Plain and simple: you’ve gotta do Sedona. I’m not a huge mountain biker (I’ve spent most of my time on road bikes)… but I have to say, riding in Sedona was enough to make me seriously consider converting.
What’s so killer about the Sedona mountain biking experience?
- the one-of-a-kind scenic views
- the athletic challenge
- the camaraderie (great outing for family and friends)
- the danger (it’s relatively safe but you do have to watch yourself)
You can get a pretty good look at the riding at about minute 1:27 of this New York Times video.
Unless you’re already hardcore, I would definitely recommend starting with Bell Rock Pathway, especially if you have any children or novices in your group. Bell Rock Pathway is wayyy more tame, still has its challenging spots …and the scenery will leave you and your riding group speechless. Someone once commented that the bike trails in Sedona are so beautiful that, hours, even days after, you’re re-riding it in your head.
No Bike? No Problem.
Another great thing about starting with Bell Rock Pathway: the pathway begins literally across the street (Hwy 179) from the coolest bike shop ever, Bike & Bean (also in the video above). They will gladly rent you a bike, by the day or by the hour.
Inside, you’ll find a laid back little store/coffee-shop with a warm, relaxing atmosphere and a somewhat quirky, very interesting and friendly staff of people who know bikes. The store has kind of an outpost-style rustic quality to it, yet the bikes, gear, cool T’s and Sedona memorabilia are up to the minute. In addition to various coffees, they have plenty of choices in cold drinks, food and energy bars. I have to say, the time I spent sitting at the counter chatting with these folks about the trails, before and after my ride, really enhanced the overall experience. I’d recommend calling Bike & Bean for insight on what to wear, weather and trail conditions before you make the trip.
…and talk about a complete selection of bikes to rent — they even had a Kona big enough for me. It was setup perfectly and it took as much punishment as I could dish out — and I went pretty hard.
All in all, this is an absolute blast of an outing that every real man should experience, at least once. My recommendation: take your family first, so you can learn a trail or two without breaking your neck — then return with your crew to carve up some serious red dirt. ~ Steve Thompson