Rick (Old Skool) @ 65 B-Day Ride 2024 - Hurkey Creek

Old Skool

Old Skool

Member
I have always tried to put together an annual epic ride with some close friends on the Friday of my November Bday, however, I have missed the last couple of years due to physical issues (discussed on other post's already). This year I am feeling pretty good, with the assist of my moped :sneaky: and want throw out an invite to ya'll for Friday 11/22/2024. I am going on some fresh feedback received from @evdog (see below) on the trail conditions and am going to do Hurkey Creek (weather permitting). I will work on the exact routing and distance in the next few days. Let me know if any are interested in joining me, I am figuring its going to be in the range of 22-25 miles and about 2800' of climbing.

"That info is outdated. Most of Hurkey is back open and riding great. Keen camp climb has been re-done. Missing link/rage/tunnel of love have been reopened. And upper trails like tres, Buena Vista, snakeskin etc have all been worked on as well. The trails have not seen a lot of traffic so they are a bit raw. Everything that is on trailforks is open again. The only exception is exfoliator. To my knowledge that is the only trail that has not been worked on."
 
I usually don't plan ahead but I already have something planned for that weekend. :facepalm:

If you want to get 20+ miles, I'd start at the bottom at Hurkey (entrance fee) or along Apple Valley Road. Climb Keen Camp Climb and Johnstone Meadow. Head to May Valley Road. Head north on Lazy Bonz and Tres Hombres. Get back on May Valley Road and climb to the top of Logpile. Ride that, and cross over to Snakeskin and follow that around thru Cahuilla Cutoff. Back north briefly on Tres and cross May Valley and take Buena Vista south. Cross May Valley again and take Lazy Bonz. This time turn right at Tres and head south to Bonita Vista fire road. Follow that road east and then head down Missing Link/Rage/Tunnel of Love back to Apple Valley Rd. This should get you 20 miles. If you're feeling spunky you can climb up to Middle Southridge, but that's a hike.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
Who?;)
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evdog said:
I usually don't plan ahead but I already have something planned for that weekend. :facepalm:

If you want to get 20+ miles, I'd start at the bottom at Hurkey (entrance fee) or along Apple Valley Road. Climb Keen Camp Climb and Johnstone Meadow. Head to May Valley Road. Head north on Lazy Bonz and Tres Hombres. Get back on May Valley Road and climb to the top of Logpile. Ride that, and cross over to Snakeskin and follow that around thru Cahuilla Cutoff. Back north briefly on Tres and cross May Valley and take Buena Vista south. Cross May Valley again and take Lazy Bonz. This time turn right at Tres and head south to Bonita Vista fire road. Follow that road east and then head down Missing Link/Rage/Tunnel of Love back to Apple Valley Rd. This should get you 20 miles. If you're feeling spunky you can climb up to Middle Southridge, but that's a hike.
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Do you have a Strava link?
 
Old Skool said:
...I have missed the last couple of years due to physical issues (discussed on other post's already). This year I am feeling pretty good, with the assist of my moped :sneaky: and want throw out an invite to ya'll for Friday 11/22/2024...
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I was there when it started at Bonelli May 2022, and a few weeks ago while HABing down a rocky chute and traversing a canyon of a rut, I hear E-ruckus behind me and turn just in time to see Rick torpedo the ground with his head and shoulders. He gets up, dusts himself off, and prepares for the next corndog a few miles later. Good times!

I'll try to make this but unsure yet.
 
scan said:
I know there isn't signage, I wish there were signs.
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After not riding there for many years I hear you. But there aren't as many as there used to be (and no where near as many as the Hub). Once you ride here a couple times you'll have it figured out.
 
evdog said:
After not riding there for many years I hear you. But there aren't as many as there used to be (and no where near as many as the Hub). Once you ride here a couple times you'll have it figured out.
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Yep, I can visualize most of the trails noted in your post @evdog. I was going to ask you about Southridge, agreed, its a bitch of a road climb to get to (approx. 20'sh%) in a few spots, but one of the funnest descents to bomb. Have you heard anything about SR?
 
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DangerDirtyD said:
I was there when it started at Bonelli May 2022, and a few weeks ago while HABing down a rocky chute and traversing a canyon of a rut, I hear E-ruckus behind me and turn just in time to see Rick torpedo the ground with his head and shoulders. He gets up, dusts himself off, and prepares for the next corndog a few miles later. Good times!

I'll try to make this but unsure yet.
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:laugh: I have a hard time humbling myself and getting off to HAB, probably why I been so banged up all my life!:whistling:
 
evdog said:
I usually don't plan ahead but I already have something planned for that weekend. :facepalm:

If you want to get 20+ miles, I'd start at the bottom at Hurkey (entrance fee) or along Apple Valley Road. Climb Keen Camp Climb and Johnstone Meadow. Head to May Valley Road. Head north on Lazy Bonz and Tres Hombres. Get back on May Valley Road and climb to the top of Logpile. Ride that, and cross over to Snakeskin and follow that around thru Cahuilla Cutoff. Back north briefly on Tres and cross May Valley and take Buena Vista south. Cross May Valley again and take Lazy Bonz. This time turn right at Tres and head south to Bonita Vista fire road. Follow that road east and then head down Missing Link/Rage/Tunnel of Love back to Apple Valley Rd. This should get you 20 miles. If you're feeling spunky you can climb up to Middle Southridge, but that's a hike.
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Thanks @evdog that is the route I will plan on, but may add the climb up to Southridge and down depending on the crew size and capabilities.
 
This turned out to be one of my all time favorite Birthday rides, fantastic group of 11 riders + me and spectacular weather. As I've noted here previously, lots of issues over the past few years that have kept me from doing some of these epic rides, but yesterday was sooo awesome, I got a little emotional about it :facepalm: We havn't ridden these Hurkey Creek trails for quite a few years and I was concerned about the conditions of the trails after all the fires the past few years, but feedback back from @evdog and a few others convinced me to check it. everything is a bit dry and soft up here right now and these trails could really use a few good rains to pack it down some, but thanks to a lot of hard work from the locals, these trails are back and flowing again. I took a chance and decided to add the Middle Southridge trail to the loop, this added about 6-7 miles to the loop and at least another 1,000' of climb (felt like 2,000' !) this turned the ride into approx. 25 miles and 3,500', some of the riders with us on MTB's hav'nt been riding these kinds of numbers in a while and they were hating me and threatening to mutiny by the time we got to SR trail head.:sneaky: However, it was all smiles as we charged down, this trail has seen some heavy work by the locals, and it was spectacular. My friend James took a spill at the top and got a little nicked up, but is ok, some of the guys like Tony and Andrew were sending it big time with some big air off the jumps.
I could write 2-3 more pages describing every trail, but too much thread to read. It was a spectacular ride that I could not have participated in, had I not been on my moped, keeping me alive and in the game! Here is some pics and I'll let @Tom the Bomb share some of the sweet video he took along the ride. Looking forward to the next big ride at PCE on Black Friday now!

The Old Skool Birthday Ride Crew
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Tony...This guy Shreds and only knows one speed....very fast!
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Andrew N & Daniel B
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Part of the Crew Overlooking May Valley
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TTB & Jose
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James & Jason, almost to the top of Southridge Trailhead...they are hating me about now!
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Happy 65th Birthday to me!
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Old Skool said:
This turned out to be one of my all time favorite Birthday rides, fantastic group of 11 riders + me and spectacular weather. As I've noted here previously, lots of issues over the past few years that have kept me from doing some of these epic rides, but yesterday was sooo awesome, I got a little emotional about it :facepalm: We havn't ridden these Hurkey Creek trails for quite a few years and I was concerned about the conditions of the trails after all the fires the past few years, but feedback back from @evdog and a few others convinced me to check it. everything is a bit dry and soft up here right now and these trails could really use a few good rains to pack it down some, but thanks to a lot of hard work from the locals, these trails are back and flowing again. I took a chance and decided to add the Middle Southridge trail to the loop, this added about 6-7 miles to the loop and at least another 1,000' of climb (felt like 2,000' !) this turned the ride into approx. 25 miles and 3,500', some of the riders with us on MTB's hav'nt been riding these kinds of numbers in a while and they were hating me and threatening to mutiny by the time we got to SR trail head.:sneaky: However, it was all smiles as we charged down, this trail has seen some heavy work by the locals, and it was spectacular. My friend James took a spill at the top and got a little nicked up, but is ok, some of the guys like Tony and Andrew were sending it big time with some big air off the jumps.
I could write 2-3 more pages describing every trail, but too much thread to read. It was a spectacular ride that I could not have participated in, had I not been on my moped, keeping me alive and in the game! Here is some pics and I'll let @Tom the Bomb share some of the sweet video he took along the ride. Looking forward to the next big ride at PCE on Black Friday now!

The Old Skool Birthday Ride Crew
View attachment 95514View attachment 95515

Tony...This guy Shreds and only knows one speed....very fast!
View attachment 95517View attachment 95518

Andrew N & Daniel B
View attachment 95519

Part of the Crew Overlooking May Valley
View attachment 95520

TTB & Jose
View attachment 95523

James & Jason, almost to the top of Southridge Trailhead...they are hating me about now!
View attachment 95524

Happy 65th Birthday to me!
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A great day on the bike indeed. Good friends , trails a banter. It had been many years for me looking to get back to Idyllwild. Kudos to the trail workers out there. Lotsa fun twisty trails, a bit loose but good all the same.
Here is a long to my Strava with pics and short vids.
Happy bday Rick,
Lotsa memories my friend.
 
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