With 6 weeks to go before the big trip to Epic Mecca, several of us needed a spring training camp for some riding drills. Primarily to hone our technical rock prowess, it would also serve as shake down for our bikes, gear, and yes, our first aid skills. But the chunk terrain that we required wasn’t to be found in San Diego County, the OC, or even SoCal. So with the work week over and the RV loaded up for its first road trip of the year, it was time to leave the land of sanitized trails in search of real chunk. Hold the butter please, just crushed peanuts for the PB&J sandwich.

Day 1

Saturday morning arrived with everyone still groggy from the late night drive. Today’s objective would be to soak in the rock at South Mountain Park in Phoenix. But this isn’t your average city park. At 16,000 acres, it’s the largest municipal park in the country and the hardest trails here make Noble Canyon look like kids play. The sanitizing trail management of SoCal needs to take a few pages of notes that multi-purpose trails can be under 24” wide, aren’t remotely required to be baby bottom smooth, and can have rock features that equestrian people will ride, just like in the Old West. We arrive at the parking lot to find 3 horses coming off the trail serving as the warm-up climb. First up is Javalina.



Lots of trail users this day.



The difficulty increased as we picked up Mormon Loop. Evan works his way up one of many waterbar steps.



Brent descends the final piece of chunk to join National.



National Trail is the main East-West through the park for a total length of 14.3 miles. But today we’d only be doing 1/8 of it. It’s definitely spring time in the desert with the wild flowers in bloom.



Watch your eyes, the Cactus is in bloom.



More climbing.



Views overlooking down town Phoenix.



More climbing.



Sean hitting a small drop feature.



Sean hitting the leftside of the waterfall drop feature. In your face Widow Maker.



Mark starting out 2 sections above the waterfall.



Evan on the entry section to the waterfall.



Evan taking the rightside of the waterfall.









One massive rock landscape.



Somewhere about here Mark was so giddy with so much rock, at one point he wanted to strip naked and just roll around in it. Instead we found a rock wall feature with a 90 degree right turn around a large slab.

The approach.



Brent hitting the drop.



Mark hitting it up.



James hitting it down.



Video of Sean



We continue the climb to Buena Vista. On the way, there’s a sweet section of chunk descent. Finally we reach Buena Vista to take a break before the big descent.



Group shot to account for any lost bodies at the bottom. Geronimo is pure DH chunk, 1,000’ in 2 miles.



Ignore the scenery, this trail demands full attention.



It’s basically stair steps after a point.





Hey James, why is your leg all red???



Uh oh, Mr. Big ring doesn’t play nice with Mr. Leg.



Crap, this looks even worse after it’s been cleaned.



James declined any further fat deposit removal at this time, so Sean helped bandage him up before bleeding to death on the trail.





Would James make it to the ER before going into shock? How many stitches was this going to require? Will James’ wife make him take the first flight back to San Diego and never let him ride with us again? Stay tuned…

Man, that is one helluva "training ride." Excellent report as always.

I just spit lemonade all over my keyboard.

i just vomited on mine.

Waterfall pictures and video added by James.

Thanks GP! Awesome TR. Can't wait to see how the rest of the report.

That place looks like fun! That cut looks bad, I'm guessing around ten-fifteen stitches. That scar is gonna look awesome!

dude, thats F'd. I was lookin at the earlier pictures thinkin man Evans got the right idea with the shin guards no matter what type of riding you do ya know?? Then I see the cut! OUCH!!! Live and learn mang, hope you heal fast! Nice report, PEACE

x2.

Nice photos, look like fun trails.

I was wearing large knee pads that covered about half my shin. The cut is toward the inside of my leg/calf, where even full shin pads wouldn't have protected me.

It was just a freak thing. I don't want to ruin the ending, so I'll withhold further comment until Sean posts up his other installments...

-James

My son is here from PHX visiting & getting in MTB, & wants to go on that trail, can you pm or e-mail me a GPS info so I can give it to him.

Those pics are killer. Looks like an absolute blast out there.

I wish I could have ridden Somo when I was there, but the broken wrist wasn't having any of that. Next tine you guys head to Phoenix hit up the Goats Trials at White Tanks Park. Now that is technical and the trail that broke my wrist.

Nice TR! Kinda looks like Iron Mountain but better.

Awesome stuff!

Stay tuned...