Fifty Plus (50+) - DnvrFox on Single Track - and a Sheriif interrogation to boot - Unbelievable!!

Well, this is nothing like the trails that BluesDawg and other true mtn bikers do, but it was a real adventure for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Please enjoy it also.

Spruce Meadows Open Space is about 20 miles south of Denver, in an area in which, wisely, some folks dedicated 10's of thousands of open space between Denver and Colorado Springs - otherwise, there would be houses all over the place and a continuous city from Denver to Colorado Springs.

So, early this morning - temp about 40F - I drove down there in my Neon with the Specialized Rockhopper stuffed inside. Itis an 8.5 mile loop - which to me was challenging in several spots.

Near the end of the ride, I made a wrong turn, and was going down besides the railroad track when, out of nowhere, up comes a Sheriff, informing me tha I was on private Burlington Northern and Santa Fe property. I showed him the map, which showed me being on the trail and all was forgiven. He asked me what I was doing there, and told him I was doing an 8.5 mile loop, and he looked at me and said, "Oh my God!" As there were no houses, and I saw absolutely no one on my ride, I have no clue how he knew about me.

SO, here is the trip in chronological order.

The start of the trail, with snow-covered Pikes Peak in the background.

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceospikespeak.jpg

Some pictures along the way

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceospond.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceostunnel.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceostrail1.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceoscliffs.jpg

There is another 5.5 mile loop - but much more difficult.
http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceossign.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceostrail2.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceossand.jpg

http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceosmainsign.jpg


And, the bike tucked safely in the Neon
http://www.ourwebs.info/spruceoscar.jpg

Great pictures, looks like a great ride. I envy you the cool temps. now.

You don't need trees to have great single track. That looks like fun.

That's funny. The real mountain bikers around here call me a roadie. While that may not look much like the singletrack I usually ride, I do ride in some open areas with smooth trails like that. But nothing like that majestic Colorado landscape in view. That is beautiful.

Can tell just by the type of terrain that you had a good ride. May have been flattish but that is no nicely surfaced MUP. You'll have to get the rockhopper out again to show us more pics.

Great pics & I'm sure it was a great ride. That's my kinda of MT Biking.
Sounds like the Sherrif is paid by the RR.

I followed the ride with a nice 30 minute swim.

Boy that really looks like my type of riding! I'm jealous! Even the sand looked fun!

That looks just like Central Indiana except completely different.
You're lucky you made it out of that wilderness area alive!

That looks just like Central Indiana except completely different.
You're lucky you made it out of that wilderness area alive!

There was a lot of coyote scat near the ponds. Bear and mountain lions DO frequent the area. Not one single dog, however.

We call that cross country here. My favorite kind of ride after road riding.

Beautiful...

Looks like prime goat head country.

Looks like prime goat head country.

Not really. None seen. Perhaps the other grasses crowd them out? Seems like the goatheads grow in less grassy spots.

Not really. None seen. Perhaps the other grasses crowd them out? Seems like the goatheads grow in less grassy spots.

And here I thought they were put on this planet to plague you.

That looks like pretty smooth track. The guys here would ride their road bikes on that loop! lol Looks like my kind of mtb ride though, not very technical and plenty fast. Except for that sand trap.

That looks like pretty smooth track. The guys here would ride their road bikes on that loop! lol Looks like my kind of mtb ride though, not very technical and plenty fast. Except for that sand trap.

I didn't show a number of trickier parts. Also, much of it is quite rutted - at times I had to keep the pedals level to avoid scraping, or else move out of the track. If a road bike can do this, I want to be in the audience!!

I didn't show a number of trickier parts. Also, much of it is quite rutted - at times I had to keep the pedals level to avoid scraping, or else move out of the track. If a road bike can do this, I want to be in the audience!!

You mean you can't take pictures while balancing through the ruts? lol Just like whitewater, it's what you can't see from the road that gets ya.

Very enjoyable.... thanks for posting.:thumb:

Not one single dog, however.
No dogs! Woof! Does Halt! work on bears and mountain lions?

I always say it's not a real off road ride unless you pass at least one no tresspassing sign, get chased by a wild animal, draw blood scaling a fence, have at least one encounter with the law, and end up with a bike so muddy, you'd never think of putting it in the back seat of your car.
You checked off the most imortant item on the list. Looks like a great ride.
Been a long time since I've had a ride like that. Time to go and re-discover my youth.

Nice! ???no sheriff detaining your ride pix??? Really pretty terrain.

Nice! ???no sheriff detaining your ride pix??? Really pretty terrain.

Thought about it, then thought better about it! :) He was in a HUmmer or Humvee or something like that.

Thought about it, then thought better about it! :) He was in a HUmmer or Humvee or something like that.

If he had a sense of humor you might have gotten a pic of him handcuffing your bike. Would have made a great shot.

If he had a sense of humor you might have gotten a pic of him handcuffing your bike. Would have made a great shot.

I've never met a law enforcement officer who had a sense of humor - at least not while on duty! That probably wan't the best time to find out, as technically I was trespassing.

Man, you sure have some nice riding country out there.:thumb:

Pretty ride.

That last photo had a good shot of your finger on it. That was intentional wasn't it? Fingers are such camera lovers.

Pretty ride.

That last photo had a good shot of your finger on it. That was intentional wasn't it? Fingers are such camera lovers.

You would be amazed at how many fingers I cropped out of those photos I posted!! :)

Fingers seem to be my nemesis with a cell phone camera.

Nice post DnvrFox, very beautiful out there.

Not sure you saw it but I did see a Sheriff with a sense of humor, in my did you ride post, One was behind me at a red light, just the two of us sitting there waiting, and he went on his bull horn? and said"You want to race" I turnaround and waved no thanks and busted out laughing. He was in a unmarked car so I had no idea.

I had a sense of humor when I was a deputy. Met lots of pretty girls, too!

Word has it that law enforcement on up through Homeland Security are all keeping a close eye on the country's railroads right now. A result of killing bin Laden and getting his computers disclosed al Queda plans to disable major railroad links, of freight and passenger lines. The guy was just doing a good job.

That area you were riding, all around the old Greenland Ranch area, is over 7000 ft. elevation and there aren't as many goat head thistles at that elevation. Too short of summers. I used to live there.

Word has it that law enforcement on up through Homeland Security are all keeping a close eye on the country's railroads right now. A result of killing bin Laden and getting his computers disclosed al Queda plans to disable major railroad links, of freight and passenger lines. The guy was just doing a good job.



I hadn't thought of that. Yes, that is why. And, the deputy was really pretty nice.

About the altitude - Parker is a bit over 6,000 feet. Is 700-900 feet going to make the difference for goatheads?

I hadn't thought of that. Yes, that is why. And, the deputy was really pretty nice.

About the altitude - Parker is a bit over 6,000 feet. Is 700-900 feet going to make the difference for goatheads?

I owned real estate offices (farm & ranch and rural commercial) in Castle Rock and in Kiowa, since 1976. I don't recall seeing any goat heads in the higher stretches, but did see lots of them around Parker and Lone Tree. I think Douglas and Elbert Counties and the areas above 7000 ft. elevation to be somewhere along some natural dividing line. Likewise those pesky rattle snakes. Don't see them in the higher areas, but be really careful in the lower areas!

Dnvr,
that is beautiful country. Glad you enjoyed the ride!

Bill

Probably want a fat tire bike at least - MTB gearing better for Spruce Mtn - although not too steep anywhere. Greenland Trail head .4 miles away from Spruce Meadows Trail head can take you off road all the way to Security, via Palmer Lake & Colorado Springs.

Slide Show (http://geobiking.org/PicsGreenland.aspx) of Greenland Area Trails