# Any tandems going to Sedona Fat Tire Festival?



## J&L (Oct 20, 2010)

Will we be the lone tandem representing our community?
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=688805


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## zibell (Apr 13, 2007)

We were out in Sedona last May towing our son. There wasn't alot of trails to ride for us to ride towing a tag-a-long. I would like to know what trails are tandemable. Let us know what trails you ride and how the trails are. 
Thanks
Patrick


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## J&L (Oct 20, 2010)

From the sound of some on this forum, it would seem like people can ride just about anything. We like the more relaxed rides, so we'll be searching out some of the less extreme and not so terrifying trails. Seems like there are some out there. Plus we have always wanted to go to Sedona, so this seemed like as good a time as any.


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## zibell (Apr 13, 2007)

J&L let us know how the festival goes and how the trails are and what you got to ride. 
Thanks


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## befoot (Mar 11, 2006)

seems I'm a bit late for this post....did you go and how was it ?

I done a lot of riding in Sedona and have never taken the tandem over there.
I think theirs much better tandem riding in Flag and here in Prescott.


Cheers


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## J&L (Oct 20, 2010)

We did go and had a great time, and were the only tandem there. We've only been riding for a year, and in northern CA, most of what we have is dirt with a few rocks. So it was educational! 

The first ride was led by a fellow mtbr member, "old post" to "bike path". This was fun, and I only found there to be a few "too tight" turns. There were some features that were too much for us, but not because we were on a tandem, with perhaps one exception. On bike path, it was wild, we were in a deep narrow wash, the red dirt walls were at the top of my vision. The stoker described it like being in a bob sled run. 

Surprisingly enough the hills weren't too bad. There were short steep hills, but most of the sustained climbs were well below 10%, at least for the trails we were on.

Later that day we took girdner from the road to the summit. A couple of tight turns again, but overall not too bad. The trail could have had more horizontal clearance, and long sleeves and pants would have been helpful. The views from the summit were fantastic. Probably would have been fun to continue, but we were getting tired by then.

The next day found us negotiating rocky steps. We did chimney rock, and found the features (e.g. steps) challenging. But there was enough degrees of difficulty to learn how to ride them, and of course hike them when they were too much. But I found that trail to be wide enough that I think many of them could have been done on a tandem, at least downhill. Not sure how to scale an 18" step on a tandem? 

Then we got into the narrow windy steps like thunder mountain trail, we turned around. Someone suggested soldiers pass, so we had a nice ride through neighborhood streets to get there, which gave me time to look at the views while riding. Seems there are jeep trails and single track trails with the same name. soldiers pass single track had lots of narrow tight turns with smaller rocky features, turned around after a while. The jeep trails had lots of large rocks, good to practice with a nice wide trail just in case. Keep in mind the failure to negotiate a turn can result in encounters with prickly pear cactus, being impaled by yucca leaves (aka spikes), and if you don't get back up quickly the large black ants can finish you off. On the bright side, the AZ black ants probably are not as bad as fire ants found elsewhere.

Closed out the trip on the south side with bell mountain pathway, an easy trail, with great scenery. Someone suggested llama trail, but we tried it and by that time were tired with the hike a bike over large rocks and turned around near the start of the trail.


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## zibell (Apr 13, 2007)

J&L sounds like you had a blast in Sedona. Thanks for the report. When we went out last year we only rode the Bell Pathway, we were towing our son on his tag-a-long. We all had a fun time. I'll have to put the Sedona Fat Tire Festival on our calender for next year.


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## J&L (Oct 20, 2010)

Never used a tag-a-long, I would imagine if it is securely attached to a single it would be more maneuverable than a rigid tandem. Of course if it was attached to a tandem, that would be a different story  

I should mention, both the stoker and I came away from the event with scratches on our legs and arms due to narrow trails, and some scratchy plants beside them. Not sure how that would translate into the rider of a tag-a-long. 

When comparing trails, and skill level it is hard, but Bell pathway comes in very close to a "wide paved multipurpose trail with a few bumps" compared to the other trails. With nice scenery to make up for the lack of off road fun.


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## Trails4Two (May 12, 2008)

*big train*

From our trip to Crested Butte last August. It was more work pulling the trial-a-bike, but honestly I though it was easier than using a single. Pedal strikes were the biggest issue for the caboose.


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