Ride Review: Blue Sky Trail, Horsetooth Rock

You cannot live in Ft. Collins and not be atleast tempted to climb the Horsetooth Rock trail. The trail is a short 2.5 mile trip with an elevation gain of only 1500 ft. This trail, however is not easy on a mountain bike. The first section of the climb is fairly gradual and not too technical. After the intitial climb you are spat out onto a frontage road for a little ways which is a great time to stretch and get ready for the technical and challenging sections ahead. From this point on, riders will navigate man made stairs, deep rutts, steep terrain and narrow singletracks. The ride up is very technical and will take endurance. However the view from the top and the ride down make this climb worth it. From the top you can see past Loveland and as far north as the Cheyenne lights. Coming down you will want to watch out for the tree ruts and again the man made stairs. (Those will toss you over the bars faster then you can imagine!) Horsetooh Rock is a must climb for riders in the Northern Colorado area.
Directions: From Harmony and Taft Hill Road turn west onto County Road 38E. Continue west on County Road 38E approximately 4 more miles to the entrance at the south end of the Reservoir. The entrance to South Bay (including campground, restaurant, group use area, and swim beach) is at the south end of the reservoir. Watch for signs. To get to Inlet Bay (including Inlet Bay Marina and Inlet Bay Campground), continue west on 38E 1 3/4 miles past the South Bay entrance. Watch for signs and turn right on Shoreline Drive.


Overall Ride Rating: $$$

Challenging: $$$
Entertainment: $$$
Technical: $$$$
Speed: $$

How to do a "Manual"

Manual, simply put, is a wheelie that you do not crank your pedals; you simply ride a wheelie from balance. Manuals are a great way to control your bike and your cruise speed. Parts of some courses require a manual to effectively navigate the track. I will give you a step by step guide to be able to master this necessity.

Steps
1. Get up to a reasonable speed. You want to go fast enough to provide momentum, but not so fast that you can not control yourself.
2. When you are ready to manual, get your pedals parallel to the ground.
3. Load the front wheel.
4. Pop the front wheel off the ground and shift your weight back on the bike in one motion. Your arms should be straight when you lean back. You are not holding the front wheel up with you arms. You are shifting your body weight to balance the front wheel in the air. Your center of gravity should be right over the rear axle.
5. See how long you can keep your balance.

Tips
1. Manuals are easiest to do on lightweight BMX bikes and hard-tail mountain bikes.
2. If your front wheel is not getting high enough, try leaning further back. If your front wheel gets too high, then lean less. Experiment with this and find out what works for you.
3. Keep a finger on the back brake while your font wheel is in the air. If your bike wants to drop you off the back, you can grab the back brake and your front wheel will come down.
4. On your next mountain bike ride, use the manual to float over root, rocks, small drops, small animals, or anything else on the trail that you do not want your front wheel hitting.

Ride Review: Long Trail Winterpark, CO

Long Trail is 6 miles of single-track with a 1700 vertical foot drop offering everything from tight, technical corners to fast sloping straight-aways. Perfect for all ages and abilities. Long Trail takes a rider all over the mountain crossing Lonesome Whistle, Gambler, and Aces and Eights on the Vasquez Ridge.

The terrain varies from fast flat sections and small climbs, to tight unexpected turns. At the intersection of Lower Arapahoe, Upper Cherokee and Long Trail there is a picnic table to grab a quick snack, have lunch, or just rest in the middle of lush forest with a spectacular view of the Fraser Valley.

I personally use this run to hone my skills and to get the feel of the ride before I do any other runs on the mountain. Great run for the entire family or for people that want to enjoy the mountains and the scenery. Truely a must ride for anyone that is new to the mountain or the area.

Ride Rating: $$$

Speed: $$$
Technicality: $$
Views: $$$$
Fun: $$$

Inspirational Video

Click here to see the helmet cam movie of our downhill ride in Cali!!

This footage was shot on a private run in Northern California last summer. My friend Justin is riding in front of me and I have the helmet cam on. This is an example of how North Shore riding has blended with the downhill styles of the mainland. North Shore incorporates the elevated, wooden tracks and the technical aspects of the course. This course is very fast, very tight and very dangerous. Just as a reference, we were averaging around about 20 mph and only touching the brakes when we absolutely had to due to the course being too tight! I would not recommend this style of ride to anyone below an expert due to the high level of risk associated with North Shore riding. To get started in such a sport I would recommend getting comfortable with the downhills of your local mountain, such as Horsetooth Trail and the Horsetooth Lake Run. After you are comfortable with the speed and the handling, get used to jumping your bike. Once you can clear some simple set ups such as a table top and a double and triple, you will be on your way to begin NS! Best of Luck!

Ride Review: The Downhill Winterpark, CO

True to its name, this is definitely the downhiller's trail of choice for reaching thrilling speeds on the long straight sections. But, watch out for those tight, loose rocky turns. Although officially rated a blue, this terrain is very loose, which makes it easy to wash out on the turns. The trail runs directly under the Zephyr lift and cuts straight across Balch, Bradley's Bash, Retta's Run, Outrigger, Cranmer and Allan Phipps ending at Five Points, where many riders link over to Upper Arapahoe or Cheyenne.

The second section is an easier, shorter ride with a couple of large switchbacks that cross Allan Phipps, Cranmer, March Hare and White Rabbit ski runs with a stunning view of the Continental Divide. A covered tent, emergency phone and fresh water are located at the Five Points mid-mountain intersection. Below Five Points, the trail crosses over several bridges and wooden steps, with steep loose turns and some large rocks providing natural obstacles. The bottom seciton of the trail heads down Cramner Cutoff and delivers riders to the base via multiple switchbacks across Parkway ski trail.

This is a very fast and somewhat intimidating run for the beginner rider to the moderate rider. I would recommend expert gear for this ride and a very level of confidence to conquer this run. I would recommend practicing a few downhill first before you attempt the Downhill.

Trail Rating: $$$$

Speed: $$$$$
Technical: $$$$$
Terrain: $$
Enjoyment: $$$$$

Hangout and Watering Hole

After a long day of riding the many trails around Ft. Collins, one of the best places to stop and get a pint is the Road 34 BikeBar. Located at 1213 West Elizabeth, this bar/bikeshop is ran by Will and Willy, 2 local celebrities in the biking world, and is a must see. With $2 microbrews of favorite local breweries like New Belguim and Odells, you can afford to losen up those sore muscles from riding. On the bar side there is 3 pool tables and a relaxing seating area to unwind. Nothing formal here and leave the drama at the door because everyone here is out to have a good time. Just watch what time you go on Tuesday nights, due to beer specials this bar becomes a local college favorite and can result in a long line just to get in the place, let alone the wait for a drink. I would recomend going between 7 and 9, after that, like I said, there can be a wait.
Drinks aren't the only thing served up here, be sure to browse the bike shop. Road 34 carries Yeti and Kona brands, some of the premier North Shore and free style bikes out there!

Bar Rating: $$$$
Quality of Bikes Solds: $$$$$ - Excellent quality bikes!

4 out of 5 becuase of the great drinks specials and prices. The great atmosphere all centered around the biking culture. Only somewhat of a drawback is how busy it can get.

Ride Review: Coral Center at Lory State Park

WHO: Dirtjumpers and Free Riders
Coral Center Web Page
WHAT: Coral Center at Lory State Park
WHERE: Take Harmony (C.R. 38E) west to C.R. 23, turn right. Turn left at t-intersection onto C.R. 23/Centennial Dr until you get to CR. 25G. Take a left on C.R. 25G and that will take you directly to the park.
WHEN: Open year round. Weather permitting though
WHY: Coral Center is a Dirt Jumpers paradise! With jumps from beginner to advanced, 6 ft dirt kickers, this place can entertain and polish up just about any rider. The Center has 4 dirt jump routes to ride so you can find your gaps and timing and utilize them to the maximum. The Center also has a 2 separate skills areas and a pump track. This pump track is fast, let me tell you! Without cranking, you work on your technique pumping your bike to get through the course. This pump course is the first of its kind in NorCo. One word of warning for when you decide to ride this track; use thorn resistant tires pumped full of tire goo and bring spares! During summer the Goat Heads are out in full force and can ruin your day if you are not prepared. The park does cost I believe $5 for a day pass or you can park outside Lory and ride in for free; the Coral Center is only about a two minute ride from the entrance to the park and makes for a good warm up.

Coral Center Rating: $$$$$

Rated 5 out of 5 for being a pioneering track in NorCo, for seeing the need and for filling the void of free style riding locations.