Alpine to Saratoga Gap

alpine-to-saratoga-gap-6 We had an excellent group this morning for an epic ride from Alpine to Saratoga Gap and back, riding 35 miles with over 5,600' of climbing. The sun was shining and the trails were in near perfect conditions after the storm that passed through mid-week.

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What I love about this ride is the gorgeous views and landscapes you traverse, from expansive rolling single track along ridgelines, to densely packed old-growth trees. It's hard not to stop to take in the views.

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I've got to remember this spot for future photo shoots.

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Belden approved!

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My bike was dialed in today. Finally! I had a few weeks of annoying squeal coming from my rear brake. I finally solved it by switching to organic pads.

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What a good day of riding. I met a couple new guys and enjoyed the friendly pace, however David did push me in a few spots. The Saratoga Gap is quickly becoming my new favorite spot to ride in that it has a lot of things I enjoy most about mountain biking, the views, challenging trails and lots of climbing. Starting in Alpine was good to, since it cut the drive by 10-15 minutes, rather than starting at the bottom of Saratoga and working your way up north.