Friday, October 25, 2013

Fall Oregon Mountain Biking for the Soul ATCA!

Sometimes in our busy lives it's good to step back and remember why we started riding bikes. I didn't get into bike riding to race, although it didn't take long for me to think this way. Racing is fun, but epic rides with some buddies always comes out on top. This last weekend My wife Julie gave me the option to go race in Portland or ride bikes in Oakridge. The weather was mid 70s and looking amazing in Oakridge, with which I had a few rides this season. Riding won out over racing. 
Diamond Peak in the Distance

Oakridge is a hot bed for hard Oregon mountain biking. It has endless miles of trails linked with lots of climbing and descending. My plan was to go ride Heckletooth and Flat Creek which would have been a good 25 mile combo. But last minute debates turned the ride into something more amazing and special. We decided to ride ATCA. This is a new loop option only recently due to the hard work from the GOATS, DOD, and the people involve with the Cascade Creampuff 100. 
Diamond Peak
Three Sisters and Broken Top
In essence it created a missing connector to the greatest mountain bike loop that I have ridden in Oregon. There may be arguments for better trails in Oregon but not a better loop. This combines 4 of the best trails in Oakridge, it offers views of Diamond peak, The three sisters, Broken Top and Mount Bachelor. You ride through amazing old growth in sections and pass oak savanna cliffs. 
Agreeing how awesome cloverpatch is after bombing downhill.
But be sure this 39 mile loop has 8,300 ft of climbing and descending. Riding with regrouping our ride was 5 hours and 45 minutes of pure joy.