Mamba said:DejaNews is offering several trip reports to the area from Ride a Lot and
Chip, among others. We are considering it for next spring, but have some
questions regarding the various operations that offer a supported riding
trip.
Combined with the two other folks I would likely be travelling with, I'd
categorize us as competent single-trackers and fit for our ages (50ish and
up). We'd like to combine rides with opportunites to hike and explore. And
to be honest, a 40 mile day ride or climbing 4000 feet in a chunk is not
what we're about. We're considered the 'atheletic geeks' among our peers,
but have no illusions about how we'd stack up against most folks in this
group.
So ideally we'd be doing 20/30 miles per day for a 4-6 day tour, with ride
support (guide and meals/accomodations), with lots of chances for side
hikes, pictures and such. I'd hate to slow down a hard-core group if we got
lumped into the wrong crowd. OTOH, we'd hate to get bunched in with newbies
as well.
So with this in mind, wondering what outfits would be suitable to hook up
with? Best booking times (spring vs fall)? Best bang for the buck?
Feedback appreciated.
Gary
OK. Here's the deal. There are now several guides for the area. I did
my ride with Western Spirit, who basically hires a local anyway. But,
they took care of everything. CB did his with with an independent
guide, but I think one his guides was the same one Western Spirit used.
There is another tour company now that uses both camping and lodging,
though I would prefer the lodging (it is Mexico and Montesuma does
strike no matter how hard you try to avoid it).
There was plenty of riding, though I wouldn't say it was 30-40 miles a
day. If you didn't want to ride, you didn't really have to. There are
two big days. One where you come down into the Canyon from Creele and
the other coming out. The downhill is fun and you will not be worn out
except for your hands. Going up is tough, but worth the try. You go at
your own pace until the sag wagon picks you up. It's not that big of a
deal.
The Western Spirit tours are a mixed bad. They try to group similar
riders together, but on my trip I had a few who had no idea what they
were in for. It was OK, because they realized it pretty quickly and
just stayed in town while everyone else went for the ride.
There is nothing super technical or very long. In fact, I really didn't
think there was that much singletrack. It is a cultural experience
though. The natives in the area are very nice and we had a blast
playing with the kids and handing out stickers and other swag.
As for side trips, there was always time in the afternoon to do your own
thing. We did a tour of the old Hacienda, road through town, hiked some
hills, and siesta. I would be careful venturing too far from town
though. Remember, it is Mexico and like it or not there are things
going on that don't normally happen in the states. There are several
"plantations" of illegal substances that are closely guarded by nasty
individuals. If you accidentally wander into these areas without a
guide who can speak for you, the outcome might not be too pleasant and I
wouldn't count on the Federales to be there to help. That being said,
it's still a trip I would do again.
--
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www.schnauzers.ws
