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| Joe's Ridge
Peter Beers 8/28/2005 PedroGringo@yahoo.com |
If you like narrow, steep downhills, Joe's ridge is your ride. The trail is aptly named because its main feature is a few downhill chutes and brief climbs that go along the top of a fairly pronounced ridge. On one section, the trail is quite narrow and the sides of the ridge drop away at close to 60 degrees.
The trail starts off easy enough. There's a well marked turnoff from the Front Side trail at the base of the Book Cliffs. If you're heading for Zippity Doodah and you're unsure of your ability to ride the steep drops, do Joe's Ridge first as a test. If you like it and want more, steeper, longer descents, then climb back to the top and take Zippity.
Once you're on Joe's Ridge, the trail has a brief section where it has a few dips and turns with a slight descent. This is fun to rail. It is marked on the map as a one way trail (DOWN only) so you can be relatively sure that people won't be riding towards you.
There are a few short climbs on this trail. None are technical. They're good to raise a little sweat and make you feel like you worked to earn your downhill.
The second part of this drop is a little steeper. It is a little intimidating because you don't see it until the very last moment. It gets pretty chewed up from people hiking down it. Stay to the hardpack area and you should be fine. Be aware that there are braking bumps periodically. Your suspension forks will take care of this (assuming you ride with suspension). Otherwise your arms and legs will absorb them.
The third part of the drop is short and a little steeper. This is the one that is harder to see because you're coming around the corner when it drops off. Again, it isn't too difficult, but the soft areas where people have walked down complicate things. Hardpack is your friend. If you get off in the soft stuff, stay off the front brake and let your front wheel float through it. You'll be okay.
There's a nice little winding section that lasts a few hundred yards across the valley. Its fun and a good opportunity to rail a bit before you have to climb. You can see this section in the distance of the pictures of the first drops.
Right before the climb up the next section of ridge, there's a short drop into a desert wash and a pop out the other side. This isn't difficult at all, but its easy to get your weight shifted forward when your front wheel hits bottom on the wash. I imagine a few riders bumped their knees on their stem on this little dip.
The climb is short and steep. It leads to the top of the ridge. Its easy to climb this and it again makes you feel like you worked a little bit for the privilege of descending.
Joe's Ridge eventually drops you off onto a dirt road that goes back to the base of the campground. You can follow the trail along the road to get back to the lower parking lot, or you can head to the right and catch the bottom of Zippity Doodah.
If you've done Joe's as a warm-up for Zippity, take the time to ride all the way back to the top. The top part of Zippity is worth the ride. :)
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