I find myself with a weekend to waste in the cesspit that is Las Vegas. I’ll be spending the whole week there, so will more than enough time for all the other “delights”* of Vegas, so pondered a trip to Bootleg for a ride.

Has anyone been? Any tips, ideas, etc?

*I hate Las Vegas with a passion. Apart from a nice Thai restaurant (Lotus of Siam) and reading a good book at the Aria pool, I can think of virtually nothing to recommend it.

Yes. Used to live in CA and we’d do a road trip to bootleg every winter. Rocks, dust and more rocks. Mainly thought of as a DH place but there are some technical XC runs. They used to do uplifts to the DH. Bike shop in nearby town ran them.

And couldn’t agree more about Vegas. Hate the place.

J.

I hate Vegas. I just spent a week there in connection with the bike show. Didn’t go riding, didn’t bring a bike, the show took up all of my time except for the evenings, when you try to find someone with an expense account to buy you dinner.

I wrote an amusing account of my experience.

Thanks, both.

Technical XC sounds good for a day’s play. Will have another, deeper look in to it.

I went in April and it’s mega. Obviously the temperature can be an issue but here’s what you need to know:

– You’ll probably need to rent a car to get out there, but then you can roll on to the Hoover Dam which is astonishing
– Call the blokes at All Mountain Cyclery to book a bike. Their Spec Enduro’s were great and available as 27.5 and 29. They have other stuff but these are perfect, well maintained and they understand the concept of wear and tear. They swapped the brakes over for us but forewarn them. The shop is a ten minute ride from the base where the trails converge
– Pads are recommended. The surface is abrasive and rocky
– Go on a weekend as the uplift runs. It serves all the trails, not just DH. and the XC trails particularly down the front are a hoot. It’s very informal too and we had no trouble getting a lift sitting in dusty sofas in the back of a retired U-Haul van. I’d imagine most of the year as soon as the sun’s high you’ll appreciate a lift
– There’s a loo and a drinking tap at the base so take your camelbak but it needn’t be 9 litres
– Check out the trail map on the All Mountain Cyclery website. The grades are pretty accurate and the trails well marked

Let me know if you have more questions. If I was back in Vegas I’d make time to go there again.

EDIT – and I found some ONE DAY gap insurance cover as lift assisted mountain biking ought to send your insurer into a spin. Most dedicated insurers want you to extend cover for the whole trip.

STW DELIVERS!

That’s superb, thanks!

Don’t overdo the pads. I’m sure the ‘people’ bringing you beer at the Aria pool will dig your English accent, faux-aristocratic intent and your manly scars.

🙂

Americans always think I’ve got an Australian accent! 😀

Me too, but unlike me I’m guessing you don’t sound like you’re from York-shyerrr.