Camp Lynda will be January 12-14th. That is a Saturday thru Monday. My kids get out of school early on Friday sooo everybody else must work their schedule around that ;-)
The camp will be self supported. No entry fee, no I Survived Camp Lynda t-shirt (unless you make one with your own blood :-) Everyday a route will be planned, a start time and a gps file provided. We will post the gps files well in advance. You set your own pace, ride solo or with a group, carry all your own supplies, follow a gps.
Rides will go something like this: Day One 4-6 hours. Day Two 5-7 hours. Day Three 6-8 hours. There are more trails in the area than can be covered in three days so right now I have to decide what we are not going to ride. Day One is most likely gonna be two laps on the Jem trail. Two laps of the same loop seems like a funny thing to do but I really like it. By the second lap I am getting in a groove with the trail and enjoying a second chance at everything. Two laps is a great pacing heads up too. The first lap can seem easy and the second lap you pick up the pace and feel like you are hammering but the clock often ticks off the second lap exactly the same as the first. One lap is about 25 miles and 2 - 2.5 hours. The two lap format gives a halfway bailout option and a halfway refuel at the car point. Nice features to make day one more friendly.
The plan for day three is long and hard. Finish it off with a finale you will remember...
Here are a few questions I have received so far:
What are you thinking about accommodations?
Your call. Right next to the five star Green Valley Spa is BLM land you can free camp on. Lots of Motel 8's and Best Westerns in town. Green Valley is a good spot to set up camp. Green Valley Condos are nice and reasonably priced.
How well are these trails marked, and are there good maps I could purchase for the areas you plan to ride?
Day One, The Jem Trail is marked and mapped beautifully (we will be riding the Gould's Farm/JEM/Hurricane Rim Loop). The Jem gps and detailed trail description is on www.utahmountainbiking.com. Scroll down the left menu bar to the St George area trails. Day Two and Three will be unmarked and on routes not found on maps. GPS required or some serious local trail knowledge. In fact Dave wants to take us up the Hurricane Cliffs and on the first part of his Trans Utah route on some roads I have never been on for the big finale day three.
Will we be riding Gooseberry Mesa?
No. The Goose is fun for goofing around on but this is a serious training mission.
Where should I fly into?
Las Vegas is the closest big airport. A shuttle service operates from there to St George. You can also fly directly into St George. The airport is situated on a mesa right in the middle of the city. United and Delta fly into St George.
Do I need a gps?
Yes. Ask Santa for one or you will be dependant on someone else to know the route and the spirit of this camp is self supported.