Wednesday, November 16, 2005

I got your Strip right here, BABY!

Yes, that's the Las Vegas strip from the lookout at Cottonwood an hour into my four hour ride on Sunday.

I met a guy from Texas and a guy from Florida and we started a grand ride. From the north lot we went under the highway at the first tunnel and up thru Badger Pass, up Red Valley, and out to the Water Tower lookout. Then back down Red Valley(sweeet!), under the middle tunnel and down a superfast singletrack paralleling the highway back to the lot. Then we hooked up with a couple locals and headed back up next to the highway and out to the Norba Loop. The Texan's Long Island Iced Teas from the night before finally got the best of him and he headed back to his car. My back was reeling from riding my spare Hardtail (aluminum, ouch) but I pushed on. We counter-clocked the loop and halfway out I was completely out of gas. I struggled on and there was a sweet twisty section that got me grinnin again, following the other three on their Fullies. Florida and I cut out (mucho poopedo) as the other two headed for The Elevator, but we still had to go up a loose (and painful) jeep trial to get back to the downhill leading to the lot. A jeep actually appeared below and chased us up the road, but I was able to hold him off (barely). "You sure got more energy than me!" the driver drawled as he dusted off down the other side. We hooked a left and started down Red Valley for the second time (which went MUCH more slowly, but was still fun) and back thru Badger to the lot.

What a day. It's Tuesday (actually Wednesday now) and I'm still jazzed.

And that's the way I like it.