Thread: Fruita suggestions?

So it looks like storms in the mountains this weekend, which is going to make the desert nice - highs forecasted in the mid-80's...so I'm heading to Fruita w/ a non-magg friend.

Any advice on trails? Also I only have my 35-ish lb. Transition hardtail or my AS-X w/ Shiver...I'm definitely bringing the hardtail but wonder if there's anything worth bringing the big bike for?

I think I remember seeing a post on here w/ some killer-looking DJ action in Grand Junction? We're heading out from SLC Friday afternoon and spending the weekend, so if any CO maggs want to make an early desert trip let me know and I'll PM my phone #.

edit: it was Beast's thread that had the GJ goodness, but the pics appear to be down
http://tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53469

mmmm Fruita - bring the hardtail. Bring the light dually if you have it

Desert trails near Loma if there's any precip - the sand soaks up the moisture - http://www.leelau.net/2005/Utah2005/...005/fruita.htm

THere's Eagles Wing in Grand Junction. Also Lunch Loop, Holy Cross - http://www.leelau.net/2005/Utah2005/.../holycross.htm

Also a bunch of stuff in the Kokopelli Trails and the 18Road Trails if need be
http://www.leelau.net/2005/Utah2005/.../kokopelli.htm

THere's some DJs and "free-rideish" stuff in GJ but it'll be overkill for the Yeti

The shop to get your beta and map is Over The Edge in Fruita. Say hi to Troy and keith for me

Moore Fun and Horsethief are some of my favorites in the area. They are off the Loma exit

Thanks for the quick replies yall. I have to self-JONG myself...there is a lot of info via the good 'ole Search function in here too...

GJ dj's - located near 7th street and horizon drive - look for the ditch road on the nw corner and drive back there about 1/4 mile



Another jump spot, much more dh/freeride bike friendly - located near Patterson and 28 1/4 road - head south on 28 1/4, take your first left (grand falls i think), park - jumps spread throughout the dirt are to your south:







Some lunch loop trail action on the lemon squeezer route:





If you want some dh bike friendly trails, your best bet is the ribbon trail - tons of fun on the squishy bikes with a short hike out - swing by rubycanyon cycles and ask for directions http://rubycanyoncycles.com/page.cfm?PageID=66 - tell 'em Brandon sent ya

Fruita has next to nothing that qualifies as fun on a dh bike - a few section off of mary's loop and that's about it.

Be warned that it has been raining every afternoon for a few days now . . .

Originally Posted by mtnbikerskierchick

Moore Fun and Horsethief are some of my favorites in the area. They are off the Loma exit

I have a hard time reconciling the opinion of people who like Moore Fun with my own experience. Nothing against anyone who likes it of course - I'm just genuinely puzzled how we could all have such different views of the same thing.

Lots of people say that Moore Fun is a good trail, but my friends and I spent our whole time on that trail swearing viciously and speculating that the name means "all other trails are 'more fun' than this one". There just didn't seem to be any sense of flow to the trail.

I can only assume that we have been so spoiled by the North Shore, Squamish and Whistler, that we're just hard to please. I dunno. Anyway - my recommendation as always is to check out the Bookcliffs area in Fruita.

thanks for the beta, Beast! Looks sick. OK that makes me want to grab the big bike too And I know Fruita isn't big bike friendly...that's exactly why I've never been there - it's been impossible to turn down UPS runs in Moab for XC singletrack But I've always wanted to go so figure it's worth a random trip.

So, rain = tacky in the desert right Beast? Or is it trashing the trails?

Originally Posted by DerJaeger

I have a hard time reconciling the opinion of people who like Moore Fun with my own experience. Nothing against anyone who likes it of course - I'm just genuinely puzzled how we could all have such different views of the same thing.

Lots of people say that Moore Fun is a good trail, but my friends and I spent our whole time on that trail swearing viciously and speculating that the name means "all other trails are 'more fun' than this one". There just didn't seem to be any sense of flow to the trail.

I can only assume that we have been so spoiled by the North Shore, Squamish and Whistler, that we're just hard to please. I dunno. Anyway - my recommendation as always is to check out the Bookcliffs area in Fruita.

Moore Fun is for old school Shore types who learned to ride when technical ups were as much fun as technical downs; a lot of trials type moves like tocking, tail whips, pedal kicks, surging etc to get on the ledges and stay there. Also have to be comfortable being anaerobic at altitude. I like riding it both ways but it was meant to be ridden east to west. IMO, people who like faster trails aren't going to like Moore Fun. People who like super slow technical trails will love it.

The Moore Fun builder and I are good friends - he came and rode with us on CBC - http://www.leelau.net/2004/Kevinjune...vinseymour.htm -

Moore fun rewards those with highly advanced technical skills. I personally dig it. Don't discount the new rim trail out at the rabbit valley exit, trail #2, I believe. A bit of sand to access it, but that keeps the gapers away. GREAT scenery and slickrock.

That explains it. I'm definitely no Ryan Leech when it comes to trials skills (the occasional tail whip and the like doesn't seem to be quite the crowd pleaser it could be). I find fast, flowing single track or those with fun technical descents to be the most grin-inducing types of trails.

The day we did it was brutally hot so that probably coloured my impression of it too. At some point I started hallucinating and seeing visions of butter smooth fast single track back to the car and the cold drinks awaiting in the cooler.

All this aside, I would kill to have a trail like Moore Fun around here. It unquestionably beats anything I have easy access to right now.

Hey beast, thanks again for the info on the dirt jumping spots. we found both of them; the actual dirt jumps were a bit too bmx-ish and super tight for me to tee up...yikes. but looked like a great spot.

We found the more freeridey spot and that was very cool (but blazing hot on Sat afternoon). Sessioned a little hip, and then found a double step-down line that was a blast (second one was a pretty good-sized gap). Kinda looks like that zone isn't long for this world though, with all the development in the area.

Fruita was also super fun to check out, we just hung out on the Bookcliffs side and rode in the morning and then dodged afternoon heat/storms. Pretty much rode all the trails on the 18 road area...a different kind of riding but really fun. Great spot...perfect for the hardtail

That is what I love about Fruita...you can choose flowy, swoopy, rocky, technical, sandy, jumpy, or just go for the views. Got a little of everything in one relatively close area. Glad you had fun!