RIO GRANDE NF

Our word for today is.... ACCESSIBLE

The Rico area is phenomenal... provided you came for kick your tail single track. There are very few bunny slopes and if the crew isn't up to B class riders then the fun factor drops for everyone. And, it's a long dang drive from Texas.

The area well east of Creede, however...

Headwaters of the Rio Grande river.










This kind of fun stuff goes on till you drop.




Big bike friendly - provided the one on the throttle can ride. Honest C class and up will have a hoot out here. There are also plenty of improved roads for adventure riders.










It's higher elevation for most of the day. 11K or better means cool and breezy. This herd of commercial cattle are heavy with fur regardless of color.




Very nice narrow two track to warm things up.








Reasonable switchbacks that don't require bulldoggin the front end.




Little shelf work to lighten the moment.




And then, splendidly righteous single track!








Yes, there are stream crossings, rocky patches where you put a foot on either side and slowly lean-snuggle the bike in between, log hopping and just about any other kind of trail challenge you'd mention - BUT - it's the sort that any good off-road rider can enjoy. A group of like riders will have an awesome day. Very accessible.




And some sight seeing in places that few can go...

RG, I just got back from a work trip where I was unable to keep up with your posts. Going to try and piece together where the heck you went so I can attempt to retrace some of your heroic steps !!! This is a fantastic ride report. Can't believe you did Black Bear by yourself when you so smartly discourage us from doing last year

So it looks like we might be heading back to Purgatory in a few weeks, with any luck some of the trails will still be there for me to try on my own...

You are KILLING ME!!!

That just looks incredible and it kills me to be sitting here knowing yet another fall riding season is slipping away, never to be recaptured...

Tourmeister said:

You are KILLING ME!!!

That just looks incredible and it kills me to be sitting here knowing yet another fall riding season is slipping away, never to be recaptured...

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+1...... but kids are first for now....

It'll still be here when ever y'all are ready.

Why do your awesome pix look like faded technicolor from the '70's?

SpiritAtBay said:

Why do your awesome pix look like faded technicolor from the '70's?

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Junky Walmart "kids" camera but mostly due to a lack of skill on the user's part. I admire images that been run through enhancement programs like Light-room and tweaked but mine are only resized and posted as they are... lazy rascal that I am.

_RG_ said:

This kind of fun stuff goes on till you drop.

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Most say "are you crazy?". Dirt bike guys say - "class 3, I dunno." RG says "Do I take the first or the second right turn up the cliff?"

Great pictures.

IT'S MOVIE DAY!

Alrighty... time to explore a bit more of the Rio Grande NF.

It seems this place is a genuine motorcycle playground.

The two trails I drew GPS tracks for today range out a little further and a little longer. They look like fun single track and together make a great loop. This route is ideal for a 'ride-lunch/gas-ride back' kind of day. The first leg is about seven miles of single track with part two being about five. The transfer roads to and between them are entertaining on their own.

Scenic ride over to the trail-head. The colors are changing everyday.




Turns out - these two trails are the very ones recently used by the RMEC for their spring enduro race. I didn't know this little tidbit until after finishing trail one and meeting up with some local riders at the southern trail-head.

These trails don't fall under our ACCESSIBLE heading. If it seems I'm riding a bit conservatively at times - just remember - This is my first glimpse of this trail and I'm out here all alone.







Had a little problem right about halfway up trail #2 ---




We've all heard of "loosing your brakes" but mine were seriously gone... vanished... no longer there. The ride back down the trail was ummm... interesting.

RG what the heck happened to your breaks. What a time to quit on you!

Great ride report (GPX files??????) Please, will buy you lunch next time I ride with you.

Wow! Spectacular! I love the Rio Grande valley area, but I've only seen it from pavement and an occasional hike. Where are those amazing sandstone pinnacles?

tshelfer said:

Wow! Spectacular! I love the Rio Grande valley area, but I've only seen it from pavement and an occasional hike. Where are those amazing sandstone pinnacles?

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That's called the Wheeler Monument. It's pretty amazing when seen up close and personal like. It's actually well inside the La Garita Wilderness but there's a "road" to within a half mile. Pleasant walk from there to the feature. From pavement, it's 25 miles out and the last 10 are a lot of fun on a motorcycle. The locals tell me it'll take 3-4 hours to get out there by jeep. I passed a couple of jeeps on the way out but they must have turned around and went home.

The attached GPX is how I went. Hope you get a chance to visit it someday.

GPX viewer

kubotamiketx said:

RG what the heck happened to your breaks. What a time to quit on you!

Great ride report (GPX files??????) Please, will buy you lunch next time I ride with you.

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Lets get together sometime before y'all come up and see what I have for the area that'll work for you.

They're pretty much rolling up the sidewalks around here right now. We went into Creede yesterday for ice cream and could count the number of open shops on one hand. Lots of "Closed for the season" signs hanging in windows.
The locals say it's just a matter of days before the first snow, then the ground freezes and the next snow ends their year. Mountains of firewood being piled up around here. Bout time to head to the low country.

Wow!!!!

Wow, I want to go get lost in the Aspens. Sigh...