Thunderbird Park

Distance: 4.19
Start Time: 11:40
Ride Time: 31:50
Average Speed: 7.9
Notes: Back to Thunderbird Park, the first trail I wrote about on this blog when I started back in December. I didn't get up in time to do a road ride this morning so I threw the mountain bike on top of the Volvo and headed up to my 1:00 appointment a couple hours early. I had hoped to do two laps on the loop, but I got off late enough that I cut it at one. At 4 miles the trail makes for a quick half-hour lunchtime ride. I'll have to try it more often in the future. As before there were lots of hikers on the trail, but all were polite. I got no stink-eye today. I also felt phenomenally better today than last time I rode it. If you recall, I had a terrible chest cold that left me with what felt like 50% breathing capacity. I was out of shape from not riding in over a month, and I was freezing my butt off. Today, I was healthy, in shape and I could not have asked for better riding weather.
Again, my assessment is that it's not a great mountain biking trail. There is good climbing with lots of switchbacks but nothing too steep or loose to be unrideable. But the switchbacks are there on the downhill as well, so it's difficult to really open up. Plus, you are bound to pass a hiker ever 200 yards, so that also puts a crimp on the downhill bombs. But it's a decent ride for only being two miles from my office.