Six Shooter

I needed to find my way up to Superior to fetch my car. Jobie kindly obliged when I asked, and to entice him I suggested we shuttle the nearby Six Shooter trail. Neither of us had ridden it, but it was rumored to be 98% downhill (about 3500′ of downhill to be exact) and nearly all forested singletrack goodness.

I really wasn’t up for much riding, 2 days after bailing from the reverse 300 attempt. But I figured I could handle a shuttle ride. I also figured I had earned enough ‘vert credits’ with the mountain bike gods by hike-a-bike-ing 4000′ up Oracle Ridge. Surely, enough to cover one forested shuttle ride?

Nice try. I made it about 40′ down the trail and excitedly hit the first little jump (about as big as the one above). When I landed I heard and felt a terrible thing. I grabbed the brakes and turned around. Derailleur in spokes, 3 spokes gone. Wheel taco’d such that it wouldn’t even clear the frame.

Jobie came rolling up and after a few moments of commiserating, we were laughing hysterically at the poor luck. “Well, that was a short ride.”

No way was I going to drive all the out here just to turn around. I got the wheel “true” and after a few failed attempts at going SS I just decided to go chainless. 98% downhill, right?

Ohhh….

YEAH!!!

Classic AZ ponderosa pine singletrack. My favorite. We have this down here in Tucson, but it never lasts long enough. Change elevation by ~600 feet in either direction and you’re out of it. On Six Shooter is goes on for miles…

Jobie’s all smiles after cleaning a tricky switchback on his second attempt.

Chainless Scott (pic by Jobie) attempts to coast on by. The trail was 98% downhill, but that still means a fair bit of walking. And lots of fun challenge trying to keep momentum up and ride as smooth as possible. Funny what just a little chain tension can do on certain kinds of ‘moves.’

I really enjoyed the added challenge, but my calves did not enjoy the extra punishment. The “Fred Flintstone” style of riding is precisely the extension of the calves that caused my cramps in the first place.

It’s just hot enough now that forest and shade are highly valued quantities for us desert rats.

As are running creeks and their associated fauna.

It got a little chunkier on the last ~mile.

Also a bit “walk-ier” for me. I was ready to be done. Jobie pulled me up the last couple rises on Six Shooter road back to the shuttle vehicle.

It was a bit of a long day with not all that much riding, but I’m really happy to have finally seen Six Shooter (must … go … back …) and Jobie’s a good sport for dealing with all the driving and mishaps along the way. Thanks again Jobie. We need to go back and give Sixer a proper shred.