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 Post subject: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 10:01 pm 
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deerhucker
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The kids had the entire week of Thanksgiving off so we made a family trip to Las Vegas. I have wanted to ride there for several years but never got around to stoping with the bikes on the way to Utah. This was my chance. I wrangled up a bike rack for the mini van (thanks craptasticyler) and on Sunday morning, off we went.

My original plan was to hook up with a few other DTers but the plans changed due to others illness and some having too much fun in Utah so the rides were to be alone.

Since we had only one car, I needed to get out early. On Tuesday, I hit up the Cowboy Trails in the Red Rock Canyon Conservancy.

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I arrived just around 7:00 am. To say it was cold was an understatement. I did not bring my winter gloves and my fingers were screaming at me. At least I did not overheat in the armor.

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The Cowboy trials were a lot of fun. It was a gradual climb up the surrounding hills. There were numerous step ups which would be a blast on the descent. (forgive the blue hue of the pics, I had the wrong setting on the camera)

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As I wound around the trails, the sun began to warm the air and soon it was a balmy 50 degrees. The trials there had many options but I was short on time so I opted for the quickest way down.

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This was a mistake. I am not a competent downhiller by any means and that coupled with a cross county bike lead to a lot of walking. Word to the wise, if you get to boneshaker and do not like 6 ft drops with no runouts, this is not the trail for you. Instead, take the right at the sign. You will get a great view of Vegas and a much more realistic (sane) ride down the mtn. It still has it challenges, just a bit less life threatening


On Wednesday, my parents in Laughlin agreed to take the kids for a couple of days so Mommy and Daddy could have a real Vegas trip.
Of course of I took the kids down and on the way back, stopped by a little place called Bootleg Canyon. There are more trails here than you can shake a stick at. It was pretty much single track porn.

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The trails were all well built and only 1-2 feet wide. Real single track. There was tons of exposure. Stuff that I would not want to miss the edge. I kept hearing the voice from Miles horrific crash at Carrizo Gorge from years past, “Yeah, but look at the penalty for failure, dude”. Here is one of 100 examples. Yes that is a trail.

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Unfortunately it was late and the shadows were long so again, I had to cut the ride short. There is a moderate sized trials park at the staging area, that I played around on post ride.

A few bridges.

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A teeter totter.

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So now I have to make a better plan and get back there soon. The potentials for epic rides are huge. I just scratched the surface. As Arnold said in the original Terminator movie “I'll be back!”

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Last edited by bankerboy on Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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bajamtnbkr, Canaan, Christ D., OldDogDan, proskisd, Ratigan, Red Hot Sloth, Robo, wirk242
 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 10:10 pm 
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Nice TR, on your next trip back don't miss Cottonwood(Blue Diamond) trails, great xc ride.


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 10:29 pm 
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Wow! 27 degrees, that will make your snot freeze! Remember in dumb and dumber? When they got off the mini bike in Aspen, yea it's like that. Big props that's a man that wanted to ride,.... alone, below freezing, new trail,... hardcore man.

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 10:50 pm 
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A bit of armor, a GPS with extra batteries and some common sense (except for the cold) go a long way out there. The land is very open, with very little plant life over 3 feet tall so your line of sight is never really obscured.

Besides, lock yourself in a Vegas hotel room with 3 kids and I guarantee you too will find the motivation. :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:30 pm 
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Awesome man!

Yeah, like Baja said check out blue diamond/late night. Fast flowly single track... No major climbs since it's pretty flat.

Yeah... I feel you on bone shaker. The top part was a blast... but once you get to the bottom with the big drops I was in way over my head. There is a bypass for that section, I kind of just stumbled onto it.. I think it may connect into 'Bob Gnarly".

As a side note and a rant.... look at bootleg... seriously WTF. How come we can not do that here?

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:40 pm 
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Love the pix you were able to snap. Makes me want to go back! I'd like to do the Cowboy Trails again, but instead of going down Boneshaker, just going back the way we came up. That climb just seems like it will be sooo much fun going down it!

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:12 am 
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Holy crap man! Who wakes up at 6AM in Vegas???

I was there too, riding around Blue Diamond, might post some pics later. Thanks for sharing your ride. Just like I said before, Bone Shaker is one serious trail. Double diamonds in my book for sure.


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 6:03 am 
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kettlebell wrote:
Holy crap man! Who wakes up at 6AM in Vegas???


Exactly, usually I am just going to bed.

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 8:52 am 
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Sweet bankerboy. Sorry to bail out on you, but kids getting real sick have a way of derailing plans. Next year!


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 9:08 am 
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nice! looks like fun trails.

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 12:35 pm 
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Robo wrote:
Sweet bankerboy. Sorry to bail out on you, but kids getting real sick have a way of derailing plans. Next year!


Not a problem. The stars were not aligned this time but there is always next time. If you plan anything, keep me in the loop. There was too much to do with not even close to enough time. :cheers:

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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:58 pm 
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Told you guys Boneshaker was gnarly :lol:


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Wed Dec 02, 2009 11:49 pm 
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I rode out there today for the first time. I've ridden Bootleg a number of times and the recent trip reports motivated me to check out the Cowboy trails.

After finishing my work obligations I got to the trails around 3:15 and only had about an hour of light. Temps were 46 degrees when I started. With no map, limited time and riding solo I didn't do a ton of exploring and never saw boneshaker, but I managed to piece together a few different trails.

It was really cool with some fun little drops and small rock gardens. I thought the trails were much slower than Bootleg, but maybe there are other trails with better flow. Also, with so much cactus bordering the trail I was afraid of rolling or jumping off rocks next to the trail for fear of landing in cactus and getting a flat.


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:54 pm 
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I rode the cowboy trails wednesday afternoon. The climb up was good with stairsteps all the way. I got to boneshaker at 3:00 and wanted to checkout the top. Great view! I went down bob narley to the horse stables. That place is good but I won't ride it again solo. Today I hooked up with a few friends at bootleg. Windy is an understatement! But still well worth the trip. Tomorrow afternoon blue diamond is the plan.


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 Post subject: Re: Vegas on my own
PostPosted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 6:01 pm 
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Can't wait to see your TR with photos and gps and your personal experience, ok a few pictures would be cool :mrgreen:
proskisd wrote:
I rode the cowboy trails wednesday afternoon. The climb up was good with stairsteps all the way. I got to boneshaker at 3:00 and wanted to checkout the top. Great view! I went down bob narley to the horse stables. That place is good but I won't ride it again solo. Today I hooked up with a few friends at bootleg. Windy is an understatement! But still well worth the trip. Tomorrow afternoon blue diamond is the plan.


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