Perfect Riding

Perfect spring conditions; cool weather, cloud cover, minimal wind. Only two riders on the trail all day long? Come on folks, ride your mountain bikes!

Game On

The trails at Potters are in remarkable shape for this time of year. Winter has been kind to the singletrack. There are still a few soft spots in shaded areas, but most of the pasture is dry. There a areas where downed branches and at times whole trees need to be cleared, but this is the exception rather than the rule. The cows wont arrive until early May, so now is the perfect time to ride without having to share the trail.

There has been some erosion at the more vulnerable locations. The drop off at The Desert has grown to the point where the lower line needs to be closed. There are two or three upper lines that can be connected with some very minimal dirt work. The "Prairie Restoration" (clear cutting) only really affects the valley below Church Grove and the entrance to Harris Hazard/Tunnel Vision/Zipper. The silver lining is that there is a new trail that is now exposed that opens a whole new set of options in this area. Yes, it's ugly, but so little of the good riding has been affected.

A word on the Ballyhoo . . .

The Big Wheeled Ballyhoo is coming to Potters in October, why here? Over the past two years, more and more local riders have switched over to the big wheels. The types of obstacles created by Cows just happen to have the habit of perfectly swallowing a 26" wheel. Since I've been on the 29er, crashes have gone down and overall riding quality has gone up dramatically. On nice manicured trails, the difference between the two wheel sizes is minimal. On water, wind, and cow groomed trails where there are more miles than any trail crew could hope to cover regularly, the 29er makes a difference.