Mountain Bike Imagery

I've been thinking lately about the effect mountain bike imagery has on the public image of the sport. Someone recently sparked this thought in reference to the movie "Life Cycles" and how much they enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty entertaining, but somehow the original overview I had heard before seeing it made it sound more like an ambiguous celebration of the bicycle. Instead, with some interesting time-lapsed cinematography aside, it was the standard full-face helmet, goggled, high-speed dash down trails. I think it was the title that sounded so enchanting; similar to "Seasons".

Now before anyone rushes to defend "gravity", "downhill" or "freeride" just know I fundamentally have no problem with this side of mountain biking. I myself own a Santa Cruz Bullit, albeit ancient. My point is the overload of this sort of imagery as "mountain biking" to the rest of the world and its potential effect on public perception. It sells soda, SUVs, energy drinks and countless other "extreme"-slanted products, but does it injure our sport as a whole? I lost count years ago how many times the anti-mountain bike factions (Wilderness Society, Sierra Club, etc etc) have referenced "40-lb bikes screaming past them at 30mph", blah blah blah...

This got me thinking - is the problem the LACK of imagery for the other disciplines within mountain biking? Why can't we make the quintessential mountain bike movie about our harmony with the backcountry and wilderness? Is there a way to show the bicycle as the perfect mode of transportation for exploring our great expanses of nature? I'm no Spielberg, but is it possible to make a mountain bike film in the spirit of books like "Desert Solitaire" or "Walden"...or movies like "Jeremiah Johnson", "Seven Years in Tibet" or "Touching the Void"? Does the documentary "Tour Divide" start down this road a little despite being about a race?

Would love to hear your thoughts....

Wheels to Wine -- A New Tour

Domaine Poullion Winery

With more than 40 wineries in 40 miles, singletrack in every cardinal direction, and a web of scenic road routes, the Columbia Gorge is a veritable mecca for both wine and bike lovers.

We're happy to announce that we've rolled these two passions into one unforgettable day tour that allows connoisseurs to explore the best of both addictions, in one of the most scenic settings imaginable.

Based in and around Hood River, Oregon, Hermosa Tours' new Wheels to Wine Tour include a morning of mountain or road biking, followed by an afternoon at a Gorge winery.

Memaloose Winery

We'll start off by sampling some of the finest handcrafted wines in the region, learning about the wines from knowledgeable tasting room staff and winery owners. A fresh, gourmet lunch on the lawn will feature local ingredients and wine pairings, with plenty of time to take in the view and lounge in the sun.

Sunset at Maryhill Winery

A tour of the winery and vineyard caps off this perfect Gorge day. No visit to a winery would be complete without the chance to purchase wine to take home. Most of the wineries we'll visit are boutique and family-run and don't sell outside of the region, so you'll want to stock up on your favorite vintages.

The Wheels to Wine tour includes all transportation, bikes and gear if needed, wine tasting, lunch with wine pairings and dessert, and a private tour of the winery. The Wheels to Wine tours will last about five to six hours, and are suitable for all skill levels of riders.

For  more information and to book, email us or call 877.282.BIKE (2453).

Post Canyon Playground

If you're a mountain biker, you've likely heard of Post Canyon, that little playground located just outside of Hood River, Oregon. If not, here's a taste:

Post Canyon Playground from Hermosa Tours on Vimeo.

Although it's mostly famous for having some of the best freeriding on the West Coast, Post Canyon has something for everyone. With more than 3,000 vertical feet of descent (or ascent, if you want) from top to bottom, and 50 square miles of trails and fireroads, there is a ride for every style. There is also no shortage of wood in Post Canyon, with freeride stunts rivaling BC's North Shore that will challenge even the most daring rider. Feeling timid? Warm up on Family Man's low-to-the-ground bridges and ladders, small pump track, and intermediate jump line, Middle School.

Popular trails in Post include 2 Chair 2, Gran Prix, Chorus X, and the iconic XC line Seven Streams, which climbs up to Family Man from the parking area on Post Canyon Drive. New favorites include Three Blind Mice, the new 8-Track, and Bad Motor Scooter.

Post Canyon has designated bike-only trails, and many miles of moto trails, some of which are shared with mountain bikers. The signage has improved dramatically in Post in recent years, thanks to hard-working local trail stewards (Gorge Freeride Association, and others), and an official map was released last June. All trails in Post are located on Hood River County Forestry land; the County has played an instrumental role in local efforts to develop and maintain the trail network.

Hood River locals love their backyard trails, but Post Canyon attracts riders from all over the country. Post is rideable spring, summer, and fall, and is busy on the weekends when downhillers and freeriders show up in droves to hone their skillls, shuttling to the top. This equates to a lot of traffic on the county roads, and the route to the top can be confusing for newcomers and first timers to navigate.

Hermosa Tours is psyched to be offering the first ever shuttle service all the way to the top. Stay in touch for more information about pricing and other details. We'll help keep your costs down by offering a punchcard - Buy 9, get the 10th shuttle FREE!

Post Canyon alone is reason enough to visit the Gorge; factor in all of the other amazing trails, fun town, and beautiful scenery, and you'd be crazy not to come and check it out!

Contact Ryan to learn more about Hermosa Tours' Western Headquarters, located in Hood River, and start planning your trip to the Columbia Gorge today! Feel free to call 855-MTB-POST with questions about shuttles in Post Canyon.

Video by Allison at Extremeline Productions, featuring riders Allison and Dave Diller.

Syncline Synergy

Here in the Northwest, we've been jonesing to get out on the trail. Cold spells, rain, snow, and more rain  made most of our trails impassable for the past six weeks or so. Great snow up high has also made the lure of the snowboard hard to resist, but to be honest, nothing can compare to sweet singletrack explored on two wheels.

The window we've been waiting for opened yesterday, with temperatures in the low 20s (cold for the temperate Columbia Gorge), it was finally dry enough to make the pilgrimage east to the Syncline riding mecca. Located just above the Columbia River, this trail network provides the spectacular scenery of the Gorge, and the opportunity to explore a very unique landscape. It is by far one of our most cherished riding areas close to Hood River.

Yesterday, the Syncline trails offered a little bit of everything to our group of intrepid riders: snow at the top, dry and squeaky enough to provide good traction, glassy patches of ice slippery enough to warrant a portage, frozen dirt sounding a crunching cacophony as tires rolled across the surface, and wet, heavy mud in the sun-warmed lower reaches, caking components and splatter painting clothing and gear. Freezing extremities, no matter. It was a glorious day on the trail.

The Syncline's iconic Columbia Gorge geology features long cliff bands of basalt breaking up expanses of rolling grassy fields, peppered with boulders and rocky ledges, dotted with oak groves. Trails weave in and out of damp drainages, climb to sweeping vista points, teeter on exposed cliff edges. We ride here in the fall, when shadows cast by lone oak trees tiptoe over golden, cured tall grasses. In the winter, the Syncline is a respite from gloomy, dark days in Hood River, just far enough east to escape the clutches of stubborn inversion layers. In the spring, the synergy of the Syncline is intoxicating, a combination of knowing longer days lie ahead and warm patches of wildflowers blanketing the velvety green hillside, inviting you to get off your bike and roll around in their fragrant bed.

Midstream winter, it's hard to imagine those long, sunny days. But we're ok with crunching ice, frozen fingers, and snowy traverses; for now, they're all we've got, and we'll gladly take them.

In the meantime, here's a video of an awesome early fall Syncline adventure, courtesy of our friend Allison at Extremeline Productions.

Syncline Mountain Bike Adventure from Hermosa Tours on Vimeo.

From Hood River, we welcome 2011, and the prospect of new adventures and lots of time in the saddle. Here's to a New Year, filled with friends, bikes, new places, and love for the familiar ones.

A year in the making...

As we've mentioned before, we've been working on adding more "mellow" trips to our tour catalog. Basically trips that a reasonably fit beginner can sign up for...great for couples, families or even advanced groups who just want a more relaxing mountain bike tour. You know - sleep late and stay up late. :)

Well over a year ago we started to plot a route that would take us through some of the most remote country the lower 48 states has to offer in south/central Utah. We got shut out from scouting for numerous reasons - time constraints, weather, etc. But now the result: The Swell to Capitol Reef National Park. "The Swell" is the San Rafael Swell, an amazing geologic feature starting just outside Green River, UT. From there the route follows the Swell north, takes a hard left southwest at the Wedge Overlook (photo below), skirts the Sid's Mountain Wilderness Study Area (WSA), carves through the Devil's Canyon WSA, makes a long southerly traverse on Cathedral Valley Rd and then enters the not-often-traveled northern end of Capitol Reef National Park.

So, how to talk about this trip without tooting one's own horn? We just returned from putting on the final touches and all we can say is - IT IS AMAZING. Take a look at the photos we captured below. Can you believe that photographically-speaking it was less than ideal shooting conditions? There is A LOT of stuff we didn't shoot because we didn't want the gray, overcast skies to cast a poor light (pun intended) on this truly special landscape.

Journey through the San Rafael Reef (we got the van stuck in here):


View of the west side of the reef from the Jackass Benches:


The Buckhorn Wall:


The Wedge Overlook:


Also the Wedge, but the "Little Grand Canyon" overlook:


Peeking into Sid's Mountain WSA:


Some snow in Devil's Canyon WSA:


The southerly traverse on Cathedral Valley Rd:


Shades of Capitol Reef NP start to appear on the road south:


The last open desert before Capitol Reef NP:


I could have taken 50 different pictures in this area:


The road punches out of the rock and out into some BIG open country:


The northern entrance to Capitol Reef National Park. At this point we hadn't seen another car or human for 2 days:


Overlooking Capitol Reef NP's Cathedral Valley:


Overlook onto CRNP's "Southern Desert":


Second overlook onto the Southern Desert. No picture can take the place of standing here:


The more "known" area of Capitol Reef National Park starts to come into view with hints of the Waterpocket Fold:


The Bentonite Hills with the Henry Mountains in the distance:


So there it is....just a taste. The website will be up soon with dates posted for Spring and Fall 2011. Make your plans to experience this wonderful area!

'Tis better to give than to receive...

Today the raffle Grand Prize was announced for the recent Iceman Cometh mountain bike race in Michigan. The prize? $5000 worth of credit with Hermosa Tours to select any domestic mountain bike tour! Now the reason I share this news is the notable reaction from our winner.

His response:

Matt,

Can you explain exactly what I have won? Obviously with all the scams going around and "sounds to good to be true" stuff, I'm having a little trouble accepting that this is legit.

I'm reading that I won a trip worth $5,000 to any of Hermosa Tours destinations. Can this amount be used for more than 1 rider? How about airfare?

I'll be completely bummed if this is a "fly yourself out here, listen to 2 days of condo share sales pitches and end up with a some sort of coupon for free drinks and the loco Mexican restaurant".

I have hope this is the real deal. Assure me please.

Thanks,
Travis.

Hahahaha! How great is that? No Travis, it's true and you are STOKED! Congratulations!

Ohhh what a jaded world we live in..... :)

South Park Crest

Sometimes this is the best way to show what a tour is all about....

South Park Crest - 2010 from Hermosa Tours on Vimeo.