Ride Report Got in some Phoenix area trails

Ya I saw the area on my way out of town, but the weather you got in Calif Thursday, PHX got on Friday morning with some rain and by the time I got out of my last training class Friday afternoon, the rain picked up and it hailed for about 15 min, then more rain and also wind. So much for getting one more ride in before heading back home.

I did however, get to go to dinner with the ladies one more time on Thursday night which my last night in PHX (CW from my left: Megan Elspeth, Alecia, Danielle, Kennisha, Marybeth(MB) and Halle)



After getting out of class around 2:00pm and had my truck already loaded up since we had to check out when we left in the morning. After a quick gas stop I headed out. I hit some PHX traffic on the way out.



About an hr west of PHX, the weather looked to be clearing up...,

Thanks Matt and everyone for the kinds words. I enjoy doing RR's for this reason. If you have time, be sure and check out some of the other areas these guys have mentioned on this thread.

There's also Black Canyon and of course Sedeona. From the maps on Geoladders, all of these(except for Sedona) are in and around the PHX area and within an hr or so. I'll look forward to seeing reading your RR and the pics, but I know it's tough to stop and take pics when you're riding.

I had a great time on this training trip. I got to ride some new dirt, met some great new friends and the best part was it was on company time and dime...., and of course when I finally got home about 9pm(local) last night, after I unloaded my truck and unpacked..., it was time for some Pliny. Yes. it's good to home. :beer:

 

cool gene.
can you give alittle more details about trail 100.
it sounds more meandering than getting a substained up, then down?
or can you get a solid climb in, then drop seat and descend?

 

Tom, no sustained climbing there or long descents. Mostly relatively short climbs like in Aliso or Laguna, then down something else...., we didn't descend the same trail we climbed if I remember. Some of trails, not all in the Trail 100 area did have some nice chunk, but not long sections like at National in SoMo where there were plenty of sections that were tech.

Here's the elevation profile of the route we did at Trail 100:



and GPS link on GL: http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=65481

 

Gene,

Thanks for the detailed RR! I used this to help guide my rides at South Mountain this week. On Wednesday I climbed Mormon trail to National then up National to the waterfall section and back down National. It was my first time on the mountain and I was able to clean the waterfall first try (I will post a video and some pics when I get back in front of my computer). It was a fun 1hour ride but it left me wanting more.

On Black Friday I jumped out of bed and headed back over to SoMo. I hit the same route you did...Desert Classic->Telegraph pass->National. It was a great 18 mile loop but I must say I did not believe that Telegraph was as much of a HAB as you described, but it really is...you cannot ride this...period. That said, its only about a 20 minute hike that puts you all the way up the mountain so its was worth it.

The only negative for me was about 5 miles into desert classic i went to grab my brakes and found no pressure in the front lever...nothing. I figured I sprung a leak in the hose and had no intention of turn back...so on I went. I had 4 miles of flowing single track to decide if I would continue up Telegraph and try to head down National with no front brakes, or head back Desert Classic and just call it an out and back (lame). So up I hiked and down I went...I am just glad I swapped my 160 rear rotor to a 180 last month.

A great ride that is highly reccommened...pics and vid to come...

 

Glad you enjoyed it. Ya the HAB is just too chunky with big rocks to pop over before the next big rock..., just stops you in your track. Looking fwd to the pics and video.

 

Gene you ought to ride up national to DC that way you get all the chunk down . I rode trails 100 and blk canyon when I was there last year. saaaweeeet!

 

I followed a route recommended to me by a friend, but I will next time. I saw lots of riders going that way(CCW from lot). I really liked Trails 100 as well. Lots of options there.

 

I have been crazy busy and traveling a ton for work so I have had not time to put to finish the story and add any pics or video.

So after climbing Telegraph I ran into a guy on a Trek Remedy and asked him the route to National. He pointed up and said "it's right there...but I would not go that way. It's a steep climb and there are about 50 guys coming down right now." Apparently there is an annual ride called "flight of the pigs" the day after Thanksgiving. It traverses the entire National trail all the way up and down the other side South Mountain then all the way to Trail 100. It's a 70 mile epic and sounds like a lot of fun!! Maybe next year...So he directed me to the pavement up to the top of National. This is where I decided to stop and investigate my front brake issue.

Here is a pic of the steed...I love this bike!!!



And here is why my brakes failed (I am going to have to have a talk with the person (no names) at a LBS who said not to over tighten the brake pad retention pin)



So the pads went on (elbow and knee) and off I went down National with no front brakes...

The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful even without the full use of the stoppers. I will say that this loop is an absolute blast and highly recommended for anyone looking to head to AZ for some new dirt this winter.

Here is the loop info for the full 18 mile ride:

<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='http://www.strava.com/activities/98278203/embed/ade8e226074a1fa7c4e9c48825b0541fdb726934'></iframe>

If you don't feel up to the whole loop I would take Mormon trail up to National which is the ride I did the day before Thanksgiving. Here is a pic on the way up Mormon with downtown Phoenix in the background:



Here is the intersection of Mormon and National:



Then up National for about 10 minutes and you get to this...here is the bottom section of the waterfall looking up:



The next section in the middle:



And finally the top chunk:



Here is a short unedited video on the waterfall with a small taste of the trail afterwards. I took the wrong entry point to the lower waterfall due to the guys checking it out and had to do a little track stand and find a new line...it was a little sketchy but worked out...

[video=youtube_share;8of-J4ugbmc]http://youtu.be/8of-J4ugbmc?t=44s[/video]

Here is the short ride info for those interested:

<iframe height='405' width='590' frameborder='0' allowtransparency='true' scrolling='no' src='http://www.strava.com/activities/98278199/embed/fdc178717aa188f71071f696bb6ce01591d3a47f'></iframe>

And here is the sunrise that greeted me in the early morning before heading out on the big loop...

 

Nice, thanks for sharing! Ya I thought Waterfall was the short rocky climb after starting at top of National the pavement. The section pictured above I was able to clean as well..., fun stuff there. There was lots of traffic going up this I guess up to the pavement and then back down National as an out & back rather than starting with DC and doing a loop.

 

Bump for Phoenix desert chunky goodness…'tis the season!