Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Best of 2007 - Pictures: Part I

I decided to summarize 2007 by creating a series of posts around my favorite images of the year, one for each month. The process has brought back a flood of memories and served as a nice reminder of how lucky I was to have discovered mountain biking 2 years ago!

January 3, 2007 (Wednesday) - Trail 100 - Phoenix, Arizona


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I started 2007 in the desert - literally as the family and I rolled up to my brother's home the afternoon of Dec. 31st. This was my first ride on Trail 100 and with the exception of a low speed, climbing tip-over into a pile of jagged rocks the ride couldn't have been better. What's amazing about this trail is the fact that it sits right in the middle of Phoenix (which, I might add, is not a small city) yet looking at this picture you'd never know.


February 22, 2007 (Tuesday) - Secret Trail, McDowell Mountain Regional Park - Fountain Hills, Arizona


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Those of you who have followed my blog know how much I love riding the trails of McDowell Mountain Regional Park. On this particular day I was cruising solo and stopped at a junction to consult my map. An older couple riding from the opposite direction that stopped to say hello proved to be a fun and detailed source of information. They owned homes in Bend, Oregon and Tuscon, Arizona but were spending a few days at McDowell for a change of scenery. After talking for a while they shared with me the location of the Secret Trail. You'll note that it's a much tighter, more meandering single track than the other McDowell trails, owing to the fact that it receives much less use. This picture is currently set as my desktop image at work and each day tempts me to head south. As much as I enjoyed the riding on this trip I'll never forget the drive down for the massive winter storm I endured between Salt Lake City and Beaver, Utah. It took me just over 14 total hours of solo traveling to reach my brother's house but man, it was worth it!


March 19, 2007 (Monday) - Bonneville Shoreline Trail - Salt Lake City, Utah


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Springtime in Salt Lake City for me is all about lunch rides on the BST. This time of year the surrounding hillsides are just beginning to wake from their winter dormancy with the grasses showing the first hint of green. The trail dries quickly owing to the fact that it faces south and is exposed to the sun, making it a popular early season ride/run/hike for many. Less than a 20 minute ride from my office, I spend a lot of time riding the BST in March and April.

5 comments:

Georges Rouan said...

Great photo. Ilove that that the singletrack is carved into the side ofthe hill.

Unknown said...

look at you trying to convince me to do some mtn biking.

first friday with no snow on the BST I'll join you for a long lunch break

Eat Sleep MTB said...

Just seeing my beloved BST in that photo makes sick for some single track.

UtRider said...

JE - Before you can ride with me on the dirt I need you to sign a waiver stating that you agree to not hold me liable for the probable future purchase of a new mountain bike, as well as any resulting neglect your road bikes will surely suffer as a result! Or something like that. Maybe I can enlist the Samurai's help in wording a proper liability waiver.

Unknown said...

just as lon as he promises to never be a part of a lawsuit against my wife, her partners or their clinic