World's Best Commute (commutes #64 and #65)

On days where I can avoid early meetings, I can ride the Bonneville Shoreline Trail from the Hogle Zoo/Pioneer Park to city creek. It's a short ride from my house to the trailhead, and a short exit ride from City Creek to my office. It's a tough ride first thing in the morning - I usually need to leave the house close to 6a.m. to be at my desk showered and ready to roll by 8a.m. I was lucky enough to do it on back to back days last week, a rare occurrence.

The climbing starts right away, with a mix of steep and non-so steep climbs. A few minutes of effort yields the first view of the mountains to the West, the city, and the great Salt Lake.

After some rolling single track, a brief jaunt through Red Butte Garden, and some more single track and tough climbs, the base of dry creek is reached. The far peak in the middle is the goal for the climb up dry creek, which is a good steady climb getting steep in the last couple minutes. The fast guys ride it in 8 or 9 minutes, I'm thrilled if I do it in 12.

Here's a view down back down the climb after riding a short way past the switch back nearing the top.

Here's the view towards the west from the top of dry creek.

The climb up dry creek is the last of the major climbing in the ride, although there remains another steep hill and some more climbing after that.

Here's a view of the city... getting closer now.

Just some nice single track, with a nice downhill and some rolling, twisting trail.

The ride finally tops out above city creek, rewarding the rider with some nice panoramic views prior to starting a fast, extended downhill section into City Creek.