Dakota Ridge South

#followcamfriday with James from my favorite trail in Denver. Stay smashy, Dakota Ridge. 

"Favorite trail in Denver" is a bold statement. Longhorn is sweet, Deer Creek, Chimney, Enchanted.... So many good descents. After careful consideration, I prefer Dakota Ridge. 

I like this trail because it is hard. It is not sanitized, not friendly, and not for the faint of heart. Going up, going down, any way you slice it, Dakota is a fist fight. If you can clean the uphill stairs, and then the uphill rock section onto the ridge, you are having a good day. This section kicked my ass for so many years, and cleaning it every once in a while is special to me somehow. Nothing worth doing is easy. 

The wind likes to present itself in the most inopportune times. James almost got blown off of this cliff. Fortunately, James is a ninja, and it takes a bit more than a 50mph cross wind to knock this man down. 

Bonus lines. Did I photoshop James into this picture or did he boost off of that 6ft tall rock? I had never seen anyone ride this line before and it looked out of place. 5 feet high, aiming in the wrong direction, looking down the trail at the road in the distance. Can't be real. James things. 

The newly opened Dakota Ridge "South" section is well-worth a couple of laps. This was our first time on the new addition and we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of trail that continues the theme of the original creation. Thanks Tyson, love your work. And, to top it off, the South section is bike only. Hikers don't bother me one bit, but it is nice having a few less people on the trail, being so close to the monstrosity that is Denver, and all. Kudos again Jefco. 

Textbook James right here. The more time spent on one wheel, the longer your tires last. James doesn't have time to change tires, because he is too busy riding bikes, so he tries his best to only use  only one wheel at a time. Strategy. 

So, next time you go out and ride Dakota Ridge, make sure you clean those uphill log stairs. Session them until you cramp, or vomit. Don't come home until victory is yours. If you are one of those people who thinks that the log stairs should be modified because you can't ride them, Green Mountain is right across the street and has what you are looking for. Dakota Ridge is hard. It makes me feel like I suck at times, and I truly appreciate that. Less pats on the back, more punches in the face. Character building.