Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - More MTB fun, this time no crashes and lots of climbing

Here's yesterday's ride. No crashes this time, but plenty of climbing to make me live up to my username! :lol:

This is the South Fork American River Trail (SFART). The trailhead is right across the road from the Salmon Falls trailhead. It starts off with quite a bit of climbing on technical singletrack with tight switchbacks. Good stuff!

There's not nearly as much technical stuff as on Salmon Falls though. There's lots of smooth singletrack and doubletrack.

It ended up being almost a 24 mile round trip ride with 3,442' of climbing.

South Fork American River Trail by freighttraininguphill at Garmin Connect - Details (http://connect.garmin.com/activity/151038214)

Here's the video. As always, this is 100% natural sound. This means plenty of female cyclist heavy breathing on the climbs, so be forewarned!

SFART MTB ride 2-19-12 - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfHQtzifblQ)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfHQtzifblQ

Nice switchback where I waited for some climbing cyclists before descending.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7207/6908235883_93cf231978_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908235883/)
switchback on SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908235883/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr

Abandoned structures at the Cronan Ranch trailhead
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7185/6908236053_3f74dcb198_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236053/)
abandoned buildings on SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236053/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7047/6908236273_c0fe143a65_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236273/)
abandoned buildings on SFART 2 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236273/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7055/6908236517_8040180f09_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236517/)
abandoned house on SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236517/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr

I'm used to seeing "connector", like the trail near Auburn. There were several of these signs along the trail.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7191/6908236841_df687bf91d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236841/)
'connecter trail' sign on SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908236841/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr

View of the American River on the way back towards Salmon Falls Road
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7190/6908237069_b35c56e6cb_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908237069/)
view of American River from SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908237069/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr

A trail that definitely lived up to its name, and made me live up to my username! :D
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7178/6908237367_3bd5ffdeff_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908237367/)
'down and up trail' sign on SFART (http://www.flickr.com/photos/76286317@N05/6908237367/) by freighttraininguphill (http://www.flickr.com/people/76286317@N05/), on Flickr

Nice ride!

Thanks! :) Here's where I think the 29er comes up short. These are all the tight singletrack switchbacks on the descent down to the river near the end of the ride. I felt like I had to crawl around these corners. Maybe it's just me though. After all, this was only my third mtb ride after 15 years of road cycling. I may be a little rusty. :D

http://vimeo.com/37180814

http://vimeo.com/37180814