THE 3rd Annual, Unofficial, Unorganized, Rocky Mountain MonkeyButt 500 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Yellow Pig]

I might have to tag along this year if I can wing it.

Sounds like a MoMOAR...multi-day MOAR.

What kind of range is needed on the bike?

[modette]

I told Paul I would do it this year...so I'm going to really try my best to make it.

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by Yellow Pig

I might have to tag along this year if I can wing it.

Sounds like a MoMOAR...multi-day MOAR.

What kind of range is needed on the bike?

You'll need an oversized gas tank; probably 120 mile range would be good. Day 2 we'll have a 72 stretch of mainly second gear riding. Last year Tim did it with a regular tank and had to be towed into one station and had to miss Timberline Trail as well.

Has anyone else ridden the MB with a stock tank?

[modette]

Originally Posted by pablo83

You'll need an oversized gas tank; probably 120 mile range would be good. Day 2 we'll have a 72 stretch of mainly second gear riding. Last year Tim did it with a regular tank and had to be towed into one station and had to miss Timberline Trail as well.

Has anyone else ridden the MB with a stock tank?

Well you know me and filling the 6.3gallon all the way...probably enough for everyone...LOL Heck I might not even need to fill up during the ride.

[onlead]

Originally Posted by modette

Well you know me and filling the 6.3gallon all the way...probably enough for everyone...LOL Heck I might not even need to fill up during the ride.

Nothing like toting an extra 40 pounds of gas on the Timberline Trail. Glad I talked Tom out of trying the XRR last year. Of course, riding the BRP will really help deliver a full appreciation of the MB500 - but then again so will a kick in the balls. Just please let me in front of you.

[onlead]

Originally Posted by pablo83

Has anyone else ridden the MB with a stock tank?

I think both Colin and Tom had stock tanks on there CRs in the first year.

[modette]

Originally Posted by onlead

Nothing like toting an extra 40 pounds of gas on the Timberline Trail. Glad I talked Tom out of trying the XRR last year. Of course, riding the BRP will really help deliver a full appreciation of the MB500 - but then again so will a kick in the balls. Just please let me in front of you.

The extra weight is not a big deal, it is picking it up especially when the bike is upside down.

[Yellow Pig]

Perfect. I run the 3.4 normally and have the 6.3 for the long range stuff. I suspect I'll stick w/ the 3.4 for this one. The 6.3 might be a bit too much.

[Raul Duke]

Originally Posted by Yellow Pig

Perfect. I run the 3.4 normally and have the 6.3 for the long range stuff. I suspect I'll stick w/ the 3.4 for this one. The 6.3 might be a bit too much.

[Pablo83]

On day three we'll attempt Quarts Creek (trail 483) near Pitkin. It will be the first trail of the day, so we should all be fresh!

I’ve never ridden this trail. I found the trailhead (pictured below). Ryan and I are pretty sure we know where it comes out, but we're not completely positive. I don’t plan on pre-running this trail before the MB. It’s going to be the big day-three surprise, like Timberline was the first year.



I'm not pointing the camera at the ground in that picture, I was standing up with the camera level, looking at the hillside in front of me. My bike is on it's side because kickstands don't work in this type of environment. This section is real muddy and pretty much straight up. I was solo on that ride, so I turned around here. This trail may require helping other people get their bikes up various obstacles. Colin, you may want to get a little extra endurance training in this year so you can ride Tom’s bike up this trail for him .

[BobDan]

Pablo83,

Just found this thread. I think I'll give it a go this year depending upon the dates. I road the Moab MB 2010 with you'll, remember? If nothing else, I can help you with planning; if you want.

BTW on Day One, once you come over Weston Pass you are just south of Leadville near Hwy 24. I think you would have to slab it south until just north of BV. [I'll go up there this spring and try to find a non-slab route, but I'm not sure if there is one.] Then you can cut throgh Four Mile OHV area (northside to southside) to do Chinaman's Gulch trail etc. This is my back yard, so I can work with you on the route. Another option would be come south towards BV and then turn west to Cottonwood Lake and then go over Poplar Gulch. Poplar is a good, challenging, single track trail that drops down onto Tincup Pass trail just west of St Elmo. You mentioned that after Chinaman's Gulch you were go to do Hancock Pass. I think you want to do Tincup Pass. Hancock puts you too far south. Tincup takes you to the start of Timberline. You pickup an ATV-width trail behind the restrooms about a mile past Mirror Lake. Again, I can work with you on the actual route. I have GPS tracks of most of it.

Day Two. I'm not as familiar with the trails near Crested Butte but there are people around here that do. I do also have GPS tracks of most of the trails. You are aware that they changed the west end of Doctor's Park trail last year.

Day Three. Going up Quartz Creek trail could be a challenge. If it is the trail that I recall. The one that meets Canyon Creek on top of Stella Mountain. Anyway, that ought to be interesting. I heard the FS was working on it last year but haven't confirmed that. Maybe they improved it. We usually go down it. The rest of the trails look like fun.

Bob

[BobDan]

AdvRonski, I saw your post and several comments about you being in Grand Junction area in June. I'd like to hook up with you also. June is a good time for me as it is a little early for most of our high passes here in south-central Colorado, We are in trail-clearing mode mostly in June. I'd like to get up to GJ and ride. Oh course, Moab is open but can start getting hot in June. I have a couple of trail bikes (250&400) and a dual-sport bike (690). I see where Raul has a 950 now. Not sure if I could keep up with you two on 950s with my puny little 690 but I could try. FYI. My girlfriend's mother live in Minnesota. Is it worth dragging a bike up there this summer when I visit? Bob

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by BobDan

I road the Moab MB 2010 with you'll, remember?

Yup, I also met you at a trailhead near Marshall Pass early one morning a couple years ago, but we didn't ride together that day.

Originally Posted by BobDan

once you come over Weston Pass you are just south of Leadville near Hwy 24.

Sheep Mtn spits you out on the east side of Weston Pass and I was kind of thinking of staying on the east side of the range because there seem to be a lot of jeep trails over there. I'm hoping one can connect us to Fourmile. But I do like your Poplar Gulch idea. If you could do some scouting, that would be great.

Originally Posted by BobDan

You mentioned that after Chinaman's Gulch you were go to do Hancock Pass. I think you want to do Tincup Pass.

Hancock, Tincup, whatever...

Originally Posted by BobDan

You are aware that they changed the west end of Doctor's Park trail last year.

Yep, and I never got to ride that part of Doctor's

Originally Posted by BobDan

Going up Quartz Creek trail could be a challenge. If it is the trail that I recall. The one that meets Canyon Creek on top of Stella Mountain. We usually go down it.

That's the one. I can't wait.

[BobDan]

Your Day One Plan:
717 trails, Tarryall trails (new), 15 miles of asphalt on Hwy 285 from Como to Fairplay, Sheep Mtn ST, (new, 12,000 ft elev), TBD, Four Mile (maybe 1425 ST and Chinaman), Tincup Pass, Timberline ST (all of it). Camp near the end of Timberline.

My Comments:
OK, I see. You don't plan on going over Weston Pass, just the start of it south of Fairplay. How you plan to get over to Sheep Mountain? That's a good plan. How do you plan to get to Sheep Mountain from Fairplay?

I've never done the Sheep Mountain ST. I found a Sheep Creek Mountaon Bike Trail on Google, is that it? Any, let me know where you will com out on the south side. We can then go over Trout Creek Pass on HWY 285 or zigzag around to the north side of Four Mile area. From there we can get to Four mile south and Triad Ridge Trail (1425) and then Chinaman Gulch to west. Are you familiar with Chinaman's? Do you want to take the north or south loop? I have a PDF Four Mile map but couldn't figure out how to enclose it. If you want, I can PM it to you.

We can talk about the west side of BV later (Poplar Gulch, Tincup, etc.).

[Pablo83]

Originally Posted by BobDan

How you plan to get over to Sheep Mountain?

There's a trial that exits the back of Horseshoe CG that goes over the Mtn. The backside of the trail dumps you into Sheep Park (trail 175) which takes you to CR5.

Originally Posted by BobDan

How do you plan to get to Sheep Mountain from Fairplay?

CR18

Originally Posted by BobDan

Do you want to take the north or south loop?

North if we have time, South if we are running late