Time for Fall Specials…Book Summer 2013!

Calling all riders who dread the end of the biking season…book next season now!  For three days only, San Juan Hut Systems  brings back their Fall Specials for the 2013 bike season.  Be advised, San Juan Hut Systems will have a rate increase from $850 to $895 per rider for the 2013 Bike Season!  Mark your calendar and receive a discount on next years’ rates!  These discounts are date specific and only offered during business hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Full payment is due at the time of booking and some restriction do apply.

Fall 2013 Specials Rates

We are looking for fun, awesome, or creative videos and photos for our 2012 bike season contests with prizes that will bring you fame, fortune, and entertainment. We would like to encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to share their adventure and to check out other groups trips.

Bike Video Contest

1^st Place Video

-$850 bike credit

-Goodie Cooler at one hut next time you ride with us

-A radical paperweight / trophy

-One year subscription to Mountain Flyer (the West’s premier mountain bike magazine)

-Serious bragging rights/video posted on our website

2^nd Place Video

-$425 bike credit

-Radical paperweight/trophy

-Goodie Cooler at one hut next time you ride with us

3^{rd Place} Video

-$225 bike credit

-Radical paperweight/ trophy

Bike Photo Contest

1^st Place Photo

-$425 bike credit

-A Goodie Cooler at one hut next time you ride with us

-A radical paperweight / trophy

-Serious bragging rights/ photo posted on our website

2^nd Place Photo

-$200 bike credit

-Radical paperweight/trophy

3^rd Place Photo

-$100 bike credit

-Radical paperweight

The Rules to Play By

1. Videos must be less than three minutes in length.
2. Photos and a link to videos must be posted to our Facebook Page.
3. All photos and videos must be submitted by November 30th.
4. The top three contenders in each category will be determent by the number of “likes” on Facebook and then the placing order will be determined by a committee. Pssstt…..get your friends to “ like” your video or photo.
5. A copy of the video or photo must be sent to San Juan Hut Systems with a written statement that San Juan Hut Systems has permission to use your work.
6. All videos and photos must be submitted by one person and one person only.
7. Only one submission per person.
8. The bike credits can be divided amongst the group at the discretion of the person submitting the video or photo.
9. The bike credits expire after two bike seasons and cannot be used in conjunction with any other “deals” including but not limited to specials, group rates, and certificates purchased at an auction or fundraising event.

Everyone is encouraged to submit videos and photos regardless of their experience level. Photos and videos will be judged on many factors so you don’t have to have knarly or pro footage to win, although you could. Here are some of the things we will be considering: is the piece inspiring, does it come close to doing the scenery justice, does it convey the adventure and hut life, is it fun to watch/look at, is it creative? Good luck!

P.S We also have plans for a winter ski and video contest, stay tuned.

As part of a series, we are presenting riders’ writing from log books located at each hut, tracking the adventures from creative meals to nearly missed spills.

Day 4: 7/11/09 Wedding Bell
Departed Dry Creek Basin Hut at approx 7:45 a.m. Earlier that morning a thundering “boom in the night” woke the entire cabin. Usually that same sound meant that Kevlar was testing the strength of the of the hut trusses with his forehead. At dawn I noticed no facial bruising and the truth unfolded. It seems that Jim Dandy was honing his karate skills by trying to break the bunk ladder with his leg. Final score: Bunkladder =1 Jim Dandy’s shin = 0.

It was a nice day cruising through the sagebrush basins. The gentle downhills were a relief from yesterday’s rocky ride that needed the Vulcan death grip on the handlebars to survive. Cloud cover kept the heat off and the winds were gentle. Kevlar spent the day riding with us. Arrived at Wedding Bell Hut at 12:45 p.m. The fortress has a great view. Heavy thunderstorm clouds over the hut in the afternoon. We’re trying to convince Kevlar to run up the ridge with a long metal pole to mark the last lightening strike. Jim Dandy has become the master chef of the group. Having seen him order the more expensive menu items while eating out qualifies him for the job. Our meals have been fantastic!

—Ronaldo, Team Oracle

As part of its Summer Weekend Planner and latest issue, Backpacker Magazine rated America’s 12 best campsites and our neck of the woods made the cut. Blue Lakes located on the northern flanks of the Mount Sneffels Range was named one the country’s best place to lay your head outdoors. We agree and have our Blue Lakes Hut perfectly placed. So if camping in a tent doesn’t appeal, try a summer hut trip to Blue Lakes.

Blue Lakes Hut

As part of a series, we are presenting riders’ writing from log books located at each hut, tracking the adventures from creative meals to nearly missed spills.

Day 3: 7/10/09 Deep Creek
Team Oracle left the Black Mesa Hut at approximately 7:45 a.m. Opening the upper windows in the hut helps with circulation. It seems that earplugs are a must to get some sleep. Eight tired males in a small room yields a nightly symphony of bodily noises. Kevlar found some clothes in his bag last night left from the Italians. I’m sure he will be digging deeper tonight for more intimate apparel.
Caspar a.k.a Kevlar took off first down the hill dressed in white. I’m sure the locals thought the Colorado Yeti had returned to the Black Mesa. The downhill today was great. FSR 615 was very rocky with patches of mud. We ate lunch at the ‘T’ intersection of Beef Trail Road. The locals drove by and offered some grit to the PB&J.
We arrived at Miramonte Reservoir for a quick swim. No sign of Kevlar. We pushed on for Dry Creek Basin Hut and arrived at approximately 1:45 p.m. Kevlar had the hut open and had a plate of milk and cookies waiting for us. We were also greeted by biting black gnats. Some of the team made some nachos for all to enjoy. Curious George repacked his front bike bearings with Vasoline.
Interesting to note some of the items the team members brought: “Jim Dandy” is still carrying his eight pound arctic raingear. He’ll probably put it on and run through some Moab lawn sprinklers to justify the load. Curious George has enough bike tools to open a shop in Durango. Kevlar has a livestock brush that he hopes to use to groom an elk herd.

—Ronaldo, Team Oracle

As part of a series, we are presenting riders’ writings from log books located at each hut, tracking the adventures from creative meals to nearly missed spills.

Day 2: 7/9/09 Black Mesa
Six of us (the smart ones) left Bolam Hut at 8 a.m. Kevlar and “Curious George” decided to do Alternate 1 and 2 while we ventured to Black Mesa. Lots of gravel downhill helped the Wizard’s chain ring come apart. Thank God the “Godfather” was with him to repair it. Great ride with killer views today. The only other difficulty was repairing the Godfather’s handlebar bag a few times.
Got to the hut at 3:04 p.m. Worked on the bikes and prepared burritos for dinner. Kevlar drifted in between 3-4 p.m. looking like a freight train hit him. Curious George stumbled in later. The consensus of the lost boys was that Alternate 1 and 2 sucked. Getting lost, lots of mud and rock—never again!

—Ronaldo, Team Oracle

It’s true that your glutes, quads, hamstrings and calves take a toll after big rides, especially those first big rides. But it comes down to the core when it comes down to post-riding pain and particullary back and neck. Here are a few exercises that  align the spine, encourage upper body flexibility and relieve pain in the back, neck and shoulder–and a few can be done right at your desk. Check out Bicycling Magazine easy upper body training in yoga fashion.

As part of a series, we are presenting riders’ writing from log books located at each hut, tracking the adventures from creative meals to nearly missed spills.

Team Oracle

Day 1: 7/8/09 Bolam Pass

The eight amigos (seven California boys and one from Colorado) left the Starbucks at Purgatory around 8:25 a.m. The extra coffee was critical for the anticipated *** trail needed to be deposited to mark the way for the stragglers. Great climb up the mountain. Creek crossings were a surprise. We got to wash our shoes and the “Wizard” participated in a high-altitude baptism. Thought we had the hut at the Graysill mining site. If that’s the hut we’re in for a long ride. Made it to hut around 1:45 p.m. The Italians left the hut in great shape. The two cans of chili missing indicated their dinner was less than special. We started dinner early. “Kevlar” field-dressed a Marmot. We had pasta as a side dish.

—Ronaldo, Team Oracle

How much do you know about shifting? To make riding more fun and bike repair less frequent, check out these tips from seven-time Canadian national cross-country champion Andreas Hestler from Bicycling magazine for a better ride and a longer drivetrain life.

• Is cross chaining the answer? Riding in a combo of the big chainring and big cog, or the small ring and small cog, is generally not a good idea. But Hestler says, it can at times offer the ideal gear and races set their bikes to handle it. However, it’s rough to shift into.

• Think before you shift. Your eyeing that hill climb before you and it’s all about anticipation. Anticipate your next gear and when to accelerate. Shifting after terrain changes sets you back energy-wise and slows you down. Same goes for sand and water crossings—think before you get in gear.

• Care for your chain. Changing the chain, Hestler says, keeps you from having to replace your cogs and rings as often. And be weary of wet-dry riding, chains weaken in these conditions. Check your chainring and cassette for burrs and nicks.

• Go easy. Make shifting light, careful and timely to avoid breaking something. “If you love your bike it’ll love you—shift lightly and carefully,” says Hestler.