I Rode My Bike Today...

11 / 2200'

Plan: Inspiration Point w/ @Faust29 & @SnakeCharmer

Apparently my body didn't get the memo. Maybe 1/3 the way up LSM, my strength just quit. I wasn't out of breath, my HR wasn't spiking...in fact I started out feeling stronger than usual. Steve thought I over-did the first couple miles, but this didn't feel like a blow-up or bonk. Weird. Based on how I was feeling at Echo Mt., I bailed on the second climb and returned following Mike down Sunset to Horse Trail.

Can't ID a specific reason. :unsure:

Good to get out anyway. :thumbsup:
 
redwoods said:
11 / 2200'

Plan: Inspiration Point w/ @Faust29 & @SnakeCharmer

Apparently my body didn't get the memo. Maybe 1/3 the way up LSM, my strength just quit. I wasn't out of breath, my HR wasn't spiking...in fact I started out feeling stronger than usual. Steve thought I over-did the first couple miles, but this didn't feel like a blow-up or bonk. Weird. Based on how I was feeling at Echo Mt., I bailed on the second climb and returned following Mike down Sunset to Horse Trail.

Can't ID a specific reason. :unsure:

Good to get out anyway. :thumbsup:
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A few pics I took along the way.

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I broke my "No Laguna on weekend mornings rule" and I instantly remembered why I had that rule in the first place. :Roflmao
I started a 7 AM and every trail had numerous hikers/runners/bikers. Only my first ride down Ol' Emerald was clear. I don't know if there was some kind of nerd running event today, but I have never seen that many runners before. :bang:

It was super foggy the entire ride, and the bike collected a massive amount of sand stuck to it. I spent about 20 minutes post ride cleaning off as much as I could before sticking it in my car.

Anyway ... Ol' Emerald, up Emerald Canyon, Missing Link/Fenceline, Lizards (I won't even go into the traffic on that one), down then up Ol' Emerald, Missing Link/Fenceline, Lizards, Fenceline. I really wanted to do Rattlesnake, but I heard it was very overgrown and with the fog every plant was wet so I skipped it. Next time.

On the positive ... it was nice and cool and I had lots of energy as a result. Plus, riding the bike is better than not riding. :laugh:

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redwoods said:
11 / 2200'

Plan: Inspiration Point w/ @Faust29 & @SnakeCharmer

Apparently my body didn't get the memo. Maybe 1/3 the way up LSM, my strength just quit. I wasn't out of breath, my HR wasn't spiking...in fact I started out feeling stronger than usual. Steve thought I over-did the first couple miles, but this didn't feel like a blow-up or bonk. Weird. Based on how I was feeling at Echo Mt., I bailed on the second climb and returned following Mike down Sunset to Horse Trail.

Can't ID a specific reason. :unsure:

Good to get out anyway. :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Did you carb up in the morning or did someone slip you a decaffffff ?
 
Yep... The original plan was to do the Heart of the Front Range, and add on either Upper Merrill or El Prieto. When the guys headed back down Sunset, I made the call to keep climbing and turn the ride into my gravel grinder route. Lower Sam Merrill to the Lowe Road and up the Mount Wilson Road to the observatory.

I arrived at the gate 15 minutes before opening... I could have hung around and enjoyed the views and some pie, but I opted to fill a bottle and cruise down the Toll Road...

24/4700

That wasn't there the other day...
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Cruising to the Tunnel...
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Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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No like
 
Another 3 ride week with my standard clamshell loop. major overgrown on the west side/cloverleaf end, so probably be sticking to cruising down the fire road to exit for the near future



Passed a search team with dog on the way down the firebreak. Sounds like hiker is still missing. Initially I thought he must have gotten lost in the canyon but neighborhood security cams show him entering the hillside preserve (can do a scramble up to clamshell peak from there, which I’m currently watching a helicopter circle)
 
Derkderkall said:
Another 3 ride week with my standard clamshell loop. major overgrown on the west side/cloverleaf end, so probably be sticking to cruising down the fire road to exit for the near future



Passed a search team with dog on the way down the firebreak. Sounds like hiker is still missing. Initially I thought he must have gotten lost in the canyon but neighborhood security cams show him entering the hillside preserve (can do a scramble up to clamshell peak from there, which I’m currently watching a helicopter circle)
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Go for a hike through your loop with some hedge clippers. That's what I do when it's needed.
 
Did a nice Verdugo Mountain loop from home base this morning (pavement/Hostetter FR/Verdugo Motorway/Beaudry North/pavement). I was surprised at how cool out it got, mid 60s! :inlove:

As many of us are experiencing today, there is a thicker marine layer down low and a layer of tropical clouds up high.

15.55, 2086'

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Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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That sucks, Steve... :thumbsdown:
 
Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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f@cking assholes!
 
Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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Sorry Steve. I wish there was a better solution for parking regarding Black Star. Even parking at Peltzers tree farm has no guarantee. I've had my lock punched out there but it's exposed to passing traffic versus the parking at the gate entrance. At least parking at the tree farm there is less area for the bad activity.
 
Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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Geez! Not happy!:mad::(
 
Fortunately my auto insurance window replacement is only $100 so I'm just going to move on and not dwell on it. Wont ever park in that area again where there is enough room for pulling that stunt though. While on the subject of people's suckage in the vicinity, back in March I posted a photo of a new sign at Maple Springs gate parking area. Just recently learned that the reason the sign was put there was because when it was snowing /raining and the water crossing were flowing people had taken up the practice of double and triple parking and clogging the place up.
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Old&InTheWay said:
Blackstar night ride. Gate to hidden ranch. 9.51 /1,145. Lots and lots of tagging to be seen. Got back to by car to discover the passenger side front window broken. Not thievery this time. Some clown was spinning donuts on the dirt and kicked up a rock. Could see the tracks they left, car was covered with dirt and the rock was sitting on the drivers side dashboard. :thumbsdown:

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Sorry to hear it and I'm bummed that it happened to you, Steve.
 
Back to B* for some recompense. Parked at the (safer) tree farm. Showed up well rested, fed and hydrated. Started out with the sun behind the ridgeline and rode through shade into the night. Temp. dropped to 65 degrees, very nice. Sparse traffic. Legs were feeling pretty good. Mission accomplished. :thumbsup: 17.53 / 2,230 [thur.]
 
Whiting & The Luge with an 8 AM start this morning. It was nice and cool to begin, and never really got uncomfortably hot, but it was super humid.
Borrego & Mustard are still closed, so all the hikers were on the fun side.

I got passed by 10 eBikes from the STT gate to the flag. I miss the days when I either never got passed, or if I did it was by one or two skinny spandexy types. :Roflmao Now I get passed by fat old men. :poop::poop:

Not sure what was going on, but the horse flies were insane. I killed six of them and only got bitten once, so I won. I tried to take a rest at the flag and I had 8 of the things on my arms. So much for taking a rest break, LOL.

About halfway down the Luge my Timberbell suddenly went quiet. :cry: So that is now the 4th (?) and 1 Chinese knockoff that have failed. Not great. I guess I am just too hard on those things. It was not fun going back through Whiting with no bell, as I had to resort to yelling like a maniac. :rolleyes:

I felt really good at the end of the ride ... I probably could have done two Luge laps, but I was very low on water and didn't want to chance it with the crazy humidity. Maybe I will actually ride again tomorrow, although I am considering going out to a sports bar for the big boxing match tonight. :cool:

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I have been sleeping poorly this past week. Too much going on and I can't shut my mind off. I had plans to get up predawn and drive out for a fun cruise through The Cheese this morning. However, when I rolled over to check the clock and it was already after 6am so I was screwed. Went back to sleep for a bit longer.

Not to let myself create a complete failure for myself, I decided to join the girls over at the local Sports Complex trail mid morning. I rode, while they hiked.

The impressive, earth shattering, record breaking stats:
2.01 miles
240' gain

...gonna try again tomorrow morning for some Cheese redemption...

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