#followcamfriday riding Longhorn, Denver's Directional DH trail with James Weingarten in 2020

This is my first time riding Longhorn in a couple of years, since Jefferson County officially made the lower section "bikes only" and directional in 2018. I am very happy to report that this track is getting faster and more rough than ever. Just the way we like it. I cannot say it enough, our user group needs more of this. It drastically eliminates user conflict and gives us a place to ride to our full potential. A huge "thank you" from mountain bikers everywhere. 

A skiff of snow in the shadows and mild temperatures makes for hero dirt, this time of year. Once if freezes again, this makes for death-ice, so choose your timing wisely. Death-ice, like grab the brakes and go faster, death-ice. Sub optimal, but always engaging. We timed this lap properly and were rewarded with some tacky bits and a lack of traffic. Well played. 

Be like James, always jump the road. It is more like a driveway, or a cart-path. But tarmac, nonetheless always needs to be jumped. Never not. 

This represents the final episode of season 5 of FollowCamFriday. What a journey it has been. I would have never imagined that this would grow into a full-time situation and am eternally thankful for James and all of my friends who have been a part of this project since it began. My goal has always been to provide quality riding videos in hopes of motivating you to get out there and enjoy your time one the bike. Thank you for being here and supporting my end goal. 

Season 6 is on the horizon and I have some new and exciting things in the works. Colorado will always be my home, but I am definitely looking forward to a return to global normalcy in 21 and a return to the travel and exploration that has keep me motivated to ride for so many years. I am missing my Canadian friends the most right now, fingers crossed for 21. 

As I type these words on Thanksgiving, I truly have much to be grateful for. Cycling and the friends I have made along the way have made my current life possible. I have amazing support from my industry partners to pursue my dreams and have been able to motivate people to ride their damn bikes. At the end of the day, this means the most to me. Just go ride. Appreciate every minute. 

Thank you for all of the support over the last 5 years. Go ride your bike. 

Nothing is free in this life. Especially not lunch. #followcamfriday snacking on jank with James Weingarten in Grand Junction, Colorado

After last week's episode from the Lunch Loops, it was painfully obvious that a second helping was desperately needed. Sometimes a second lunch is called for. Until the belly is full, satisfaction is not attained. 

This photo perfectly sums up why I ride mountain bikes. The drone has been an amazing tool to show the riding, along with the scenic backdrop, to tie everything together. Amazing perspective. 

Grand Junction built this new section of bike path to keep people off of the road on the way up towards the monument. Good call GJ. This photo shows two very different trails, but it is definitely striking how similar they look. I would say that when planning infrastructure, blending into the surroundings is paramount. Kudos GJ. 

This section of Free Lunch reminds me of Hangover in Sedona. Except, traversing on the opposite side. And more yellow... Pretty similar feel though, riding under the wave of rock. If you ever find yourself out here in the rain, this is an proper place to seek shelter. You won't actually be able to ride if it is raining due to the bentonite in the soil, but at least you will be dry as you carry your bike out of the desert. 

This was James Weingarten's first lap on most of these trails. It is always a pleasure watching someone ride a new section that I am very familiar with already. Watching someone else's brain process trail is basically witnessing art being created right before your very eyes. The canvas of rock provides ample space for expression and inspiration. Watching James ride lines that I had never even noticed always puts a smile on my face. 

Another line that I had never considered before. Why not carve high on the rock and huck to flat, back into the trail. Makes perfect sense to me. Outside of the box is where you want to be. Be like James. Remove yourself from the box. 

Is this desert or dessert season? #followcamfriday packing on the pounds leading into Winter with James Weingarten.

Desert season means different things to different people. For me it is a time to escape the high country before ski season actually takes hold and enjoy some mild temperatures, just to the west of me. This also happens to be dessert season, as an extra portion or three of ice cream will go a long way to keeping my meager frame warm in the coming months. Another portion of pie please. 

This is a photo of James trying to break his rear wheel. Oh, the magical sound it made as he smashed his poor rig straight into this maneuver. It was music to my ears. Immediate smiles and laughter followed. There is just something about watching your friends try and destroy their bike that will never get old to me. Too good. Fortunately James is very light and catlike, so the wheel survived. More dessert for James. 

Eagle's Wing is a special bit of trail. I would imagine that most opt for Free Lunch at the top, but Eagle's has that old-school jank that always puts a smile on my face. As an added bonus, you could definitely fall off of a cliff on this bit. Now I am in my happy place. Danger ranger. It is worth noting that this is first-run for James. You only get one first, so you had better make the most of it. 

James took this one deep. Disregard for bike and body, deep. Good man, that James. Always entertaining the camera that is chasing him and making last minute adjustments accordingly. To be fair,  this was first-go for James, so I definitely respect the fact that he went sending, instead of "taking it easy" Be like James. Always cary way too much speed everywhere and always pull up when you see an obstacle. Safety third. 

As I type these words, I fully acknowledge that I am very lucky to live near some of the best dirt jumps in the world. I am spoiled, Frisco is absolutely World-Class. How do I put this nicely.... These jumps are... Dangerous? Sandy? Need help? Yup, all of those things. The city should really hire someone to maintain these things. They are honestly dangerous and could benefit greatly from a makeover. This could be such an asset to Grand Junction. Especially considering all of the infrastructure improvements to the parking lot, signage, and bike path. Maintaining these properly should be a no-brainer. Do it for the children. Seriously. 

All of that said, we didn't come here to dirt jump, we came here to get some of the best afternoon light a man could ever gaze upon. And tech. Yeah, we also like that. If we could get some lightbro with a side of tech, lunch would be very satisfying. As outdoor dining is the norm now,  we did not leave disappointed. Fat and happy actually. 

I did ski some powder this week at WolF Creek, just 1 day after riding my bike in the desert. Colorado things. There are not too many places in the world where you can have ultimate ski and bike conditions in such close proximity. You are okay, Colorado. I might just stick around for a bit longer. Maybe I will make another ski episode. 

Does it still count as #followcamfriday if I am not following anyone? Bucking the trend on Kong

I have been seeing a bunch of quality content coming out of the Virgin \ Hurricane area in the last few weeks. Desert season is rapidly approaching for Pete and I, and Southern Utah is definitely due for a visit. I shot this in 2019, you know, back when things were "normal". Interesting fact, if you are riding by yourself, you can't fall victim to Covid. I guess I was social distancing before it was trending.  Always stay ahead of the curve friends. 

It was well below freezing when I started this ride. After parking the van at the top the night before, dropping into Flying Monkey was more than enough to get the juices flowing. The three shots of espresso also may have had something to do with that. Just me, my trail bike, and my autonomous drone. What else does a man need nowadays... You can capture footy for the boys without any boys. So many cameras to charge. 

Kong is no joke and definitely warrants a proper DH rig and full face helmet. On my next trip, I will bring both of those things, but as they say in racing.... run what you brung. What could go wrong? Trail bikes are pretty darn capable if you ask me.  It should also be noted that racers win races, not cars. And, on the plus side,  if I knock myself out, my drone will at least capture the unpleasantness. Maybe it will go for help. Maybe the footage of my demise will be recovered many years from now, when someone finds my drone laying in a canyon, memory card intact. 

All of the riding shots in this blog are courtesy of Tito Tomasi. We rode this together a couple of weeks prior to filming this edit. Tito travels the globe to ride as many places as possible and documents the journey along the way. We first met at the Andes Pacifico in Chile, and have been friends ever since. You can check out his YouTube channel HERE if you are looking for some inspiration. Tito crushes. 

Legend has it that Josh Bender build this masterpiece. I have not seen Josh in years, but he did live nextdoor to me for a summer, many years ago. True story. I happened to break my ankle that summer and he came by to check on me each and every day and succeeded in putting a smile on my face every time. Cheers brother, love your work. 

There is a reasonably large winter storm coming in this weekend. I may just ski a day or two at Wolf Creek, because that is what you do when you live in Colorado and southwest flow starts turning on. After that, the digging will be prime in Southern Utah. The question is..... Can I fit all of my ski gear, 2 bikes, shovels, and still have room for Pete in my van? Only time will tell. Van Jenga commence.