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Ha! My wife had a similar idea. She made this and gave it to me for my birthday a while back. This is Pisgah:

Some maps deserve more than to just be thrown out after a ride.

I heard you guys like high-pivot bikes. I found one that I like.

Fox makes some really good suspension products. The downside is, it can be hard to source parts and service them yourself.

I need this shirt

I like how they actually put a little sprocket up there, and spliced together two different colored chains. Then they posed it in front of that fence to make it obvious that it's not photo shop job. That's quality AFD commitment.

Madrone and Mountain Laurel.

You're welcome to come take my rig for a spin if you want. XT 12 speed 10-45 with a 32T oval ring up front. Shimano doesn't shift as buttery smooth as Sram, it has a more mechanical feel and action. 12 speed doesn't really make much of a difference for MTB not like for road bikes where being able to keep a consistent cadence is important, 12 speed has a closer ratio between gears allowing you to find the right gear more often and keep your cadence steady. I think 12 speed is a good choice for people who ride a lot of flat land trails where you can spin and like to keep your cadence consistent. Now if you were to go with XT my recommendation would be to go with an XT derailleur and an SLX shifter. My personal opinion is that the SLX shifter feels much smoother more like Sram than the XT shifter does. Is your bike having any shifting issues? If not I would think that the derailleur is still good although I do know that Sram has a tendency to wear out quicker than Shimano mostly at the pivot points which typically leads to poor shifting that adjusting just won't correct. As far as initial cost and cost later down the road for wearable items Shimano wins with Sram being $300-500 for a replacement cassette is just absurd, if weight is a major concern then Sram would be a better choice Sram is typically lighter than Shimano. like I said you can come grab my bike and see how you like it.

That is actually a pretty cool idea. If I had to redo a drivetrain that would be a good consideration. I will take burly over finesse in most cases.

Had 11spd X01, X1 and both eagle x01 and XTR 12spds. IMHO, SRAM shifts better but if you are committed to going 12spd I'd do Shimano XT. Do the full kit though. BUT....if you're willing to try something outside the box, the SRAM EX1 8spd is freaking perfect for here. It's an 11-48 cassette that weighs less than the more expensive eagle offerings while having enough bailout for out of state trips. The Derailleur is same weight as XT 8100 and who gives a fuck about the shifter. I've been really, really happy with mine. Plus it's all overbuilt for e-bike use so you get that as well. The only downside is the shifter is 1 to 1 action but with only 8 gears it's not much of a factor. FWIW, I have the xtr and ex on my bikes now and you can give them a try if you want.

Then either a 12-speed is the way to go or consider staying with an 11 and getting a 30T for the front just for that trip. The cost of a ring and a chain would be less than $50. It would be a simple way to deal with real mountains by only having to change the cheap components.

No problem man - get out and enjoy that new bike! If you're ever up north and want to share stories, I'm out riding on Brushy 4 times per week. My biggest fear with these modern anti-coagulant meds is my co-pay coupon expiring!!!!!

Yeah I hardly ever use my lowest gear around here even on my 11-spd. However, I'm planning at least 2 trips per year to destinations that require much more climbing. That is why I'm considering options. Colorado kicked my ass last year on the 11-spd!

Man, if I had 11 speed I'd stick with that. 12, for riding around here, is overkill. The 50T that I have is hardly ever used, I spin too much. In the process of replacing my front ring with a 32T (long story on why it is not done yet) and I am thinking that in the future I might consider a 34T for the front because the 50T is kinda worthless for me. A 34T up front might change that dynamic. Ultimately 11sp would have been a better choice but the bike came with 12. Shifters seem to last forever for me, I chew through derailleurs about ever 18 - 24 months, go through cassettes about every 24 - 36 months. But shifters never wear out for me. If I replace them it is because I misjudged a tree gap. I had a friend that went wireless. She loved it. Then one day she forgot that she was charging the battery and ended up with a singlespeed and could not get it into the optimal range (I am sure you can...) I'm an old guy, I'll stick with cables, I don't trust technology that much (as a tech person).

Since it's time to replace my SRAM 11-speed cassette, I'm once again considering drivetrain options. One thing I'm trying to factor in is the useful life of derailleurs and shifters. I'm sure there are many variables, but I've been using the same XX1 setup since 2016. The clutch failed once after a year or so, and SRAM replaced the derailleur under warranty. Everything has worked flawlessly since then. A shop guy told me that once you get past 3-4 years of heavy use on a derailleur, you've gotten your money's worth. If that is true, then I'm running on borrowed time. What's been your experience with useful life on shifters / derailleurs? In terms of options for upgrading to 12-spd, I'm seeing a lot of good reviews on the XT 12-spd setup (mechanical). Anybody had experience with both SRAM and Shimano 12-spd? I rode a buddy's GX AXS 12-spd and honestly wasn't that impressed. To me there was an ever-so-slight delay between pushing the button and getting a shift, whereas on my XX1, the shifting is instantaneous and incredibly smooth. I haven't completely ruled out wireless shifting, but based on my one experience, I'm not sold. In fairness, I've only tried it on pavement.

Sure its not local, warranty service may be an issue but if you're looking https://slickdeals.net/f/15700351-costco-members-intense-951-xc-trail-mountain-bike-various-frame-sizes-3500-free-s-h

I didn't ask but I will when I pick the bike up from the Trek Store. Fox completed an overhaul on the rear shock but couldn't do anything with the fork. Of course I'll be getting the story second-hand, but still good to know the reason.

Did they explain as to why it's unrepairable?

You might be a redneck when you use your DH gear as protection, during a DIY garage door spring replacement😄