Night riding the Ceran St Vrain

Last night I made my 1st ever pilgrimage to Lyons, Colorado. Though I have 5 bike shops within a 15 minute drive of my place and Lyons is a hour drive, I understand that Dave over at Redstone Cyclery in Lyons is the best wheel builder in the area and he's just a cool guy I want to give my business to.

Definitely a work of art

New Alfine/Stans Flow 29er rear wheel

After finishing up with Dave it was just after 6:30pm and though Hall Ranch and Picture Rock....rock as trails...I wanted something a little different. Besides those trails close at dusk being county owned trails and I wanted National Forest, Wilderness...some orienteering if you will.

I knew the Ceran St Vrain trailhead was up off Left Hand Canyon past Jamestown but I saw on the map that I could also drive past Picture Rock. Even before I could ask Dave about it, he heard my intended trail to ride and directed me right to Raymond, Colorado. Thanks Dave!

Ceran St Vrain

Raymond is one of those cool little forks in the road that goes back to a time forgotten and its a place I can dig. Dave let me know the entrance to FS 252 would be hard to find, looks like a driveway he said and he was right.

Ceran St Vrain

oh yeah, on the right track

Ceran St Vrain

and so I began to climb

Ceran St Vrain

and climb

Ceran St Vrain

with some sweet views in the distance(Long's Peak?) Late Edit: found out this is Meekers...Its hiding Longs Peak which is a little further East.

Ceran St Vrain

The confluence of discombobulation..I took the far right and rode up to Miller Rock

Ceran St Vrain

another view

Ceran St Vrain

a few turns through the woods on unmarked though legit trails and I ended up here and knew I was on the right track

Ceran St Vrain

Beyond was some good riding

Ceran St Vrain

Ceran St Vrain

Ceran St Vrain

funny how I made my way through all the rough stuff and come to this when the trail becomes buff

Ceran St Vrain

Crossing of the St Vrain

Ceran St Vrain

lighting was getting funky

Ceran St Vrain

Jamestown end trailhead

Ceran St Vrain

Crawling through tree tunnels...about a half a dozen or so down on the trail

Ceran St Vrain

Looking back the way I came

Ceran St Vrain

The bridge over the Middle St Vrain in Raymond

Ceran St Vrain

a pilgrimage can't be made to Lyons without hitting Oscar Blues...to be honest I tried to hit Cilantro Mary's 1st but they had closed 5 minutes before I got to back to town

Oskar Blues

a well deserved treat

Oskar Blues Old Chub

5 comments:

  Luis

May 15, 2009 at 12:39 PM

Sweet! How much does that wheel weigh?

  ExtrmTao

May 15, 2009 at 2:31 PM

A great beer in a great mug!! Saahhhweeetttahhhhh.

  Karlos

May 15, 2009 at 3:27 PM

Same question, talk turkey, whats the damage.

O, super sweet ride.

  The Vegan Vagabond

May 15, 2009 at 6:18 PM

Love the pictures!
Glad to see ya back online.

Looks like we need to come out to Colorado now. Beautiful!!!

  Kevin aka. PBR

May 15, 2009 at 9:25 PM

All that and you missed one killer t.i.t.s. ride!! ;)