Nancy gets trail tested

Sunday Jill and I headed up to Devil's Backbone in Loveland for some "real" trail action. Sure I've been doing night rides on trails, but Marshall Mesa/Boulder Res/Teller Lake trails are more like dirt sidewalks than mountain bike trails. The good news is that we live on the border of Boulder & Larimer counties, so the rough, rocky trails of Larimer are in close proximity.

I carefully thought out my choice of bike for the ride. On one hand, it makes a whole lot more sense to take my 6" travel, geared 575 to the Backbone than my singlespeed, rigid 29er. On the other hand, I built Nancy the Niner with the intention of riding it on the trails with Jill as to "even up the fight" a bit.

So I grabbed the Niner and we headed out for some trail time. The weather was splendid, actually pretty hot and the trail was filled with lots of other people experiencing some spring fever themselves.

Devil's Backbone isn't long, doesn't have a ton of climbing but it is pretty demanding compared to other trails in the area. What you think is a flat section running in the shadow of the namesake geological formation is really a slow, grinding uphill that is just weakening you for what is to come. And what is to come you ask? Just a little climb aptly named "Heart attack hill". What am I doing on this SS again?



We hit Heart Attack Hill and I attacked knowing that I'd need some momentum to make the really steep, loose section at the bottom. I started off strong, clearing the first rock step but then lost traction in the dusty powder and spun out. Won't be cleaning that climb on my first attempt after all... I remounted, talked with a couple other trail users and then started the grind to the top again. One more
small dab on the way up, but after reaching the first junction I was pretty pleased with how I had done.



After that the ride begins to mellow somewhat in terms of climbing, but gets very rough and rocky. Riders are treated to some great views of Long's Peak & Mt. Meeker (as seen below), but often your teeth are rattling too much to really enjoy them.



We continued out to the back loop, completing it in a counter-clockwise (i.e. harder) direction. The back loop is rough, with jagged rocks everywhere. The rigid SS was quite a conversation topic, as it seemed everybody wanted to stop and talk to me or make comments about how crazy I was to be riding a rigid SS out there. Crazy? Yeah probably so.



Jill was hot, and huffed and puffed her way up the climb but did admirably well. She has really come a long way with her fitness and ability to climb in the high altitude , especially given her problems with asthma. I could tell she was much stronger than the last time we had ridden here, which is a very good sign considering it was our first ride of the season. Good sign of things to come for her this summer I think.





And lastly, I couldn't have a bike post without an elevation graph. Since moving here I measure rides based on elevation charts instead of speed, averages or mileage. Sure mileage is a big factor, but I've had some climbing rides (Logan Mill Rd.) that kicked my butt a heck of a lot more than long mileage days.