round valley rambling

We went back to Park City and the Round Valley trails on Sunday, to do our regular 20-ish mile MTB loop.  It was sunny and breezy, a perfect temperature to ride, although I struggled whenever we rode into a headwind.   Despite the recent stormy weather the trails were in great shape: not at all wet or muddy, and the spots that had been dusty/sandy earlier in the summer were now back to that great hard-packed dirt that I like so well.

There were a couple of changes that we noticed this time out.  They (whoever maintains the trails) have cut a new trail in the Rambler vicinity; we didn't try it since it's still really new but that may give us some more options in the future if we decide to branch out.  They have also installed a fancy new stone marker naming the hill we have been calling "Hammerhead": Pladsen Hill.  I don't know who Pladsen is (or was) but now he's got a serious hill named after him.  I managed to pass a guy going up (!!) the Rambler switchbacks, which is pretty awesome for me.  And even more exciting, on three downhill switchbacks where I have put my foot down, every single time I've ridden these trails, I did not have to put my foot down and rode through the turns successfully.  That made me feel pretty good.

Kinda chilly for late September

Afterwards, we went up Guardsman Pass again, stopping in a dirt pullout out for beers and a snack.  Although we could see snow-covered Timpanogos today, the weather was definitely turning: the temperature dropped, the sun went behind the clouds and the wind picked up.  I had to bundle up in all the clothes I'd brought - plus wrap up in an old flannel sheet we keep in the truck - but I still managed to drink my beer while drinking in the views.