RR: Great Weekend!

The Winter here has been a little rougher than expected. Snow came
early in the season and it seemed like it would stick around for a
while. This is Colorado after all. Once the sun says it wants to come
back, it takes over. This was the weekend it was coming back for a
vengence. It had been in the 70's for almost two weeks, which really
helped to melt and dry things off. It certainly isn't making the snow
resorts happy (they are losing 3" a day), but I stopped skiing when the
crowds came. I have been on the road bike, but dirt was calling my
name. So, after checking local conditions, I decided to give Mathew
Winters/Dakota Ridge a try.

Actually, this was my first time at this park. I just never got around
to it before, but it can certainly become one of my favorites if not for
the one big ploblem - massive hords of trail users.

Weather was perfect, if not hot but who cares. I was on dirt again!

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5501.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5502.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5503.jpg

All of the trails were pretty much the same as the above photos. Dry!
I encounted one wet spot where a stream basically ran across the trail
and thats it. A little snow on the side of the hill where the slide
trail goes up, but not effecting the trail. Just prime conditions to be
out.

Red Rocks trail was a fun filled speed fest, until I got lost by the
theater and couldn't find the way down to Dakota Ridge trail.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5506.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5507.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5509.jpg

And great views.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5511.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5512.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5513.jpg

But after milling around the greatest rock venue in the country, I
finally found the way down and ultimately up Dakota Ridge. Yeah, up.
As usually I went the wrong way the fun happens.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5515.jpg

Going down this would be a blast. Going up was torture.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5516.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5517.jpg

Then more up hill umtil I came to the aply named slab. I had to turn
around and at least give it a try. Nice.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5520.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5521.jpg

Pending doom. Nah, I didn't jump.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5525.jpg

More fun (if I were going down the hill ).

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5527.jpg

I did manage to fall off the back of the bike going down the rolling
ramp waterbars. I guess I was a little too far back on my stomach. The
temporary castration that insued was not fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5528.jpg

Finally reaching the top it was back down to the car, but the rocky fun
was gone.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/daktop.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/daksat.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/dakpro.jpg

That night the band got together for a private St. Patties party. I
don't know where I got the energy, but what the heck. More fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5541.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5543.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5556.jpg

Sunday brought more riding and a lot of it. I hooked up with Keith and
company for an urban assult to Waterton Canyon. Another beautiful day,
great riding, and good friends. We made it to the middle of the canyon
climb and stopped. Then on the way back we stop at the resevior and lo
and behold, my camera is not there. I left it up at the spillway.
Keith and I head back adding another five miles to the ride while Stu
gets my car to meet us at the bottom. Thirty nine miles later (on the
26" bike), we meet at the parking lot. Yup, the camera was right where
I left it!

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5560.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5563.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5564.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5565.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5566.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5567.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5569.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/wattop.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/watsat.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/watpro.jpg


--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

On Mar 18, 7:09 pm, Ride-A-Lot wrote:
The Winter here has been a little rougher than expected. Snow came
early in the season and it seemed like it would stick around for a
while. This is Colorado after all. Once the sun says it wants to come
back, it takes over. This was the weekend it was coming back for a
vengence. It had been in the 70's for almost two weeks, which really
helped to melt and dry things off. It certainly isn't making the snow
resorts happy (they are losing 3" a day), but I stopped skiing when the
crowds came. I have been on the road bike, but dirt was calling my
name. So, after checking local conditions, I decided to give Mathew
Winters/Dakota Ridge a try.

Actually, this was my first time at this park. I just never got around
to it before, but it can certainly become one of my favorites if not for
the one big ploblem - massive hords of trail users.

Weather was perfect, if not hot but who cares. I was on dirt again!

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5501.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5502.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5503.jpg

All of the trails were pretty much the same as the above photos. Dry!
I encounted one wet spot where a stream basically ran across the trail
and thats it. A little snow on the side of the hill where the slide
trail goes up, but not effecting the trail. Just prime conditions to be
out.

Red Rocks trail was a fun filled speed fest, until I got lost by the
theater and couldn't find the way down to Dakota Ridge trail.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5506.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5507.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5509.jpg

And great views.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5511.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5512.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5513.jpg

But after milling around the greatest rock venue in the country, I
finally found the way down and ultimately up Dakota Ridge. Yeah, up.
As usually I went the wrong way the fun happens.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5515.jpg

Going down this would be a blast. Going up was torture.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5516.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5517.jpg

Then more up hill umtil I came to the aply named slab. I had to turn
around and at least give it a try. Nice.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5520.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5521.jpg

Pending doom. Nah, I didn't jump.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5525.jpg

More fun (if I were going down the hill ).

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5527.jpg

I did manage to fall off the back of the bike going down the rolling
ramp waterbars. I guess I was a little too far back on my stomach. The
temporary castration that insued was not fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5528.jpg

Finally reaching the top it was back down to the car, but the rocky fun
was gone.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/daktop.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/daksat.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/dakpro.jpg

That night the band got together for a private St. Patties party. I
don't know where I got the energy, but what the heck. More fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5541.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5543.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5556.jpg

Sunday brought more riding and a lot of it. I hooked up with Keith and
company for an urban assult to Waterton Canyon. Another beautiful day,
great riding, and good friends. We made it to the middle of the canyon
climb and stopped. Then on the way back we stop at the resevior and lo
and behold, my camera is not there. I left it up at the spillway.
Keith and I head back adding another five miles to the ride while Stu
gets my car to meet us at the bottom. Thirty nine miles later (on the
26" bike), we meet at the parking lot. Yup, the camera was right where
I left it!

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5560.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5563.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5564.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5565.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5566.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5567.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5569.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/wattop.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/watsat.jpg

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/watpro.jpg

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-owww.schnauzers.ws


Wow, beautiful stuff. And some of it looks pretty fun and technical,
too.

CDB celebrating spring.

Paladin wrote:


Wow, beautiful stuff. And some of it looks pretty fun and technical,
too.

CDB celebrating spring.


My kind of weather! Trees are blooming! I saw lots of prairie dogs
(yeah, I know about the plague) over the weekend too. And the bugs are
back as well!

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:09:52 -0700, Ride-A-Lot
wrote:

That night the band got together for a private St. Patties party. I
don't know where I got the energy, but what the heck. More fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5541.jpg




Dude, you need some Paul Stanley sneekers
http://static.zoovy.com/img/motorcow...P/psinconcert1
--
Slack - wore them more years than I'd like to remember

Slack wrote:
On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:09:52 -0700, Ride-A-Lot
wrote:

That night the band got together for a private St. Patties party. I
don't know where I got the energy, but what the heck. More fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5541.jpg




Dude, you need some Paul Stanley sneekers
http://static.zoovy.com/img/motorcow...P/psinconcert1
--Slack - wore them more years than I'd like to remember

LOL! I think my height makes me unique in that band. I may not stand
high, but I do stand out.



--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

On Mon, 19 Mar 2007 11:58:20 -0700, Ride-A-Lot
wrote:

Slack wrote:
On Sun, 18 Mar 2007 18:09:52 -0700, Ride-A-Lot
wrote:

That night the band got together for a private St. Patties party. I
don't know where I got the energy, but what the heck. More fun.

http://www.schnauzers.ws/images/031807/IMG_5541.jpg


Dude, you need some Paul Stanley sneekers
http://static.zoovy.com/img/motorcow...P/psinconcert1
--Slack - wore them more years than I'd like to remember

LOL! I think my height makes me unique in that band. I may not stand
high, but I do stand out.




Can't agree with ya there '
--
Slack

Ride-A-Lot wrote:
Paladin wrote:


Wow, beautiful stuff. And some of it looks pretty fun and technical,
too.

CDB celebrating spring.


My kind of weather! Trees are blooming! I saw lots of prairie dogs
(yeah, I know about the plague) over the weekend too. And the bugs are
back as well!


My peach tree is blooming too early. There will certainly be more
freezes, so no Peaches this year :-(



Shawn

Shawn wrote:
Ride-A-Lot wrote:
Paladin wrote:


Wow, beautiful stuff. And some of it looks pretty fun and technical,
too.

CDB celebrating spring.


My kind of weather! Trees are blooming! I saw lots of prairie dogs
(yeah, I know about the plague) over the weekend too. And the bugs
are back as well!


My peach tree is blooming too early. There will certainly be more
freezes, so no Peaches this year :-(



Shawn

Wow, you can plant fruit trees in this climate? What about Magnolias?
Will they survive?

--
o-o-o-o Ride-A-Lot o-o-o-o
www.schnauzers.ws

Can't agree with ya there '

Typo --- agree --- argue

Ride-A-Lot wrote:
The Winter here has been a little rougher than expected. Snow came
early in the season and it seemed like it would stick around for a
while. This is Colorado after all. Once the sun says it wants to come
back, it takes over. This was the weekend it was coming back for a
vengence. It had been in the 70's for almost two weeks, which really
helped to melt and dry things off. It certainly isn't making the snow
resorts happy (they are losing 3" a day), but I stopped skiing when the
crowds came. I have been on the road bike, but dirt was calling my
name. So, after checking local conditions, I decided to give Mathew
Winters/Dakota Ridge a try.

Actually, this was my first time at this park. I just never got around
to it before, but it can certainly become one of my favorites if not for
the one big ploblem - massive hords of trail users.

Nice RR. I usually go counter clockwise in the Matthews Winters/Dakota
Ridge ride as well. I hate to start with the climb up the hogback.
That nice swoopy trail up to the slide is a start more to my liking.



Shawn