I Rode My Bike Today...
- Thread starter herzalot
- Start date
mtnbikej
J-Zilla
Rode Blackstar last night with @Faust29
93* when we started....only a few other riders out.
Legs felt like junk the first 1/2 hour. Wasn’t sure if I was gonna make Beeks’.
Continued on through the gate and headed out to Sierra Peak. All the gates were open. Didn’t notice the burn area until we got tot he helicopter pad. It was burned all the way up to the towers. One building had its roof burned as well as some of the equipment on the tower. Couldn’t see a whole lot since it was dark.
Nice fun run back down....eventful until we got to the lower Marioisa sign when 2 deer jumped out onto the road.
Good ride.
93* when we started....only a few other riders out.
Legs felt like junk the first 1/2 hour. Wasn’t sure if I was gonna make Beeks’.
Continued on through the gate and headed out to Sierra Peak. All the gates were open. Didn’t notice the burn area until we got tot he helicopter pad. It was burned all the way up to the towers. One building had its roof burned as well as some of the equipment on the tower. Couldn’t see a whole lot since it was dark.
Nice fun run back down....eventful until we got to the lower Marioisa sign when 2 deer jumped out onto the road.
Good ride.
Faust29
iMTB Hooligan
Yep... Up and down to Sierra Peak last night. Nice and toasty at the start, and much more comfortable later on. There was actually a little chill in the air when we dropped into Hidden Ranch. 
We saw a couple other riders on the way up, and a couple on the way back down, but we were mostly alone.
We'll see if the forest service closes the gates and erects signage... Right now they are all open between Beeks and Sierra Peak.
Crystal clear last night...
We saw a couple other riders on the way up, and a couple on the way back down, but we were mostly alone. We'll see if the forest service closes the gates and erects signage... Right now they are all open between Beeks and Sierra Peak.
Crystal clear last night...
Faust29
iMTB Hooligan
And, I almost forgot. A couple days ago I rode a loop around the local stuff- Chiquita Ridge, Tijeras, Arroyo... I took a little detour onto the new "Loop Trail", which is the section of trail that was skipped due to flooding in the last Rwanda ride. Sections of it are access road for the towers, but there was a fun little single track section through the woods, with a creek crossing. Now that it's an official trail, I guess it needed the "treatment". 
Official Trail now...
When this was off menu, it was a nice little single track through the woods that pops out at the Portola monument. It's a little wider now.
Official Trail now...
When this was off menu, it was a nice little single track through the woods that pops out at the Portola monument. It's a little wider now.
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
The burning question everyone wants answered: did the marker sign survive?
mtnbikej
J-Zilla
Nope.....sign is gone. Not sure if it was the fire or the bulldozer that wiped it out.
The survey market is still there though.
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
Yep, I went for a ride. Had every intention of making it hurt, too. I succeeded.
I rode up Hwy 39 from the West Fork parking lot and went to Crystal Lake. Weather was perfecto this morning, low 60s at the start, and never got really hot (well, until I went back down the mountain...then it was hot. But I wasn't pedaling
) since I went above 6,000 feet. Twice.
The infamous cafe
I figured at that point why not do some exploratin' - I'd never tried to find the road up to South Mount Hawkins Lookout. Today I found it. It's dirt up above the campgrounds, which lets me post here!!! Found some cool looking trails that have no anti-bike signage.
Need to organize a ride to check them out.
Cool looking trails.
Then I decided why not ride up to the Hwy 39 closure just above Crystal Lake, and add a couple hundred feet. I about fell off my bike when I saw that the gate was open!! With that, I had to make it to Islip Saddle (where 39 and 2 meet).
I haven't been here since 1978, when the road fell off the mountain.
After Crystal Lake, that was painful. But very fun, and I'll be doin' it again. It is a buttload of climbing in a relatively short distance.
Holy carp that's a lot of up in not so very many miles.
Nerdy Strava Data:
I rode up Hwy 39 from the West Fork parking lot and went to Crystal Lake. Weather was perfecto this morning, low 60s at the start, and never got really hot (well, until I went back down the mountain...then it was hot. But I wasn't pedaling
) since I went above 6,000 feet. Twice.The infamous cafe
I figured at that point why not do some exploratin' - I'd never tried to find the road up to South Mount Hawkins Lookout. Today I found it. It's dirt up above the campgrounds, which lets me post here!!! Found some cool looking trails that have no anti-bike signage.
Need to organize a ride to check them out.Cool looking trails.
Then I decided why not ride up to the Hwy 39 closure just above Crystal Lake, and add a couple hundred feet. I about fell off my bike when I saw that the gate was open!! With that, I had to make it to Islip Saddle (where 39 and 2 meet).
I haven't been here since 1978, when the road fell off the mountain.
After Crystal Lake, that was painful. But very fun, and I'll be doin' it again. It is a buttload of climbing in a relatively short distance.
Holy carp that's a lot of up in not so very many miles.
Nerdy Strava Data:
Last edited:
SnakeCharmer
iMTB Hooligan
I stayed close to home and climbed to the towers high atop Mt. Lukens via Haines Canyon fire road. On the way back down, I dropped in on Blue Bug ST. The trail saw heavy use today, there was more riders hitting it than I have ever seen before. The secret is out.
5.5 miles to get to the towers. 2692' of climbing to get there. That's steeeeeeep.
I climbed REALLY, REALLY slow to take it easy on my knee. If you want a good laugh, look at my average speed for the entire ride below...
10.63 miles
2700'
3.3 mpg av speed
1061 calories
5.5 miles to get to the towers. 2692' of climbing to get there. That's steeeeeeep.
I climbed REALLY, REALLY slow to take it easy on my knee. If you want a good laugh, look at my average speed for the entire ride below...
10.63 miles
2700'
3.3 mpg av speed
1061 calories
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
Low RPM can actually be worse.
SnakeCharmer
iMTB Hooligan
I am conditioned to climb with a slow cadence. I've always done it that. I hate that "spinning out" feeling that is supposed to be the "right way to do it".
Today, I put it in 42 and just crawled.
Relive says my average speed was 4.8 mph.
Last edited:
DangerDirtyD
iMTB Hooligan
Yep, I went for a ride. Had every intention of making it hurt, too. I succeeded.
I rode up Hwy 39 from the West Fork parking lot and went to Crystal Lake. Weather was perfecto this morning, low 60s at the start, and never got really hot (well, until I went back down the mountain...then it was hot. But I wasn't pedaling
The infamous cafe
View attachment 33162
I figured at that point why not do some exploratin' - I'd never tried to find the road up to South Mount Hawkins Lookout. Today I found it. It's dirt up above the campgrounds, which lets me post here!!! Found some cool looking trails that have no anti-bike signage.
Cool looking trails.
View attachment 33163
Then I decided why not ride up to the Hwy 39 closure just above Crystal Lake, and add a couple hundred feet. I about fell off my bike when I saw that the gate was open!! With that, I had to make it to Islip Saddle (where 39 and 2 meet).
I haven't been here since 1978, when the road fell off the mountain.
View attachment 33164
After Crystal Lake, that was painful. But very fun, and I'll be doin' it again. It is a buttload of climbing in a relatively short distance.
Holy carp that's a lot of up in not so very many miles.
View attachment 33169
Nerdy Strava Data:
View attachment 33166
Do you guys plan to come back down the mountains?
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
If you actually read the verbiage I wrote, you will see that I did. And then there's the whole Strava-nerd thingy.
SnakeCharmer
iMTB Hooligan
Cyclotourist
iMTB Hooligan
Hell Ride.
An incident at the end had me cussin'...
An incident at the end had me cussin'...
herzalot
iMTB Hooligan
That's a BIG ride. Great job!Yep, I went for a ride. Had every intention of making it hurt, too. I succeeded.
I rode up Hwy 39 from the West Fork parking lot and went to Crystal Lake. Weather was perfecto this morning, low 60s at the start, and never got really hot (well, until I went back down the mountain...then it was hot. But I wasn't pedaling
The infamous cafe
View attachment 33162
I figured at that point why not do some exploratin' - I'd never tried to find the road up to South Mount Hawkins Lookout. Today I found it. It's dirt up above the campgrounds, which lets me post here!!! Found some cool looking trails that have no anti-bike signage.
Cool looking trails.
View attachment 33163
Then I decided why not ride up to the Hwy 39 closure just above Crystal Lake, and add a couple hundred feet. I about fell off my bike when I saw that the gate was open!! With that, I had to make it to Islip Saddle (where 39 and 2 meet).
I haven't been here since 1978, when the road fell off the mountain.
View attachment 33164
After Crystal Lake, that was painful. But very fun, and I'll be doin' it again. It is a buttload of climbing in a relatively short distance.
Holy carp that's a lot of up in not so very many miles.
View attachment 33169
Nerdy Strava Data:
View attachment 33166
SnakeCharmer
iMTB Hooligan
I hope you cussed once for each leg?
Cyclotourist
iMTB Hooligan
Pretty sure it was one for each toe!
da big hills
iMTB Rockstah
brother, you should see mine
Happy over the steep side trails
Happy over the steep side trails
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
Went for a recovery FLoop today. 15 miles, 1,350 ft. It was fun!!
mike
iMTB Hooligan
Evergreen CO: A crazy nice day today in the 70s, with sunshine galore and some breezes. Damp surfaces from recent precip. Drizzle and snow forecast tonight and tomorrow, so lots of folks out on the trails getting after it.
Weez and I knocked out a variation of our usual Alderfer/Sisters circuit, feeling good up the climbs and in the groove going down. Wiferz powered thru an impressive number of chunky uphill sections, and I'm proud to boast that I got chicked on one.
One of my very few squeaky clean runs down Sisters, which is making this Dale's Pale taste a little better than normal.
Guerrilla Gravity Smash: More fun than you can shake a stick at.
The family that plays together stays together.
Weez and I knocked out a variation of our usual Alderfer/Sisters circuit, feeling good up the climbs and in the groove going down. Wiferz powered thru an impressive number of chunky uphill sections, and I'm proud to boast that I got chicked on one.
One of my very few squeaky clean runs down Sisters, which is making this Dale's Pale taste a little better than normal. Guerrilla Gravity Smash: More fun than you can shake a stick at.
The family that plays together stays together.
Last edited:
herzalot
iMTB Hooligan
Whiting-STT-Luge-Whiting with @Danimal and Gene. Great weather, crowd was not a factor in any of the fast sections. Lunch at Wahoos after. Not much to report other than...
Bikes are fun!
About 15 miles and 2400' ish.
Oh, and my creaking is still there. Time to check the four lower suspension linkages. I shot some grease in there a couple of weeks ago (it has zerks) so I was hoping that would work. Nope.
Bikes are fun!
About 15 miles and 2400' ish.
Oh, and my creaking is still there. Time to check the four lower suspension linkages. I shot some grease in there a couple of weeks ago (it has zerks) so I was hoping that would work. Nope.
Cyclotourist
iMTB Hooligan
Style for days!Evergreen CO: A crazy nice day today in the 70s, with sunshine galore and some breezes. Damp surfaces from recent precip. Drizzle and snow forecast tonight and tomorrow, so lots of folks out on the trails getting after it.
Weez and I knocked out a variation of our usual Alderfer/Sisters circuit, feeling good up the climbs and in the groove going down. Wiferz powered thru an impressive number of chunky uphill sections, and I'm proud to boast that I got chicked on one.
Guerrilla Gravity Smash: More fun than you can shake a stick at.
The family that plays together stays together.
View attachment 33224
Runs with Scissors
iMTB Hooligan
Whiting-STT-Luge-Whiting with @Danimal and Gene. Great weather, crowd was not a factor in any of the fast sections. Lunch at Wahoos after. Not much to report other than...
Bikes are fun!
About 15 miles and 2400' ish.
Oh, and my creaking is still there. Time to check the four lower suspension linkages. I shot some grease in there a couple of weeks ago (it has zerks) so I was hoping that would work. Nope.
I got it figured out, @herzalot - it's a combination of your knees and your back.
herzalot
iMTB Hooligan
What is it with you guys and your aging joints comments? I would get really upset with you, except, I can't remember what we were talking about...
herzalot
iMTB Hooligan
Fantastic! But remember, one finger on the brakes!Evergreen CO: A crazy nice day today in the 70s, with sunshine galore and some breezes. Damp surfaces from recent precip. Drizzle and snow forecast tonight and tomorrow, so lots of folks out on the trails getting after it.
Weez and I knocked out a variation of our usual Alderfer/Sisters circuit, feeling good up the climbs and in the groove going down. Wiferz powered thru an impressive number of chunky uphill sections, and I'm proud to boast that I got chicked on one.
Guerrilla Gravity Smash: More fun than you can shake a stick at.
The family that plays together stays together.
View attachment 33224
SnakeCharmer
iMTB Hooligan
I brought my Easter Egg with me to work. I was close to Chantry Flats so I drove up there when I was done with work. I knew I'd be in for a parking challenge. For those who ride there, you know how it can be up there on weekends. 
The plan was to at least do Hogee's Loop or possible Mt. Zion if I was "feeling it" when I reached the junction.
Well, it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be but it was full. So I prepared to do the "drive around the parking loops" until I saw somebody walking toward a vehicle. There was 3 other cars playing the same game so I figured it was going to take a while. But I got lucky! For whatever reason, a vehicle that was in front of me didn't see an open spot in the upper lot and I pulled right in.
So I geared up and headed for Upper Winter Creek trail. That is the trail I fell from in 2011 so I ride it cautiously nowadays. In fact, I was paranoid and freaked out this time through there because I had been chatting with friends about cycling accidents each of us had experienced in the past before I got there.
DUH!
So, I rode like crap. I chickened out on most of the tech chunk sections along the trail as I climbed and descended into the canyon. When I got well down into the creek area, the trail was absolutely covered in fallen leaves and it was like riding on ice. I felt the bike moving all over the place under me. That sealed the deal. I was going to complete Hogee's and then get the heck out of there. On the way up the pavement climb back to the parking lot, I was racing a hiker gal who was hauling ass up that road carrying a full compliment of camping gear on her back and in her hands. She was really scooting along and we laughed as one passed the other (I was stopping to take quick breathers) and back and forth we went.
Upper Winter creek has been worked on recently through the first 3/4 of it. But from there and through Hogee's, it's a mess. Collapsing hillsides covering the trail completely in a few sections and deep, loose soil and is unstable.
Check out the pics. It's FALLing in that area, not doubt.
The plan was to at least do Hogee's Loop or possible Mt. Zion if I was "feeling it" when I reached the junction.
Well, it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be but it was full. So I prepared to do the "drive around the parking loops" until I saw somebody walking toward a vehicle. There was 3 other cars playing the same game so I figured it was going to take a while. But I got lucky! For whatever reason, a vehicle that was in front of me didn't see an open spot in the upper lot and I pulled right in.
So I geared up and headed for Upper Winter Creek trail. That is the trail I fell from in 2011 so I ride it cautiously nowadays. In fact, I was paranoid and freaked out this time through there because I had been chatting with friends about cycling accidents each of us had experienced in the past before I got there.
DUH!So, I rode like crap. I chickened out on most of the tech chunk sections along the trail as I climbed and descended into the canyon. When I got well down into the creek area, the trail was absolutely covered in fallen leaves and it was like riding on ice.
I felt the bike moving all over the place under me. That sealed the deal. I was going to complete Hogee's and then get the heck out of there. On the way up the pavement climb back to the parking lot, I was racing a hiker gal who was hauling ass up that road carrying a full compliment of camping gear on her back and in her hands. She was really scooting along and we laughed as one passed the other (I was stopping to take quick breathers) and back and forth we went. Upper Winter creek has been worked on recently through the first 3/4 of it. But from there and through Hogee's, it's a mess. Collapsing hillsides covering the trail completely in a few sections and deep, loose soil and is unstable.
Check out the pics. It's FALLing in that area, not doubt.
LLPoolJ
iMTB Rockstah
Triple Crown series finale today. I was tied for 2nd in points coming into it. Knew I would have a tough time hanging with the the guy I was tied with. I was able to stay on his wheel through lap one but slipped back on lap 2 and finishing about 1min behind. 1st place had smoked us each race and today was no exception. Ended up 3rd in the series for my class. Getting stronger, but my diet is not good something I need to work on for the future.
Cool experience out there today while dicing with the 2nd place guy a 3rd man in the older group was swapping places with us also. It happened to be Reggie Miller the former NBA star. Come to find out they suffer like us normal humans also. After lap 1 he looked over at me and said " hey good thing is we only need to climb this thing 2 more times". I said you got that right. Had no idea who it was til the awards ceremony when I put the extremely tall guy with the name.
Cool experience out there today while dicing with the 2nd place guy a 3rd man in the older group was swapping places with us also. It happened to be Reggie Miller the former NBA star. Come to find out they suffer like us normal humans also. After lap 1 he looked over at me and said " hey good thing is we only need to climb this thing 2 more times". I said you got that right. Had no idea who it was til the awards ceremony when I put the extremely tall guy with the name.
Luis
iMTB Addict
Nice job hitting those trails by yourself. Good call on not taking chances on the sketchy sections.I brought my Easter Egg with me to work. I was close to Chantry Flats so I drove up there when I was done with work. I knew I'd be in for a parking challenge. For those who ride there, you know how it can be up there on weekends.
The plan was to at least do Hogee's Loop or possible Mt. Zion if I was "feeling it" when I reached the junction.
Well, it wasn't as crowded as I thought it would be but it was full. So I prepared to do the "drive around the parking loops" until I saw somebody walking toward a vehicle. There was 3 other cars playing the same game so I figured it was going to take a while. But I got lucky! For whatever reason, a vehicle that was in front of me didn't see an open spot in the upper lot and I pulled right in.
So I geared up and headed for Upper Winter Creek trail. That is the trail I fell from in 2011 so I ride it cautiously nowadays. In fact, I was paranoid and freaked out this time through there because I had been chatting with friends about cycling accidents each of us had experienced in the past before I got there.
So, I rode like crap. I chickened out on most of the tech chunk sections along the trail as I climbed and descended into the canyon. When I got well down into the creek area, the trail was absolutely covered in fallen leaves and it was like riding on ice.
Upper Winter creek has been worked on recently through the first 3/4 of it. But from there and through Hogee's, it's a mess. Collapsing hillsides covering the trail completely in a few sections and deep, loose soil and is unstable.
Check out the pics. It's FALLing in that area, not doubt.
View attachment 33225
View attachment 33226
View attachment 33227