Trails

No more cheap bikes for me.

If you live in the Southwest U.S., then you know that mountain biking is a year round activity (lucky us). However, at times, it requires some driving. If you live in Durango, like I do, that drive is short. Only four hours to Gallup, New Mexico, and some of the newest and most exciting mountain biking on the planet.

I've been to Gallup five times this year! I have only the best reports to give back: easy camping, great 12-hour racing, lots of variety and one really good coffee shop.

The other day my wish was fulfilled. My buddy Stan Smith sent me an e-mail with the following headlines: NEW TRAIL GUIDE FOR GALLUP NM!

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Here's some important info released by IMBA:

A proposed Montana forest plan revision could set a dangerous national precedent by closing hundreds of miles of singletrack to bicycles. Montana's Bitterroot, Flathead and Lolo National Forests are recommending a new policy that will ban bicycles from trails in many roadless areas where access is currently allowed.

More than 400 miles of trail in seven roadless areas near Missoula are at risk, including many epic routes cherished by local cyclists. Some of the best trails include Heart Lake, Monture Creek, Bluejoint Creek and Blodgett Canyon. The Great Burn area alone contains 139 miles of singletrack that will be made off-limits to bicycles.

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Last weekend I got up to Keystone in Colorado for a day of downhilling. The resort this season has added a new area called the "Drop Zone." They've taken a steep ridge line and created a series of extreme drops.

You reach these off the Paid in Full double-black trail.

Here's what awaits those adventurous enough to veer off the main trail for more challenge:

Alley 1: There are three ramps -- Piranha, Barracuda and Jaws -- ranging from a "small" 5-foot drop to a 14-footer "that allows you to launch up to 22 feet," according to the Keystone website's description.

Alley 2: Called Paranoid, this is a rocky lead-in to a natural take-off point that aims you at a narrow wooden landing between the trees. As you can see from the photo I've included with this article, you have to aim just right; get a bad line in the air and you're gonna have a hard time missing the tree that's tight to the right side of the wood landing. (The guy in my photo made it look easy.)

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ze mountain biker at the gwydr forest(the glass forest)gwynedd, wales, uk.
hi walker its a forest of 3 trails, i only did the hardest trail but it is still a fantastic track. the layout is off putting for riders who don't like lots of up hills, the single track isn'that good at the start of the track, but as you move into the trail there are less steeper climbs and less of the climbs, and the single track gets much more techniqual and they much longer. the first time you do the trail you might get lost due to some of the unmarked cross fire roads.
over all rating : 9/10