The Edge Loop - 2007

"The Fruita Guide book" contains directions to one of Fruita, Colorado's most dramatic epic rides. The Edge Loop is portage descents, big climbs (4,000 feet), strange oil rigs and just plain tough. It is also one of my yearly "to do's".

Riding an IMBA epic, like the Edge Loop, means making the most of riding hard; whatever the conditions. An epic COULD be bad weather, early season trail conditions and strange oil rigs. Recently, during an annual trip to Fruita, Colorado, Pumpkin Pants and I had our eyes set on the Edge Loop. We wanted an epic ride to fill our day of trail access.

For those of you who haven't ridden the Edge Loop, prepare yourself for adventure. Below is the beta and the story on the Edge Loop, a yearly trek...

1. The Start: it all begins with a massive climb to the top of the Bookcliffs. We are talking roughly 4,000 feet of climbing in under 8 miles. One rides through a backwoods, oil/natural gas road and it is remote. You practically hear the conversations of oilmen and cowboys long past.

2. At the top of the climb, it is dirt road to the EDGE! That's right, at the EDGE, you look down thousands of feet to the surrounding Fruita valley below and the Colorado Monument to the North. Dramatic hardly describes the feeling of the scenery surrounding you.

3. More road descent, but this time it is STEEP, LOOSE and ROCKY; three things that don't make for an enjoyable ride.

4. The portage singletrack is interesting, if riding through a rocky streambed is your idea of interesting.

5. Then you hit the singletrack. The remaining singletrack through the Edge Loop is so rewarding that you want to pinch yourself. Buffed-out, perfectly-formed and incredibly fast/fun singletrack awaits your return to camp.

6. Camp. At 30 - 35 miles of riding (depending on how you ride it) the Edge Loop is one of those, "I have to eat cookies" kind of ride when you finish it. A mandatory high-five makes all the difference after this IMBA epic.

Ahhh, the joy of epics...