Today I rode my new mtb (sweet!) for 2hrs around open spaces and trails nearby my parent's house - and had a blast. First real ride on the new mtb.
In one section of the ride near San Marcos Mtn, or "Radio Tower Pass" as my friends and fam. like to call it, I found a true gem of a trail. Meandering through random intersecting trails near the bottom, I found one cut that happened to go up the contours/slope of the hillside for at least a couple hundred feet (maybe 300'), with 10 switchbacks. It had nicely carved berms, retaining walls, little jumps and drops etc, and nicely placed rock gardens - the works. It took me a full 7-minutes to descend. It took a fair bit longer to climb (obv.), but I wasn't paying attention because I was too stoked at what I was discovering.
I was stunned to find something like this so hidden and close to home. There was clearly signs of recent work, with new dirt, trash cans and tools strewn about the trail. At the top, the developed trail abruptly ended, with only a moderate brush-clearing, on top of which lied a wheelbarrow, mattock and two shovels. I used to do a fair bit of trailbuilding during my scout days, made me really appreciate these guys' work.
Pics soon.
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"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste