[NMCycling] C Course for NMES Manzano ride on Sat

[hawke morgan via Bike-racers]

Dear MTBing Bike-racers:

Being as the shorter “B” course for the Manzano Mountain Epic is still 46 miles, I have received permission from the organizers to set up a semi-official “C” course.  Hopefully this might interest some of the MTB cross-country guys who would like a sort of competitive ride, but not doing the road thing at the Santa Fe Century.  If you are interested, just sign up for the “B” course and in the notes write in “C Course.”  I will ask the organizers to put us in a separate group on the “results”    

These are the specific route changes:
Do the A Course through step 5.
Then go left on Chamisoso/05184.
This will rejoin the course about 2/3 of the way down Chamisoso. 
Do A Course steps 10 and half of 11, but after the culvert, get on South 14 and ride up to Otero on the pavement.  
Take Otero Canyon/05056 up the valley to Blue Ribbon/05236, go left and again rejoin the course.
Follow A Course steps 16-25. This will take you back out on South 14.  Go left (north, down) on South 14 about 3 miles to Juan Thomas Rd.  There will be a big sign saying Cerdo Peak CG.  Go right.  
About half a mile up the valley go left on FR252 and follow this up about 1.5 mi to the start.   

This is about 34 miles, and about 6 of those miles are on pavement or fast dirt roads.  I am guessing 3.5-4.5 hrs. (Maybe less if you are way faster than me) This should not require a new GPS track as riders will only be trackless on upper Chamisoso and the road sections.  There are no official trail intersections on upper Chamisoso until you rejoin the course.  There are some really classic sections on this course, my favorite perhaps being the second to last downhill on Southern Crossing just before South 14.  One of the coolest downhills ever, zipping between the trees.  Parts of Cajun Pine and the lower part of Chimososo are great as well.  Unless you have the area wired, you should have a GPS.  

Hope you can make it out.  

Hawke        

info:
http://nm-es.weebly.com/manzanita-mountain-epic.html

Hawke Morgan
Round About Co.
(505) 259-6885
yourstruly at fastmail.com