Just don't ride alone.

Photo by Randy Tunnell.

Photo: The Few, The Proud-the trails in the backcountry of Fort Ord are a cyclist''s dream -scenic, varied and mostly empty.

There are many good reasons not to mountain bike alone. Like any sport better done far from pavement, it presents the same hazards as hiking or hunting alone. The difference is speed. Hitting a tree at 15 mph offers a different degree of pain and suffering than bumping into a branch at a stroll.

Mountain biking the abandoned wilds of Fort Ord is no different. You don''t want to go in there by yourself for a lot of reasons, most important that if, God forbid, you should fly over the handlebars and mangle a limb, chances are no one will be coming up the trail behind you. Not for a long time, anyway.

That said, the loneliness of Fort Ord is the very thing that makes it so good for mountain biking. Whole vast back ranges laced with single-track trails and dirt roads can go untrampled by humans for days at a time. Sure, some know about the trail complex that''s ideal for off-road running, mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding, but go out there midweek for a few hours with a friend and you''ve got it all to yourself. There''s enough trail that a three-hour ride means you''ve only torn off a corner chunk of the terrain.

The kind of technical rock-strewn trail found in more mountainous country is rare in Fort Ord. And in fact, some stretches of trail will get too sandy and soft if it hasn''t rained in a while. But what the Fort Ord trails lack in abundance of technical difficulty they make up for in long hard-packed single tracks ideal for speedy rocket rides. And it claims a handful of steep grades that will set your heart thumping. Every now and then a trail crosses a paved road, which, since the backside of the base is closed to motor vehicles, means you can bomb hills without fear of encountering a lumbering RV around the next bend. (Cars do become a issue when Laguna Seca has events, which require the roads to be opened for increased traffic loads.)

The Fort Ord trails can be reached by a number of trailheads on the periphery of the old base. At the north end, the East Garrison entrance sits off Reservation Road, just outside Marina. Park in the pullout, ride through the gate and through the old garrison area to Barloy Canyon Road, which slices straight through the back area. A paved road, Barloy Canyon divides the usable trail area to the east from old gunnery ranges to the west, which are still littered with unexploded ordnance. Except for a few trails at the northwest end near East Garrison, the volume of trails are in the hills and gullies east of Barloy Canyon Road. Although the trails are well marked by brown plastic stakes, a map is critical. They can be had online at www.ca.blm.gov/hollister/trail_map_fo.html, in boxes strapped to posts at some trailheads and in area bicycle shops. For detailed topographic maps and excellent trail descriptions, consult www.ihns.net/fortordpl.

Having a trail map is a given, and, as on any outdoor excursion, bring water. Do not forget your tire pump, repair kit and a spare tube. The unprepared biker with a shredded tire faces a long, sunny walk back to the trailhead.

Between the single-track and the wider dirt roads, some routes are better than others. One of the best is the Goat Trail, which can be reached from the East Garrison side after an expedition through the inter-lying terrain. Get there more quickly from the Laguna Seca trailhead. Drive up to the race track and park at the restrooms on the southwest corner of the track. The trailhead can be found uphill and through the camping area. A drop-in from there offers some of the most reliable and fast riding on the old base. The Goat Trail, or Trail 41, has been designated specifically for mountain biking. It''s a fast and winding single track that empties out near Toro Park, meaning there''s a healthy, inevitable climb required to return to the trailhead. But then what''s worth doing that''s not a challenge?

Although the Bureau of Land Management administers much of the trail network, the base is gradually being redeveloped. The county, for example, has plans to build an entirely new community in the East Garrison area. So while your only company on the trail today may be deer, bobcats, wild turkey and quail, its un-peopled, natural character won''t last forever. Explore the lonely backcountry of Fort Ord while it''s lonely, just don''t go alone. The beer on the tailgate afterward will taste better with a friend.