December 26, 2006

Las Cruces Dirt - A Mountain

Day two in Cruces started off good. Clear skies, warm temps. We loaded up drove into the main part of town a scored a bad-ass breakfast for two with coffee for less than 10 bucks. Esentailly the same thing you would get in Northern NM, but for half the price.















To get there: from I-25 and University head east on University (toward A Mountain - it's the big rock sitting in the middle of the valley). After a few miles you will see a few radar towers on your right (this is the first trailhead) or you can continue east for anoth 1/2 mile or so and park at the next big pull out. The trail circumnavigates the mountain so it don't really matter which one you start at. The trail is a mix of rocky doubletrack and smooth singletrack with a few technical spots trown in. There are a few feeder trails heading south and west and also to the top. There is also a dirt road that heads to the top from the south side of the mountain. Tons of feeder doubletrack heads east for the east side and supposedly hooks in with the Sierra Vista trail - but we couldn't figure out how to link it. Me thinks we not too smart.

At the trailhead - Them there are the Organ Mountains











Taint real easy - even on a 29er











Givin' it a go on the 26er














I felt bad riding over all of these innocent babyheads










Serious cactus consequences for failure here















Dave - the king of rock















The King has fallen - and broke his little crown