We finished early and after hanging in staging for a while, decided there was still plenty of time left to make our way to Lyda Camp. JP planned out a route and we headed off.
All was going according to plan until we tried to make it up the slick, rock strewn clay section of back-to-back bypass. JP made it the furthest as our other buddy did some acrobatics when his bike took a left at Albuquerque. Fortunately, I was at the bottom to watch this unfold and then embraced the wise decision to skip it.
We hit Chute and had a blast railing that, then hit Marianna's and were enjoying that until finding a rather large tree napping across the trail. JP captured a funny video of that debate. After discrediting a few creative ideas to make it to the other side, we hauled the bikes over the tree and kept going.
Our route back to staging included the section of back-to-back bypass that had caused us to tuck tails and turn around. I can see why making it all the way up would have been tough, going down that slippery sucker with baby-head sized rocks rolling around wasn't easy. Well before that, though, our buddy on his thumper decided to test the brush clearing skills of the big Katoom. Didn't get the name of the guys that stopped to help, but thanks to whoever you are - damn thing was a beast to haul up that 7' drop off the trail.
Logged 55 miles all in all and it was a great day on the bike and out in the woods. Thanks to the Trailsmen crew for putting on a fun ride, and even more thanks to JP for leading our sorry arses around.
Captured some video of the fun if you have time to waste, also a couple off-trail excursions. And if you'd like a laugh, check out the vid from JP on the log crossing (4th link).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYhYSv6dZ30
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqEJwZEB3jM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO64lK6yWh8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qf7vneqheYs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7Vo46EF9KY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=27XrS0baHRM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCGp5243da4