I Rode My Bike Today...

Just like @UPSed I too rode my bike today. Joined the annual OTB ride that’s hosted by club member Otto, hence the name Ottobeerfest :) Normally held in late October but because of some delays we held it December.
Rode from Simi Valley into the Chesebro area. Got to see first hand what the fires did to the landscape. At one point I had no idea where we were because everything looked so barren and different.

Some really steep fireroad climbs to start the day
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Some foto ops at the regroups
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China flats looking a little charred
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I got out this afternoon......hit up Maple Springs/Motorway with the Profoessor and @Faust29

1pm start.....and it was 52* when we rolled. The gate was closed, but there were 3 motos on the other side. Social pace up. Low of 39* just below 4 Corners. Chilly along Main Divide. Mostly dry and getting slippery. It is also getting it's character back.

Legs went away on the climb up to Bedford.

Started to make a run down Motorway, all things were going well....however the trail dried out pretty quick, and was getting slippery as well. So backed on.

Fun times.
 
Got together for a friends B-day ride. The plan was STT to Old Camp and down the Luge. Vince chimed in and said "Lets do Harding , Joplin, Luge instead". Everyone agreed. Well, maybe some didn't show... Oops. Chilly weather was predicted. I brought more layers than I did water. Didn't need either. The climb up HTT from Cooks went by, nothing real exciting, just a good climb. Joplin was a hoot a usual. Only got smacked in the face once by a branch. The chunk was exciting. Did better than I usually do. Regrouped and went on to the Luge. I'm not a fast DH'r but was happy to get a PR of 4:00min. Probably because of the best shape the Luge is in. Thanks to @kioti and others that work on it. No ride issues, everyone had a great time. 25/5000

Somewhere on Joplin.
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Broke my motorway cherry this morning. Managed to get my parental duties via skype out of the way nice and early (little man - please don't crash again dad....... I'll do my best buddy). Abandoned the car just below the Maple Springs gate with a bunch of other guys and managed to get on the road at 8am. Was regretting the decision to go sans socks about 10 minutes into the ride, yeah its warmer here but its not that warm! Made four corners in about 1.5 hours, stopped for some photos and to chat to a group of guys that had come up from Harding. They pointed out where I generally had to head so I headed of vaguely in the direction they pointed. The ride out from four corners to the top of motorway is something else, looking over at the other ranges with snow on the top, seeing the planes coming in on approach to John Wayne, same height as the clouds. What a glorious place! The last couple of climbs just before motorway nearly had me done though. Wasn't expecting that...
Found the top of motorway and ran into some more guys that had bombed down from Santiago Peak, as always with anyone I find out on the trails here super friendly and up for a chat. So cool to see! Reminds me of riding back in NZ.
Made it back to the car at 11am, I figure taking out photo stops (me for the scenery and others for the mighty Proflex :D ) I would have been round the 2.75 hour mark. No idea of distance or any of that strava stuff, poxy work phone has no signal when I head in there.
This one will definitely be on the list for repeat visit.
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Lost Kiwi said:
Broke my motorway cherry this morning. Managed to get my parental duties via skype out of the way nice and early (little man - please don't crash again dad....... I'll do my best buddy). Abandoned the car just below the Maple Springs gate with a bunch of other guys and managed to get on the road at 8am. Was regretting the decision to go sans socks about 10 minutes into the ride, yeah its warmer here but its not that warm! Made four corners in about 1.5 hours, stopped for some photos and to chat to a group of guys that had come up from Harding. They pointed out where I generally had to head so I headed of vaguely in the direction they pointed. The ride out from four corners to the top of motorway is something else, looking over at the other ranges with snow on the top, seeing the planes coming in on approach to John Wayne, same height as the clouds. What a glorious place! The last couple of climbs just before motorway nearly had me done though. Wasn't expecting that...
Found the top of motorway and ran into some more guys that had bombed down from Santiago Peak, as always with anyone I find out on the trails here super friendly and up for a chat. So cool to see! Reminds me of riding back in NZ.
Made it back to the car at 11am, I figure taking out photo stops (me for the scenery and others for the mighty Proflex :D ) I would have been round the 2.75 hour mark. No idea of distance or any of that strava stuff, poxy work phone has no signal when I head in there.
This one will definitely be on the list for repeat visit.
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Awesome! That end of the mountain can be therapeutic. Today was my 70th time down Motorway and it never gets old.

There is also a larger loop... up Black Star and across Main Divide to Motorway.

I wish the southern end was open... if you liked Motorway, you’d love Trabuco. Damn arsonist.
 
Both my bikes are down for the count with mechanical issues so the path hooked me up with a nomad demo for the week. I started the day with a LCWP loop on the short side. Lizards, T&A, Old Emerald and Fenceline. This Nomad is so damn fast and the dirt was so good. I did a run down old emerald where I only hit the brakes twice (once for the 180 right hand corner and once for the 180 left hand corner), blew my PR away and got really close to a top 10 time. Nuts.

I wanted to pedal some more but it wasn't in the cards for my riding partner so we wrapped it up. I went home had some lunch and decided to go hit oaks and see what this thing could do on my test loop. Up Chutes, down cactus, up bumblebee, down hawk, up goat, down chutes. My cactus run was sloppy at the bottom but it was gonna be a PR if not for that. My hawk run was a PR and felt good. I had a sloppy but fun run down chutes, I was just too tired to keep it clean.

I mentioned it before but this Nomad is insanity. After riding it for the day, I want one but also don't want one. This bike is just too damn fast under me and it motivates me to ride at speeds that A) I shouldn't be riding at in public parks and B) is just too fast for a weekly rig. I'm torn for sure. I could really see having one of these as a park bike. Even on my local stuff, this bike is so capable I was hitting lines without hesitation that I typically think before I hit. hmmmm

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Ebruner said:
Both my bikes are down for the count with mechanical issues so the path hooked me up with a nomad demo for the week. I started the day with a LCWP loop on the short side. Lizards, T&A, Old Emerald and Fenceline. This Nomad is so damn fast and the dirt was so good. I did a run down old emerald where I only hit the brakes twice (once for the 180 right hand corner and once for the 180 left hand corner), blew my PR away and got really close to a top 10 time. Nuts.

I wanted to pedal some more but it wasn't in the cards for my riding partner so we wrapped it up. I went home had some lunch and decided to go hit oaks and see what this thing could do on my test loop. Up Chutes, down cactus, up bumblebee, down hawk, up goat, down chutes. My cactus run was sloppy at the bottom but it was gonna be a PR if not for that. My hawk run was a PR and felt good. I had a sloppy but fun run down chutes, I was just too tired to keep it clean.

I mentioned it before but this Nomad is insanity. After riding it for the day, I want one but also don't want one. This bike is just too damn fast under me and it motivates me to ride at speeds that A) I shouldn't be riding at in public parks and B) is just too fast for a weekly rig. I'm torn for sure. I could really see having one of these as a park bike. Even on my local stuff, this bike is so capable I was hitting lines without hesitation that I typically think before I hit. hmmmm

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Sounds like too much bike for the Oaks.
 
mtnbikej said:
Sounds like too much bike for the Oaks.
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Way too much for oaks. I was shocked how it didn't need to be ridden at mach chicken to come alive however. Also, this thing pedals so well it's sorta mind blowing. I could for sure own this instead of my hightower as my big ticket FS bike, but it would change how I ride on a weekly basis. Another interesting thing, I was as impressed with how this thing cornered as I was with how it ate up chunk. Definitely an impressive bike.
 
Early start Sunday for a Harding-Joplin-STT loop for my first time. Went with friend @jdubb to show me the ropes. 38 degrees to start with several frozen spots toward the top of Harding and Main Divide. I really liked the top third of Harding and the changes in foliage. The feeling of being beyond the Orange Curtain is also a bonus once up there. I was over dressed with full Camelback and wool socks while John was dressed for Spring and carrying one leaking bottle. Joplin was a pleasant single track with some amazing sights along the way. The chunk was just what the Dr. ordered after the hours of truck trail that got us there. The fallen leaves, running water, and crisp temps didn't feel like SoCal at all. Only negative I can think back on was the climb out of Old Camp up onto STT after the break we took. Cold legs didn't want to get back to work. On STT before flags I took a big rolling rock into my chainstay and derailleur that would leave me nursing a fouled up drivetrain all the way back to Modjeska Canyon. Beers with the birds after on what turned out to be a very pleasant day of riding.

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JordanHMay said:
Took a slow cruise up Maple to Modjeska. Not another soul in sight today. Hero dirt and a warm sun. Couldn’t have been better.

No snow to be found. Maybe we will get some after this weeks coming storm.
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According to my Strava flyby you were in front of me. I started at the xmas tree lot and the last people I saw were some people walking their dogs at the bottom of Motorway. I didn't see anybody else until I hit the bottom of Harding at the wildlife sanctuary. Did see somebody drive by me with a grey with white lettering Highball racked on the back of their car as I was riding up Silverado Cyn, but from your pic, you were also on your Chameleon... I was wondering if I'd see them anywhere, so maybe a Silverado resident returning home... A super quiet day... enjoyed hanging out at 4 Corners in the peace and quiet

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Fern TT up to KB trailhead and back down blazing flames. All Fern, up and and down (no time for El P). I needed to get up and down within in a certain time frame so that I could be somewhere, so I pushed it. And it hurt good. I felt good and strong today pushing the cranks, a pleasant change. It was crystal clear out today and once I gained a bit of elevation, I could see way out offshore on the Pacific.

And, I found a new riding buddy! :cool:

13.51 miles
1955'

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With rain coming tomorrow and Thursday, met up with @Ebruner and the Professor for a run up to Old Camp.

5pm start and it was pretty chilly at Cook's. Once up on the trail, it warmed up....sort of. It hovered around 45* the rest of the ride. Social pace up. Lots of chit-chat.

Plenty of water on the trail above the Luge.

Quite nice at the top.

Ran into another friend before heading down. Apparently the Professor picked just the perfect spot to hit the ground....I missed it....no harm no foul.

Fast run down the Luge....but I kept zigging when I needed to zag. Seemed pretty beat up from the rain last week.

Good times, good peeps, good ride.
 
SnakeCharmer said:
Fern TT up to KB trailhead and back down blazing flames. All Fern, up and and down (no time for El P). I needed to get up and down within in a certain time frame so that I could be somewhere, so I pushed it. And it hurt good. I felt good and strong today pushing the cranks, a pleasant change. It was crystal clear out today and once I gained a bit of elevation, I could see way out offshore on the Pacific.

And, I found a new riding buddy! :cool:

13.51 miles
1955'
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Did you take him home?
 
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mtnbikej said:
With rain coming tomorrow and Thursday, met up with @Ebruner and the Professor for a run up to Old Camp.

5pm start and it was pretty chilly at Cook's. Once up on the trail, it warmed up....sort of. It hovered around 45* the rest of the ride. Social pace up. Lots of chit-chat.

Plenty of water on the trail above the Luge.

Quite nice at the top.

Ran into another friend before heading down. Apparently the Professor picked just the perfect spot to hit the ground....I missed it....no harm no foul.

Fast run down the Luge....but I kept zigging when I needed to zag. Seemed pretty beat up from the rain last week.

Good times, good peeps, good ride.
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Yep. I was there. Good night on the bike. I need to learn to make better life choices lol.
 
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