![\"BLT-NOBLE-28MAR15-01\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mountainbikebill.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/BLT-NOBLE-28MAR15-01.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe test grounds was the Laguna Mountains<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 We did a loop starting from\u00a0Redtail Roost.\u00a0\u00a0 Right out of the gate it was easy to tell that there was quite a bit of additional weight to deal with.\u00a0\u00a0 My normally very flickable 24lb hardtail required a lot more input on the climbs and of course some additional effort to move up the hill.\u00a0\u00a0 I however was not much different effort wise that lugging around my all-mountain Intense Uzzi.\u00a0\u00a0 I did have a few strapping adjustments to make but the starting setup was pretty close.\u00a0 Once we turned downhill it was really apparent that the bike now carried a lot more of its own momentum.\u00a0\u00a0 I felt like I was riding the bike instead of the bike being an extension of myself.\u00a0\u00a0 After dropping the Redtail Roost singletrack we climb Aqua Dulce fireroad to the top of the Los Gatos singletrack.\u00a0\u00a0 This is where I discovered something that added to the fun of Los Gatos.\u00a0\u00a0 With the additional weight over the front wheel, the bike really gripped well through the bermed turns.\u00a0 There were some giggles heard in the ravine after at least one\u00a0 well-railed berm.<\/p>\n Once we came out on the meadow, we took the Big Laguna Trail clockwise around the meadow past Water of the World and Big Laguna Lake.\u00a0\u00a0 While both are still stupidly low, the water levels were higher than they were this past fall.\u00a0\u00a0 Once we got to the top of the meadow we took the connector over\u00a0to Pine Pines and the upper\u00a0Noble Canyon<\/a> trailhead.\u00a0 We took the first mile or so of the Noble Canyon trail.\u00a0 (The new rerouted section has bedded in nicely).\u00a0 We then took the cutover trail back\u00a0 (Need to add this to my maps) Big Laguna meadow.\u00a0 From there continued on around the meadow until we peeled off to take the Aqua Dulce connector trail and then peeled off again onto the Redtail Roost connector where we climbed on the Escondido Ravine fireroad until we picked up another singletrack to take us back over to the Redtail Roost trail.\u00a0\u00a0 It was great day to be out on the bike and I\u2019m pretty happy with how my first ride with the bikepacking gear went.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n