“You don’t know me”

By Sportsman, on August 30th, 2006

“You only think you do”

Bo Catlett, Get Shorty

If trails could talk, this is what Perimeter Trail was saying last night..over and over and over again. So far, every year here has had the same learnin curve, as the trails change a little with trail work, erosion, and lack of winter riding. The perimeter trail is no exception, a popular trail that is just above backyards around the west and north side of town. In the summer it is a horrible way to finish a long ride at the end of the day because you cans meel everyone’s bbq as you ride by. But, after a few rides everything is dialed in and you can spend the rest of the year just blowing along, barely noting anything. The monsoons of the past few weeks have created big changes throughout the trail. Small gully crossings are now 2 foot drops, followed immediately by 2 foot ledges to climb out of. Top soil has washed awya, leaving newle exposed rock in its place. Lines that were ont he right, now have to be taken on the left, the middle of long sections of trail have been recently used as water run-off routes, resulting in deep ruts at inopportune places. No more just cruising, the ride is now an exciting, new trail, requiring a new level of attentiveness. Inother words, good stuff!!!!

The upcoming holiday resulted in a small turnout for the Tuff Riders’ Thursday evening ride, just two of us met to enjoy the excellent NM weather. Alan is still breaking in his new Ventana 29er, and I wanted to see how the big wheels handled on a relatively difficult climb, so we headed up Western Perimeter. Perimeter is a great ride. The Western Entrance has a sustained climb, lined with rocks and flowers, with numerous tight turns, and a lot of rock steps. From all accounts, this terrain is the Achilles’ heel of 29ers. The momentum-robbing, tight turns during the initial climb are also tough on a small-wheeled single speed, I have to stand for much of it. Once the climb is over, however, there are 4 tight descending switchbacks (also the bane of large wheel base bikes) followed by rolling to slightly descending singletrack, where I expected the Ventana to shine (and it did).

Ghost riding the Gunnar up the trail…