I Rode My Bike Today...

[SnakeCharmer]

I was climbing Space Mtn this evening and I got to the 10th or 11th SB and screwed up. Unclipped both feet and dangled them in the air (yep the switchback is awfully steep). The steed then lifts the front and rotates on the rear. I landed backwards and somehow did a 180 and ran down the trail. I heard my bike strike the wood slope planks (Lucky me, I thought I was going over said planks). I ended up about 15 feet down the trail but on my feet. Thank my lucky stars.
Happy almost giving blood on the single trac trails.

View attachment 36235

Are there switchbacks in outer space?

 

[Sidewalk]

Blue jay-Sj-viejo tie-Chiquito. Bottom is San Juan loop trail lot across from candy store on Ortega highway, leave a car there and shuttle (or pedal) to blue jay, or just do an out and back from the bottom, start with ccw on San Juan loop (chunkfest) r on Chiquito, left on San Juan, left on viejo tie, r on Chiquito, r on sj loop trail and back to car. The left turn from sj onto viejo tie is easy to miss. Viejo tie and lower Chiquito is some of the funnest stuff in the SA’s, if you don’t mind tight trails somewhat overgrown. Doesn’t get anywhere near the traffic San Juan does.

I'm thinking about starting from Corona and ending in San Juan, taking the Metrolink home. So I want to make sure all that Corona side climbing ends with a nice climax on the other side!

 

[sir crashalot]

I'm thinking about starting from Corona and ending in San Juan, taking the Metrolink home. So I want to make sure all that Corona side climbing ends with a nice climax on the other side!

If that’s the plan, and since you’ll be going down the 74, you’ll avoid the final climb up to the parking lot; when you get to the campground on San Juan loop trail just go through the gate to the highway, be careful going down the narrow part of the 74! Be advised partway down Chiquito after the forest section there’s a surprise techy one mile climb.
U starting by climbing skyline?

 

[sir crashalot]

If that’s the plan, and since you’ll be going down the 74, you’ll avoid the final climb up to the parking lot; when you get to the campground on San Juan loop trail just go through the gate to the highway, be careful going down the narrow part of the 74! Be advised partway down Chiquito after the forest section there’s a surprise techy one mile climb.
U starting by climbing skyline?

Another option is ending with Los Pinos. However, adds a lot of up and down steep climbing/hab at the end of an already monster route.

 

[mike]

Chunk, rock, drop, chunk, rock, hey, can I jump that?, rock, chunk, oh Sh!t!, drop...

Are you sure you haven't done Chiquito??

 

[BonsaiNut]

Are you sure you haven't done Chiquito??

I hike Chiquito pretty regularly. I don't consider it a trail I could ride up (at least cleanly), and it would be pretty sketchy descending. However one day while I was hiking it with the family, there were a couple of bikers on the trail with some pro-looking photographers. They were taking photos doing some crazy stunts on some of the drops and switchbacks. At the bottom of the trail they turned around, and one of the bikers (female) said she was going to ascend the trail for fun - she was tired of all the starting and stopping for photos. I watched her roll right up a couple of sections that I would have considered unrideable.

So I guess I am just lacking the skills... and about 20 years

 

[doublewide]

I hike Chiquito pretty regularly. I don't consider it a trail I could ride up (at least cleanly), and it would be pretty sketchy descending. However one day while I was hiking it with the family, there were a couple of bikers on the trail with some pro-looking photographers. They were taking photos doing some crazy stunts on some of the drops and switchbacks. At the bottom of the trail they turned around, and one of the bikers (female) said she was going to ascend the trail for fun - she was tired of all the starting and stopping for photos. I watched her roll right up a couple of sections that I would have considered unrideable.

When was this?

 

[BonsaiNut]

When was this?

I'm going to guess that it was 18 months ago(?) We normally like to hike it in the spring when the water is flowing in the creekbed, but I recall it being almost bone dry - so late summer.

 

[doublewide]

Ahhhh....I was just trying to play Sherlock Holmes to see if I could figure out who it was but that's to long ago. I barely remember what I had for dinner last night!

 

[Sidewalk]

I know Rachel Atherton was around the area sometime around then, so you never know.

We already established that she was a bad ass, but was she also a Brit and hot?

 

[Sidewalk]

If that’s the plan, and since you’ll be going down the 74, you’ll avoid the final climb up to the parking lot; when you get to the campground on San Juan loop trail just go through the gate to the highway, be careful going down the narrow part of the 74! Be advised partway down Chiquito after the forest section there’s a surprise techy one mile climb.
U starting by climbing skyline?

Current plan is to start at my house and either ascend Skyline or Coal (I haven't done Coal yet). Metrolink station is 3 miles from my house so I can catch it down in the OC and get home pretty easy. My biggest ride so far on that bike is 65 miles/6500' which I did after work. This will be similar miles with an extra 3000' of climbing, including going down Silverado Motorway to Maple Springs.

I heard there is a dirt trail that parallels the 74 that you can take down, it is hard to see but I did find it on the Strava heatmap.

 

[Sidewalk]

This is the route I currently have mapped out:

https://www.strava.com/routes/11370770

(work in progress)

 

[littlewave]

@Sidewalk I am sure someone more knowledgeable than me will chime in, but I think there's opportunity for more dirt and less road riding, especially if you use the Laguna Niguel or San Juan Capistrano stations instead of Irvine.

 

[sir crashalot]

Current plan is to start at my house and either ascend Skyline or Coal (I haven't done Coal yet). Metrolink station is 3 miles from my house so I can catch it down in the OC and get home pretty easy. My biggest ride so far on that bike is 65 miles/6500' which I did after work. This will be similar miles with an extra 3000' of climbing, including going down Silverado Motorway to Maple Springs.

I heard there is a dirt trail that parallels the 74 that you can take down, it is hard to see but I did find it on the Strava heatmap.

Yes, there’s a trail that parallels 74 below the bottom of sj. If you end with Chiquito, you hit the 74 about 8-10 miles above that point.

 

[dustyyoungblood]

Today I fueled up with a 1/2 box of GS thin mint cookies and a full camel back. pedaled up borrego in WR and made a mental note of all the trail work they completed. Lots of groups of home schooled kids enjoy the nature today, so I took a nice slow pace.

I hit Mustard feeling fine and clicked another gear on the lower sections. I set a goal in 2017 to best 13min up "Mustard" which should have been well within my reach. but I kept coming up short until 2 weeks ago. when I hit 12:27. horray!!!! I set a new goal of 10:00 for 2018. Today I hit 11:31. so happy. I can do this!

 

[mike]

So I guess I am just lacking...about 20 years

Bah, just look at me and Mikie ... Maybe you need to hook up with @ULEWZ

For the record, getting old is f'ing awesome – if you can muster some serious denial.

 

[mike]

Today I fueled up with a 1/2 box of GS thin mint cookies and a full camel back. pedaled up borrego in WR and made a mental note of all the trail work they completed. Lots of groups of home schooled kids enjoy the nature today, so I took a nice slow pace.

I hit Mustard feeling fine and clicked another gear on the lower sections. I set a goal in 2017 to best 13min up "Mustard" which should have been well within my reach. but I kept coming up short until 2 weeks ago. when I hit 12:27. horray!!!! I set a new goal of 10:00 for 2018. Today I hot 11:31. so happy. I can do this!

Sheesh, nice work, Dustan. Can's ass – you did/are!

 

[dustyyoungblood]

Sheesh, nice work, Dustan. Can's ass – you did/are!

Going back 10-12 months, same bike, close to same weight body, slower trail conditions I would do 15:45 to 18:30 consistently. So HUGE gain would be an understatement

 

[BonsaiNut]

Today I fueled up with a 1/2 box of GS thin mint cookies and a full camel back. pedaled up borrego in WR and made a mental note of all the trail work they completed. Lots of groups of home schooled kids enjoy the nature today, so I took a nice slow pace.

I hit Mustard feeling fine and clicked another gear on the lower sections. I set a goal in 2017 to best 13min up "Mustard" which should have been well within my reach. but I kept coming up short until 2 weeks ago. when I hit 12:27. horray!!!! I set a new goal of 10:00 for 2018. Today I hit 11:31. so happy. I can do this!

Let us know how fast you can do the climb up to Vista Do it without stopping, and you won't even NOTICE Mustard. Dreaded Hill gets all the coverage in Whiting, but I think Vista is a harder climb... though it is a little insidious how it surprises you

I honestly don't know how fast I would climb Mustard. 10:00 sounds pretty fast though! Are you talking about from the little turn-off towards Cow Pond and Vista?

 

[LLPoolJ]

This is the route I currently have mapped out:

https://www.strava.com/routes/11370770

(work in progress)

That route scares me.

 

[mtnbikej]

That route scares me.

That looks like a ride I'd post up.

 

[mtnbikej]

This is the route I currently have mapped out:

https://www.strava.com/routes/11370770

(work in progress)

Yup from bottom of San Juan Trail, you can parallel the 74 until you get to the entrance at Caspers. If you wanna stick with the 74, the next 5 miles would be on 74 with little to no shoulder. Once at Antonio Parkway, you will be fine the rest of the way.

 

[Faust29]

Yes, there’s a trail that parallels 74 below the bottom of sj. If you end with Chiquito, you hit the 74 about 8-10 miles above that point.

I wouldn't have the cajones to ride the 74 above the San Juan exit... Way too twisty and batsh!t crazy traffic.

@Sidewalk - If you drop out at San Juan, and take the road back towards the 74, there is a double gate on the right just before you get to the 74. It will be locked. Jump it, and you're in Caspers. Jumping the gate is probably illegal... The fire road on the other side is perfectly legal. It climbs for a bit past the Hot Springs and then turns into the old Cold Springs Trail (maybe a little bushwhacking) and then the San Juan Creek Trail. This runs right next to the 74 with some ups, downs and maybe a little HAB, but will keep you out of traffic all the way back to the Caspers Campgrounds.

I've seen on Google Earth that the trail keeps going all the way into San Juan Capistrano, but I've never ridden that part. I always head into Caspers and take the West Ridge back to RSM. I have checked out the shoulder on the 74 from Caspers to Antonio Parkway, and there is about 1.5-2 feet of shoulder for a good chunk of the road back to Antonio Parkway. From there to the train station is easy... I just did that on the road bike last week. For you, that would be a quick section...

 

[kioti]

Today I fueled up with a 1/2 box of GS thin mint cookies and a full camel back. pedaled up borrego in WR and made a mental note of all the trail work they completed. Lots of groups of home schooled kids enjoy the nature today, so I took a nice slow pace.

I hit Mustard feeling fine and clicked another gear on the lower sections. I set a goal in 2017 to best 13min up "Mustard" which should have been well within my reach. but I kept coming up short until 2 weeks ago. when I hit 12:27. horray!!!! I set a new goal of 10:00 for 2018. Today I hit 11:31. so happy. I can do this!

You're probably getting an octane boost from those thin mints--have you considered a handlebar dispenser?

The full camelbak thing is sneaky.. it tells your body to work harder on the climb, thereby eliminating the need for excess motivation. But if you really want to fake yourself out, try it with a small bottle or none at all. Then those thin mints will be undiluted and your brain will be confused enough to offer full power w/o that 6 lbs. of H2O on your back. Even better, Endurobro it and treat yourself to a classic beef n' cheddah at 4 corners, if you can stop fast enough. You might even catch some air at the very top of Mustard, so watch out for that fence.

 

[kioti]

I wouldn't have the cajones to ride the 74 above the San Juan exit... Way too twisty and batsh!t crazy traffic.

@Sidewalk - If you drop out at San Juan, and take the road back towards the 74, there is a double gate on the right just before you get to the 74. It will be locked. Jump it, and you're in Caspers. Jumping the gate is probably illegal... The fire road on the other side is perfectly legal. It climbs for a bit past the Hot Springs and then turns into the old Cold Springs Trail (maybe a little bushwhacking) and then the San Juan Creek Trail. This runs right next to the 74 with some ups, downs and maybe a little HAB, but will keep you out of traffic all the way back to the Caspers Campgrounds.

I've seen on Google Earth that the trail keeps going all the way into San Juan Capistrano, but I've never ridden that part. I always head into Caspers and take the West Ridge back to RSM. I have checked out the shoulder on the 74 from Caspers to Antonio Parkway, and there is about 1.5-2 feet of shoulder for a good chunk of the road back to Antonio Parkway. From there to the train station is easy... I just did that on the road bike last week. For you, that would be a quick section...

Agreed. The 74 is stupid scary. And an afternoon headwind makes hammering toward SJC ineffective. I used to ride Ortega for a mile or so from the fire station at lower san juan trail to a gate on the right getting into Caspers. It was fast but still hairy, like jumping onto a Nascar track.. without a caution flag.. on a big wheel. Zero tolerance from a lot of drivers and some might even want to teach you a lesson. If they even see you. Of course you're on a mountain bike so you can ride onto the shoulder if you have to, but how many times do you want to pull yourself out of the bushes?

 

[sir crashalot]

Agreed. The only section of 74 I have ridden or would ever ride is from the candy store up to long canyon road towards blue jay, on a weekday morning when most of the cars are going the other way. That section is only 2 miles and has some shoulder for part of it and I’m real careful for the rest of it, whenever I hear a car coming up behind I’ll stop and lean over into the bushes to the side of the road.

 

[dustyyoungblood]

You're probably getting an octane boost from those thin mints--have you considered a handlebar dispenser?

The full camelbak thing is sneaky.. it tells your body to work harder on the climb, thereby eliminating the need for excess motivation. But if you really want to fake yourself out, try it with a small bottle or none at all. Then those thin mints will be undiluted and your brain will be confused enough to offer full power w/o that 6 lbs. of H2O on your back. Even better, Endurobro it and treat yourself to a classic beef n' cheddah at 4 corners, if you can stop fast enough. You might even catch some air at the very top of Mustard, so watch out for that fence.

You win for best reply today

 

[knucklebuster]

here you go, a sat view of UHJ from MD with the ST trail dropping off the fire road just before the SB. I H8 code because it takes me a while to figure what you OC shredders are talking about.
Happy downhill trails

View attachment 36234

@da big hills - your map shows the old exit from Upper Holy Jim to Main Divide. That old route actually came down right behind the concrete water tank just across MD from where lower HJ reaches MD. The new exit is up a little further on MD. Also noted is the upper joplin entrance which bypasses the peak to go down Joplin proper and Cadillac or Luge to get back to the wash (if going back down Lower HJ is too mundane for one's taste****)
**** Sorry for piss poor attitude, not able to get much riding in lately. I'd love to be able to get a run down Holy Jim but not happening soon for me. I get it (sorta) that HJ is not some people's preference, whatever floats your boat. These days I'd just be thrilled with singletrack and dirt on a downhill slope of any kind.

 

[Faust29]

@da big hills - your map shows the old exit from Upper Holy Jim to Main Divide. That old route actually came down right behind the concrete water tank just across MD from where lower HJ reaches MD. The new exit is up a little further on MD. Also noted is the upper joplin entrance which bypasses the peak to go down Joplin proper and Cadillac or Luge to get back to the wash (if going back down Lower HJ is too mundane for one's taste)
View attachment 36241

I thought Upper Joplin was a lot of fun when we did it a few months back... Never knew there was a Chevy hidden there just off Main Divide. The fun ended when we were pretty much crawling under the overgrowth.

That old entrance to UHJ is still visible when you get up a little higher on the way towards West Horsethief.

 

[sir crashalot]

@da big hills - your map shows the old exit from Upper Holy Jim to Main Divide. That old route actually came down right behind the concrete water tank just across MD from where lower HJ reaches MD. The new exit is up a little further on MD. Also noted is the upper joplin entrance which bypasses the peak to go down Joplin proper and Cadillac or Luge to get back to the wash (if going back down Lower HJ is too mundane for one's taste****)
**** Sorry for piss poor attitude, not able to get much riding in lately. I'd love to be able to get a run down Holy Jim but not happening soon for me. I get it (sorta) that HJ is not some people's preference, whatever floats your boat. These days I'd just be thrilled with singletrack and dirt on a downhill slope of any kind.
View attachment 36241

I like lower holy jim. Not techy, but flowy with great views and good dirt after a rain. its a nice grinder of a climb without being crazy steep, too.
Hope you feel better and can ride more soon.