Walla Walla riding?

[Jaybo]

We are considering eventually relocating to Walla Walla. How is the riding in the area?

Thx,

Jay

[mfisher1971]

Blue Mountains are close... I thought I used to have maps of some trails there, but can't locate them at the moment.

I have only passed thru Walla Walla a few times, years ago. Like much of the Palouse, there didn't seem to be much of anything around but vast expanses of rolling farmland...

[formica]

I have this bookmark
http://people.whitman.edu/~pogue/bikeguide/

[boostin]

I've done some riding in the Blues. It wasn't enough and I've been really wanting to go back and explore some more.

[FM]

I've got a good buddy in Walla Walla (Trey at Sleight of Hand cellars!) so I'm stoked to see this thread. Subscribed!

The trails in the Tiger Canyon area that Formica linked too, certainly have enough vert to be interesting. Anybody ridden those?

[ebxtreme]

Besides being a mt. biker and a cool guy, Kevin Pogue is also a geologist at Whitman. He's an expert on the subject of Terroir and knows a thing or three about wines as well. My better half and I spent a weekend with him 4 or 5 years ago because she wrote an article about the terroir(s) of Walla Walla and Milton-Freewater.

From Kevin, I got the idea that there's a fair bit of riding in the Blue's, but the potential up there is almost limitless. Imagine if some trail builders lived there?

EB

[krgerm]

That book brings back memories. I had it in high school, moved to the city, left the book at home.

Used to be the best riding around was on the South Fork of the Walla Walla river out of Milton Freewater. No real trail system, but a nigh limitless out and back that was walking path width for about 5 miles then was good single track headed up river.

[krgerm]

oh and about moving to walla walla, nice small town. The liberal college in town (Whitman) gives the town a nicer flavor that what you would normally get in Eastern Wa. You'll get a few hooligans if you're riding on the road, but my experiences were all annoying and not threatening bodily harm. Allegro bike shop located downtown is an excellent shop. There is a monster of a cross course at Strangler Farms with a trippple flyover. Im new so cant post pictures but check out wheatland wheelers on facebook.

[boostin]

Yea, we drove down to Milton-Freewater and then into a Trailhead. The trail was wide and rocky for the first few miles, gradually getting more narrow and smooth the farther you got from the parking lot. By the time we turned around it was primo singletrack with no end in sight.

[krgerm]

If memory serves me correctly, and it doesn't always, you could get dropped off at Tollgate, a local ski resort, and ride all the way down. I think this route is mentioned in Pogues book. I want to say its a solid 50 miles.

[Jaybo]

I'm a State worker who lives in Vantucky and can't take another winter of rain and mud. Walla Walla looks sweet and is a nice progressive town in a cool area. I might have to check it out...

Thanks guys.

[JRA]

Went to college nearby (WWU). Rode S Fork a ton. Cub Saddle was an excellent ride and might even still have a wrecked Piper Cub there. Also did a 2 day 70 mile loop that started & ended in College Place. Pogue's book is an excellent place to start.

[woodway]

I did a road ride two years ago, From Pendleton up over Tollgate and down into Elgin. It was an outstanding ride but I spent the entire ride wishing I was on my Mountain Bike because the terrain was so inviting. I've got to get back down there for some riding...

[OldHouseMan]

Several years ago a buddy and I spent a long weekend riding around La Grande and Baker City. On the way home we rode the Umatilla Rim Trail out of Tollgate. This is one of the buffest trails I have ridden over the long haul, it's only 10 miles one way but if I remember right, there were options for more mileage.