I Rode My Bike Today...

[tbarnesarc]

Nice video!!

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

 

[mtnbikej]

Saturday morning SS Blackstar spin with @horsebikerider . Late morning start meant too many stupid/oblivious people in the canyon.

Started cold....never got warm, but it was humid.

Fun Ride otherwise.


Today I was a little indecisive. I had ridden 5 days straight. So I wasn't looking for anything difficult. Usually days like this I would head over for a quick loop at the Oaks. With the mustard taking over and the fact that the park was going to be overrun by Easter partiers, I had to go elsewhere.

I had to run an errand so I figured I'd mix it up and go to Aliso. 4:15 start, and it was still kinda busy. Been a long time since I had gone in through the front of the park...when did they do all the upgrades?

Up Wood Canyon and made the left to go up Coyote.....didn't realize it was closed, so I just continued on to go up Mathis. Mathis is way easier with gears. Made my way up to TOW then over to Mentally Sensitive. I really do enjoy this trail....it's beat up perfectly. The traverse back over to Meadows was to overgrown, so I hopped back onto the pavement.

Made my way back across Wood Canyon to Cholla....Then a run down Rock It.....first time in about 8 years on the squishy bike.

17 / 2000'

 

[da big hills]

I crashed my bike today, um tonight. Three times. I was going out longer but decided that it was enough. I did crush down some tall mustard. First time I was climbing the front wheel started drifting, ran into the overgrowth and down she goes. The trails are very narrow but that is no excuse, last night I was on fire with no problems. Tonight I did not get hurt but I decided that things could only get worse so I turned towards home (and crashed the third time).
Happier trails with the rubber side down

 

[Cyclotourist]

Friend JB wanted to get out to Hulda for a quick ride. Ok! Tried to get the firstborn out, but he wasn't feeling it. I wasn't either, as secondborn has the stomach flu and was sick all night I took a long nap, but was still off. Anyway, quick spin up the canyon and took Valley View up, rode Sith down. That's possibly my favorite ride at Hulda. I need to get out there and put some laps in on it and really dial it in.

JB wanted to go check out Pinball which I've never been on, but from what I've heard from @Sassyquatch and others, is a touch above my comfort level. Ended up riding it, and got up the first little transition up after the bridge, but chickened out on the steep drop-in right after that. 100% mental, but the combination of steep (-24%), slippery, narrow, braking bumps, off-camber didn't work for me. Walked that bit, which was harder than riding it I'm sure, then the rest of it was great! So the goal is to do it again, and ride it all!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2308842763

 

[mike]

I crashed my bike today, um tonight. Three times. I was going out longer but decided that it was enough. I did crush down some tall mustard. First time I was climbing the front wheel started drifting, ran into the overgrowth and down she goes. The trails are very narrow but that is no excuse, last night I was on fire with no problems. Tonight I did not get hurt but I decided that things could only get worse so I turned towards home (and crashed the third time).
Happier trails with the rubber side down

I think we’ve all had a ride like that. Sometimes you just can’t get out of your own damn way. Hopefully only minor injuries!

@tbarnesarc, congratulations on the nic kick. Salute to your strong will, keep sending it.

I saw an identical huge rattler above Cholla in Aliso today. Even seemed to have the same expression on his face.

LOL!!!

 

[Mikie]

I crashed my bike today, um tonight. Three times. I was going out longer but decided that it was enough. I did crush down some tall mustard. First time I was climbing the front wheel started drifting, ran into the overgrowth and down she goes. The trails are very narrow but that is no excuse, last night I was on fire with no problems. Tonight I did not get hurt but I decided that things could only get worse so I turned towards home (and crashed the third time).
Happier trails with the rubber side down

Uhhhh.... Happy no more crashing on solo rides Amigo!

 

[Mikie]

Saturday morning SS Blackstar spin with @horsebikerider . Late morning start meant too many stupid/oblivious people in the canyon.

Started cold....never got warm, but it was humid.

Fun Ride otherwise.


Today I was a little indecisive. I had ridden 5 days straight. So I wasn't looking for anything difficult. Usually days like this I would head over for a quick loop at the Oaks. With the mustard taking over and the fact that the park was going to be overrun by Easter partiers, I had to go elsewhere.

I had to run an errand so I figured I'd mix it up and go to Aliso. 4:15 start, and it was still kinda busy. Been a long time since I had gone in through the front of the park...when did they do all the upgrades?

Up Wood Canyon and made the left to go up Coyote.....didn't realize it was closed, so I just continued on to go up Mathis. Mathis is way easier with gears. Made my way up to TOW then over to Mentally Sensitive. I really do enjoy this trail....it's beat up perfectly. The traverse back over to Meadows was to overgrown, so I hopped back onto the pavement.

Made my way back across Wood Canyon to Cholla....Then a run down Rock It.....first time in about 8 years on the squishy bike.

17 / 2000'

View attachment 52025

Your brake lever is on the wrong side. What is wrong with you people?!?

 

[scan]

Friend JB wanted to get out to Hulda for a quick ride. Ok! Tried to get the firstborn out, but he wasn't feeling it. I wasn't either, as secondborn has the stomach flu and was sick all night I took a long nap, but was still off. Anyway, quick spin up the canyon and took Valley View up, rode Sith down. That's possibly my favorite ride at Hulda. I need to get out there and put some laps in on it and really dial it in.

JB wanted to go check out Pinball which I've never been on, but from what I've heard from @Sassyquatch and others, is a touch above my comfort level. Ended up riding it, and got up the first little transition up after the bridge, but chickened out on the steep drop-in right after that. 100% mental, but the combination of steep (-24%), slippery, narrow, braking bumps, off-camber didn't work for me. Walked that bit, which was harder than riding it I'm sure, then the rest of it was great! So the goal is to do it again, and ride it all!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2308842763

View attachment 52026

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May go out there today.

 

[Cyclotourist]

May go out there today.

Ride Pinball for me! I re-checked the Strava, and a -40% pucker on it:
https://www.strava.com/activities/2308842763/segments/58339768371

 

[Tom the Bomb]

Haha ya Pinball is a hemorrhoid checker!

Friend JB wanted to get out to Hulda for a quick ride. Ok! Tried to get the firstborn out, but he wasn't feeling it. I wasn't either, as secondborn has the stomach flu and was sick all night I took a long nap, but was still off. Anyway, quick spin up the canyon and took Valley View up, rode Sith down. That's possibly my favorite ride at Hulda. I need to get out there and put some laps in on it and really dial it in.

JB wanted to go check out Pinball which I've never been on, but from what I've heard from @Sassyquatch and others, is a touch above my comfort level. Ended up riding it, and got up the first little transition up after the bridge, but chickened out on the steep drop-in right after that. 100% mental, but the combination of steep (-24%), slippery, narrow, braking bumps, off-camber didn't work for me. Walked that bit, which was harder than riding it I'm sure, then the rest of it was great! So the goal is to do it again, and ride it all!

https://www.strava.com/activities/2308842763

View attachment 52026

View attachment 52027

 

[Tom the Bomb]

Easter morning ride in S.D. Black Mountain fig. 8. 13.9 and 1741. Haulin the mail!

 

[Stubborn Approach]

Rode a Firebird 29 demo @ The Luge Saturday 7 / 1300
Did a couple laps on Lynx to test/bed-in the TRP Quadiem 4 / 700
Shuttled Rocky Peak Sunday (Hummingbird, The Grudge, Undertow) 10 / 3200

Did a Bommer Canyon loop w/ some old buddies on their first real ride 8 / 1000

 

[ricke24]

Slept in yesterday and decided to sneak out and do the Floop since the wife and daughters were still asleep. I went to the Floop and met up with Gary and Rafael. Not too many people out there and someone left some Easter eggs for the kids

 

[doublewide]

Ride Pinball for me!

I will!

 

[Cyclotourist]

I will!

Good man!

I'll get it one of these days...

 

[doublewide]

I'll get it one of these days...

YES you will!!

 

[Cyclotourist]

Heavy, heavy, heavy legs at Hulda this afternoon. Could barely pedal up the hills. And then just hung on for the downhills. A whopping six miles in an hour! But got the boy out and he had a lot of fun.

 

[Cornholio]

Another ride at Oaks/Irvine Park this morning but it got cut short due to trail closures at Oaks for brushing. Still a fun ride, up Goat then down Chutes and then pedaled around IP for a bit.

Checked myself for ticks as soon as I was out of the thick stuff.

Tustin Brew Co. for lunch while my son naps then taking him out for a ride later. We’ve been riding a lot lately, he still grabs the balance bike which is fine by me.

Souvenir:

 

[konakc]

I was out there yesterday..oaks..they were grading..ranger said 3 bs closed.. while i was on it..so headed over to deer n weir...found some new single tracks at weir.. new to me.. fun section.. on strava called cliffhanger... cuts weir in half..just went explorin.. legal? Illegal? Ummm..
Came back buahwackin.. chutes n usual suspects... getting normal loose conditions..
New dirt equals big smile!

 

[Sassyquatch]

House trails x 1 hr this morning early...better n nothin’!

 

[Faust29]

Well... Yesterday I rode the Rwanda 25 loop, and it was wet and sandy. The drive train got pretty crunchy in the last few miles. 29 miles and 2700 feet. I thought that would be the worst part of the ride. Nope.

Today... @mtnbikej , the Professor and I went out to do the Caspers portion of the Rwanda ride. Oh my. The Bell Trail had been graded a couple weeks ago up to the bench at the 4th gate. It wasn't bad... When we arrived at that point tonight, we could see that the equipment had gone farther. Oh my. It was an interesting ride. There were a few spots going down Star Rise that we needed to pedal... The sand at the bottom is deep and there are a few new water crossings to navigate. From the bench to the aid station is pretty soft. East Ridge was in decent shape for the most part, but Star Rise was a HAB going up in the soft sand.

All of the sand and water crossings took a toll. The chain got pretty loud... Washed it out a couple times, which helped. At one point, it "sucked" around the chainstay and gave the Tin Lizard some very nice scratches. The derailleur was also a casualty, but I can live without that. @mtnbikej turned it into a single speed for the ride out, and it'll get the permanent conversion tomorrow. I guess my 6 month experiment with gears has come to an end.

We also ran into a pretty unhappy snake on the way out...

Unhappy Snake...

I think I see why this section was taken out of the route...

26 miles and 3500 feet...

Tacos make everything better...

 

[mtnbikej]

I was out there yesterday..oaks..they were grading..ranger said 3 bs closed.. while i was on it..so headed over to deer n weir...found some new single tracks at weir.. new to me.. fun section.. on strava called cliffhanger... cuts weir in half..just went explorin.. legal? Illegal? Ummm..
Came back buahwackin.. chutes n usual suspects... getting normal loose conditions..
New dirt equals big smile!

Cliffhanger has been there since before Weir Canyon fell under the control of OC Parks. Legal or not....ride it.

 

[mtnbikej]

That was an interesting ride.....

My riding comrades did an extra credit loop before I got there, so they were already warmed up. My legs felt like they were about an hour behind me.

Bell View had been sanitized....last time I rode it there was man eating canyons along the way.

As soon as we rolled into the Caspers boundary, it was clear that the road had been very recently.....”improved”. From time to time there was a 18” swath of hardpacked dirt in the middle of the road....venture off that and you were in anywhere from 2-6” of freshly churned up dirt.

Dropping down star Rise made it clear that recent “improvements”.....were in indeed recent. It was loose....really loose. Like pedal downhill loose. The steep water bar about 1/3rd the way down is going to eat people alive. The drop off the backside is now easily 6-8’ and the landing is sketchy soft.

The traverse over to East Ridge was more of the same loose soft dirt. Once on East Ridge, we were back on normal rutted hardpack dirt...yay.
However the closer we got to Sun Rise, the trail started to get looser. We continued on East Ridge to Oso/Cougar Pass to see how bad the damage was. The drop down was sketchy loose.

Once back down on the trail to head back towards Star Rise we hit the creek bed....it wasn’t a trail, there was no dirt...just boulders. Lots of HAB, followed by water crossings, followed by lots of sand. All of our bikes sounded like crap.

The climb up Star Rise wasn’t....it was so soft, that HAB was the only way up.

Back on Bell View my bike returned to being quiet....the boys were dealing with noisy drivetrains.

This guy was pushed off and making a sh!t ton of noise before we even got to him.....

A little ways passed @Faust29 startedbhaving chain suck issues. Turns out he pulled the lower cage on the RD too far forward and jammed the stop through the upper. Tried to make it rideable. Couldn’t get tension in the chain. After having to walk some more of the climbs, finally decided to bypass the RD and go SS. Worked for the most part....however, the mixture of oval ring and cassette cogs had the chain want to shift up.

We finally made it back, much later than planned, but tacos helped ease the pain.

 

[Ebruner]

 

[Cyclotourist]

Adventure in your own back yard!!!

 

[UPSed]

Yesterday was a nice easy paced recovery ride with my buddy Tony.

Today I set out to do some more "flat" miles but unfortunately you have to climb to get to the "flat" sections. Dropped into Cheeseboro and took Sheep Corral over to Las Virgenes and did a lap of the Las Virgenes Open Space then back up and over Sheep Corral and back out to Albertson and home. While cruising down Las Virgenes I saw someone riding what I thought was a familiar looking bike. My suspicions were confirmed later when I ran into the same guy cresting Power Line onto Albertson. Turns out it was @buggravy on his blue GG. Very nice to meet you Matt and glad to see you putting in the miles.

 

[buggravy]

@UPSed Great meeting you as well. Though the disparity in miles covered by each of us between encounters was kind of absurd, but humility was kind of the theme for my ride.

I set out to push myself harder and further than I had before, and to that end mission accomplished. My route was LV Canyon, Tecate, Albertsons to China Flat, down Palo Comado to Sheep Coral, and back to LVC. The climb up LVC and then Tecate was a thing, and Tecate took the wind out of my sails a bit. It was a mess, and challenged me quite a bit. Mainly though, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the right day for Tecate. Most lines were not over my head, but consequences on either side of some were not unsubstantial. The fact that I was alone, without cell service, no signs of any recent traffic on the trail, and no one knowing that I was on that trail gave me pause and I walked a few lines that I normally wouldn't. That was kind of a buzzkill, even if the right call. I finished strong though, feeling like I had something to prove to myself when I hit Sheep Coral. That has become my favorite, and now that I have some familiarity with the trail I was able to rally sections that I used to pick and choose carefully on. Good, mostly fun day.

 

[UPSed]

@UPSed Great meeting you as well. Though the disparity in miles covered by each of us between encounters was kind of absurd, but humility was kind of the theme for my ride.

I set out to push myself harder and further than I had before, and to that end mission accomplished. My route was LV Canyon, Tecate, Albertsons to China Flat, down Palo Comado to Sheep Coral, and back to LVC. The climb up LVC and then Tecate was a thing, and Tecate took the wind out of my sails a bit. It was a mess, and challenged me quite a bit. Mainly though, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't the right day for Tecate. Most lines were not over my head, but consequences on either side of some were not unsubstantial. The fact that I was alone, without cell service, no signs of any recent traffic on the trail, and no one knowing that I was on that trail gave me pause and I walked a few lines that I normally wouldn't. That was kind of a buzzkill, even if the right call. I finished strong though, feeling like I had something to prove to myself when I hit Sheep Coral. That has become my favorite, and now that I have some familiarity with the trail I was able to rally sections that I used to pick and choose carefully on. Good, mostly fun day.

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The route you took was pretty tough. The grind up to Tecate is brutal and taking it east to west is not easy. Add to that more grinding up the Power Line fire road and well let's just say you were in great spirits after all that. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your ride and all of the downhill that was in front of you at that point.

 

[buggravy]

The route you took was pretty tough. The grind up to Tecate is brutal and taking it east to west is not easy. Add to that more grinding up the Power Line fire road and well let's just say you were in great spirits after all that. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your ride and all of the downhill that was in front of you at that point.

Yeah, it was rougher than I thought, and my time was crap. Power Line felt like a breeze after what came before. The downhill was stellar, though I think adrenaline mainly got me through Sheep Corral. By the time I got to the bottom of SC to head down LVC, which is usually a nice high speed victory lap, I was worked. Right quad started cramping, I'd burned through all my water, and I was just ready to be done. But, it was all exactly what I wanted it to be for trying to build some stamina.

 

[Faust29]

@UPSed Great meeting you as well. Though the disparity in miles covered by each of us between encounters was kind of absurd, but humility was kind of the theme ]

@UPSed has turned into an animal the last couple years! I remember him when he was still human.