I have been away from mtb in the PNW for three weeks. A week near Sedona, AZ, a week in Las Vegas, and then a week doing family care and catch-up. Today I took advantage of the great weather and went to North Mountain to get back into the loam again. I parked at the lower shuttle area and climbed up to the upper lot. There was about ten inches of a slushy snow patch at the upper kiosk and many more patches of snow past the gate on the way to the summit. I climbed no further and descended the Skyline trail back to the truck. The trail was all clear and hero. If you haven't ridden on it yet, here is the video. The GPS track and pictures are in my ride log here. There was a new, relaxing, non-ridable, "feature" added to the bottom of Pathfinder to help enjoy the view of Whitehorse Mountain....

It's in nice shape now, but I wonder if it will be around during the race later in May.

While down in Arizona at a Thousand Trails campground (Cottonwood, AZ), I got a Sedona ride in on the Slim Shady, Made in the Shade (video), Hiline, Baldwin, and Templeton trails and that ride log is here. I also got a simple hike in at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and that track and Pictures are here. Then off to Vegas for a week. I got three rides in down there at the Eastside, Blue Diamond, and Cowboy Trails (links to ride logs).

Personally, I enjoyed the different, desert, rockiness, for the rides down there but it was getting pretty old. I loved exploring the new places but missed the loam or organic trails of the PNW.  I might even bring my own seat to make climbing the rockiness more comfortable next time.

Now for the music section of the report. Sing this part to "The Final Countdown" by Europe (1986)......

We’re leaving the summit, hoping we’ll fare well,
Maybe we’ll re-ride it, and go fast as hell
Without worry and no one to blame
Send doubles found (doubles found)
Features should be the same, next run

It’s the final step down
The final step down

Oooooh we’re heading to Mohawk
And still send those jumps well
And folks will have seen us
Cheer all of us on, yeah
With so many features to send
New ones to be found
I’m sure we will all love the flow!

It’s the final step down
The final step down
It’s the final step down
The final step down

The final step down. Oh oh
The final step down
The final step down
The final step down. Oh oh

It’s the final step down
(We’re leaving the trailhead)
The final step down
(We all love the flow)
It’s the final step down
The final step down       :-)