Silverton Raw Dog

Riding Deer Creek in Silverton, Colorado with Alex Petitdemange. #followcamfriday raw dog. 

If you have been following me for a bit, you may know that my prefered riding type is jank. Although I do enjoy hitting enormous jumps on smooth trails, I am in general searching for the trail less ridden. Flow trails can die a fiery death. The character of a trail that is less obvious and makes my brain work a bit more is somehow more interesting to me. Mental chess, on the fly is the appeal. I fell asleep on a flow trail once. 

Deer Creek is special. Narrow, rough an as raw as it gets. You will get bloody fingers on the flowers. You will catch that sniper rock hiding in the bushes. You might even break your bike. But if I am being honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. If you can't see the trail right in front of you, you are doing it right. Basically like riding with a pair of pants on your head. Live for it.

This was "first lap" for Alex and second for me. It is always a pleasure watching my friends dissect trail on the fly for the first time. Alex flows like water over rough, unseen terrain. He may actually be faster on trails that he has never seen before. What a legend. 

While I was riding this section a week prior, I came up on a group of locals clearing winter deadfall and improving the corridor. As a man who also does a ton of this on my local, I truly appreciate this sort of thing. Those who choose to donate their time and energy in this direction never get enough credit. Please consider a donation to the Silverton Singletrack Society. They are doing wonderful things in the area and need support. 
DONATE TO THE TRAILS HERE

As I type these words, I am sitting in my van at Purgatory. I am racing the BME event this weekend. I haven't really raced in 2 years now and I truly have missed the community that Big Mountain Enduro has built. The vibe at the races is something that I have been missing in my life. So many old friends and good peeps. Wish me luck. I definitely haven't been "training", but I have been riding my brains out, so we should be good.