Today was a “recovery” day from hiking with a mountain bike ride through the Ridgway Area Trail (RAT) system in Ridgway, CO, just north of Ouray.
The community created a generous 30 miles of mountain biking trails next to the Ridgway State Park. It took 15 years of advocacy and approvals from four agencies to allow the project to proceed.
The desert-like terrain is stunning in its own way, with trails ranging from easy climbs and descents to advanced features. Today I rode on trails including The Big Cheese, Speedy Gonzales, Splinter, Ratical, Rattus Maximus, Double Crosser, Rattus, Rat Trap, Squeaker, and The Maze. I skipped tougher trails like Exterminator and Plageground.
Today’s riding stats: 12.2 miles, 2h 34m, 1105’ ascent.