Scott and I headed out on the singlespeed 29ers on Sunday morning at around 10 AM. We wanted to see what it would be like climbing Quicksilver without having the convenience of gearing. Most of the time we go out to ST Park on the singlespeeds, where the climbs are steep but short and the flat sections are long. But Quicksilver is almost three miles to the top, and it requires a much more steady pace.
All that said, we made it to the top, quite to our surprise. We even passed a group of novices on clunkers with their seats set way too low. That's not much to brag about, but it is interesting that we never even saw them again. We just kept up our steady pace, standing up all the way, and did not look back.
This was one of those rides where you are glad your friend came with you. The conversation makes you almost forget what you are doing and the fact that you are climbing a huge hill. It makes you forget that you should be tired, winded, and in pain. We were so surpised when we reached the crest of the hill in what seemed like no time at all and with relatively little strain.
As usual, the downhill section was such a blast on the ridged 29ers! They are so fast, in spite of the fact of having no 44 tooth ring in the front. I hit 30 mph at one point! I don't usually go much faster than that on my full suspension rig.
I think I am just about ready to change out my 20 cog for a 19. We'll see.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Sunday, May 20, 2007
El Corte De Madera Creek
I was supposed to return to Denver today but there were some things I had to take care of before I left so I postponed my flight to Tuesday. Late this afternoon I made a spur of the moment decision to hit "El Corte de Madera Creek" up by Woodside and Palo Alto. I had printed out the map and directions a couple weeks back but never made the trip. They were sitting on my desk staring me in the face so about 4 minutes later I had my riding shoes on and was pulling out of the garage on my way up there.
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Trail Info (I spent some time looking this up so I thought I'd throw it out there if anyone else is interested):
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Directions to trailhead
Trail Map (Thanks Steve for the openspace website)
Trailhead Entry: CM08 (see trail map)
Directions to trailhead
Trail Map (Thanks Steve for the openspace website)
Trailhead Entry: CM08 (see trail map)
Today's Route: Methuselah Trail--> South Leaf Trail ->Virginia Mill -> Timberview-> Giant Salamander and then back out..
Notes: There are two places to park that are right at the trail head. One is where I parked at the CM08 trail head. the other is at the top and is called Skeggs point. If you start at Skeggs you are at the top and you will face a really tough uphill finish. CM08 puts you at a better starting position (in my opinion).
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This was a really awesome ride. There are some remarkably steep climbs, very tricky technical pieces and some awesome single track with a lot of great hits. I'm starting to get a lot more comfortable with the jumps which is really great. It helps me look at the trail in a different way. I think this is attributed to riding with you guys and getting new brakes- The hydro brakes have given me more confidence that I can control my speed. This is one of those trails that flows very nicely in some sections (the "great hits" sections mentioned above) - where there are a lot of ups and downs with obstacles in the way. You can keep good speed in some of these areas so it feels more like you are surfing the terrrain than riding on a bike. I kind of think of it as feeling "up to my elbows in trail".
The closest comparison I can think of to describe this trail is Demo. If you look at the map there is a lot of trail that I didn't come close to touching. I definitely want to get back out there but I wouldn't want to go alone again. It is tricky and some parts can be dangerous so it is a good place to have a group. I barely saw any other people while I was out. The reason I stress this is becuase I flipped over my handlebars on a steep technical downhill section. I rolled as I hit the ground but when I came about face I met face first with a large tree. If I weren't wearing my helmet I think I'd be scheduling an appointment for a plastic surgeon or laying out there still. My helmet cut into my forehead and left a little cut as a reminder.
This was a humbling ride. The climbs are so steep and covered with loose leaves and gravel. It would require really good form and strength to do this without tapping out but I do think it is possible. My mileage pace was slow but it's relative to the terrain. There's a lot of time this summer to work that all out :)
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This was a really awesome ride. There are some remarkably steep climbs, very tricky technical pieces and some awesome single track with a lot of great hits. I'm starting to get a lot more comfortable with the jumps which is really great. It helps me look at the trail in a different way. I think this is attributed to riding with you guys and getting new brakes- The hydro brakes have given me more confidence that I can control my speed. This is one of those trails that flows very nicely in some sections (the "great hits" sections mentioned above) - where there are a lot of ups and downs with obstacles in the way. You can keep good speed in some of these areas so it feels more like you are surfing the terrrain than riding on a bike. I kind of think of it as feeling "up to my elbows in trail".
The closest comparison I can think of to describe this trail is Demo. If you look at the map there is a lot of trail that I didn't come close to touching. I definitely want to get back out there but I wouldn't want to go alone again. It is tricky and some parts can be dangerous so it is a good place to have a group. I barely saw any other people while I was out. The reason I stress this is becuase I flipped over my handlebars on a steep technical downhill section. I rolled as I hit the ground but when I came about face I met face first with a large tree. If I weren't wearing my helmet I think I'd be scheduling an appointment for a plastic surgeon or laying out there still. My helmet cut into my forehead and left a little cut as a reminder.
This was a humbling ride. The climbs are so steep and covered with loose leaves and gravel. It would require really good form and strength to do this without tapping out but I do think it is possible. My mileage pace was slow but it's relative to the terrain. There's a lot of time this summer to work that all out :)
Stats:
Total Time: 1:35
Distance: 8.63 miles
Average Pace: 5.5 mph
Max Speed: 25 mph
Photos:
Some beautiful forrest sections. Such a cool feel.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Stevens Canyon to the Gap and Back
What a great ride! Russ and Mark met me at my house and from there we headed out towards the Gap. A last minute change in plans headed us out toward Stevens Canyon. I have always wanted to ride UP to the Gap rather than starting it from the top. I so much prefer a ride that ends on a downhill as opposed to a seemingly endless climb. Well, this was the time! We found parking off of Stevens Canyon Road and headed in...
We had to ride for about a mile or two to get to the trailhead. From there we headed in and immediately hit the singletrack. After another mile or two we ended up at a familiar place--the bottom of the Gap. How excellent! After a couple of stream crossings we headed up the one-way trail all the way to the top. This climb is so much easier and better when it is done in the beginning of a ride. After some doing, we made it all the way up to Skyline. This is a gain of almost 2000 feet, but in a very short distance--about 6.5 miles of winding, rooty single track and some very steep fire road.
From the top we headed across the mountain and all the while we were enclosed inside a cloud. It was so misty that I could not see anything and had to remove my shades. Soon we started heading down through the forest again, and at times the air was so moist that the trees rained down drops of cool water on us and the trail. It was all quite perfect. We cut through quickly to the bottom of the hill, hit another stream crossing and began the climb out.
Soon we were back at the original trail that brought us in to the Gap and we headed out. This trail is a lot of fun because of all of the burms and jumps. I saw them coming up the trail and was paitiently awaiting the descent so I could try a few. This part of the trail is very fast and requires control so one does not launch himself out of control. We headed down pretty quickly and were soon back at the car only slightly behind schedule.
In the end we covered only about 17 miles, but we climbed over 3000 feet.
Regarding my Garmin--the thing does not work well on rides in tree-covered canyons. My total ascent measured over 6000 feet, and I know that is not even close to being accurate. Oh well. Maybe an altimiter that worked off of barometric pressure rather than satellites is a better choice. But it is dissappointing to buy the Garmin and to expect too much from it. I love having post-ride data to look at and I would like to be able to assume that it is accurate, more or less. Apparently less!
Some great things about the ride were:
Mark came out after a long absence. The dude seems to never loose any of his strength, even after not riding for some time. He also did the whole thing on a hard tail with 1.9 inch wide tires!
Russ pushed on in spite of exhaustion and an auto-shifting drivetrain.
I had a blast! And I could really feel how riding the singlespeed 29er has really improved my strength at pedalling. I have been trying to climb in harder gears and it pays off with increased momentum and speed to get over obstacles and up steep sections.
The trails were in excellent shape and the weather was perfect. I can't wait to get back out there and add some more distance to this ride! Anyone up for it next weekend?
We had to ride for about a mile or two to get to the trailhead. From there we headed in and immediately hit the singletrack. After another mile or two we ended up at a familiar place--the bottom of the Gap. How excellent! After a couple of stream crossings we headed up the one-way trail all the way to the top. This climb is so much easier and better when it is done in the beginning of a ride. After some doing, we made it all the way up to Skyline. This is a gain of almost 2000 feet, but in a very short distance--about 6.5 miles of winding, rooty single track and some very steep fire road.
From the top we headed across the mountain and all the while we were enclosed inside a cloud. It was so misty that I could not see anything and had to remove my shades. Soon we started heading down through the forest again, and at times the air was so moist that the trees rained down drops of cool water on us and the trail. It was all quite perfect. We cut through quickly to the bottom of the hill, hit another stream crossing and began the climb out.
Soon we were back at the original trail that brought us in to the Gap and we headed out. This trail is a lot of fun because of all of the burms and jumps. I saw them coming up the trail and was paitiently awaiting the descent so I could try a few. This part of the trail is very fast and requires control so one does not launch himself out of control. We headed down pretty quickly and were soon back at the car only slightly behind schedule.
In the end we covered only about 17 miles, but we climbed over 3000 feet.
Regarding my Garmin--the thing does not work well on rides in tree-covered canyons. My total ascent measured over 6000 feet, and I know that is not even close to being accurate. Oh well. Maybe an altimiter that worked off of barometric pressure rather than satellites is a better choice. But it is dissappointing to buy the Garmin and to expect too much from it. I love having post-ride data to look at and I would like to be able to assume that it is accurate, more or less. Apparently less!
Some great things about the ride were:
Mark came out after a long absence. The dude seems to never loose any of his strength, even after not riding for some time. He also did the whole thing on a hard tail with 1.9 inch wide tires!
Russ pushed on in spite of exhaustion and an auto-shifting drivetrain.
I had a blast! And I could really feel how riding the singlespeed 29er has really improved my strength at pedalling. I have been trying to climb in harder gears and it pays off with increased momentum and speed to get over obstacles and up steep sections.
The trails were in excellent shape and the weather was perfect. I can't wait to get back out there and add some more distance to this ride! Anyone up for it next weekend?
Friday, May 18, 2007
Trans Rockies Bike Race--Some day!
Hey all!
Check out this link:http://mtbike.mountainzone.com/2003/transrockies/index.html
This is just one description of the race that you can find on the web. I am very interested in doing this race before I am 40 years old! I'm turning 35 this summer. ANyway, a sslot in the race is apparently a coveted thing, since this year's race, in august, is already sold out! I think I would love to complete the race one time in my life, with a good partner. Maybe even multiple teams! It costs a pretty penny but I think it would be worth doing it once.
Think about it!
Check out this link:http://mtbike.mountainzone.com/2003/transrockies/index.html
This is just one description of the race that you can find on the web. I am very interested in doing this race before I am 40 years old! I'm turning 35 this summer. ANyway, a sslot in the race is apparently a coveted thing, since this year's race, in august, is already sold out! I think I would love to complete the race one time in my life, with a good partner. Maybe even multiple teams! It costs a pretty penny but I think it would be worth doing it once.
Think about it!
Quick ride in CO
While I was in Denver I managed to get a good ride in.
Check out some photos:
http://groups.google.com/group/men-machines-and-mountains/web/matthews-winters-park-golden-co
Check out some photos:
http://groups.google.com/group/men-machines-and-mountains/web/matthews-winters-park-golden-co
Monday, May 14, 2007
Tidings from Denver: Objective 1 Accomplished!
1 man
1 machine
1 purchase from Craigs list: 170 bucks
Altitude of purchase: 5280 feet.
Work brings me back to my hometown in Denver for the next two weeks w
hich raises the question: How will I get my rides in? The answer: I had a busy day starting with a 7:00 AM flight, met my mom and brother for lunch, headed to the office and then to belated Mother's day sushi dinner. Between work and the dinner I was able to fit in a brief meeting with Dave B, a guy from craigslist selling a 1995 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo hard tail. The bike is old but she's solid. The components work surprisingly well and it's super light!! I was very impressed with the overall condition at a price less than one of the Juicy 7's on my stumpy :). Can't wait to get out on some trails!
1 machine
1 purchase from Craigs list: 170 bucks
Altitude of purchase: 5280 feet.
Work brings me back to my hometown in Denver for the next two weeks w
hich raises the question: How will I get my rides in? The answer: I had a busy day starting with a 7:00 AM flight, met my mom and brother for lunch, headed to the office and then to belated Mother's day sushi dinner. Between work and the dinner I was able to fit in a brief meeting with Dave B, a guy from craigslist selling a 1995 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo hard tail. The bike is old but she's solid. The components work surprisingly well and it's super light!! I was very impressed with the overall condition at a price less than one of the Juicy 7's on my stumpy :). Can't wait to get out on some trails!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Wilder Ranch
Several conversations have taken place while riding in the past couple weeks regarding bad bike injuries that occur at low speeds. Despite the fact that these crashes leave you out of commission while you heal, they don't leave you with any good war-stories. Unfortunately a crash at 3 mph doesn't have the same dramatic story appeal as a crash at 38 mph! That said, it is the 3 mph crash and not the 38 mph crash that has lead me to wear body armor on my legs. I find this ironic.
Unfortunately Eric suffered one such injury late Friday night which left me and Russ on our own Saturday morning. A last minute shuffle of plans and a 6:00 AM phone call left us with a decision to head south to Wilder Ranch. We met at Best Buy, loaded my bike onto the Prius and headed out (Thanks for driving Russ).
The ride: We parked along highway 1 parallel to the Wilder ranch parking lot. We rode around to the farmhouse and started on our journey. I made a navigation error that took us 4 miles right back to where we started on Engelsman Loop. We chalked this up as a good warm up :). After the "warm up" we rode a loop that connected Wilder Ridge loop - Dairy Trail - Zane Gray and back to Wilder Ridge loop.
It was in this loop that we had our first wildlife encouters. A fox crossed our trail about 15 feet ahead of us. It
elegantly ignored us and moved on it's way. Towards the end of this loop there was a steep rocky single track climb with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. To the right you can see Russ powering his way to a finish on this section. The picture does not do justice to the grade of the trail. We took a quick break at the top where Russ had a Darwinian encounter with a tick crawling on his leg. The sound of the hard shell cracking between Russ's finger tips was the sounding bell of the defeat of the tick.
At this point the true fun began. We completed Wilder Ridge loop and hit the Old Cabin Trail. It is amazing how quickly the terrain can change. In the passing of a few trees you are transported from a warm prarie grassland with an ocean view to a myserious forest where the temperature and floor drop and the light vanishes. I really love the feel of this trail. I think King Kong would find it a cozy home.
We were short on time so we pounded through Old Cabin and finished up at the farm house. Before packing we took a quick ride to the cliffs above Wilder Beach. This is truly a breathtaking view. Russ and I agreed that it is probably a bit of an aggressive goal to land a drop over the 50 foot cliff with a beach landing. Maybe not this summer anyway. If anybody is excited by this prospect take a look at how the pros do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu2Qqi9bzkc
On our way from the cliffs to the car we had our 3rd wildlife encounter with a bobcat which was slowly walking down the trail! We slowed our speed and discussed whether or not we knew the proper bobcat encouter protocol. We agreed that we needed to move slow as not to look like running prey and to look big (this was pretty easy for some burly guys like us).
The cat moved on, we packed up the car and were on our way to our lunch dates, where Russ had the 4th and final wildlife encounter...
Upon arriving at Chevy's for lunch, he felt an intense pain in the left leg. He looked down and saw a tiny deer tick chomping on his quad. Russ yanked him out by his head and ended up with a pretty nasty-looking bite mark. Fortunately, he was only engaged for a matter of hours, which reduces the likelihood of Lyme Disease. Of course, Russ will be on the lookout for the symptoms, but the probability of contracting the disease is low.
Stats:
Moving time: 1:57:31
Total distance: 14.54 miles
Maximum speed: 34.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,068 ft
Average speed: 7.4 mph
Unfortunately Eric suffered one such injury late Friday night which left me and Russ on our own Saturday morning. A last minute shuffle of plans and a 6:00 AM phone call left us with a decision to head south to Wilder Ranch. We met at Best Buy, loaded my bike onto the Prius and headed out (Thanks for driving Russ).
The ride: We parked along highway 1 parallel to the Wilder ranch parking lot. We rode around to the farmhouse and started on our journey. I made a navigation error that took us 4 miles right back to where we started on Engelsman Loop. We chalked this up as a good warm up :). After the "warm up" we rode a loop that connected Wilder Ridge loop - Dairy Trail - Zane Gray and back to Wilder Ridge loop.
It was in this loop that we had our first wildlife encouters. A fox crossed our trail about 15 feet ahead of us. It
elegantly ignored us and moved on it's way. Towards the end of this loop there was a steep rocky single track climb with an amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. To the right you can see Russ powering his way to a finish on this section. The picture does not do justice to the grade of the trail. We took a quick break at the top where Russ had a Darwinian encounter with a tick crawling on his leg. The sound of the hard shell cracking between Russ's finger tips was the sounding bell of the defeat of the tick.At this point the true fun began. We completed Wilder Ridge loop and hit the Old Cabin Trail. It is amazing how quickly the terrain can change. In the passing of a few trees you are transported from a warm prarie grassland with an ocean view to a myserious forest where the temperature and floor drop and the light vanishes. I really love the feel of this trail. I think King Kong would find it a cozy home.
We were short on time so we pounded through Old Cabin and finished up at the farm house. Before packing we took a quick ride to the cliffs above Wilder Beach. This is truly a breathtaking view. Russ and I agreed that it is probably a bit of an aggressive goal to land a drop over the 50 foot cliff with a beach landing. Maybe not this summer anyway. If anybody is excited by this prospect take a look at how the pros do it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zu2Qqi9bzkc
On our way from the cliffs to the car we had our 3rd wildlife encounter with a bobcat which was slowly walking down the trail! We slowed our speed and discussed whether or not we knew the proper bobcat encouter protocol. We agreed that we needed to move slow as not to look like running prey and to look big (this was pretty easy for some burly guys like us).
The cat moved on, we packed up the car and were on our way to our lunch dates, where Russ had the 4th and final wildlife encounter...
Upon arriving at Chevy's for lunch, he felt an intense pain in the left leg. He looked down and saw a tiny deer tick chomping on his quad. Russ yanked him out by his head and ended up with a pretty nasty-looking bite mark. Fortunately, he was only engaged for a matter of hours, which reduces the likelihood of Lyme Disease. Of course, Russ will be on the lookout for the symptoms, but the probability of contracting the disease is low.
Stats:
Moving time: 1:57:31
Total distance: 14.54 miles
Maximum speed: 34.5 mph
Elevation Gain: 2,068 ft
Average speed: 7.4 mph
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Radio Tower with Joe and Ryan
Saturday was a nice day to ride. As usual, we got an early start ~7:30. We were, sadly, without our fearless leader, Eric, which meant I had to find my way through the overgrown Camden Single Track. We got our signals crossed with Ryan but were ultimately ok.
We had fun on the single track, and then across Harry Road to ST Park. From there, we went on Fortini Trail to the parking lot and then up to Coyote Peak (radio tower). It was a tough climb. Joe was a horse, as usual, and Ryan has a new goal. He learned the hard way that you just have to power through the steep parts because it's too difficult to get going if you cease pedaling. He noted that he will eventually conquer that hill.
Then Joe and I took Ryan on the Rocky Ridge Trail, which should be renamed, "Rear Suspension Appreciation Trail." Ryan took some abuse on the downhill, but persevered and finished strong. We all headed back out via Mine Trail and Fortini Trail and back across the single track on Camden.
Stats:
We had fun on the single track, and then across Harry Road to ST Park. From there, we went on Fortini Trail to the parking lot and then up to Coyote Peak (radio tower). It was a tough climb. Joe was a horse, as usual, and Ryan has a new goal. He learned the hard way that you just have to power through the steep parts because it's too difficult to get going if you cease pedaling. He noted that he will eventually conquer that hill.
Then Joe and I took Ryan on the Rocky Ridge Trail, which should be renamed, "Rear Suspension Appreciation Trail." Ryan took some abuse on the downhill, but persevered and finished strong. We all headed back out via Mine Trail and Fortini Trail and back across the single track on Camden.
Stats:
- 1:45:43 in moving time
- 12.84 miles
- 33.6 mph max speed
- 7.3 mph average speed
- 1564 in elevation gain
Hi, ho Quicksilver
I had maybe my best day of riding since I've been at it. I went out to Quicksilver by myself on Sunday morning. It was a beautiful day, and I beat a rush of bikers to the trail.
I decided I would just try to do Quicksilver as quickly as I could. I made it to the top in under 35 minutes. This excludes a ~5 minute picnic table break that, frankly, I didn't even need, but just took out of the force of habit. I was proud of 34:44 time to the top. It's almost certainly a personal best.
I completed the entire ride - Hacienda Trail to the top, down to the reservoir, back to the picnic table and back down the to Hacienda Trail head in 1:12:14 of riding time, about 1:21:03 in total. Other stats:
I felt great, and if I had time felt like I could have gone another round. I also needed this ride, as a few crashes and a long break were contributing to some confidence issues that I needed to just ride through, and Sunday's ride really helped with that.
I decided I would just try to do Quicksilver as quickly as I could. I made it to the top in under 35 minutes. This excludes a ~5 minute picnic table break that, frankly, I didn't even need, but just took out of the force of habit. I was proud of 34:44 time to the top. It's almost certainly a personal best.
I completed the entire ride - Hacienda Trail to the top, down to the reservoir, back to the picnic table and back down the to Hacienda Trail head in 1:12:14 of riding time, about 1:21:03 in total. Other stats:
- 10.04 miles in total distance
- 8.3 mph average speed
- 25.5 mph maximum speed
- 1860 feet in total elevation gain
I felt great, and if I had time felt like I could have gone another round. I also needed this ride, as a few crashes and a long break were contributing to some confidence issues that I needed to just ride through, and Sunday's ride really helped with that.
Monday, May 7, 2007
A New Epic
2 men
2 machines
0 crashes
3 parks
2 empty camelbacks
5 hours
34.75 miles
5,600 feet total ascent
countless sore muscles
Joe and I headed out on this ride around 11 AM on Sunday morning. A late start that put us on the trail in the warmest part of the day. But that did not stop us from going on the longest ride that either of us had ever done. I think I have approached 30 miles a couple of times before, but certainly have never surpassed it.
We started out at ST park, on the Santa Teresa side, near the spring and the old farm house. From here we simply rode up Bernal to the top. Then we jumped into the dirt and headed through to the Stiles switchbacks. From there we headed down the trail to Harry Road and Camden.
The next phase was a road ride out to the Hacienda entrance to Quicksilver Park. We climbed up the 2.75 miles to the top and relaxed a little and checked out the views. From the top we could see our destination--Bald Mountain--still many miles away and quite a ways up too. After a brief snack we headed out towards Hicks Road.
Once at Hicks we headed straight up Mt. Umhunum (sp?) Road. This is so steep and relentless. From Hicks to the Bald Mountain lookout one gains 1000 feet in about two miles, with almost no respite in the climb. Standing on top of Baldy is very impressive. Quicksilver looks like a playground and ST Park is hazy in the distance. I realized that at this point in the ride I had already gone at least as far as most of my rides usually go. But we still had climbing to do and we wre not quite half-way.
So we headed up Mt. Um Road all the way to the Barlow Road entrance and headed down, down, down! This road is very steep and loose. Rocks and gravel everywhere. The conditions are treacherous and speed control is essential. A misjudged corner could either throw you against the mountain or thow you off it. It seems to take mere seconds to reach the Wood Road below. From this junction we suffered as we climbed out of Sierra Azul, via Wood Road, and we finally arrived back at Hicks, concluding a very strenuous loop!
From Hicks we went right back in to Quicksilver Park. Our original plan was to head out through the Mockingbird entrance. But the climbs involved in that were more than we wanted to do. Our water packs were drained and we only had a single bottle left between us. Also, by this time our bodies were aching in various places without relief. The only way to get back is to keep on pedalling, so we pushed on. So ditching the Mockingbird plan, we headed straight back down to Hacienda and took Old Almaden Road back out to Harry Road.
Jumping back on the trail to ST Park was difficult, since we knew we still had a respectable climb ahead of us. So we started up the switchbackls again...no, no. NO! We went around the hillside and back up into the parkinglot to get some water and rest in the shade. After evaluating the damage we had to decide which route to take. Push it just a little more or just head back downBernal Road?
We decided to push it some more! After crossing Bernal into the other side of the park, we climbed up the steepest hill in the place! Well, to clarify, I pushed my bike up it while Joe climbed it like a billy goat! I could not believe what I was seeing! From there we headed down the final mile, a six-hundred foot descent, and were back at the car in what felt like seconds. I don't think I could have pedalled another stroke at that point.
Now, you may ask, why didn't we just go up and down the street to make it an even 35 miles? Well, we were just that tired! I spent the rest of the day in bed. Today, the day after, I have pains in strange places, and sunburn in the spots where I missed with the sunscreen. But it was worth it! A truly epic ride. I am not sure if I will ever beat it. We'll see.
2 machines
0 crashes
3 parks
2 empty camelbacks
5 hours
34.75 miles
5,600 feet total ascent
countless sore muscles
Joe and I headed out on this ride around 11 AM on Sunday morning. A late start that put us on the trail in the warmest part of the day. But that did not stop us from going on the longest ride that either of us had ever done. I think I have approached 30 miles a couple of times before, but certainly have never surpassed it.
We started out at ST park, on the Santa Teresa side, near the spring and the old farm house. From here we simply rode up Bernal to the top. Then we jumped into the dirt and headed through to the Stiles switchbacks. From there we headed down the trail to Harry Road and Camden.
The next phase was a road ride out to the Hacienda entrance to Quicksilver Park. We climbed up the 2.75 miles to the top and relaxed a little and checked out the views. From the top we could see our destination--Bald Mountain--still many miles away and quite a ways up too. After a brief snack we headed out towards Hicks Road.
Once at Hicks we headed straight up Mt. Umhunum (sp?) Road. This is so steep and relentless. From Hicks to the Bald Mountain lookout one gains 1000 feet in about two miles, with almost no respite in the climb. Standing on top of Baldy is very impressive. Quicksilver looks like a playground and ST Park is hazy in the distance. I realized that at this point in the ride I had already gone at least as far as most of my rides usually go. But we still had climbing to do and we wre not quite half-way.
So we headed up Mt. Um Road all the way to the Barlow Road entrance and headed down, down, down! This road is very steep and loose. Rocks and gravel everywhere. The conditions are treacherous and speed control is essential. A misjudged corner could either throw you against the mountain or thow you off it. It seems to take mere seconds to reach the Wood Road below. From this junction we suffered as we climbed out of Sierra Azul, via Wood Road, and we finally arrived back at Hicks, concluding a very strenuous loop!
From Hicks we went right back in to Quicksilver Park. Our original plan was to head out through the Mockingbird entrance. But the climbs involved in that were more than we wanted to do. Our water packs were drained and we only had a single bottle left between us. Also, by this time our bodies were aching in various places without relief. The only way to get back is to keep on pedalling, so we pushed on. So ditching the Mockingbird plan, we headed straight back down to Hacienda and took Old Almaden Road back out to Harry Road.
Jumping back on the trail to ST Park was difficult, since we knew we still had a respectable climb ahead of us. So we started up the switchbackls again...no, no. NO! We went around the hillside and back up into the parkinglot to get some water and rest in the shade. After evaluating the damage we had to decide which route to take. Push it just a little more or just head back downBernal Road?
We decided to push it some more! After crossing Bernal into the other side of the park, we climbed up the steepest hill in the place! Well, to clarify, I pushed my bike up it while Joe climbed it like a billy goat! I could not believe what I was seeing! From there we headed down the final mile, a six-hundred foot descent, and were back at the car in what felt like seconds. I don't think I could have pedalled another stroke at that point.
Now, you may ask, why didn't we just go up and down the street to make it an even 35 miles? Well, we were just that tired! I spent the rest of the day in bed. Today, the day after, I have pains in strange places, and sunburn in the spots where I missed with the sunscreen. But it was worth it! A truly epic ride. I am not sure if I will ever beat it. We'll see.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Downieville Trip
Hey everyone!
Check this out! The Downieville Classic races are on July 13-15. A number of us will be heading up to Downieville the following weekend (21-22, Sat and Sun) to do the course a couple of times.
Here's the pertinent info...
1) Suggested itinerary:
First: Head up early Saturday morning and get a camp site. Set up camp and chill for a bit.
Second: Head into town to get the shuttle to the top.
Third: Ride the course.
Fourth: Head back to camp to eat BBQ and drink some brew.
Fifth: Wake up the next day and break camp.
Sixth: Ride the course again.
Seventh: Have lunch and head home.
Option: Anyone interested in riding it a third time? I am sure I will be up for it! Since I only go once a year I think I would like to ride as many times as possible. But two times is a lot already.
2) The drive:
It takes about 3-4 hours to get there (I can't remember exactly. Also I made a wrong turn last time!). There are a number of camp sites just outside of the town. Last time, mine was about 10 miles away. I suggest leaving very early, like around 5 AM. Anyone planning to rent a bike should do the same.
3) The trail:
The trail is challenging. I think it is just like Demo, minus the jumps and drops. The trail is about 15 miles long and is probably 90% downhill. It is mostly in the shade. There are a number of stream crossings as well as sections that actually go upstream. Last time I was there I crashed twice, but neither was serious. It is very diverse as well. There is smooth, clean singeltrack as well as rocky, narrow, tight-cornered singletrack. Very fun!
4) Things a learned last time:
First, bring a bear box. The black bears are very bold and will steal your breakfast!
Second, get there early to get the best campsites!
Third, wear armor, if you have it.
Fourth, bring an axe
Fifth, not much in town for food or entertainment, though there is a decent pizza parlor
5) Expenses
Gas is the most expensive thing!
Camp site is around 20
Shuttle is 20 per person
Trail itself is free
6) I highly recommend riding the trail more than once. It is great, but since I go only once a year I want to do it multiple times. The guy who drove my shuttle last time said that he know a guy who did the course 7 times in a single day! I think we could do it twice over two days, maybe three times! Let's see how much juice we have.
Email me if you have any q's. I hope we can have a good sized group this year.
Check this out! The Downieville Classic races are on July 13-15. A number of us will be heading up to Downieville the following weekend (21-22, Sat and Sun) to do the course a couple of times.
Here's the pertinent info...
1) Suggested itinerary:
First: Head up early Saturday morning and get a camp site. Set up camp and chill for a bit.
Second: Head into town to get the shuttle to the top.
Third: Ride the course.
Fourth: Head back to camp to eat BBQ and drink some brew.
Fifth: Wake up the next day and break camp.
Sixth: Ride the course again.
Seventh: Have lunch and head home.
Option: Anyone interested in riding it a third time? I am sure I will be up for it! Since I only go once a year I think I would like to ride as many times as possible. But two times is a lot already.
2) The drive:
It takes about 3-4 hours to get there (I can't remember exactly. Also I made a wrong turn last time!). There are a number of camp sites just outside of the town. Last time, mine was about 10 miles away. I suggest leaving very early, like around 5 AM. Anyone planning to rent a bike should do the same.
3) The trail:
The trail is challenging. I think it is just like Demo, minus the jumps and drops. The trail is about 15 miles long and is probably 90% downhill. It is mostly in the shade. There are a number of stream crossings as well as sections that actually go upstream. Last time I was there I crashed twice, but neither was serious. It is very diverse as well. There is smooth, clean singeltrack as well as rocky, narrow, tight-cornered singletrack. Very fun!
4) Things a learned last time:
First, bring a bear box. The black bears are very bold and will steal your breakfast!
Second, get there early to get the best campsites!
Third, wear armor, if you have it.
Fourth, bring an axe
Fifth, not much in town for food or entertainment, though there is a decent pizza parlor
5) Expenses
Gas is the most expensive thing!
Camp site is around 20
Shuttle is 20 per person
Trail itself is free
6) I highly recommend riding the trail more than once. It is great, but since I go only once a year I want to do it multiple times. The guy who drove my shuttle last time said that he know a guy who did the course 7 times in a single day! I think we could do it twice over two days, maybe three times! Let's see how much juice we have.
Email me if you have any q's. I hope we can have a good sized group this year.
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