[xcguy]

In-between meetings today I "stole" a hike on a trail familiar to some, unknown to others. It's close, perfect for a lunchtime spin or a commute. Which was surprising today as I only saw one other person, a lady on a bike, in the first 30 seconds I was on the trail and no one else.

Beautiful day. 65, blue sky, no wind. When I used to ride this I'd put in untold miles, today it was an hour out and back on foot. You know that tank next to the trail? For those of you who just hammer past it I got a shot of what's down in there for ya viewing pleasure.

 

[schnauzers]

Well, you have at least Coalton and Cowdry in there. The hole is from the water tank where the machine gun turret was mounted to.

 

[Roaming50]

That second photo looks like it was painted. What's with the artistry?

 

[xcguy]

Well, you have at least Coalton and Cowdry in there. The hole is from the water tank where the machine gun turret was mounted to.

Machine gun turret :eekster::yikes: That's taking this hiker/biker conflict to new heights! And you're half right on your trail name.

 

[xcguy]

That second photo looks like it was painted. What's with the artistry?

I can't get away with that at all in real estate photography. It's a simple photoshop effect, I just can't help myself.

 

[schnauzers]

Machine gun turret :eekster::yikes: That's taking this hiker/biker conflict to new heights!

During the coal miners strike, the coal barrons killed quite a few miners from the top of the tower.

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/openspace/pdf_brochures/history_marshall_mesa.pdf

 

[Roaming50]

During the coal miners strike, the coal barrons killed quite a few miners from the top of the tower.

http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/files/openspace/pdf_brochures/history_marshall_mesa.pdf

That's real interesting. I didn't know that there are still underground coal fires burning under Marshal Mesa. You would think there would be smoke.

Anyway, what is it with mountain biking. In Illinois our main source of trail biking was a nuclear dump site (Palos Forest Preserve has two 1950's era reactors buried underneath it) and now Marshall Mesa century ongoing coal fires... Guess Mountain Biking can only happen where no one else wants to/can live.

 

[cocavaak]

And there's also Community Ditch.

 

[xcguy]

And there's also Community Ditch.

That's where I turned around. Even I didn't know CD made a U-turn at that point. I'm used to taking pics of CD up near the bridge on Doudy. So in essence the trail I was on ended at that sign.

 

[batizywells]

Love the photos, I ride that trail every day twice. One the way to work and on the way home.

 

[Guyechka]

I didn't think CD "ended" there. I thought it ended at the private lake. If you go straight, it's all single track (sort of) and part of the system that either heads back to the parking lot or around the lake. I like that last little bit after the U-turn. There are rocks to play on. However, I did see a cow, once, chewing on the bones of another cow. That sort of ruined it for me that day.

 

[xcguy]

Yes, the section I was on is Cowdrey Draw. I guess CD could be interpreted as Community Ditch. There's just a maze of trails where I turned around. Here's three pics.

First (if they post in order) is the Mayhoffer Singletree section that goes east from that road over to Superior. Second is the Cowdrey Draw "trailhead" sign across the road from Mayhoffer. Third is where I turned around. Hard to tell from the third sign (or any map I found online) what really is what at that point except it must be a pretty cool way to start the day if you're able to get a ride in here on your way to work.

I think William Shatner has a ballad about commuting on Cowdrey. I'm gonna look for it and post it here when I find it

 

[Debaser]

That's real interesting. I didn't know that there are still underground coal fires burning under Marshal Mesa. You would think there would be smoke.

There are toxic fumes leaking from underground. There are warning signs on the property close to 93/marshall road.

 

[Debaser]

You know that tank next to the trail? For those of you who just hammer past it I got a shot of what's down in there for ya viewing pleasure.

You should have seen it before they cleaned it up. Tons of old cans, a water heater, and other assorted trash. Feet deep.

 

[xcguy]

There are toxic fumes leaking from underground. There are warning signs on the property close to 93/marshall road.

I took a hiker-only spur up to the ridge to the south. I went through an abandoned prairie dog town. Plenty of holes but not one animal. At the time I was thinking that the act of burrowing through the nasty soil would take its toll, now I guess there's probably fumes coming up in that particular area. Never seen an abandoned prairie dog subdivision.

Then further on, there they were, looking healthy. Apparently a fume free area. Maybe a Boulder-sponsored re-location.

 

[Guyechka]

Well I finally did High Plains and the other trails that loop back to MM from Superior. I absolutely love HP, but the six or so miles of double track got old. I think from now on I'm just going to ride HP out and back.

Does HP trail remind anyone else of Hartman Rocks? Kind of wandering around aimlessly in the middle of a big, open expanse.

 

[xcguy]

Well I finally did High Plains and the other trails that loop back to MM from Superior. I absolutely love HP, but the six or so miles of double track got old. I think from now on I'm just going to ride HP out and back.

Does HP trail remind anyone else of Hartman Rocks? Kind of wandering around aimlessly in the middle of a big, open expanse.

Sounds like you're back in the saddle again. I thought you still had months of recovery left to go. Feels good to ride, doesn't it?

I never rode Hartman Rocks and, in reality, High Plains never was my favorite, doubly so on weekends. You didn't say if you ever happened upon Cowdrey, but you could just start at the Cowdrey trailhead and loop around to the parking lot next to 93, no double track in site. That ride on Greenbelt Plateau I never liked either.

That said, I've always found beauty in whichever trail I'm on. However barren the landscape might be, there's a whole ecosystem of plants eking out a living, no matter how many cows trample them

 

[Guyechka]

Sounds like you're back in the saddle again. I thought you still had months of recovery left to go. Feels good to ride, doesn't it?

I never rode Hartman Rocks and, in reality, High Plains never was my favorite, doubly so on weekends. You didn't say if you ever happened upon Cowdrey, but you could just start at the Cowdrey trailhead and loop around to the parking lot next to 93, no double track in site. That ride on Greenbelt Plateau I never liked either.

That said, I've always found beauty in whichever trail I'm on. However barren the landscape might be, there's a whole ecosystem of plants eking out a living, no matter how many cows trample them

Nah, I got out of shape last year when I was in two car wrecks in a row. That screwed up my back, and I had to sit out all of last season. My back injury is from when I was 18, but those wrecks really messed me up again.

I really enjoyed High Plains, maybe because it was brand new. I think it appeals to me because it is narrow single track for the Boulder area. There were some sort of flowering plants that had turned a medium brown with yellow flowers. I was digging those. Very fall colors.