Christie is one of my heros. She is, ahem, over 40 and she ROCKS on the bike. This summer she started the best job ever, she is a mountain bike guide at The Canyons! We've been trying to find a time to ride together recently and then decided we could meet while she was on the job. She set me up with the Cannondale Claymore from Canyon Mountain Rentals. We got full face helmets, knee pads and elbow pads and hopped on the Gondola. It takes you over the mountain to the terrain park where you can ride the High Meadow lift and access all the great features and trails that they've built. We warmed up on some of the easier runs then started riding some of the wood features. Then we hit my all time favorite lift-access trail, Dark Hollow. There are tons of built features (you can roll most of them) in the trees. It's like a playground for adults! The best is the huge bridge over a ravine, it's gorgeous! We finished the day by descending Holly's; so glad I've seen the waterbars they added this year. I rode all of them on the Claymore, I'm hoping that after 76 miles I can still ride them this Saturday (it's the very last trail on PCP2P).

If you are looking for a super fun day without much pedaling, check out The Canyons. For $27 you have all day access to great riding. They've spent a lot of time and money building features and jumps and they are still working on more. It's going to be THE place to be next summer! I'd also recommend getting a bike with more suspension than your XC bike, you'll simply have more fun and more confidence. Bumps and jumps are better with more suspension and that's a fact!

Dark Shadows

Bald Eagle; you can not look at them or they attack. I was instructed to stand still and not look over!