Fruita

Posted by admin in Cycling, Life May 11th, 2010 | 35 responses

This past weekend we made our first trip west towards to the high desert, at first we were going to go to Moab and do some mountain biking but then we decided to stay in Colorado and give Fruita our full attention. We heard that Fruita was similar to Moab and possibly less crowded with some great trails, camping and good weather. We set out on our journey Friday evening, Google maps sent us a really crazy way that had us going off of I70 and onto some back roads that started in Gypsum, Co. We were totally perplexed and a little concerned but we pushed on as the sun was setting. Up this really tight, narrow and steep dirt road over Cottonwood Pass. We were getting nervous as it looked as if we were heading into the deep mountains via a dirt road, via google maps. In this day and age we get so accustomed to letting some free computer software or application do all the thinking. Well, Anna and I are guilty of that and because of this our first few hours of our trip were a little stressful. In the end we went a bunch out the way on some crazy dirt roads but we arrived in Fruita by 10:30PM.

Saturday we headed out after some coffee at the Aspen Street Cafe, first let me say Fruita is a cool little town but it is in dire need of a good coffee shop and a micro-brewery. Aspen Street Cafe served up an ok coffee, not all that friendly and slow. We waited over 30 minutes for yogurt and granola to be made for us. Not that we are in a hurry but my god, there was like 10 people in the whole place. Anyhow, back to riding.

We zipped on over to 18 Road trail system, upon arrival the parking lot had a few cars and there were people zipping in and out of the trail heads. We suited up and headed out to Western Zippity, a double track that turns into some sweet single track, hard pack non-technical swoopy trails. I punched it up a steep climb, full head of steam when the eccentric BB slipped and caused my chain to jump off the chainrings, a good start to the day? Nice little wake up with some sore nuts after taking it to the stem of my bike.

Once on the top of Western we rolled on over to Zippity, a bit more climbing and some technical stuff, steep ridges and some nail-biting single track with sheer drops to the right. I was one of the only people i saw on a ss, let alone a full rigid SS. Most ride boing-gee type downhill style bikes, not caring to much about going up but more interested in going down. Down is fun and going fast is a blast, but I like climbing, I think it is technically challenging and physically as well. Zippity led us to Chutes and Ladders which is exactly that; a series of steep ups and steep downs. I cleaned a bunch of ups as others on big geared bikes suffered. I watched in amazement as they struggled. One observation was most people would shift into the granny gear in the front and easiest in the back and spin at like 200 rpms trying to get up the hills. No momentum built up and little tension on the bike. I think everyone should ride a SS for a day, it makes you understand the physics and physical side of getting up and over a hill. I think if these people would have pushed a harder gear, built up some momentum and rode the damn bikes they might have had a better chance. Anyhow, the downhill portion to Chutes & Ladders was a hoot! Later that day we rode a few other easier trails, Vegetarian and Kessels.

That evening we went out on the town, over to the Hot Tomato Cafe which served up a mean pizza pie! One of the best I have had in a long long time. A few pints of New Belgium Ranger IPA sitting on the patio soaking up some sun, I must say life could not have gotten any better!

Sunday we headed over to Kokopelli, the dude at the local bike shop, Singletracks told me not to go here on the SS, I went anyhow. It was the raddest place I have ever ridden and the SS was perfect! Not sure why he advised against it. We started out on Mary’s Loop where we bumped into a couple on a full suspension tandem, they were killing it. We chatted it up at the entrance to Horsetheif Bench loop, they advised us to give that trail a go. So after some gnarly hike and bike down this steep rocky wall to the trail start we set out and were in heaven. The trails were so fun, and perfect on the SS, swoopy single track with sand, slick rock, hard pack clay. Technical nuggets that were challenging yet totally rideable, pushing me and making my adrenaline race through my body! Possibly one of the best days I have had on the bike in a long time.

After hiking back up the rock wall hike-a-bike portion of Horsetheif Bench we proceeded to finish off Marys Loop which was really fun, it ran on a high ridge above the Colorado River, there was a bunch of stuff that I got stuck on riding the SS, I am not the best mountain biker and I am sure there are dudes that can skin the whole place. When we returned to the parking lot, it was packed with riders getting ready to head out, we are early risers and I think we got out riding at the perfect time. Again, away all the people went on the big, heavy, knobbed out springers. I think they are missing out on a part of riding by choosing to ride bikes like that, but heck, I don’t know maybe I am the one missing out, but right now I think not because I saw, rode and experienced some great stuff with Anna in Fruita, only as fast as my rigid SS would let me.