Big Spring Hollow Boys

In my last post I reported on a nice ride up Big Spring Hollow with my wife. Adam commented that he was riding with some Mad Dog guys up there tonight and I'd be welcome to come along. With bad weather possible tomorrow, I decided I should ride tonight even though I only had until 6:15.

I arrived at the Big Spring Hollow parking lot a few minutes after 5 PM. I saw a few other cars with racks and wondered if I'd missed them. But Jared was already there and Adam and Keith arrived a few minutes later.

We headed up the trail and took the usual route heading to the springs then took the left fork at the Tee to enjoy the sweet turny goodness of the Enchanted Forrest then the small meadow. After the meadow they showed me some new trail as we turn right after switchbacking to cross the gully and climb the other side. I had gone this way once before years ago and didn't recall going very far or thinking it was any good. I was wrong on both accounts.

After the climb we crossed another lovely meadow - this one larger than the others. It was downhill and fast. At the other side we veered right and up a long, tough climb. I was in my middle ring, but should have been in the little ring. I'm not good at the low cadence grinding, but somehow I made it all the way up, but I paid the price. I wasn't completely blown, but it took a good chunk out of me.

After the climb was some nice single track after we veered right onto it. A bit chewed up from the ponies, but nice lines. The area was loaded with Mule's Ears starting to bloom. There were several switchbacks then we joined into an old jeep road. We took it back to the meadow where I took the only photos of the ride.

Adam, Kieth and Jared above the big upper meadow.


We took the old road across the meadow which dumped us back into Big Spring Hollow.

I had just enough time for one small loop so up we went again. I didn't have the same energy this time and had to use lower gears. But it was still a nice climb. Back in the small upper meadow I bombed down the gully while the others took a bigger loop. I flew down the meadow (my one glance at the cyclocomputer read 26 mph) and down the rest of the trail back to the car. Such a sweet trail - hard packed and fast.

I loaded up quick and made it home on time so my wife and daughter could go to their activity.

Thanks to Adam, Kieth and Jared for a short but sweet ride. I'm pleased to have been shown the additional trails up there. It always seems a bit hard to justify driving up there for 3.5 miles of single-track (even though it's so good), but now that I know there's more it will make Big Spring Hollow a more tempting riding choice.