"i don't think they're part of the group"

We have discovered that a great day to MTB at Round Valley is the day of the National Ability Center's Summit Challenge fundraiser road ride.  Of course, we had no idea that the ride was going on when we headed for Park City Saturday morning.  Because of our big hike the day before, I had suggested that we ride from Quinn's Trailhead, foregoing the extra three miles (each way) on the paved bike path if we parked in town; when we pulled in to Quinn's, the parking lots were packed and hordes of road cyclists in brightly colored spandex were milling around or getting their rides (16, 50, 80 or 100 mile options) underway.  We squeezed into a parking space at a further lot and hit the dirt.

It was immediately apparent - to me, anyway; H is in terrific shape right now - that we'd put some miles on our legs the day before.  My breathing was better than it has been but my legs were tired.  I figured I could do the climbing once I warmed up but I knew I was going to be wobbly and slow.  I was right: my climb up the Sweet Sixteen was very slow, although I did manage to ride all but two of the corners, which I count as a success; and I stayed on the trail for the whole ride, climbing up the Staircase with wobbly aplomb.  And then I was grateful that it was all downhill back to the truck.

Nobody there but us

The best part of the day was that we encountered so few people on the trails.  I think people may have been dissuaded by all the Summit Challenge folks taking all the parking spots but boy, did we enjoy that.  For the beginning piece, from the start to the top of My Nemesis: two walkers and one trail runner.  From the top of My Nemesis to the Nouvelle Loop: one trail runner with two dogs.  From the Nouvelle Loop to the bottom of the Sweet Sixteen: no one.  From Sweet Sixteen to the rocky right-hand corner where I fell and scraped up my shoulder a few years ago: no one.  It was awesome.  After that, there were a few other riders climbing up as we descended the Sagebrush Switchbacks on the backside of Rambler.  We also had to dodge some Summit Challengers on the short stretch of the paved path before we got back on the dirt for the final bit.  It was there that we confused some Summit Challenge volunteers: they were helping direct riders at an intersection, depending on what length ride you were doing.  We blew right past them and one woman said to the other, "I don't think they're part of the group!" Nope, we're really not.