There is no off season.......

Gassed up and ready to roll.....Don't worry, I used ethanol.

Heading north

Heading south

Freak or Phenom?

You decide.....

#4 Apex - Golden, CO

As we move into the top four trails, Goathead nation knew this trail had to make an appearance. Unless of course you thought Tranquility made the list and Apex did not. Why ranked so high? Whether it is riding over tree roots, rocks, or 2.5 foot drops offs, you will learn how to handle your Trek (or Redline) better. Do you like the burning sensation of lactic acid building up in your legs? Then the climb to the top will delight you. Perhaps you want to bomb down a hill because the chute at Lewis and Clark is “closed”. Apex will not disappoint. HOWEVER, if you like the flatness of Manawa DO NOT ride Apex. You are either fighting gravity or enjoying its usefulness.
Besides the features the trail possesses, there have been some interesting Goathead moments.
1)As the Goatheads fought for oxygen at the top of the climb, Austin announced Jessica was pregnant with their second child.
2)One time I was feeling pretty good about the speed I was carrying down the hill and over the rocks. Lumpy looked around, saw how close I was to him, then displayed why he is the downhill master among the Goatheads.
3)This trail shows why J.A. is the most complete rider of the Goatheads. Climbs in the leading group and descends in the leading group.

3 in 1

Wow. I'm not sure how rigid the boards are that he breaks, but even if they're parchment paper, this is pretty impressive.

Cold Commute

There are really only two things I don't like about commuting in January. 1) It takes longer to get ready. I mean it wasn't super cold out this morning, but it took almost 15 minutes to get all the layers and other junk on. 2)The ride takes longer. Obviously a direct result of me being out of shape.
I came close to getting hit today as well. Just as I was getting ready to ride into the parking lot a Grace Security guy almost hit me.

#5 Slickrock - Moab, Utah

As time goes on and team Goathead takes more road trips, I'm guessing some of the trails in the top ten will get bounced from the list. In fact, trails like Dakota 5-0 and Three Sisters have a pretty precarious hold on their spot at the moment. I have a feeling one, two or possibly three of them might get replaced this July.
However, the trails in the top five can sleep easy, knowing that they are securely entrenched in their spot. These are trails that have either proven themselves over and over again, or they have left such a lasting mark on the collective memory of the Goatheads, that the sheer mention of them evokes primal urges that originate in the loins.
#5 is such a trail. It really needs no introduction. Bikers have made pilgrimages to Slickrock for decades, and few have left unsatisfied. Over and over again I was told "it can't be described, you have to experience it". Now that I have, that's really all I can say about it as well. The physical geography is like no other place on the planet. I'm pretty sure God created it with mountain bikers, 4x4 junkies and Mars astronauts in mind. It challenges the rider mentally and physically, while at the same time rewarding the rider with an endless, sandstone roller coaster......Behold, Slickrock!

"A front of crap"

I was going to post a few comments about how much this weather sucks and about how I yearn to ride trails. Then I decided BikeSnobNYC broke the weather down better than I could:

"Inhabitants of the snowbelt may scoff, but here in the New York City metropolitan area we're experiencing what we amateur meteorologists call "crappy weather." The scientific explanation for this is that a front of crap is moving through our region, carrying with it such crappy things as snow and coldness. Temperatures are below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, which is about [mumblemumblemumble] degrees Celsius. Of course, as anybody who watches the weather knows, we no longer go by Fahrenheit or Celsius. We go by "feels like." According to Weather.com it "feels like" 4 degrees Fahrenheit right now. (Weather.com arrives at this figure by forcing three naked people to stand outside for five minutes and then guess how cold it is. They then take an average of the responses.) According to me, it "feels like" my nose hairs are freezing."

20 degree temps actually sounds pretty good right now. I could ride if it were 20.

Since weather moves from west to east, we typically get the same weather the east coast gets, we just get it a day or two earlier. I always get a laugh out of the national news when they whip themselves into a frenzy over the weather pattern that we just experienced. Weather isn't a story until it reaches the east coast, and when it does, media hysteria sets in.......Oh well, it allows me to live with a chip on my shoulder.

On Feb. 15th a few of us will be doing the Panama winter adventure race. I think I'll be ready, but a stretch of nice days would be great so I can get out for a few runs. Anyone else doing the race?

#6 7 Oaks - Boone, IA

Some trails needed no help making the list, they were simply incredible trails. The 7.5 mile loop at 7 oaks can't really compare to the previously ranked trails. As a trail, 7 Oaks has the climbing of a Platte but the turns of Jewell. But a big factor in the rankings was the Goathead experience. Perhaps it was the mudfest we encountered on our first trip to Boone. It might have been the earth movers that woke us up every morning in '06. How many trails can you ride where you can literally camp 10 yards from the trail? That certainly played a part in the score that 7 Oaks received. Then again, maybe 7 Oaks seems so mystical because it answered one of life's biggest questions. "Just how many Goatheads can fit in a tent?"

Everything's better with bacon!

Try bacon on your favorite website. Just add bacolicio.us to the url. You'll be amazed how much it enhances the experience. Try MTBGoatheads to get you started.

#7 Lair O' The Bear - Jefferson County Colorado

I've always considered Larry the Bear one of my favorite trails, but I think part of the reason I remember it so fondly is because of the conditions we rode in that day. When we left for the trail-head there was sun. When we got to the trail-head it was overcast and spitting a little bit. Halfway into the ride, it was a down pour, and to our surprise, it didn't really matter. Coming from Omaha, we're all used to a little bit of rain ruining a ride. Nebraska soil may be great for corn, but add a little water and it sucks for mountain biking. Larry the Bear, on the other hand was hardly effected by the rain. In fact it enhanced the experience. Picking your way through a rock garden in a downpour just added to the adventure factor, and the pucker factor.
The trail itself offers a lot of variety. It starts with a 3 mile climb that has about 5 or 6 technical spots. Then it turns into several miles of rolling single track. The only downside of the trail is that it's an out and back. I always prefer loops.
The only downside of the rain, was that we didn't take many pictures. The only pictures I do have don't really do the trail any justice, so I'll just include a group picture, a picture of someone I don't know enjoying the trail....... and a post-ride picture of The Professor

Wingsuit Base Jumping

In case ramps aren't your thing...

Happy 2009!

Set your goals now!