RR: Lower Government

So we rolled out the smooth white paved path to the West Buttermilk road at
a brisk pace at around 1:15pm this mostly sunny and arid 78 degree -Aspen,
Colorado day. Karol and myself..the lower government trail is the most
convenient trail that will also give my new spring up front a good workout,
so govie it was..

Being that I have just recently installed: Manitou Black Comp 100-120mm
front suspension unit and egg beater pedals, as well as new rear disk brake
pads- I was going to ride the bike hard this day- so I promptly gave Karol a
call around 11:30am to set a plan.

Chris Karol, is a retired World Cup Alpine Snowboard legend-yet still at 38
or so he still is extremely competitive and is still a super strong
roller...

And there we were charging up Buttermilk service road up to the government
trail. Hammering -trying to outclimb each other to the next crest -the
whole way up the road climb section-until we made a 90 degree right turn
onto dry buff singletrack. Traversing east to west across Buttermilk SKi
Area this trail has a nice mix of gentle rolling sections and steep rooty
technical "stair step" climbs dispersed nicely to west Buttermilk and on up
past the ski area boundary.

So far- I could not be more pleased with how the bike was feeling. The bike
and I made short work of all of the technical areas. I skillfully flowed as
one with the knobbed machine as it chewed through the off camber jagged rock
strewn section known as "rock garden". I then blissfully negotiated rolling
forest singletrack ascending out to the 2nd wilderness gate. Karol ran out
of steam on one of the lower singletrack climbing sections. I arrived at
the gate solo. While waiting for Karol I marveled at how nicely the
adjustable 100-120mm of coil goodness really made the bike seemlessly morph
from cross country rig to a long travel "trail" bike.

A few minutes passed and Karol arrived - we packed the oney a few times and
snacked on some clif bars and such. After quickly debating whether to turn
around or keep going, we decided to keep going. Good thing --the next 1.5
miles is a rocky (fast) mix of steep and gradual somewhat gnarly downhill
with amazing technical forest singletrack descending 800-1000 vertical feet.
After spilling out into the open meadow we both noted how sick the last dh
section was, and decided to turn around and head back.

The climb back up to the wilderness gate was no problem and once we tamed
the rock garden -it was on...2 miles of the lower government that simply
rips..the bike was tasty sweet on the way down, and reaffirmed the
refinement up front. Darting and flowing all the way out...this was simply
one of the better rides I've done thus far this season.

It's amazing what going from a sid dual air 63mm fork to a 120mm coil can do
to sweeten the sweet spot...

Edwards

Edwards wrote:
Being that I have just recently installed: Manitou Black Comp 100-120mm
front suspension unit
It's amazing what going from a sid dual air 63mm fork to a 120mm coil can do
to sweeten the sweet spot...

Just curious, did you switch a lot from the short and long travel settings?

nope...but on the long climb out, it climbs nicer at 100mm...then flick it
to 120mm and go!


"Destroy" wrote in message
...


Edwards wrote:
Being that I have just recently installed: Manitou Black Comp 100-120mm
front suspension unit
It's amazing what going from a sid dual air 63mm fork to a 120mm coil
can do
to sweeten the sweet spot...

Just curious, did you switch a lot from the short and long travel
settings?