Mountain Bike Bill, The Dirt on the Dirt

Rainbow Rim Video

Getting out to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to ride the Rainbow Rim trail is not an easy feat. For just about everyone it will be a camping trip. This is from my August MTB vacation were we camped on Locust Point for a handful of days and enjoyed the views and the riding on this trails as well a bit of the Arizona Trail. The video really does not do the experience justice. You need to get there to enjoy it for yourself.

I had to put the videos on hold while I went down the rabbit hole of squaring away data storage and backup system. I came back from the August trip with just about a terabyte of video and photos which put my overall storage at near capacity. I now have a more robust system that should scale a lot better in the future.

Fort Valley Video

For Day 5 of the August MTB Vacation I cut my wife some slack and we did a shuttle up to the top of Schultz pass. We then did the half of the loop I climbed on day 2 as a descent (Previous video). We did a snippet of Secret to the AZT. Then Lower Moto to Chimney and the the lower bit of Schultz Creek. She was most appreciative of not throwing a beat down on her out of the gate. Pretty much all green trail goodness.

Mostly Downhill Cruisin!

Roadtrip Finisher – Utah

Technically this is the Sydney Peaks trail but it part of the Bunker Creek route

Day 18 Bunker Creek. Coming off of Brianhead Peak this was a doozie. Starting just at 11,000 feet, you had long views, Alpine meadows, Aspens, Pines. Much of this area burned in 2017 and the trails have been rebuilt, improved and extended.

Virgin River Rim Trail – Navajo Peak Section

Day 19 VRRT – Navajo Peak. I started out with plans to do the Navajo Lake Loop, but half way around I chose to peel off and get my climb on. There was plenty of work to be done but much like the Strawberry Point segment the views were worth the effort.

Ridgeline on the upper end of the Blowhard Mountain Trail

On Day 20 I finished off the “Big 3” at Brianhead with the Blowhard Mountain Trail. I rode with a group of guys from the Giant Bicycle shop in Las Vegas. A great group of guys. The trail was every bit as technical as it was billed to be. Such good stuff.

Indian Rock Art at Paragon Gap

My body decreed that today would be a rest day so for Day 21 I tooled around the countryside a bit which included a stop at Paragon Gap to check out the Indian Rock Art.

Excellent view on the Excellent Trails of Iron Hills

For Day 22, I ventured off the mountians to check out the Iron Hills trail system in Cedar City. This is an exceptional designed and built trail system which was a hoot. I did 14 miles and change with 1,700 feet of climbing. After spending much of my time over the last two weeks around 9,000 feet the thick oxygen rich air down at 6,000 feet was a real joy!

Navajo Lake

After camp near Navajo Lake since being in Utah, for Day 23 I felt the need to knock of Navajo Lake Loop proper since I had only done part of it.

I’m pretty tired…..Think I’ll go home now.

Day 24 Time to head home. Ahh hell, time to go do some of that adult stuff. It has been a fabulous trip. I have gotten everything thing I needed and wanted out of this trip. I’m no sure what that need and want is exactly yet, but I found it out here. For now I’m looking forward to seeing both wife and dogs.

I have amassed nearly a terabyte of footage and photos to do stuff with that will take months to get through. I have melon full killer memories of this trip that I’m bringing back as well. I’ll share when I can.

For now, the RV’s shitter tank is not going to dump itself!

Roadtrip Part 3 – Utah

The big August MTB vacation continues! Part 3 of the roadtrip covers Bill O’Neil and I in Utah.

Day 13 Plan A – Thunder Mountain

Day 13 – We started the day heading out to Thunder Mountain. The weather in the area turned for the worst. With too much thunder on Thunder Mountain we had had to come up with a Plan B.

Day 13 Plan B – Virgin River Rim Trail at Strawberry Point

Plan B was the Virgin River Rim Trail starting from Strawberry Point. This was an amazingly beautiful and challenging trail. The combination of terrain, grade and elevation all worked together to make for some spicey climbing. Oh the downhills were good! That night severe weather swept through the region and we good numerous flash flood warnings/alerts throughout the night.

Day 14 – Rainout Day. While the sun came out, the local 411 was to stay off the trails for the day.
Day 15 – Thunder Mountain Take 2

After the rain out day, for Day 15 we took another crack at Thunder Mountain. We managed to catch a good weather window and for the most part we were rewarded some near hero dirt. We only had a couple of squishy spots that were created by some irresponsible equestrians who went out on the trail way too soon.

Day 16 – Dark Hollow

For Day 16, we did the Dark Hollow, Second Left-Hand Canyon Shuttle. With nearly 5,000 feet of descent this was one impressive route with a some amazing trail itself and phenomenal scenery.

Bill O’Neil had to go back to adulting so Dark Hollow was our last ride together for this trip. I still have some time left before I have to reenage the realm of adulting.

Solo adventures to be continued….

Roadtrip Part 2 – North Rim

The August Roadtrip continues on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. My longtime buddy Bill O’Neil joined us on the segment of the trip arriving a couple of hours after we setup camp.

Day 8 – The Morning Cup of Joe. The Rainbow Rim Trail three feet behind me.

Day 8 – We rode the Rainbow Rim Trail from Locust Point to Parisswapitts Point as an Out-And-Back. On our way back, at the best downhill section I had a pretty castistrophic tire slash. Somehow I got 1.5″ slash in side of the tire. I was able to boot the tire with duct tape, but it did not last. I ended up bailing and letting Bill drive back and pick me up near Fence Point.

Day 9 – Day trip to OTE Hurricane Utah

Day 9 was an side trip to Hurricane Utah to get a new tire. Hats off to Quentin an the fellows at Over The Edge Hurricane for getting me taken care of and back rolling. I also bought a spare tire so should such a thing happen again I won’t have to make another unscheduled day trip.

Day 10 – Rainbow Rim Locust to Timp OAB. Thunderstorms were the start of the show!

Day 10 – The Rainbow Rim Trail from Locust Point to Timp Point and back. Nichol had to roll out and go back to adulting so Bill and I were left to our methods of mayhem.

Day 11 – Another segment of the AZT in the books

Day 11 – The Arizona Trail. Telephone Hill to Highway 89A. Boy did we thread the needle with a weather window. We got sprinkled on a little on the ride, but not one minute after we got in the truck at the far end did the skies shutdown and pounding began. On our way back to camp we thought there was snow on the ground but it was piled up hail. Crazy!

Day 12 – Basecamp near Navajo Lake established. Elevation 9,150 feet

Day 12 – Moved to Navajo Lake. The forest service roads getting off the north rim held up well from the storms. While not terribly far of a drive, between some admin tasks like tear down, dumping tanks, getting more fresh water and setting up and the new location it took up the bulk of the day. A good rest day.

The Utah Adventure starts!

Roadtrip Part 1 – Flagstaff

So I am on three-week MTB vacation.  These posts are quite a bit time late as I typically have the choice of riding, enjoying tasty beverages, chilling or posting stuff on the internet. Guess which one gets bottom billing?   Here is a quick recap of the events of the first part.

Day 1 – The MTBBILL Mobile Command Module moves to Flagstaff
Day 2 – Fort Valley Goodness

Day 1 was the transit to Flagstaff with the travel trailer.  The first ride was on day 2 in the Fort Valley area.   I climbed up Chimney, Lower Moto, a bit of the AZT, connected up with Secret and then descended Schultz Creek.   Schultz Creek was ever bit as good as I remembered it

Day 3 -The Flagstaff MTB Skills Park

On Day 3,  I checked out the Flagstaff MTB skills park which was right next to where I camped at Fort Tuthill.   This is an impressive skills park with access to the regional network of trails.   After playing around at the park, I hit up Soldiers Trail and The Bridge trail to loop right back to camp.

Day 4 – A good chunk of the Walnut Creek segment of the Arizona Trail
I also did a side trip to check out Fisher Cave which is down in the valley shown in the previous picture.

Day 4 was Chicken Noodle Soup for the MTB Soul.  The Walnut Creek Segment of Arizona Trail is simply amazing.  I did about an 18 mile loop that included the AZT, the Flagstaff loop trail and other tasty singletrack.   Later that evening my lovely wife and dogs arrived to join in the vacation festivities.

My lovely wife joined me for MTB vacation time.

For Day 5 I cut my wife some slack and we did a shuttle up to the top of Schultz pass.  We then did the half of the loop I climbed in day 2 as a descent.  Secret to AZT to Moto to Chimney and the the lower bit of Schultz Creek.   She was most appreciative of not throwing a beat down on her out of the gate.

Day 6 The sunshine before the storm

For Day 6, I did a 24 mile dumbell looking route from camp that included Highland, Soldiers, Flagstaff Loop, Rogers. Gold Digger and Two-Spot. It was a glorious morning when I started.   Pretty much at the apex of my ride the thunderstorms rolled in.   I had 10 miles with a hill in the middle to get over.  I arrived back at camp a waterlogged mess.  It was kinda awesome in its own way.

Day 7 – MBB Mobile Command Module Underway

Day 7 was move day.   It sucked having to pack up all the stuff that got caught out in the storm.  Everything has “its place” with our little house on wheels and stuff being wet meant stuff had to go in different places.   I managed to get rolling by 10AM enroute to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.  Now I have been to Locust Point a handful of times but I had never traveled those 20 miles of dirt roads towing a trailer.  A handful of miles down the main dirt road.  I parked my truck and trailer and hopped in my wife’s Outback and we drove the rest of the way to access the remaining roads and potential spots.   After a successful scouting mission in the Outback (Dubbed the Lunar Lander), I was back in the truck with the Command Module in tow.   We got a primo spot with the Rainbow Rim trail about 30 feet out our door with the canyon a few feet beyond that.

The End of Day 7 – Our Campsite

The adventure continues…

Help Save “Urban Legend”

My lame attempt at hitting these features

Located in Pupukea, the short but fun “Urban Legend” trail that is just one of dozens of MTB trails in the area. It is unique in that it man-made built up features that is worth keeping around. Please read the petition linked below and think about signing it. Show our MTB brothers and sisters in Hawaii some Aloha by supporting the petition. And please don’t my lame ass attempt at riding this trail dissuade your thoughts on the coolness of this trail.

https://www.change.org/p/attorney-gen…

Hawaii’s North Shore – Pūpūkea

There is more than world-class surfing on Hawaii’s North Shore. There is also some mighty fun MTB trails to ride as well. I have ridden there twice so far and I had not been disappointed.

The Top of Bobwire

The place is a maze of interconnected trails and even though I had pretty detailed layout of trails from Trailforks, they were still kind of hard to follow as there was so many trail junctions.

This sign has some pretty killer classics on it

You ride out here you will eventually end up at Lilikoi Junction. It might be one of the coolest trail junction signs ever.

Is this organic wall ride?
Iggy Squiggly

My second time out there, I had one of folks I have been riding with out here show me around and that was so much more fun as not having any navigation responsibilities.

View from an Old WWII pillbox
A trail less traveled

I’m not sure I will get back out there on this trip as I already running short on days and I still have some other stuff I want to hit up. I have some footage from both outing that I’m going to put together at some point, but I may not occur until after get back home. One thing is for certain, this is a fun place to ride.

Peacock Flats Loop + Video

Boy have I had a great week of getting out on the trails here on Oahu. I have a pile of pictures and footage to sort through already as well as great stories to share.

Jeep trail in the Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve

Last week I did the Peacock Loop. Sometimes just referred to as Peacock Flats. It is a big ride with big views!

On the Kuaokala trail

It starts at Dillingham Airfield on Oahu’s northwest corner. You will do a paved climb up to Peacock Flats and into the Mokulēʻia Forest Reserve will you will do some ridge riding (aka ups and downs) into the the Kuaokala Forest Reserve and Game Management Area were you will pick up the Kuaokala trail some amazing bit of single track before getting back onto jeep trails and more ups and downs.

Singletrack goodness along the Kuaokala Ridge Trail
Pointing to Japan
Working my way down the Kealia trail.
Descending the Kaelia Trail

You will finish up the loop with the Kealia Trail which is a pretty serious bit of steep rugged single track that I have heard called a hiking trail that bikers sometimes ride. I was somewhere between pooped and cooked at this point in the ride which make technical riding that much more interesting. All together you will do 21.2 miles and 3,700 feet of climbing. If it is clear out, I say the price of admission is worth it. If you are a Trailforks user you can find the route here, but realize that this route over estimates the total ascent by a bunch. Here is my Strava from that ride which shows the elevation better.

Finally here is the video I put together from this day’s adventure.