Saturday came and we decided on doing a hard ride (for us) and went up to tackle Gold Bar single track across to Portal as an out and back. This ride is more often done as a shuttle where you drop down Portal (or Poison Spider) to a waiting vehicle but that is not an option for us and we figured it would be a good early season workout.
It was a warm day and the riding is hard in both directions so I bought extra water and food. I felt pretty terrible most of the day due to a cold I seem to have gotten from my visit to the dentist a couple of days earlier. Riding in the heat on technical demanding and physically draining trails while under the effects of a Cold is tough times.
This gives you a little feel for the amount of riding terrain there is up on Gold Bar Rim. The background here is just a tiny portion of the trail.
Most of the trail is single track, but you occasionally share the jeep trail right on the rim itself. It was a picture perfect day with the snow covered La Sal mountains providing the back drop.
Amber was riding steep rollers really well all day. This is the entry into the next sequence of photos.
I wish I was positioned different for this sequence as it does no justice on how steep it really is.
It is a great section of small problems linked together in ever-steepening difficulty.
This is one shot I really wish I was in a different position for as it was a nasty 2ft drop that you had to roll because it was so close to the last move. So this photo does it no justice.
Another steep than it looks entry into a steep section.
The final roll-out amber endo'd pretty badly just after this photo and banged up her knee and ankle. But it certainly makes for a great photo!
Scenic vista's across the rim.
Timer self-portrait.
Yep, more pretty views amongst great riding.
And another steeper than it looks section with a number of moves combining to make it a great section to ride.
The exit move to the previous section.
Fatigue started to hit us both towards the end, unfortunately we were only half-way as we had to do the return trip.
Pretty mountains, pretty bike.
By the end of the ride Amber and I were both destroyed. My cold had blossomed nicely and Amber's knee and ankle were pretty beaten up. But it was a great ride in perfect conditions! One day we will be strong enough to do the full version of dropping down Portal and then riding back up Poison Spider and back across God Bar.
It was a warm day and the riding is hard in both directions so I bought extra water and food. I felt pretty terrible most of the day due to a cold I seem to have gotten from my visit to the dentist a couple of days earlier. Riding in the heat on technical demanding and physically draining trails while under the effects of a Cold is tough times.
This gives you a little feel for the amount of riding terrain there is up on Gold Bar Rim. The background here is just a tiny portion of the trail.
Most of the trail is single track, but you occasionally share the jeep trail right on the rim itself. It was a picture perfect day with the snow covered La Sal mountains providing the back drop.
Amber was riding steep rollers really well all day. This is the entry into the next sequence of photos.
I wish I was positioned different for this sequence as it does no justice on how steep it really is.
It is a great section of small problems linked together in ever-steepening difficulty.
This is one shot I really wish I was in a different position for as it was a nasty 2ft drop that you had to roll because it was so close to the last move. So this photo does it no justice.
Another steep than it looks entry into a steep section.
The final roll-out amber endo'd pretty badly just after this photo and banged up her knee and ankle. But it certainly makes for a great photo!
Scenic vista's across the rim.
Timer self-portrait.
Yep, more pretty views amongst great riding.
And another steeper than it looks section with a number of moves combining to make it a great section to ride.
The exit move to the previous section.
Fatigue started to hit us both towards the end, unfortunately we were only half-way as we had to do the return trip.
Pretty mountains, pretty bike.
By the end of the ride Amber and I were both destroyed. My cold had blossomed nicely and Amber's knee and ankle were pretty beaten up. But it was a great ride in perfect conditions! One day we will be strong enough to do the full version of dropping down Portal and then riding back up Poison Spider and back across God Bar.
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