Big Thanks to TS and Gila Monster for Sharing Gold Canyon

[traildoc]

Well we have had a great time the last couple weeks in Southern Arizona checking out some of the well know riding area and a new favorite, Gold Canyon. My ridiing buddy TS has been in inviting me down to ride in pardise and I keep telling him I don't leave paradise to ride in paradise.

Since I won't be riding in Sedona until 12/5 my wife and I decided we would check out the Southern Arizona experience and see if in fact TS had been telling us the truth about his favorite riding areas know as Gold Canyon. I have read previous posts by Gila Monster and I want to ride his namesake trail for sure.

Today we went in to check out some trails we had not ridden previously and we were pleasantly surprised that if routed properly you can ride ALL single track.

I did up a new Google Earth file of the trails to hopefully give you the intel to have a great riding experience.

[GilaMonster]

TD, it was a pleasure meeting you and Janet, and riding with you last Friday! Anytime you're back down this way, give me a shout. Now we just have to get up to Sedona and get some miles in with you both up there!

[Casual Observer]

You didn't happen to be at Aunt Chileda's in Central Phx last night?

[traildoc]

You didn't happen to be at Aunt Chileda's in Central Phx last night?

Are you asking me or GM?????????????? I was at the the Handle Bar Micro Brew in Apache Junction. Great place if you are into that sort of thing.

[Douger-1]

Are you asking me or GM?????????????? I was at the the Handle Bar Micro Brew in Apache Junction. Great place if you are into that sort of thing.

Do they have a good IPA?

[traildoc]

Do they have a good IPA?

Douger:

They have over 20 beers on tap and I would say 5 are IPA's. They have their ceiling covered with several hundred tap handles from the different brews that they carried in the past. Their food is also good if you like stuff you have never heard of before.

[GilaMonster]

Handle Bar? A most unlikely spot in a most unlikely location...they're GREAT! And Douger, IPA?? NOW you're talking!! First round's on me! --GM

[Douger-1]

Douger:

They have over 20 beers on tap and I would say 5 are IPA's. They have their ceiling covered with several hundred tap handles from the different brews that they carried in the past. Their food is also good if you like stuff you have never heard of before.

Ah ok. You said micro brew so I assumed they were brewing their own. Either way looks like a nice selection and 5 IPA's on tap is above average. I will have to check it out for sure.

[Douger-1]

Handle Bar? A most unlikely spot in a most unlikely location...they're GREAT! And Douger, IPA?? NOW you're talking!! First round's on me! --GM

Well then second rounds on me. Im going through a Stone IPA phase right now. Love that stuff.

[traildoc]

Well then second rounds on me. Im going through a Stone IPA phase right now. Love that stuff.

Douger:

Make sure and let TS know when you are going. He isn't an IPA guy but he loves that dark stuff that leaves foam hanging on the inside of the warm glass after all the liquid is gone. They had just run out of the Full Sail Pale Ale when we got there so you might want to call before you go so you make sure they have something on tap you would like to check out.

[TransitionSenior]

I had a porter( after exiting the Cloudview pking lot, of course,) today after riding some of the new trails; and met 14 other enthusiastic riders; thats a record for a ride in GC; all with nice comments about the 'new' trails there.
Unfortunately, Mickey, a youngish ie 30 yrs rider, didn't quite make it down the Trans Canada Hiway; and think he may have suffered a broken colarbone; plus a wheel that developed a huge wobble and had to be carried out.
Well, I said that that rock roll is for old farts with a death wish!
Liffe is good; and ridin at Gold Canyon is great!
cheers
TS
anyone want a tour of the new trails, let me know/

[freeskier46]

TS, must've just missed you out there today. I heard about the mishap on Canadian Bacon on my way back to the TH, never a good thing. I was just kind of roaming around out there today, riding a bunch of the trails 'backwards' if you will. I sort of gave myself a GC tour via jeep road today, it was fun. I only saw 6 other riders out there today.

[TransitionSenior]

hey; let me know when you'd like to do a tour of the newer trails and I'll try to be available.
email to drchoborne@hotmail.com
I'm in AJ so about 30 mins away from Cloudview.
TS

[TransitionSenior]

correction; darchoborne@hotmail.com
sorry
TS

[traildoc]

correction; darchoborne@hotmail.com
sorry
TS

TS:

Beware when riding Gold Canyon at night:

The Legend of the Nightranger and the Tale of Rocky(t) Ridge

After the Great Pumpkin has come and gone, my children, but well before Saint Nicolas has made his yearly appearance, charging so boldly through the night with his gifts and reindeer, is the best season to look for the advent of The Nightranger.

Indeed, The Nightranger may in fact appear at any time, but he always only visits trails that have been "bad" all year, most often on cold nights, when all is dark and abandoned and the cloak of night is best able to hide him. Between the cycles of the full moon (for too many moon-lumens make his goggles useless) he reworks the trails, not to make them stable, but to make them smooth and without impediment lest a toe be dabbed or a pedal struck.

If you make prayerful appeals to the Nightranger, either in person or via other means, and in so doing attempt to ask him to stop, or attempt to persuade him with a well-reasoned rationale as to why he should, he will surely defy you. If you leave him your anonymous burnt offerings trailside in hopes that your gifts will compel him to move on, he will only despise you more.

You must remember,children: The Nightranger hates you. He hates your elitist attitude. You may say you love a challenge, the chance to practice and improve, but only The Nightranger truly understands: smoother trails will ultimately improve you as an individual despite your intractable attitude which, in its futility, attempts to insist that the truth is otherwise.

And so was Rocky Ridge, upon who's tangled turns and pebbled path was many a mountain biker trained, at long last redone, remade, reworked by The Nightranger, into a simple, buff'd, foresty path free of obstacle, relieved of challenge. And thus was it renamed: Rockyt Ridge: the Ridge of the Rocket! Henceforth no longer a trail worthy of challenging anyone, but instead a trail to be ridden without effort by all.

All credit to The Nightranger!