School Bus: Hide and Seek

So I'm still a freshman when it comes to West Magnolia but I'm making progress.  My first attempt at School Bus went over about as well as an atomic wedgy in front of your favorite girlfriend so naturally I needed to redeem myself.  Instead of spinning my wheels I decided on a practical approach; to wield a macleod and sledge hammer.
 

My solution for finding the elusive school bus came in the form of volunteering.  As luck would have it, trail work was scheduled out at School Bus and I just couldn't let an opportunity to give back pass me by plus I'd get to sink my hands into some fine Rocky Mountain Dirt.  Well, even this didn't help much when I returned a couple of weeks later only to reach the top with no sign of a school bus anywhere.  Turns out that the bus is not the destination, I suppose I could have just asked.
 

Anyway, I did find it after all with a little help; it's just off the trail by about 20 yards just past the 1 mile mark (look for a school bus wheel lodged between 2 aspens on the left as you climb).  As for the ride, it was great.  The trail begins just a few yards from the intersection of 105-2A and 105.  Turn right on 105 and look for the trail just off to the left.
 

Fall colors painted the hard pack singletrack in spectacular gold and red and the Dirt was moist and tacky almost all the way up to the top.  It was a steady climb with few technical sections, one of which yours truly helped create just a couple of weeks earlier.  You travel through dense pine mixed with aspen trees and all I could hear that morning was the forest breathe with every gust of wind.
 

The climb is gradual with few steep sections but it is continuous and may seem long after a while.  You'll also have the opportunity to test your balance right around the 1.6 mile mark with a plank deck crossing over what appears to be hazardous soil.  Great switchbacks keep it interesting and if it's your first time be prepared for diversions because there are a couple of trail splits and it could have you sidetracked in a hurry.
 

Descending can be sketchy with all the tight turns and rocks and always keep an eye out for other trail users.  It was a great ride on a great trail and one you're sure to enjoy.  Click here for the trail profile - there must have been a disturbance in the force between 4.5 and 5.36 miles as my route gets a bit squirrely but the elevation doesn't seem to be affected.
 

Thanks for clicking in and I hope to see you on the trail.
 

Dirt Life