Into the Mystic via The Whole Enchilada

After years of poor scheduling, I finally managed to snag a ride that’s been on the bucket list since I first heard about it – that is, of course, The Whole Enchilada. For mountain bikers, the Whole Enchilada needs no introduction. It is the holy grail of mountain bike rides in the states, if not the world – and for good reason. Throughout the ride, you’ll climb to above 11,000′ (nearly above the treeline) before the trail drops you 7,000′ over the course of 35 miles. Along the way, you’ll ride through aspen groves on steep alpine singletrack, flowy bermy sections through sage and scrub, traverse across the famous Porcupine Rim on top of it’s chunky mix of slickrock and desert fun, before ultimately finding yourself where the sky meets the earth at the Colorado River. Add to an already epic journey a healthy dose of snow, wind, rain, mud, and sun, and you have an adventure of mythic proportions on par with Homer’s Odyssey.