The Minutia of the Indiana Jones Trail

The day after my 50th run down Indiana Jones. I met up for some laps with Aki and inevitably, I made lap number 51 down Indy. I just can't get enough of this run.  For me, it takes everything I've learned about climbing and riding single track, stirs it up with everything I've learned about drops, jumps and freeride, and spills it out in one two-minute run down a gully.

Aki suggested that I might know the trail better than anyone. I don't know if that's true. I tend to think that when pro racers are blasting down the trail they are seeing details I wouldn't ever consider. The trail must feel completely different at 20 mph compared to 12. 

No, I don't know Indy better than anyone, but I know it enough to have my opinions on it. And I know a little history about it's evolution. So let's begin at the beginning. The initial roll-in. I'll just say it, the right side line looks like pure death. The left side is steep and it can be greasy when it's wet, but it sets you up just right for the first rock step.

You carry the speed from the roll-in up to the big white rock on the opposite wall of the gully. This wasn't always the way, it's just the first of many mods.

I used to carry speed, pull up and air off the rock. Now if you do that, you just might drop both wheels into this deep compression formed by thousands of riders all landing in the same place. It's like landing in a bombhole on a powder day. Often I roll the rock, or just pull up enough to wheelie drop it. Same with the  drop that comes right after this one, the second drop,

I think there used to be more dirt in the landing for this one. But over time it's all been hammered away, so I roll this one too. One characteristic of a trail in the center of a gully is the build up of loose rocks. It really only makes sense that loose rocks would roll into the trail and accumulate. Every once and a while I sacrifice my run down so I can sweep rocks off the trail. Especially at the next drop.

You can see by the lack of rocks that the left line is more popular. I can't speak for that line, I've never done it. This is the point where I officially turn it on, I get lined up and point it off the rock on the right.

Hitting it this way makes it a mandatory air, and  somehow it always feels like I land in a transition. Once my wheels hit, the flowing trail just unravels in front of you. From there you shoot under the fallen tree above you, sweep up a right side berm, cross the gully and climb a left side berm. If you get poison ivy, there is plenty of it in this area. Always take the high line on these arcing berms to get the full experience and to truly ride the trail the way it was designed.

Carry speed off the berm and you'll find the next mandatory air.

This is a very clean step-down jump. I like to hug the right edge and ride off the lip of the log. One time I found a smashed helmet visor under this jump, so I hung it on a tree. The tree branches can grow down into the path of the jump, so slapping a few branches can be fun. Land high in the landing berm and straighten out. Then you'll be facing this blind lip.

You can just center up and pop straight down the trail, but I don't always do that. I've spent a lot of time clearing rocks from the landing, but it's still scary to jump into a blind landing. After this the trail zigs and zags. Right now there's a big burdock plant in this turn, so if you reach the bottom with the big spikey seeds stuck to your glove, it's from here.

is also where the spring can dribble water onto the trial early each year. The trail takes a jagged step down turn to the left, often this is the start of the wet section. 

Dropping through the step turn you'll find yourself facing the boulder.

The fastest line used to be cutting the corner to the right. I always go over the top and shoot the little rock gap. But one day I was out cleaning up the trail, there was a little bush growing above the rock on the left  side. I gave the bush a little tug and it came loose. With the bush in my hand I looked down at the new line I had made ( the red line). I thought, this is gonna be the new go around whether I like it or not. 

However you pass the boulder, a sharp left will leave you facing two more rock drops. These drops are right in the grey area of being almost too big to roll safely. I try to pop off both of them, but something about them is a little sketchy. At least the second one can be hipped over the the right to catch a little transition. This section can also be wet and wild in the spring.

Clean those drops and you'll skitter across a bumpy run-in to find yourself looking down the barrel of Rat Trap.

Rat Trap got it's name because when it was being dug a very large rat was displaced from it's habitat. The original trail still exists as a jarring rock garden go-around on the left. Adding this mandatory air feature with a formidable gap really stepped up the amplitude of the trail. Technically it's a very well built feature, just carry some speed and pull up. Every now and then loose rocks get kicked into the landing.

It's a little disappointing that the landing has brake bumps. I use this feature as a way to build speed, so I never touch my brakes on the landing. I just carry as much speed as I can into the nice left hand berm at the bottom. I want all that speed so I can send it off this.

If there's a big puddle in front of this jump, you're forgiven for rolling past it. But if not give it all you got and pop into this funky left to right hip jump. It's not technically perfect, far from it. But I always pulled for this jump, it was left as a tiny roller. I arranged the logs under it and hauled buckets of dirt to get it the way it is. It entertains me, and it's not unsafe. If you don't hit it right you just don't get much air. Carry your speed from the jump into the big arcing turn on the left. Zoom down to the last jump on the right and pop off the log. 

Originally you had to jump over the log, (which was way more fun). But like all of Left Hand trails, you can't say, "I liked it better when...." This trail is the best example of modifying a moto trail into the perfect mountain bike trail.

Big thanks to the diggers who made it happen. Long Live Indiana Jones