Sedona: RECAP

Tarroneus

Active Member
Heading out there for 4 days. Looking for recs on must-ride trails, must-eat foods, must-drink beers.

Thanks in advance.
 

gtluke

The Moped
Highline trail.

I did hangover trail too, it's really cool if you are into scary shit or an adventure, but highline wasn't nearly as scary and the ride was twice as nice.
 

Gnick

Active Member
im headed out there in september - please let us know how your trip goes

i've read about slimshady, highline, and hangover. ill probably stick with slimshady and highline.
 

Santapez

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Highline is definitely a do-not-miss. It was by far the best trail I road out there.

Even if you don't take a bike or pushed the bike the whole way it would be 100% worth it.
 

rottin'

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Hi Line is definitely awesome...not to be missed. But also don't skip Chuckwagon, Mescal, Javelina(going down), if you can get to it Western Civ was so good, Skywalker and Herkenham in the Carroll Canyon network were super fun as well. Really hard to go wrong there..
 

Gnick

Active Member
Hi Line is definitely awesome...not to be missed. But also don't skip Chuckwagon, Mescal, Javelina(going down), if you can get to it Western Civ was so good, Skywalker and Herkenham in the Carroll Canyon network were super fun as well. Really hard to go wrong there..
where did you rent your bike from? is a full susser 100% necessary?
 

jmanic

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
Staff member
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
where did you rent your bike from? is a full susser 100% necessary?
You didn't ask me, but I'll share-

My preferred rental shop is Absolute Bikes in Oak Creek.
Solid fleet and brands, probably the best prices.

Next rec would be Over The Edge in Sedona-
Great bikes, a little spendier than Absolute,
but great service

Bike and Bean is also in Oak Creek if you have an itch for a Santa Cruz.

Yes on FS. Not absolutely necessary,
but a damn good idea.
@Mitch did a week out there on a rigid SS,
but I really wouldn't recommend that.
 

Tarroneus

Active Member
Hi Line is definitely awesome...not to be missed. But also don't skip Chuckwagon, Mescal, Javelina(going down), if you can get to it Western Civ was so good, Skywalker and Herkenham in the Carroll Canyon network were super fun as well. Really hard to go wrong there..

awesome, thank you!
 

Gnick

Active Member
You didn't ask me, but I'll share-

My preferred rental shop is Absolute Bikes in Oak Creek.
Solid fleet and brands, probably the best prices.

Next rec would be Over The Edge in Sedona-
Great bikes, a little spendier than Absolute,
but great service

Bike and Bean is also in Oak Creek if you have an itch for a Santa Cruz.

Yes on FS. Not absolutely necessary,
but a damn good idea.
@Mitch did a week out there on a rigid SS,
but I really wouldn't recommend that.
i was considering shipping my hardtail, but it makes sense to rent. I'm afraid ill fall in love and have to have one

sorry for hijacking tarroneus
 

Tarroneus

Active Member
I think I would be in traction right now without a full suspension bike out there. If I had to do it again I would probably go 160mm travel. Will post a trip summary shortly.

i was considering shipping my hardtail, but it makes sense to rent. I'm afraid ill fall in love and have to have one

sorry for hijacking tarroneus
 

Tarroneus

Active Member
TRIP RECAP

Day 1:

Flew out Wednesday on United direct to Phoenix out of EWR at 7am. Brutal, but gets you in at 9:30 local time, get a car, lunch, drive 2 hrs to Sedona, rent bikes, and you are riding that afternoon. Fortunately I live close enough to the airport that I can forget my wallet and do an extra round trip to the airport and still make the flight. That didn't happen, I'm just saying it's possible.

Rented from Over the Edge (http://otesports.com/locations/sedona/). Two of us got Intense FS and two got Evil bikes. One of the Evil bikes needed a new cassette the first day and then had an issue with the rear hub the second day, both requiring 10 mile rides back to the shop for repairs. So not an A+ on rental fleet maintenance, but overall the bikes were pretty good. There was a shop down the road renting Yetis, Bike & Bean in Oak Creek has Santa Cruz, and Absolute Bikes also looked like a good shop.

Get the $12 trail map, well worth it.

First day we had a few hours before checking into our Air B&B so got changed and rode from the shop. Stayed in the zone close to town; we were all pretty wrecked but wanted to check out the rental bikes and get a few miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/993351185

Really couldn't be more different than NNJ; dry, loose, dusty, lots of rock stairs, bouldery downhills, dry creek crossings, short punchy climbs, but also lots of flowy red dirt sections. Stunning scenery, absolutely stunning. This is the first photo I took:

IMG_1287.jpg


I'm sure you could ride it on any bike, but for me, at 47 years and 200lbs, I was glad I had an all-mountain style bike. There is just no way I could have ridden all day on a hard tail.

Had dinner at Oak Creek Grill (http://oakcreekgrill.com/). Decent food and beer, good service.

We had an Air B&B house off Brewer Road between Sedona and Oak Creek. 3 BR (two full, one room with two twins), hot tub, great for six people. PM me for details if you're interested.

Stocked up at the Safeway (one stop shop for food, beer, liquor) but there is also a Whole Foods and a Natural Grocer on 89A if you go that way.

Day 2:

https://www.strava.com/activities/994861179

Best trails: Broken Arrow, Submarine Rock, Little Horse, Slim Shady, Templeton.

Ice coffee and snacks at Bike & Bean in Oak Creek.

Good spot to cool off in Oak Creek on Templeton below the switchbacks. Rare photo of Alan Verdun not on his bike:

IMG_1349.jpg


Had dinner at Pisa Lisa (http://pisalisa.com/), highly recommend.

Day 3:

https://www.strava.com/activities/995986557

Best trails: Teacup, Andante, Chuck Wagon (CCW).

IMG_1360.jpg


IMG_1367.jpg


Didn't mean to end up in the tourist zone, but ate at Open Range Grill, not recommended.

Day 4:

https://www.strava.com/activities/997513691

Had to see what all the fuss was about so we parked at Bike & Bean and headed up to HiLine. Can't recommend parking in that lot, as there is a big push to enforce NO TRAILHEAD PARKING, apparently a recent development.

HiLine is about 1.5mi up with rocks and a good deal of exposure, then a 1 mi flowy/slickrock downhill, then a 1/4 mile of rocky chutes at 25-30 degree angles, then you flow out to the end. These don't really do it justice:

IMG_1387.jpg


IMG_2199 (1).jpg


I walked a ton of it, but totally worth it for the views and experience. This was sketchy enough for me, so we didn't move on to Hog's Heaven or Hangover. We looped back to the car and called it a day.

Pretty good swimming spot at Grasshopper Point:

https://goo.gl/maps/QcM7UGDkeWN2

IMG_1410.jpg


We returned the bikes and headed to the airport to catch the red eye back.

Totally amazing place, highly recommend.
 

Tarroneus

Active Member
I think one had Wreckoning and one had Calling but I really don't remember. For both guys it was a lot more travel than they are used to, they are XC guys who ride like a Camber or a Pivot at home. So took some getting used to but I think in the end well suited for all day rocky rides.

Which Evil models did you get? Interested in hearing what you thought of them.
 

bydabeach

Member
TRIP RECAP

Day 1:

Flew out Wednesday on United direct to Phoenix out of EWR at 7am. Brutal, but gets you in at 9:30 local time, get a car, lunch, drive 2 hrs to Sedona, rent bikes, and you are riding that afternoon. Fortunately I live close enough to the airport that I can forget my wallet and do an extra round trip to the airport and still make the flight. That didn't happen, I'm just saying it's possible.

Rented from Over the Edge (http://otesports.com/locations/sedona/). Two of us got Intense FS and two got Evil bikes. One of the Evil bikes needed a new cassette the first day and then had an issue with the rear hub the second day, both requiring 10 mile rides back to the shop for repairs. So not an A+ on rental fleet maintenance, but overall the bikes were pretty good. There was a shop down the road renting Yetis, Bike & Bean in Oak Creek has Santa Cruz, and Absolute Bikes also looked like a good shop.

Get the $12 trail map, well worth it.

First day we had a few hours before checking into our Air B&B so got changed and rode from the shop. Stayed in the zone close to town; we were all pretty wrecked but wanted to check out the rental bikes and get a few miles.

https://www.strava.com/activities/993351185

Really couldn't be more different than NNJ; dry, loose, dusty, lots of rock stairs, bouldery downhills, dry creek crossings, short punchy climbs, but also lots of flowy red dirt sections. Stunning scenery, absolutely stunning. This is the first photo I took:

View attachment 52357

I'm sure you could ride it on any bike, but for me, at 47 years and 200lbs, I was glad I had an all-mountain style bike. There is just no way I could have ridden all day on a hard tail.

Had dinner at Oak Creek Grill (http://oakcreekgrill.com/). Decent food and beer, good service.

We had an Air B&B house off Brewer Road between Sedona and Oak Creek. 3 BR (two full, one room with two twins), hot tub, great for six people. PM me for details if you're interested.

Stocked up at the Safeway (one stop shop for food, beer, liquor) but there is also a Whole Foods and a Natural Grocer on 89A if you go that way.

Day 2:

https://www.strava.com/activities/994861179

Best trails: Broken Arrow, Submarine Rock, Little Horse, Slim Shady, Templeton.

Ice coffee and snacks at Bike & Bean in Oak Creek.

Good spot to cool off in Oak Creek on Templeton below the switchbacks. Rare photo of Alan Verdun not on his bike:

View attachment 52360

Had dinner at Pisa Lisa (http://pisalisa.com/), highly recommend.

Day 3:

https://www.strava.com/activities/995986557

Best trails: Teacup, Andante, Chuck Wagon (CCW).

View attachment 52362

View attachment 52359

Didn't mean to end up in the tourist zone, but ate at Open Range Grill, not recommended.

Day 4:

https://www.strava.com/activities/997513691

Had to see what all the fuss was about so we parked at Bike & Bean and headed up to HiLine. Can't recommend parking in that lot, as there is a big push to enforce NO TRAILHEAD PARKING, apparently a recent development.

HiLine is about 1.5mi up with rocks and a good deal of exposure, then a 1 mi flowy/slickrock downhill, then a 1/4 mile of rocky chutes at 25-30 degree angles, then you flow out to the end. These don't really do it justice:

View attachment 52364

View attachment 52365

I walked a ton of it, but totally worth it for the views and experience. This was sketchy enough for me, so we didn't move on to Hog's Heaven or Hangover. We looped back to the car and called it a day.

Pretty good swimming spot at Grasshopper Point:

https://goo.gl/maps/QcM7UGDkeWN2

View attachment 52366

We returned the bikes and headed to the airport to catch the red eye back.

Totally amazing place, highly recommend.
Nice summary. We have a place out there, and go out three times per year. We are within walking distance to the Big Park trails, and we usually start there and hit either the Llama, Slim Shady, EasyBreezy, and did the HiLine once. You got more in than I have done in 4+ years and 12 trips. Absolutely spectacular scenery, restaurants and people in Sedona area. We plan to retire there.
 

cbiker

Active Member
Im living in flag now so if anyone gets out this way and wants a tour of some local trails let me know. The trails up in Flagstaff are worth checking out to if youre in the area great shuttle runs off mt elden.
 
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