I've Seen Fire And I've Seen Rain

Monday I didn't ride, yesterday the rain came before I could get out, and the rain convinced me I wouldn't be able to ride today either. I was in a dreary mood. But to my surprise the rain stopped and it cleared to partly cloudy this afternoon. I didn't have much time to ride, but decided I should do it anyway.

The best trails to ride in / after rain are the lower Draper trails. The soil is a course sand that drains well and it actually gets more firm with water added. So that's where I went. I parked at the Equestrian Center and headed up the Lower Corner Canyon trail. With the fire a month ago the hillsides are blackened.



I turned north on the BST and kept climbing. I've done these trails many times, but I still enjoy how they climb - rolling and winding up across the hillside. I hit the bumps and caught some air. At the crossing of the dirt road I got a close look at the fire damage, and some new items Draper City has installed.



Riding north on the BST the trail looks very different - it's a bit eerie. But except for the smoky smell it was good riding - there aren't plants overgrowing the trail anymore.







A little ways past the first gully crossing I turned around (short on time) and reversed course. Back at the junction of 2 trails and 3 dirt roads I peeled of onto the Gas Line trail. After crossing the foot bridge I turned right onto the old dirt road and then turned left onto the new trail they built a few months ago (it leads to the bottom of the Ghost Falls trails, but I'm not sure what it's called). I have only gone down this trail - it was a good climb, not killer. I botched the climb up the switchback around the boulder. At the end of this new trail I reversed course and was happy to make the switchback going down - it's easier now because the trail has settled and packed down and some kind soul moved most of the loose rock off the trail.

After the foot bridge I took a thin trail on the left I had seen before, but not ridden. It threaded through big rocks and down some steps. I thought it was fun but the trail just before the bridge is better.

I enjoyed the descent and took the Creek View trail to ad some more spice to the ride.

There were a few loose spots, but mostly the rain had firmed up the trails. And the cooler temperature felt nice (I was still dripping with sweat since the humidity was up). So even though I only rode just over an hour, it improved my mood - cycling is magic, I tell you!