I Rode My Bike Today...

redwoods said:
How do you "beat a path" through poodle dog? Real question. I think I'm not affected by P.O. in small to moderate doses, but I wouldn't want to test P.D.B. based on what I hear about it. So, I'm really interested in technique and materials-handling protocols (like must everything be scrubbed in diesel fuel afterward? burned? buried?)
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I tried the same technique I use with PO that hangs over the trail...grab a solid stick that's around 4 ft long and whack the PDB stem with it. Their stems are not strong so this breaks it and the upper part falls over. Then flip it out of the way with the stick. Gets a pretty clear path, just takes a while since there was a lot of it.
 
Back to Guajome park and lake. The wife likes it there. Replaced her 11-34 with a 11-40. She cleaned a hill she has never cleaned before! I was pedaling the none e ebike . 50 lbser. Now maybe we will get some elevation.

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Rode the Cheese today for the first time in 6 or 7 weeks, and it was a hot mess. Very overgrown, and a terrible combination of water crossings immediately followed by moon dust that forms a nice paste as it gets kicked up all over a wet bike. I was pretty surprised by the amount of water still flowing, particularly through the canyon itself. There's really a colossal amount of work to be done to get my go-to route back in shape, pretty much from start to finish. Seems to be the nature of things in the Santa Monicas right now. Meager conditions and poor riding made for pretty mediocre ride, but it at least felt good to be out. Did not encounter a single other trail user. Thought conditions were going to be ripe for snake sightings, and did see lots of tracks, but only two gopher snakes spotted. Today helps put the great days in perspective, so I shouldn't complain too much. 13/1550

Did get in some nice family riding over the last couple weeks. Got out and cruised Dirt Mulholland with my better half last week. It was her first time on a mtb in close to a year. On the way back she let me break away to hit Farmers Ridge and MG single track, which were super fun. 14.1/1637

Week before that the rugrat actually asked me to go riding with her. Riding with her means the Townie, and a bike path, but I'll take what I can get. Hit Arroyo Simi, and she easily did her longest ride yet at about 16.5 miles. It was pretty special, and she said really wanted to do a ride every week and try to hit 150 miles for the Summer. She then proceeded to break her collar bone in a TikTok related fall from a bed to a hardwood floor. Occupational hazards of being a 13 y/o girl.
 
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buggravy said:
Rode the Cheese today for the first time in 6 or 7 weeks, and it was a hot mess. Very overgrown, and a terrible combination of water crossings immediately followed by moon dust that forms a nice paste as it gets kicked up all over a wet bike. I was pretty surprised by the amount of water still flowing, particularly through the canyon itself. There's really a colossal amount of work to be done to get my go-to route back in shape, pretty much from start to finish. Seems to be the nature of things in the Santa Monicas right now. Meager conditions and poor riding made for pretty mediocre ride, but it at least felt good to be out. Did not encounter a single other trail user. Thought conditions were going to be ripe for snake sightings, and did see lots of tracks, but only two gopher snakes spotted. Today helps put the great days in perspective, so I shouldn't complain too much. 13/1550

Did get in some nice family riding over the last couple weeks. Got out and cruised Dirt Mulholland with my better half last week. It was her first time on a mtb in close to a year. On the way back she let me break away to hit Farmers Ridge and MG single track, which were super fun. 14.1/1637

Week before that the rugrat actually asked me to go riding with her. Riding with her means the Townie, and a bike path, but I'll take what I can get. Hit Arroyo Simi, and she easily did her longest ride yet at about 16.5 miles. It was pretty special, and she said really wanted to do a ride every week and try to hit 150 miles for the Summer. She then proceeded to break her collar bone in a TikTok related fall from a bed to a hardwood floor. Occupational hazards of being a 13 y/o girl.
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Oh no... :(

On a positive note, you'll be able to tell who reads all the way to the end.
 
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Little ride on Blackstar on Tuesday evening from the gate to the first Mariposa sign. (Actually have done two other previously unreported similar B* riders in June.)

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Encountered this big wooden cross along the way, at the Y that splits off up to the gated property. On the way back down after nightfall there were 50 people gathered together at that same spot.
 
Old&InTheWay said:
Little ride on Blackstar on Tuesday evening from the gate to the first Mariposa sign. (Actually have done two other previously unreported similar B* riders in June.)

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Encountered this big wooden cross along the way, at the Y that splits off up to the gated property. On the way back down after nightfall there were 50 people gathered together at that same spot.
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Demon worshipers. :cautious:

Last time I rode Blackstar my car windows rolled down by themselves (never happened before nor since) and I crashed on an easy singletrack. Something is not right about that place. :laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
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Way to get out, riders. No bad rides...


It'd been awhile since I visited Clear Creek Trail. I rode the 14.5 miles up to Tahoe Rim Trail then kept going for Lakeview, not quite getting there. A quarter-mile north-facing section always hangs on to snow. There's a trail under there somewhere:

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Temp in the 60s. A handful of riders and many hikers out enjoying the cool before the heat spike. 36/4,540/6:27


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This iteration of my Ranger is the best yet; descending it gives up very little to my Smash. Pike 130 3.0 damper with Derby 30i 28/32 hole/Berd/DT Swiss 240. DHF 2.5/Rekon "2.6." Responsiveness, precision, comfort.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
I went on a mini-adventure ride today, Han Solo style, to scratch a trail that I've always wanted to ride off my list.
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Missed this before, good you were able to check this trail out. I wouldn't write it off. The "steep uphill return to Mt Lowe FR" (upper part of Bear Canyon Tr) is good trail and not terribly brushy all the way down to TS Saddle. Then take TS back. Or continue down Dawn Mine if you don't mind 500ft of mostly hike a bike to get out. Dawn descent is in good shape and very rideable aside from a few stone staircases. Either combo would be a decent alternative to Upper Sam.
 
evdog said:
Missed this before, good you were able to check this trail out. I wouldn't write it off. The "steep uphill return to Mt Lowe FR" (upper part of Bear Canyon Tr) is good trail and not terribly brushy all the way down to TS Saddle. Then take TS back. Or continue down Dawn Mine if you don't mind 500ft of mostly hike a bike to get out. Dawn descent is in good shape and very rideable aside from a few stone staircases. Either combo would be a decent alternative to Upper Sam.
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I meant to ask... How was the PO on Idlehour the other day? Better, same or worse than when we were there?
 
Early AM ride at Sweetwater Preserve. Started at sunrise to get the cool 70 degree temperature. It’s been warm here this week, but I’m amazed at how much the desert cools overnight leaving the mornings perfect for riding. Pretty much had the trails to myself other than a couple of hikers.

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A quick early morning pass through the rocks in Joshua Tree this morning to beat the heat. Started with the 1.25 mile FR climb to the pass. Rolled over the top and turned onto Good Manor. Took that to the end, turned onto another FR briefly to access Bad Manor. Took that to the end then did the short techy climb to the ridge. Dropped in on Latte, finished that then back tracked on the perimeter trail to reverse ride Bad Manor and Good Manor. Rolled over to The Luge, took that sandy mess a short way to access Haggis. Finished that then cut across to Scouts. Popped out on the lower FR and turned onto the bottom section of The Luge to complete the ride. Finished with something like 7.5 miles and 750'. Lizards galore again. Saw one Chuckwalla, several whiptails, and a few Desert Spinys. Saw one rider gearing up as I started out amd another rider driving up as I was loading up the Izzo to leave.

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SnakeCharmer said:
A quick early morning pass through the rocks in Joshua Tree this morning to beat the heat. Started with the 1.25 mile FR climb to the pass. Rolled over the top and turned onto Good Manor. Took that to the end, turned onto another FR briefly to access Bad Manor. Took that to the end then did the short techy climb to the ridge. Dropped in on Latte, finished that then back tracked on the perimeter trail to reverse ride Bad Manor and Good Manor. Rolled over to The Luge, took that sandy mess a short way to access Haggis. Finished that then cut across to Scouts. Popped out on the lower FR and turned onto the bottom section of The Luge to complete the ride. Finished with something like 7.5 miles and 750'. Lizards galore again. Saw one Chuckwalla, several whiptails, and a few Desert Spinys. Saw one rider gearing up as I started out amd another rider driving up as I was loading up the Izzo to leave.

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Was this the other guy's bike? My surf buddy Brian was out there riding early this morning too.

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A few loops at Aliso today. Down Meadows and Rock-it and up cholla and cheater cholla. First warm day and I was feeling it. Rescue helicopters overhead and rangers and sheriffs on Wood Cnyn with a reported person going off one of the trails. Hope everything turned out OK.
 
Went to Skypark this afternoon, trying to meet up with a buddy I haven't ridden with in forever. He had to bail, for reasons out of his control. So just me...and 50-ish others. Not once did it feel crowded.

The small jumps on Arrow were working well, so I gave it 4-5 runs, and then tried the main Jumpline. That didn't go well - no crashes or anything, but I either had the speed but not the form, or I had the form but not the speed. I'm 4-5 years outta any real jumping practice, and I just couldn't figure these out today. :bang: Short of crashing, nothing beats you up on a mtb like a session full of cased jumps. Maybe I need to retire from trying jumps bigger than 3-4' tall? I refuse to acknowledge reality and agree that I'm getting older. Refuse I say! :mad: ( :laugh:...:cry: )

So after trying and failing on the jumps for 2 runs I went to Comet, the main tech trail. They call it a double-black. Yeah, I sorta don't think so, but whatever. Anyway, apparently this is my jam; I thoroughly enjoy it, and got its rhythm after one 'pre-ride' lap. A few more laps on Comet, with some more Arrow small jumps thrown in, and I was completely flogged by dinner time.

Probably ~20 mi / 3800', but Strava doesn't like me, my phone doesn't like Strava, and right now I'm not happy with either of them, as I lost 75 minutes of the middle of the activity.

In spite of missing riding with my buddy, losing some of the recorded ride, and being too old to hit big jXXXX---I mean, just being out of practice on the big jumps, yeah, that...In spite of those things, I had fun. However, I think I might not voluntarily pay $69 again to go pedal my bike in the mountains any time soon. I can pedal up trails without paying that, or I can find a lift for that price.

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