Lappin the Cone

Marni had dinner and movie night with the girls so I did some riding with some teammates at Centennial Cone. Okay maybe dinner and a movie was because I was riding? Either way the team ride was the Cone so I convinced the Feedback boys to start from the lower Mayhem Gulch trailhead. After browsing bikes I cannot afford at Big Ring we drove up the canyon and parked at the new trailhead. I had two bottle of Perp and a plan to do a fast 3 hours of riding. I even had my night time helmet setup just in case I ended up finishing a lap after dark. Luckily mother nature was cooperating and some rain had come through earlier in the afternoon. This meant no rain now, perfect trail condition and almost no one else on the trail. Kyle led up the Mayhem Gulch climb and I took over on the short downhill that followed. Scott climbed back to me before long and we motored along trying not to crash off the trail obscured by tall grass and flowers. This really has been an amazing spring and summer. I can't remember the last time I saw this many flowers and this much green. Or maybe this year my eyes are just open?

We goofed around waiting for the rest of the train and Scott took a nature break.
Kyle followed shortly. Such crappy scenery huh? Haha.
Doug, Rob and Nick along with the singlespeeder who I appologize for forgetting his name.
I was in a good mood getting to rail the downhills where you could see ahead and with Scott pushing me up the climbs we made good time to the rock stairs. I of course screwed them up and had to take another shot.
Everyone was having a good time though and we were moving quickly.
Ahhh more flowers in almost every color. Note to MTBR. This trail sucks. Stay away. I'll suffer and keep riding it to see if it gets any better and report back. You guys ride the other trails until I let you know.
Scott made me pin it pretty good to the trail's highpoint up the fireroad and before I knew it we were back at the Mayhem Gulch intersection. I wished everyone else farewell and took off for another lap. It was just after 8pm so I wanted to move quickly to bang another lap out before dark settled in too heavily.
I did have to stop for a couple more pictures though. The sunset was really pretty and the trail was amazing (I mean sucky MTBR) in the low light. Flowers and green meadows and a trail all to myself.
The last lap was pretty uneventful except for my crash. I was easing up on the pace a bit downhill which led to a lapse in concentration. Hello pedal, meet rock. I got tossed into the grass instantly. Luckily bike and body were fine. Ego was a little bruised. I dusted myself off and finished the lap, finally lighting the PT EOS for the last 20 minutes. The clouds made it just dark enough to shrink my 9:15pm daylight window. I rolled along the final downhill a bit slower, enjoying the night and making sure I didn't crash again all by my lonesome. Perpetuem in the bottles kept me feeling good all night and I felt just as great as Monday. I'm hoping this is my body starting to turn the corner again.
I arrived back at the trailhead with the toaster the only car in the parking lot. Before I knew it I was pulling into the driveway, shoveling down some leftovers and catching up on the GDR before bed. Not to worry though. Tomorrow the gang is going back to the Cone again. Don't worry, it's just to make sure the trail still isn't fun...