Full moon riding in Sedona: No Lights Allowed…or needed!
When you get to Sedona, the first thing to do is stop by Mountain Bike Heaven and find out when the locals are riding. Club rides, another tradition of Mountain Bike Heaven are on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday mornings and are free to all takers. Sunday’s adventure is for advanced riders only, Tuesday and Wednesday are more moderate and are open to all skill levels. Sedona’s trails are easy to get to and fun to explore. It’s best to orient yourselves with the red rock formations and then go. No need for a Red Rock Pass since you can pedal to all the trails from town. So stash the car and pedal to the trails. Recent work on the trail system has made the trails easier to follow allowing for more fun and less wandering around in the woods. There are several loops around town that can take anywhere from 2.5 hours to 5 or 6 hours. If you can’t make one of the club rides and you don’t feel comfortable on your own, Mountain Bike Heaven offers Bikeappelli Adventures that are custom made for your needs. For those who want a crack at Sedona red rock riding on their own, it’s best to snag a reference map so you can find the connections from one trail system to another. Recently the names of most of the trails have been changed to protect the innocent and confuse everyone else, so don’t get too hung up on the map. To enjoy Sedona completely you need
2 or 3 days, and it really takes several months to figure your way around. The classic
Sedona rides include the red rocks at Broken Arrow and Soldier’s Pass. Both of these
areas link up with many trails in many directions most of them well marked by huge cairns
fondly referred to as "rocks in bondage" or by heavy tire tracks. Other classic
rides include: Secret Trails, Midgely Bridgely, Cathedral Rock, Buddha Beach, Pyramid,
Compactor, CoxComb, Deadman’s Pass, Mescal Mtn, Carrol Canyon, Stutz Bearcat, the
Other Side, to mention a few of While in Sedona, eat like the locals. Sit-down breakfasts are best at Soup and Salad, or the Coffee Pot, and take out at Sedona Bagel and Donut can’t be beat. After ride favorites include the buffet at the Indian Palace, the best sandwiches in town are at Sedona Memories, and the Red Planet Diner and Myan Taco across the street form the bikeshop are standards. Upscale dinners can be had at the Javalina Cantina, and vegetarian faire is at Tai Spices and New Frontiers Natural Foods. Nitelife is a bit dull in Sedona, but getting brighter. The Oak Creek Brewary provides entertainment and a cross section of Sedona natives. For nighttime coffee try Ravenheart and don’t forget to check out the new wine bar and martini bar. Take it from someone who knows, Sedona has the best mountain biking around, day or night, with or without light.
This article was written by Rama Jon,
founder of Mountain Bike Heaven. Special thanks to the many riders who have contributed to the full moon experience in Sedona. |
Full moon rides have been a tradition at Sedona’s Mountain
Bike Heaven for over a decade. The faces have changed and the sizes of the groups vary
dramatically, but one thing stays constant, no lights allowed. After completing yet
another evening adventure lit solely by the moon, our chief mechanic Wheelie-Todd
commented, " you guys are crazy!" This from a guy who has no problems strapping
lights on his bike and pedaling into darkness. It takes a special synergy of
environmental, social, and spiritual conditions to inspire even mountain bikers to venture
out on trails lit only by the rays of the moon. Over the years the size of the groups have
varied from a couple of hearty or fool-hearty riders to whole herds of mountain bikers who
have partied hearty with a BBQ and festivities prior to embarking into the moonlight. One
thing for certain, it takes the right combination to enjoy a full moon ride, and that
combination happens in Sedona year round.
On this particular full moon in February we did one of the secret Sedona
classics. A combination of known and lesser-known trails with a bit of dirt road riding
tossed in to keep things under control. There were eight of us who set out on this moon
lit adventure, one novice and seven seasoned riders. We kept to a mellow pace so as not to
harsh on our novice, and to tell you the truth, it’s hard to go fast when your not
sure what’s under your wheels. Riding in and out of shadows turns even an easy
everyday trail into a challenging experience. The dirt rode provided for lots of laughs as
we floated through large pockets of deep sand, sometimes sideways. And then there was the
coasting race that transformed us into mountain bike maniacs going exceptionally fast. One
rider provided additional entertainment when he coasted way too fast inside on a turn and
went rolling, rolling, rolling, but not hurt. Next up was the climb, a slow steady rock
strewn menage of eirie shadows reflecting off of tall trees and red rocks. Our tires
rolling over the rocks was the only sound other than our novice’s heavy breathing as
the more skilled riders dropped him. We all waited at the top, overlooking the lights of
Sedona and reveling in the silence. As we began our descent back into town, the coyotes
gave us a goodbye chorus. The silence was now broken by our squealing brakes and the rocks
rolling under our wheels as we rode the sketchy descent home. Perhaps the hardest part of
this particular ride on this particular night was having the right clothes on at the right
time, for even in Sedona, February evenings are a chilly time. 
Over the last decade there are many
memorable full moon rides. In the early days we rode the easier trails at Broken Arrow and
Soldier’s Pass. I think with the largest group ever we challenged the climb at House
Mountain. This is a gnarly climb even in the daylight and as I recall, several of us
pretty nearly aced the climb. My personal favorite types of full moon adventures are truly
adventures. I prefer to start at 2:30 in the morning and catch the transition between day
and night. Full moon is the perfect time for a brutal or boring climb. Sometimes not being
able to see what’s ahead has its advantages. Then, as the day dawns, I’m ready
for the gnarly descent. In many cases we are done and on our way back for breakfast before
the rest of the town is up. On one occasion we left at 2:30 on a yet untested route and
reached our destination ten minutes before a pre-arranged second ride, only to find that
the other riders were still out at breakfast and this was at ten in the morning. If I had
to pick one particular ride that stands out above all others it would have to be the full
moon ride when it was snowing. Snow rides in Sedona are spectacular to begin with, and to
ride in the snow with the snow flakes playing hide and seek with the moon, well
that’s a once in a blue moon experience.
There is something special about being
out on your bike on the trail as the rest of the city sleeps. In the silence and the
darkness you can’t help but notice nature, there is nothing else out there. The
noises of the city are easily forgotten for a few moments as the full moon casts it’s
mysterious spell over all of us. The heightening of the senses is addictive and is
probably the key to being able to ride at all. This is the same addiction that makes us
all mountain bikers in the first place, whether we are first time riders or seasoned
veterans.
the favorites. Sedona’s brutal rough rocky cactusy side is best
portrayed on the Airport Loop and it’s many offshoots. Xtreme downhillers can test
their nerve on the many downhills off of Schuerman’s Mtn, but you’ll have to
pedal up. If shuttling is your thing, the new Schnebely Hill/Munds Trail is just what the
doctor ordered, a 10-mile downhill run into town. And for those who want something totally
different, the Mingus Mtn shuttle and downhill is beyond beyond. This ride was once
referred to as the revenge of the vegetables.