Las Vegas

February, 2004

This trip started as an “El Cheapo” mountain biking week. Several years ago, we found that the mountains outside of Vegas offered a perfect way to spend February school vacation. What made this year different is that Althea became (another) fanatic bike rider. So, in addition to regulars, Colt, Steve, and me; we added Althea and her biking friends Jenny and Ed. Then we learned that Althea’s friend Linda would be at a conference at the same time we were in Vegas.

Because we were originally booking a cheap training week, we stayed at the Orleans Hotel and Casino, an off-the-strip joint. The price was half our regular haunts, especially since it was school vacation week. Vegas hotels are like the airlines and charge differently for each night depending on demand. (A couple days last week, Mandalay Bay was charging $599 per night! Yikes).

We were pleasantly surprised by the Orleans. The rooms were larger than the Luxor, and nicely appointed. The hotel offered 16 Movie Theaters, 50 bowling alleys, and a brand new 9000 seat sports arena! The Spa was first rate….marble everywhere and lots of attendants handing you towels. The $5.99 breakfast buffet was a real winner for loading up on calories before our rides. It was also much closer to Las Vegas Cyclery, owned by our friends Jared and Heather. The Casino seemed to have a higher percentage of locals playing slot machines, always with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. Most of them looked like they were auditioning for a part in “Return of the Zombies”!

OK…..on to the bike riding. Generally Althea & Co. rode in the area of Red Rock Canyon, including the challenging 13 mile loop inside the National Park. They also took a day trip to ride in spectacular Death Valley. They all reported to have felt the effects of the altitude but they seemed to quickly adapt to it. I’ll include some pictures of the road riding once Jenny sends me some.

The mountain biking trails were in great shape. While we could see snow in the highest mountains, things were dry and fast between 4500 and 7000 feet. We rode out of Blue Diamond, a quaint “western” town, and Cottonwood Valley. Almost every type of trail could be found in these areas. Smooth, fast riding with 45 minute climbs could be found on the Mustang Trails. Red dirt trails with tons of whoop-dee-doos could be found between the Mustang Trails and the mountains to the west. Some trails such as “Black Velvet” and “Grape Ape” remind us of the rocky technical trails we find at home. Loose, steep climbs were found at higher elevations, including the infamous “Satan’s Escalator”. And finally, descents could be strung together for up to 6 miles! The best known of them all is the “3 Mile Smile”. All in all, this area is a mountain bikers dream.

Most days we were on the trails for about 4 hours, sometimes longer. Temperatures ranged from 60 to 70 degrees. The scenery was gorgeous. Our biggest “adventure” of the week took place on a day that Colt decided to train on the road. Steve and I headed out of Blue Diamond towards the Infamous “Puke Hill”. My friend Jared Fisher from Escape Adventures had begged me many times to ride “The Pukster”. The name always put me off, especially since I knew that I would be the one puking…..not Jared!

Steve and I rode the first half of the ascent without much problem. As the trail got steeper it got looser (sand/rock) and we found ourselves pushing the bikes up short sections…..then riding……then pushing again. The whole way I was (again) cursing the useless soles on my Sidi shoes. They slip so badly on rock that they are actually dangerous. As we approached the summit the trail leveled out a bit, allowing us to enjoy our victory as we rode around the final switchback to an amazing view. To the West you could see the colorful rugged mountain range. To the North is Red Rock Canyon and the “Cowboy Trails”. To the South is the town of Blue Diamond and the Bauxite Factory. To the East was “The Goat Trail”, our only route down. The descent is barren with very little vegetation, dirt, and loose sharp rocks!

The biggest news this year was how well Colt rode. At one point he was doing hill repeats on The Triple, “Hell-of-a-Hill”, “Satan’s Escalator”, and “Red Rubbly Hill”. To my knowledge he never dabbed on any of these ascents. Most people cannot do it once. His new bike seemed to greatly help his descending as well.

My friend Steve often cracked us up. To listen to him, we tortured him on these rides. Just when he thought we were through for the day, we would often cross the road and push on for another hour or two. Despite his claims to the contrary, every time I looked behind us there he was….ready for more. He claims that he fell asleep exhausted every night at 10 PM. But, the next morning he would be the first one ready to leave for the next ride!

As usual, the night life in Vegas is unrivaled. We made our mandatory stop at the Bellagio Buffet (best in town), but the best restaurant of the week might have been Tsunami at the Venetian. The Globe Trotters show at our hotel was very entertaining (despite the fact that we were all wiped out from riding). Lord of the Dance was certainly impressive. What those Irish dancers could do with their feet is almost beyond comprehension. Althea and I also made a trip to the top of the Palms Hotel for dinner at Alize on Valentines Day. It nearly broke the bank but I the memories will last a lifetime.

Thanks to all the guys at Escape Adventures and Las Vegas Cyclery. They put our bikes together, repaired them when they broke, repacked them at the end of the trip, and shipped them home. In addition, the road bikes they provided Jenny and Ed were beyond their expectations. They are the best!

This trip was tons of fun. We can’t wait to go back.