patch of snow. It's hard packed and my new conti tires (Bone rear & web front) are handling it great. The climb steepens. I'm almost to top and snow has turned to ice. the rear tire slips and ther's no getting started again. So I walk. That wasn't so bad.
I remount my bike and off I go to the next climb. This ones alittle more techinical but I manage to make it up. Now for the first short tech. down. Off the first short drop on to an ice patch and down I go. That is down on my side. Luckly a fell to my left, hill side. By the way, this isn't quite a goat trail but it is a pretty steep drop on my right. As I get up I notice somthing hanging off of thumb Alot of skin. Boy, that would really hurt if it wasn't so cold.
After some maintainece on my thumb I wonder if should turn back. I don't want to ride back down that, I thought. So on I go. As I make it to the ridge and out the trees the trail is once again in prefect condition. And my track are the only ones on it. COOL!!!
The section was great until I enter back into the trees and aproach my next patch of ice. I try to go around,slide off into a tree. I look down at my other hand and now my pinky is bleeding. (Note to self: Wear full finger glove.) I patch up and continue on. I mean, the infamous Otero Cayon down hill is now with in reach.
Now the snow is turning to mud. In New Mexico the dirt in summer is like concrete and when wet is like grease. It's now starting to collect heavily on my tires. Up ahead I spot a section of drier trial cover with pine needles so thats where I go. Hum, mud and pine needles. I think this is how they make adobe bricks, at least they hold together well. After stoping every couple of hundered yards to clean off the mud, I make it to the start of Otero Cayon. I'm cover in mud but atleast it seems to have stop my hands from bleeding. So down I go.
Oh Sh!t, most of the down hill is either ice or more mud. Do you know how much it suck to ride slow on your favorite down hill? I do now! Thank God for the disk brakes and egg beaters I got for Xmas!!!
As I finally make it back to the trail head, I'm starting to warm up and both hands are throbbing. I get to my truck and ther's Brian's car but no Brian. I guess I should have waited a little longer.
So, how was your ride Brian?
Scott |
| You only waited 11 minutes, by my clock! | brianc
Jan 20, 2003 6:29 AM | | Andy came with me and I forgot to bring my wheel when I left the house for the first time. so we were a little late. we need to sync up our clocks. I knew you were alway early for rides, now I know why. =)
The Tunnel portions of the trail was perfect. Andy and I traked you the whole way. we were tracks 2 and 3 of the day. But man did Otero proper suck! My rear tire of death is too big when the mud gets thick. It was so bad that my wheel stopped turning many many times.
There was a large pack of riders that cought us on the down hill, b/c of my mud issues. and the trial is in pretty bad shape now. I'm a little sad that I had a part in messing it up. but the tunnel side is sweet. and could be ridden as an out and back.
b b (yes discs are great!) |
| My clock was a little fast... | Mtntreker
Jan 20, 2003 4:58 PM | | My wife confessed to setting the clock in my truck a head ten minutes when she used it earlier in the week. She said she didn't want to be late to a meeting? Sorry I missed you guys.
I too was wondering how much damage I might be doing to the trail. Guess we should stick to the foothill for now.
Ride next Sunday?
Scott |
| re: Epic ride @ Otero, how was your's BrianC | busydog
Jan 20, 2003 9:15 AM | | Talked to someone who tried to ride Cedro Peak trails over the weekend with the same issues with mud, especially where the trails drop down into the meadows. If we don't get snow/rain soon, the trails will be like summer riding. |
| Another Alb. Pasionite? | Mtntreker
Jan 20, 2003 5:04 PM | | I don't believe we've met. You should ride with us this weekend. E-mail me and we'll set up a ride.
Scott |
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