Thunder Mountain Trail and Bryce Canyon

 This was a fantastic trail!  It was very unique and one of a kind I thought.  This trail is about ten miles northwest of Bryce Canyon National Park and located in Red Canyon.  I decided this trail is a must do for me while my family went to Bryce Canyon for a weekend getaway.

 The trees were awesome I thought, being in this forest reminded me a lot of Flagstaff, AZ.  The soil was an orangey color and looked cool.

 Great views and very high at the top, I say around 7,500 ft to 8,000 ft elevation which felt pretty cool compared to desert riding especially in the morning.

I started at the Thunder Mountain Trailhead and just decided to do the loop by going up the paved trail up to the Coyote Hollow Trailhead.  Just going up Thunder Mountain would be too steep so going down it would be more pleasant.  The climb up the paved trail was not bad at all and was very nice.  It was 5.5 miles on the paved trail and 2 miles on the dirt road so it took me around 45 mins.  The elevation gain was 1,200 ft.

 I thought all the climbing would be over going down the trail but nope, still a lot of short bursts of climbing on the trail and I was totally spent.  I was so spent I ended up walking on some of them.  I just didn't have energy anymore but anyways, I still had fun on most of the downhills.

 Hoo doo.

 Awesome wrap around trail around the hoo doos.

 The whole loop was 16 miles and was an awesome ride.  The best part was the scenery.  I also want to do the Cassidy/Lossee Loop next time which is on the other side of Red Canyon and goes through the Butch Cassidy Canyon.  It's supposed to be a world class ride so I'll try it sometime.

 During the rest time of the trip, I had a lot of fun spending time with my parents and little sister sightseeing Bryce Canyon.  I thought it was very awesome.  There were quite of few people in the park but no one at all at the Red Canyon/Thunder Mountain area.  Only saw two hikers in Thunder Mountain and there were people from all over the world at Bryce Canyon.  Will have to go down there again and I learned a lot.   

Mountain bike busting again...

I have been doing quite of bit of mountain biking in the past month and it's been great!  It all started during the Deer Valley Trip and ever since I have been feeling good.  My legs feel a lot better and I feel I have more strength.   Also, all rested up.  Not much as the burning sensation feel in my leg muscles anymore.  I have been doing a lot of riding at home.  Mostly on the Flume Trail and this new trail I repaired from the hydroplant to New Canyon for the uphill route.  Before, the old trail that used to be there was destroyed by pipe line construction workers.  After they were done about 3-4 weeks later, they finished it off by putting a lot of boulders and rocks over it for blocking the cars.  So I cleared enough room for a singletrack trail and made it a lot better than the old trail was.  Added some turns and the climbing is easier.  It's fun downhill also.  I spent maybe a day and a half on it, mostly clearing rocks and medium sized boulders(they could be barely be moved by one person).  Then a lot of shoveling. 

 The start of new trail, short but fun.  Sure beats going up the main canyon road.

 I call this the Rock Garden section. 

So, I have been climbing up the trail quite of few times up to the creek past New Canyon and over to the top of the Flume.  Good rides.  It's really been good to do some hard mountain biking again and it's been a long time.  During the off time, I've been doing quite of bit of easy spinning road riding.  It paid off though.  Next weekend, I am looking forward to try some mountain bike riding down at Bryce Canyon.  Heard some pretty fun trails there, such as Thunder Mountain Trail and Cassidy/Lossee Trail.  Don't know which I'll do but I'll decide which one I'll do when I get there.  Going down there for a mini family trip.  Bryce Canyon is the only National Park in Utah I haven't been to and wanted to see it for years.  It's only 2 days long though, should be fun.