Just a Touch of . . . . . . . Single Track
 

Just a Touch of . . . . . . . Single Track

OK, I am not known as any kind of mtn biker. Just keep that in mind.

Got out at 6am this morn (30F), and, given it was still a bit dark, took my utility Specialized HR mtn bike outfitted with two front and one rear light.

Headed down the cement bike path to an area a few miles north where a bridge crosses the creek, headed to nowhere. However, there is a dirt loop which I planned to ride, but, a ha! I found a trail track to the left which follows the creek back on the other side, a real single track with some ups and downs, one very low branch (dismount and crawl under) and, all-in-all, a great deal of fun!

It was just a couple of miles, but I really enjoyed my . . . . . . . "Touch of Single Track" this morning.

where where?

Well, it likely is really too easy for you, but

North on the Cherry Creek Trail from my house (or E470 and Jordan) through Cottonwood to just before the cement trail goes into the neighborhood - there is a bridge to nowhere to the right that crosses the creek. You are on your own from there, but head south. After you cross the trail just north of another bridge crossing the trail (you will have already used that bridge) you can go to the right and follow Cherry Creek south to Cottonwood again.

Much, much more challenging and technical is the 7 mile loop on the Hidden Mesa Open Space (1,200 acres or so) just off of Parker road just before you get to Franktown. There is a parking lot and picnic area with porta potty. If you get to the Grange, you went one driveway too far.

That loop takes you up several hundred feet, and through some moderately technical stuff (saw a lady break her leg there).

I hike it often, and have done the loop once on my mtn bike.

Try that for more of a challenge.

ain't nuthin too easy -- on the mtb I'm a slow poke with a single speed :) I'll check it out!

REALLY check out Hidden Mesa - that IS fun!!

OMG! We're going to have a 70 yo mountain biker hanging around here in a few months.

Soon he'll be posting pictures of himself taking bong hits, a la Michael Phelps.

Rad dude. I'm totally with that.

You really think that was Michael Phelps?

Glad to see your getting a litte dirty these days, LOL:thumb: I wasn't going to dirty up the new bike yesterday but as I rode up the Garden of the Gods MUP, I saw a sign that said MTB trails. Well the Jamis pointed it nose and begged so we played a bit in the dirt! You almost need a mtb for the MUP's trails here in C. Springs as they are always a combo of concrete, asphalt and hard gravel and dirt. Infact, it can get a bit into semi-narly doubletrack dirt from Woodemen Ave. to Palmer Lake on the Pikes Peak Greenway trail, which is the main "North-South" trail system. So the 1 day old bike needs a bath already, still there's something evil about a totally clean MTB!:twitchy:

bjjoondo

Are you familiar with the regional Mountain Forum? Lot's of good stuff going on there.

http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=238

Rode the Hidden Mesa trail in January. Had a few muddy/icy areas.
The SW section of the mesa loop has some rocks to play on. Good for beginners.

If you go counter-clockwise around the mesa loop it easy to miss the turn to continue the trail.
(Near the rim below the M in Mesa Rim Loop)

Now for the shameless plug....

My website has a Google Earth file with that trail and 125 others that you can zoom in and follow.
Hundreds of pictures are provided in slideshows.
You can also upload tracklogs to your GPS to follow the trails.

If you are fortunate enough to have a DeLorme PN20 or PN40, the site also has a map file that you can upload to those GPS receivers to overlay the 1300+ mile trail network on top of Vector topo, USGS topo or aerial imagery.

If you have a Garmin color hand-held GPS, other than Colorado or Oregon, you can load up to 20 tracks that can be displayed at one time.

In February I remapped some of the trails south of C470 & W of I25. There are some singletrack trails W of Highlands point. Wildcat trail and the Bluffs trail at the S of that trail are wide dirt.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate this week for my ride my age journey.

Be careful Dnvr. Singletrack can be very addicting. I rode about 10 miles of it today. About half was very tight and technical brand new trails, while the rest was open and flowing - very fast older trails. I was so tired after the ride I could barely load my bike on the car for the ride home. Would love to check out some of those great Colorado trails someday.