Barton Creek.

It would be rude to visit Austin, especially in possession of a top notch bike, and not ride. After a few minutes on google i found an area that likely had the sort of trails i like to ride. The website is AustinBike and if you are ever in the area with a jones to ride, i'd recommend it.



So with the sun not yet up and at em, i popped out for a 2-3 hour blast round the Barton Creek area trails. These are accessible from downtown Austin, and within a few km it was clear there is a myriad network squirreled away in a relatively small area.

You can ride pretty benign, but super fast 'velcro' trail, creek feeder beds, or rocky/rooty trails in any combination. The smile on my face was wide and the dust blocking my pores was incredibly welcome after the winter in Scotland.

I needed to get back so didn't poke around the area at the far west end of the trail system - on a hill known as 'hill of life'. But i reckon i'll be back there at some point...



These 2 pictures were taken in sequence through one of my favourite bits of trail - very reminiscent of east coast riding, with rock sections and some hopping required to thread the needle. Awesome! ... needless to say the bike was great, though i need to relearn how to set up rear shifting!....it was noisy and inexact, just like the rider! It has been great to be here in Austin, and meet the bikes' builder, Sean of Vertigo Cycles. I felt like i'd known him for years - and it was a treat to spend time talking to him between visitors to the (always busy!) booth. Next time we'll have to work it out so he can school me in some trials moves on the trail: i could have done with them today!