TRAIL RIDE:CLASSIC RED TOP

Tuesday saw a smaller group turn out for the ride, maybe their bikes are getting fed up with the mud and water, probably more like summer and holidays getting in the way. The Gang will keep on riding and I will keep getting ride reports, even while I am on holidays.

 We had planned a sojourn to Full Monte but phased that back and decided on a trip up Red Mt to ride the classic Red Top single track was in order. There are a couple of ways to get to the trail head. You can ride right up the single track and then turn around and ride back down or you can ride up the ski area haul road and jump on to the single track at different places on the way up. We prefer to use the haul road for that feeling of riding a loop instead of an out and back, so up the haul road was our choice.

The bugs were ravenous as a result of  the increase in air temperature in the last few days. This made it quite uncomfortable to stop and rest on the way up. Up went by very quickly and padding went on just as quickly, more to keep the bugs off than to prepare for the extreme nature of the trail. Red Top is just a wonderful single track. It has many banked switch backs and swicked  GS turns through the trees. Down went by super quick other than a quick stop to fix a flat.

The evening was a perfect temp for riding so we milked the single track on the way back to the shop by taking Larry's and Curly's back to the highway tunnel. Curly's is a smooth track that can be ridden without pedaling if you take all the corners smoothly and pump the bike. We had a comp to see if anyone could make it.  Good ride.