Palisades - an area I've been meaning to check out for a while. Famous for its peaches and wine, but also home to the Palisade Plunge. That was my real draw, but with the recent snow the trail was not open yet.
No matter there are plenty of other trails to expore, and not one but two mountain bike races on this particular weekend. One of which my buddy Brian was in.
While Brian was racing I started up the Palisade Rim trail.
It is quite spectacularly scenic.
Little Book cliffs to the north across the valley.
Petroglyphs on the rocks half way up. The video shows more essence of the Rim trail.
camped overnight north of Fruita.
Sunday was a gravel race, which Brain raced in also and won the combined two day event.
I took off in search of a trail called Sarlac.
I had discounted the trails leading to the canyon as they didn't look like much on the map.
However the cactus was in bloom and trails were in pretty good shape dustwize.
The Sarlac trail was a grunt of a climb, but once up to the single track, the trail was specular once again.
Some fun traverses.
Utah border over my shoulder.
Rugged geography back east toward the Book cliffs.
Paintbrush in bloom.
Purple Scorpion flower, names as such due to its toxic sap like poison oak.
Maddy gained some really good skills riding a rigid frame downhill, we stayed mostly on the Green, stince the 1.8" wide tyres on the 24"inch wheels without suspension has to be brutal on the wrists. Anyway she did great, 4 runs is a good showing considering the circumstances. What is more, she ended with a big excitablable smile.
Up on the border of Colorado and Wyoming is Soapstone Prairie , I think it is part of the National Park system, whereas the neighboring Red mountain park is Larimer county open space, and the northern part is Wyoming - Big Hole open space.
A herd of Bison are re-establishing there.
The Cheyenne rim trail was what attracted me up there, though there are a couple of other canyon trails I'd like to go explore more.
The Aspens have been spectacularly bright this Autumn. I managed to get a couple of rides in. First one from Pierson park, through Homestead meadows.
and up onto Kenny Mountain.
I turned around just below the top, on a rock outcropping in the middle of a beautiful aspen grove.
A couple of days later, I took a day off and rode West Magnolia just about as the first significant weather rolled in that I assumed would likely knock the leaves down.
For Labor Day weekend, we headed off to Granby Ranch to see if Maddy would enjoy some downhill mountain biking. We found a hotel with a nice pool and off we went.
The biking was a sucess, I think Maddy managed 5 runs, 900feet vertical each run. I'm claiming success. We also did a nice hike around Monarch Lake.
Either way, winter park is pretty fun in the summer.
Sunday, September 13, 2020
Brain, Andrew and I headed out early Sunday Monday to ride what is locally know as the figure-8 up near Brainerd Lakes. It starts at 8700ft near the Boy Scout camp and heads up the Sourdough Trail to Brainerd Lakes, west across Little Raven at 10,500ft and back down the bouncy South St Vrain Trail. Quite fun on these new long travel mountain bikes.
Here's a ride I've been eyeballing a while, uncertain as to the condition of the road and level of difficulty. The map at least showed it's a legitimate bike trail, however without going one would know the size and lose-ness of the rocks in the trail bed up from the Mountain Research Station.
The trail starts at 9500' MSL. Here's looking south toward Eldora ski resort and Silver lake down in front.
Looking south-east to Boulder reservoir and the Flatiron range.
Around 11,500' MSL just another 700' climb to go.
Just peaking over Niwot Mountain.
And finally the top at 12,250'. Time to go check out the hard earned views. Perfect temperature, no wind or storms.
Isabelle Glacier at the southwest end of Brainard Lakes, under Shoshoni and Apache Peaks.
Palisades - an area I've been meaning to check out for a while. Famous for its peaches and wine, but also home to the Palisade Plunge. That was my real draw, but with the recent snow the trail was not open yet. 
No matter there are plenty of other trails to expore, and not one but two mountain bike races on this particular weekend. One of which my buddy Brian was in.
While Brian was racing I started up the Palisade Rim trail. 
It is quite spectacularly scenic.
Little Book cliffs to the north across the valley.
Petroglyphs on the rocks half way up. The video shows more essence of the Rim trail.
camped overnight north of Fruita.
Sunday was a gravel race, which Brain raced in also and won the combined two day event.
I took off in search of a trail called Sarlac.
I had discounted the trails leading to the canyon as they didn't look like much on the map.
However the cactus was in bloom and trails were in pretty good shape dustwize.
The Sarlac trail was a grunt of a climb, but once up to the single track, the trail was specular once again.
Some fun traverses.
Utah border over my shoulder.
Rugged geography back east toward the Book cliffs.
Paintbrush in bloom.
Purple Scorpion flower, names as such due to its toxic sap like poison oak. 
Even the Cactus was in flower.
