After working like crazy for months, the Ryder-Walker ladies, managing director Melanie Eggers and RW Jacqueline of-all-trades, Jessica “Jess” Sullivan, jumped on their mountain bikes for a much-needed spin during lunch. Melanie was so excited about the ride that she quickly wrote this piece when she got back. Enjoy it.
FYI: Ryder-Walker founder Peter Walker designed the Prospect Trail mentioned in this piece. Though he didn’t physically build the trail, his knowledge of the terrain surrounding the Telluride Ski Resort proved indispensible in the trail’s design.
Mr. Walker, I had no idea. Not only can you produce some of the best hiking itineraries in Europe (and Telluride, CO), your mountain bike trail building is an unknown forté to most.
Today, after months of working on our clients’ travel schedules with seemingly no end in sight, Jess and I finally jumped on our mountain bikes during lunch and hit the Telluride Ski Resort’s Prospect Trail. Door to door from the Ryder Walker office, this beautiful and near-perfect mountain bike (and hiking) trail took us just over an hour to hammer out.
Riding mostly our second chain rings, Jess, my Titus (my second boyfriend) and I soaked up the beautiful mountain landscape, cool weather, and unforgettable flora and fauna. Not only are you bound to see a black bear, porcupine, deer and maybe a few elk while riding this masterful trail, the wildflowers jump out at you while spinning along the single track (especially the Arnica because it knows you might need some after this adventure).
Winding through pine and aspen trees, I barely have to think about what I am doing as the trail does it for me. In fact, I almost always giggle on the perfectly engineered and winding trail, descending for what seems like forever. Crossing over Prospect Creek, flowing wildly to its destination, I see my own destination and realize that I don’t want my ride to end, ever. I love the wild outdoors and promise to cherish and take care of our Mother Earth—end of story. But not yet…The single track leads me around another curve.
It makes sense that a guy that ran the Telluride Ski School for 20 years would know how to build the perfect world-class mountain bike trail on terrain that he’s been skiing for years. It makes even more sense when you consider that Mr. Walker, let’s call him “el Jefe” (the boss) after this ride, spent more than 25 years hiking European trails designed by Romans and ancient livestock herders. It makes sense that he would know exactly how to prospect a mountain biking trail that gives people an extraordinary experience. Thank you for prospecting this goldmine. It makes me feel richer than most people will feel in a lifetime!
Keep walking and ‘ryding'...Melanie
Image: Jessica Sullivan (left). Melanie Eggers (right).
