West Magnolia: School Bus

School Bus sounds innocent enough but make no mistake this is a bully of a ride.  The slope doesn't look intimidating at first but the loose and often rocky tread will leave you crying uncle all the way to the top.  I actually never made it to the bus, apparently you need a teacher's note and a chaperon to find it and I had neither.  Report cards are in and it seems I'll need to repeat this class.

I began the ride up Sugar Mag to trail 355 then caught the Hobbit south for a short class on West Mag single-track.  I met back up with 355 then single-file through the gate onto School Bus - School Bus and 355 at this point are one and the same.  The tread here is nice hard pack with a thin layer of crushed gravel but don't get too comfortable because your first pop quiz comes quickly and it's a tough one.

Your first and perhaps steepest climb comes shortly after entering the gate on 355.  This is a short but steep grade and will take a lot of leg strength to complete; make it on two wheels and you're king of the hill.

The road levels off at the top when you reach your first trail junction with 105.  Trail 105-2A is like the last day of school, it's such a relief and like summer you'll wish it would never end.  If you only have time for a couple of miles then do yourself a huge favor and ride 105-2A; this section is precisely why we ride fat tires.  For 2.5 miles, out and back, you will be treated to superb Dirt tread on tacky double-track under a canopy of tall dense pine and soon to be colorful aspen trees.  Clear those nasal passages because with the recent rainfall the scent of pine oil and moist Dirt will overwhelm you.  Unfortunately the trail ends at private property so it's back to School; bus that is.

Back at the junction you'll rejoin School Bus on 105.  The climb starts immediately on loose rocky tread.  Gear selection and a bit of finesse will pay huge dividends here.  The extra energy expelled for spinning your rear tire will cost you your lunch money so tread wisely.  At 5.92 miles you'll reach a split with 109; 105 to the left will take you down to Rollinsville while 109 loops around through open meadows and dense forest before meeting back up with 105.  Note that the final descent down 109 can get sketchy when wet with all the exposed roots and rocks along the way.

For an intermediate rider this ride was exhausting, a beginner would absolutely hate it although anyone willing to hike their bike up the first climb will absolutely love 105-2A and it's suitable for all skill levels.  Click here for the trail profile and use the search bar on this blog to find your next ride.  The Fall riding season is here and you won't want to miss the most colorful trails around.  Thanks for clicking in and I hope to see you on the trail.

Dirt Life