Weather was great, riding was epic, and scenery was as beautiful as can be.
The rest of the pictures are here.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Gooseberry 2008
Joy and I headed to St. George right after Thanksgiving for some Southern Utah riding. Day 1 was Gooseberry and the Day 2 was a quick ride at Bearclaw Poppy before heading home (after a hearty breakfast at Cracker Barrel).
Weather was great, riding was epic, and scenery was as beautiful as can be.
The rest of the pictures are here.
Weather was great, riding was epic, and scenery was as beautiful as can be.
The rest of the pictures are here.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Muddy Buddy
This was my first race of 2008 and my first Muddy Buddy ever. The concept is pretty simple and really fun: There are teams of 2 with 1 mountain bike. One person starts on the bike and the other starts off running. There are 4 transition zones. At each transition, the person on the bike gets off and runs and then the runner will get on the bike and ride when they get to the transition zone. There's also an obstacle of some kind at each transition, plus there's a mud pit to crawl through just before the finish.
http://www.www.muddybuddy.com/results.php
The race itself is a little under 6 miles. I did the race with Aaron who routinely runs 16 minute 5Ks. Clearly, I was the weak link here. Aaron had done the race twice before with Mike and they finished fairly well. Last time they did it Aaron had a lot of trouble finding the bike at the first transition zone...thus the inspiration for our team name - Dudwhrmybik? (Dude, where's my bike?)
The Race
My leg started on the bike with a steady uphill followed by a short steep downhill into the transition zone.
My next leg was a run which was mostly uphill (at least it seemed like it). This was probably the toughest leg for me. I was even hurting on the flat sections. Luckily, Aaron only beat me to the transition zone by about 10 seconds, so even if I'd been able to go much faster here, I would have beaten him to the transition and would have had to wait there for the bike.
The 3rd leg I was on the bike again for what again seemed like mostly uphill. Aaron passed me here along with another runner, but not a single biker passed. There was then a short downhill into the transition zone which allowed me to get back in front of Aaron.
The 4th leg was nearly all downhill. I felt pretty good running here, but it was the last of Aaron I saw until the finish. This led to the funnest transition zone which was a climb up a cargo net and then down a giant inflatable slide.
This picture is from a different race, but it's just like the slide we had.
The final leg had the steepest climb of the day. It was followed by some semi-steep downhills. It was then into the bike drop area where Aaron was waiting for me (and had been for a few minutes). From there it was a short run into the mud pit and then to the finish line. I was pretty clueless about what place we were in, but Aaron knew exactly where we were. We were in a battle for 2nd place in our division with 3rd place literally right behind me coming in on the bike. We crawled through the mud pit pretty much neck and neck. Then the final sprint to the finish and we got them by 0.2 of a second.
We finished in 43:33.4. This was good for 2nd place in our division out of 95 teams and 20th overall out of 1100 teams. If they kept track of fastest individuals Aaron probably would have won the whole thing.
http://www.www.muddybuddy.com/results.php
The Race Bike
The race itself is a little under 6 miles. I did the race with Aaron who routinely runs 16 minute 5Ks. Clearly, I was the weak link here. Aaron had done the race twice before with Mike and they finished fairly well. Last time they did it Aaron had a lot of trouble finding the bike at the first transition zone...thus the inspiration for our team name - Dudwhrmybik? (Dude, where's my bike?)
The RaceMy leg started on the bike with a steady uphill followed by a short steep downhill into the transition zone.
My next leg was a run which was mostly uphill (at least it seemed like it). This was probably the toughest leg for me. I was even hurting on the flat sections. Luckily, Aaron only beat me to the transition zone by about 10 seconds, so even if I'd been able to go much faster here, I would have beaten him to the transition and would have had to wait there for the bike.
The 3rd leg I was on the bike again for what again seemed like mostly uphill. Aaron passed me here along with another runner, but not a single biker passed. There was then a short downhill into the transition zone which allowed me to get back in front of Aaron.
The 4th leg was nearly all downhill. I felt pretty good running here, but it was the last of Aaron I saw until the finish. This led to the funnest transition zone which was a climb up a cargo net and then down a giant inflatable slide.
This picture is from a different race, but it's just like the slide we had.The final leg had the steepest climb of the day. It was followed by some semi-steep downhills. It was then into the bike drop area where Aaron was waiting for me (and had been for a few minutes). From there it was a short run into the mud pit and then to the finish line. I was pretty clueless about what place we were in, but Aaron knew exactly where we were. We were in a battle for 2nd place in our division with 3rd place literally right behind me coming in on the bike. We crawled through the mud pit pretty much neck and neck. Then the final sprint to the finish and we got them by 0.2 of a second.
We finished in 43:33.4. This was good for 2nd place in our division out of 95 teams and 20th overall out of 1100 teams. If they kept track of fastest individuals Aaron probably would have won the whole thing.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
My Races
All the races I've done that I can find results for....
2011
7/9 Cedar City Fireroad 60k 1st of 2 SS, 3rd of 37 overall
6/26 Subaru Cup Super D
6/26 Subaru Cup Short Track
6/25 Subaru Cup, Wisconsin XC
6/11 Southridge Predator #1 1st of 1
6/4 12 Hrs of Temecula 1st of 3 4 person SS
5/21 Southridge GS #3 1st of 1 SS 35+
5/14 The Traverse 32nd of 50 (sick)
4/3 Sycamore Canyon US Cup XC 4th of 13 cat 2 SS
3/27 Fontana US Cup XC 2nd of 12 cat 2 SS
3/19 Keyesville Classic XC 9th of 20 cat 2 30-39
3/13 Bonelli US Cup XC 5th of 19 cat 2 SS
3/12 Bonelli US Cup SD 2nd of 6 30-39 open
3/6 Southridge #5 XC 3rd of 4 SS 35+
2/27 Sagebrush US Cup XC 7th of 13 cat 2 SS
2/20 Southridge #4 XC 4th of 4 SS 35+
2/5 Southridge #3 XC 6th of 7 SS 35+
1/22 12 Hours of Temecula 1st of 2 4 person SS
1/16 Bakersfield CX 26th of 28 Master 35+
1/16 Bakersfield CX 7th of 7 SS B
1/8 Southridge #1 XC 7th of 8 SS 35+
2010
12/4 San Marcos CX 11th of 12 SS b
11/27 6 Hours of Bootleg Canyon 9th of 29 open men
11/21 Southridge Challenge XC 5th of 6 SS 35+
10/10 Velocity Cross Prado CX 13th of 17 SS b
10/9 Southridge GS Final XC 1st of 2 SS 35+
10/3 Krosstoberfest Bonelli CX 43rd of 64 cat 4
10/3 Krosstoberfest Bonelli CX 10th of 17 SS b
9/26 Irvine Lake CX 52nd of 81 cat 4
9/12 Bonelli Specialized Final 7th of 16 cat 2 SS
7/23 TBF Friday Night Race 4th of 7 sport 30-39
7/22 Northstar Thursday Night Race 5th of 8 (?) sport 35-44
6/20 Big Bear #2 SD 2nd of 2 open 30-39
6/20 Big Bear #2 XC 13th of 16 cat 2 35-39
6/12 12 Hours of Temecula 7th of 24 4 person open
5/16 Southridge GS #3 SD 2nd of 2 expert
5/16 Southridge GS #3 XC 3rd of 3 SS 35+
5/2 Idyllwild Super D 16th of 26 open 30-39
4/16 Sea Otter Classic SD 25th of 43 open 30-39 8:21.40
3/28 Fontana US Cup SD 3rd of 13 open 30-39
3/14 Bonelli US Cup SD 2nd of 5 open 30-39
3/14 Bonelli US Cup XC 14 of 26 cat 2 35-39
3/6 Southridge #5 XC 7th of 7 expert
2/28 Sagebrush US Cup XC 12th of 21 cat 2 35-39
2/20 Southridge #4 XC 5th of 7 expert
1/23 Southridge #2 XC 1st of 2 expert
1/9 Southridge #1 XC 3rd of 3 expert
1/3 Hansen Dam CX dnf cat 3/4
1/3 Hansen Dam CX 2nd of 11 cat 4
2009
11/8 Hart Park Cross 18th of 21 48:47 cat 3/4
11/8 Hart Park Cross 4th of 16 32:34 cat 4
11/7 Hart Park Cross 15th of 16 41:32 cat 3/4 35+
11/7 Hart Park Cross 3rd of 11 32:37 cat 4
11/1 Mt. Sac Classic 6th of 7 SS 35+
10/24 6 Hours of Bootleg Canyon 2nd of 15 sport/beginner
10/17 Incycle Bonelli xc 3rd of 3 SS 35+
10/4 Velocity Cross Irvine 41st of 59 30min cat 4
9/27 Big Bear State Race xc 2nd of 12 1:39:20 cat 2 35-39
9/20 Bonelli US Cup Final xc 10th of 18 1:15:03 cat 2 35-39
9/20 Bonelli US Cup Final SD 3rd of 10 7:56.39 open 30-39
9/13 Rim Nordic xc 1st of 1 tandem
9/5 Mammoth Super D 3rd of 6
9/5 Mammoth xc 2nd of 7
8/26 Over the Hump xc 4th of 43 sport 30-39
8/9 Rim Nordic Stage Race 1st overall
8/9 Rim Nordic xc 6th of 9
8/8 Rim Nordic Hillclimb 1st of 3
8/8 Rim Nordic Short Track 1st of 3
8/8 Rim Nordic Super D 1st of 3
7/12 Big Bear Shootout #2 xc 4th of 19 1:23:36 cat 2 35-39
6/28 Rim Nordic xc 3rd of 18 1:41:54 cat 2 35-39
6/27 Rim Nordic Super D 2nd of 5 6:32 open 30-39
6/20 12 Hours of Rim Nordic 4th of 18 12 laps 4 person open
6/13 Colorado Springs - US Cup #6 xc 13th of 19 cat 2 30-39
6/7 Santa Barbara xc 8th of 19 1:36:28 cat 2 35-39
6/6 Santa Barbara SD 9th of 16 9:45.27 open 30-39
5/31 Big Bear Shootout #1 xc 13th of 26 1:26:16 cat 2 35-39
5/9 Racers and Chasers #4 SD 3rd of 10 5:49 sport all ages
5/9 Racers and Chasers #4 xc 5th of 12 1:21:57 sport 30-39
5/3 Idyllwild Super D 7th out of 12 17:41 open 30-39
4/26 Santa Ynez - US Cup #5 xc 7th out of 22 1:32:05 cat 2 35-39
4/18 Sea Otter - US Cup #4 xc 26th out of 99 1:37:16 cat 2 35-39
4/17 Sea Otter - US Cup #4 SD 9th out of 48 7:37.1 open 30-39
4/5 Sagebrush - US Cup #3 xc 8th out of 28 1:34:46 cat 2 35-39
3/28 Fontana - US Cup #2 xc 24th of 37 1:21:12 sport 35-39
3/28 Fontana - US Cup #2 SD 6th of 12 13:40.56 open 30-39
3/14 Racers and Chasers #3 5th of 15 1:07:59 sport 30-39
3/7 Southridge #5 xc 3rd of 3 1:03:42 sport 27-34
3/7 Southridge #5 SD 4th of 7 6:10 sport all ages
3/1 Bonelli - US Cup #1 xc 19th of 32 1:19:20 sport 35-39
3/1 Bonelli - US Cup #1 SD 4th of 10 9:03.02 open 30-39
2/21 Southridge #4 xc 2nd of 6 1:06:19 sport 27-34
2/21 Super D 4th of 7 5:58 sport all ages
2/14 Racers and Chasers #2 4th of 5 1:29:11 sport 30-39
2/7 Southridge #3 xc 3rd of 3 1:09:10 sport 27-34
2/7 Super D 5th of 9 6:25.52 sport all ages
1/31 Racers and Chasers #1 4th of 8 1:09.44 sport 30-39
1/24 12 Hours of Temecula 13 of 19 13 laps 4 person open results
1/10 Southridge #1 xc 3rd of 8 59:29 beg 27-34 (2 laps on shortened course)
1/10 Super D 1st of 8 5:20 beg all ages
2008
11/22 Southridge Classic xc 4th of 8 49:31 beg 27-34
11/22 Super D 1st of 10 12:18 beg all ages
11/2 Muddy Buddy - LA 2nd of 90 in age group, 20th of 1100 overall 43:33.4
2007
2/24 Southridge #4 xc 3rd of 6 48:11 beg 27-34
2006
11/21 Southridge Classic xc 6th of 6 56:22 beg 27-34
8/27 Rim Nordic #4 xc 7th of 7 55:46 beg 30-34
3/25 Dreaded Hillclimb 14th of 15 18:20 open
1990 (age15)
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear DH 5th of 17 3:38.6 beg 17 and under
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear uphill 7th of 11 30:18 beg 17 and under
6/9 RockHopper South, Big Bear xc 12th of 27 33:56.3 beg 17 and under
5/5 Coors Light National Series #1, Big Bear xc 17th of 34 33:39.1 beg 17 and under
5/6 Coors Light National Series #1, Big Bear uphill 16th of 25 31:02.5 beg 17 and under
4/8 Keyesville Classic xc 5th of 12 31:50 beg men junior
1989 (age 14)
10/15 Fall Classic, Big Bear xc 453rd of 550 2:05:37 men overall
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship overall 7th of 19 beg 17 and under
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship xc 12th 58:20 beg 17 and under
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship DH 2nd of 20 7:03 beg 17 and under
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear xc 11th of 18 31:30.0 beg 17 and under
2011
7/9 Cedar City Fireroad 60k 1st of 2 SS, 3rd of 37 overall
6/26 Subaru Cup Super D
6/26 Subaru Cup Short Track
6/25 Subaru Cup, Wisconsin XC
6/11 Southridge Predator #1 1st of 1
6/4 12 Hrs of Temecula 1st of 3 4 person SS
5/21 Southridge GS #3 1st of 1 SS 35+
5/14 The Traverse 32nd of 50 (sick)
4/3 Sycamore Canyon US Cup XC 4th of 13 cat 2 SS
3/27 Fontana US Cup XC 2nd of 12 cat 2 SS
3/19 Keyesville Classic XC 9th of 20 cat 2 30-39
3/13 Bonelli US Cup XC 5th of 19 cat 2 SS
3/12 Bonelli US Cup SD 2nd of 6 30-39 open
3/6 Southridge #5 XC 3rd of 4 SS 35+
2/27 Sagebrush US Cup XC 7th of 13 cat 2 SS
2/20 Southridge #4 XC 4th of 4 SS 35+
2/5 Southridge #3 XC 6th of 7 SS 35+
1/22 12 Hours of Temecula 1st of 2 4 person SS
1/16 Bakersfield CX 26th of 28 Master 35+
1/16 Bakersfield CX 7th of 7 SS B
1/8 Southridge #1 XC 7th of 8 SS 35+
2010
12/4 San Marcos CX 11th of 12 SS b
11/27 6 Hours of Bootleg Canyon 9th of 29 open men
11/21 Southridge Challenge XC 5th of 6 SS 35+
10/10 Velocity Cross Prado CX 13th of 17 SS b
10/9 Southridge GS Final XC 1st of 2 SS 35+
10/3 Krosstoberfest Bonelli CX 43rd of 64 cat 4
10/3 Krosstoberfest Bonelli CX 10th of 17 SS b
9/26 Irvine Lake CX 52nd of 81 cat 4
9/12 Bonelli Specialized Final 7th of 16 cat 2 SS
7/23 TBF Friday Night Race 4th of 7 sport 30-39
7/22 Northstar Thursday Night Race 5th of 8 (?) sport 35-44
6/20 Big Bear #2 SD 2nd of 2 open 30-39
6/20 Big Bear #2 XC 13th of 16 cat 2 35-39
6/12 12 Hours of Temecula 7th of 24 4 person open
5/16 Southridge GS #3 SD 2nd of 2 expert
5/16 Southridge GS #3 XC 3rd of 3 SS 35+
5/2 Idyllwild Super D 16th of 26 open 30-39
4/16 Sea Otter Classic SD 25th of 43 open 30-39 8:21.40
3/28 Fontana US Cup SD 3rd of 13 open 30-39
3/14 Bonelli US Cup SD 2nd of 5 open 30-39
3/14 Bonelli US Cup XC 14 of 26 cat 2 35-39
3/6 Southridge #5 XC 7th of 7 expert
2/28 Sagebrush US Cup XC 12th of 21 cat 2 35-39
2/20 Southridge #4 XC 5th of 7 expert
1/23 Southridge #2 XC 1st of 2 expert
1/9 Southridge #1 XC 3rd of 3 expert
1/3 Hansen Dam CX dnf cat 3/4
1/3 Hansen Dam CX 2nd of 11 cat 4
2009
11/8 Hart Park Cross 18th of 21 48:47 cat 3/4
11/8 Hart Park Cross 4th of 16 32:34 cat 4
11/7 Hart Park Cross 15th of 16 41:32 cat 3/4 35+
11/7 Hart Park Cross 3rd of 11 32:37 cat 4
11/1 Mt. Sac Classic 6th of 7 SS 35+
10/24 6 Hours of Bootleg Canyon 2nd of 15 sport/beginner
10/17 Incycle Bonelli xc 3rd of 3 SS 35+
10/4 Velocity Cross Irvine 41st of 59 30min cat 4
9/27 Big Bear State Race xc 2nd of 12 1:39:20 cat 2 35-39
9/20 Bonelli US Cup Final xc 10th of 18 1:15:03 cat 2 35-39
9/20 Bonelli US Cup Final SD 3rd of 10 7:56.39 open 30-39
9/13 Rim Nordic xc 1st of 1 tandem
9/5 Mammoth Super D 3rd of 6
9/5 Mammoth xc 2nd of 7
8/26 Over the Hump xc 4th of 43 sport 30-39
8/9 Rim Nordic Stage Race 1st overall
8/9 Rim Nordic xc 6th of 9
8/8 Rim Nordic Hillclimb 1st of 3
8/8 Rim Nordic Short Track 1st of 3
8/8 Rim Nordic Super D 1st of 3
7/12 Big Bear Shootout #2 xc 4th of 19 1:23:36 cat 2 35-39
6/28 Rim Nordic xc 3rd of 18 1:41:54 cat 2 35-39
6/27 Rim Nordic Super D 2nd of 5 6:32 open 30-39
6/20 12 Hours of Rim Nordic 4th of 18 12 laps 4 person open
6/13 Colorado Springs - US Cup #6 xc 13th of 19 cat 2 30-39
6/7 Santa Barbara xc 8th of 19 1:36:28 cat 2 35-39
6/6 Santa Barbara SD 9th of 16 9:45.27 open 30-39
5/31 Big Bear Shootout #1 xc 13th of 26 1:26:16 cat 2 35-39
5/9 Racers and Chasers #4 SD 3rd of 10 5:49 sport all ages
5/9 Racers and Chasers #4 xc 5th of 12 1:21:57 sport 30-39
5/3 Idyllwild Super D 7th out of 12 17:41 open 30-39
4/26 Santa Ynez - US Cup #5 xc 7th out of 22 1:32:05 cat 2 35-39
4/18 Sea Otter - US Cup #4 xc 26th out of 99 1:37:16 cat 2 35-39
4/17 Sea Otter - US Cup #4 SD 9th out of 48 7:37.1 open 30-39
4/5 Sagebrush - US Cup #3 xc 8th out of 28 1:34:46 cat 2 35-39
3/28 Fontana - US Cup #2 xc 24th of 37 1:21:12 sport 35-39
3/28 Fontana - US Cup #2 SD 6th of 12 13:40.56 open 30-39
3/14 Racers and Chasers #3 5th of 15 1:07:59 sport 30-39
3/7 Southridge #5 xc 3rd of 3 1:03:42 sport 27-34
3/7 Southridge #5 SD 4th of 7 6:10 sport all ages
3/1 Bonelli - US Cup #1 xc 19th of 32 1:19:20 sport 35-39
3/1 Bonelli - US Cup #1 SD 4th of 10 9:03.02 open 30-39
2/21 Southridge #4 xc 2nd of 6 1:06:19 sport 27-34
2/21 Super D 4th of 7 5:58 sport all ages
2/14 Racers and Chasers #2 4th of 5 1:29:11 sport 30-39
2/7 Southridge #3 xc 3rd of 3 1:09:10 sport 27-34
2/7 Super D 5th of 9 6:25.52 sport all ages
1/31 Racers and Chasers #1 4th of 8 1:09.44 sport 30-39
1/24 12 Hours of Temecula 13 of 19 13 laps 4 person open results
1/10 Southridge #1 xc 3rd of 8 59:29 beg 27-34 (2 laps on shortened course)
1/10 Super D 1st of 8 5:20 beg all ages
2008
11/22 Southridge Classic xc 4th of 8 49:31 beg 27-34
11/22 Super D 1st of 10 12:18 beg all ages
11/2 Muddy Buddy - LA 2nd of 90 in age group, 20th of 1100 overall 43:33.4
2007
2/24 Southridge #4 xc 3rd of 6 48:11 beg 27-34
2006
11/21 Southridge Classic xc 6th of 6 56:22 beg 27-34
8/27 Rim Nordic #4 xc 7th of 7 55:46 beg 30-34
3/25 Dreaded Hillclimb 14th of 15 18:20 open
1990 (age15)
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear DH 5th of 17 3:38.6 beg 17 and under
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear uphill 7th of 11 30:18 beg 17 and under
6/9 RockHopper South, Big Bear xc 12th of 27 33:56.3 beg 17 and under
5/5 Coors Light National Series #1, Big Bear xc 17th of 34 33:39.1 beg 17 and under
5/6 Coors Light National Series #1, Big Bear uphill 16th of 25 31:02.5 beg 17 and under
4/8 Keyesville Classic xc 5th of 12 31:50 beg men junior
1989 (age 14)
10/15 Fall Classic, Big Bear xc 453rd of 550 2:05:37 men overall
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship overall 7th of 19 beg 17 and under
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship xc 12th 58:20 beg 17 and under
Sep Mammoth Norba World Championship DH 2nd of 20 7:03 beg 17 and under
6/10 RockHopper South, Big Bear xc 11th of 18 31:30.0 beg 17 and under
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Redlands to Big Bear
I had planned on going to Mammoth to do the downhill thing for the weekend, but instead I ended up doing the uphill thing. I've been thinking about riding from my house to Big Bear for a few years now, but it's just been recent when I've gotten serious about it. I decided Thursday night I'd finally attempt this ride.
The Numbers
Roundtrip Mileage - 102 miles
Day 1
Mileage - 44 miles
Starting Elevation - 1419'
High Point Elevation - 8140'
Elevation Gain - 6721'
Day 2
Mileage - 58 miles
Starting Elevation - 8180' (after chairlift ride)
Ending Elevation - 1419'
Elevation Drop - 6761'
The Plan
I wanted to carry as little as possible with me. With a restaurant in Angelus Oaks at about the halfway point I didn't need to worry about carrying too much food. There were also a couple other water stops along the way in addition to Angelus Oaks so I didn't really need an excess amount of water either. I'd spend the night in Big Bear and then ride home the next day.
It took me 11 hours to get up (44 miles) and 9 hours to get down (58 miles). The most unexpected thing was the heat. I really wasn't ready for it. The previous weekend I had driven up to Seven Oaks to check things out and it was 75° in the middle of the afternoon. On the Saturday I did my ride weather.com reported highs of over 100° in both Redlands and Angelus Oaks. The heat took so much out of me and I was hurting by the time I got to Angelus Oaks.
The Route
Stage 1 - I left my house at 8:30am and rode through Redlands and Mentone on the streets. Once I got to the Beef Jerky place towards the end of Mentone I turned and picked up a dirt road that went towards the wash. then I was back on Highway 38 for a couple miles until I took a short break at the Ranger Station. From there it was about 3 miles up the 38 until I got to Loch Leven.
Stage 2 - This is where the majority of the offroad riding started. At this point I was really starting to feel the heat. Loch Leven is a nice 7 mile ride up the Old Highway 38. Parts of it are still paved, but most of it is now dirt and there is even some singletrack on the ride. I took almost an hour at The Oaks restaurant to eat lunch and recover.
Stage 3 - The was my first of 2 downhill sections on the day. I took a section of the SART down and then picked up Middle Control Road and took it the rest of the way down to Seven Oaks Road.
Stage 4 - This was the big uphill of the weekend. The elevation went from 4790' to 8140'. Luckily it was a little cooler, but it still had to be at least 90° at this point so I was anything but cool. I took 1N04 right when I got to Seven Oaks Road. Then climbed about 1000' with occasional little downhills and it met up with 2N06 (Radford Truck Trail). I had one last stop for water at a fire station there right where 2N06 started. It was then up 2N06 and it was all uphill and it was at a pretty steep grade. I was so worn out at this point there were sections I walked. The views up this section were great. I was seeing things from angles I hadn't seen before. I was essentially looking straight down the canyon between the Big Bear mountains and the Gorgonio mountains. Finally I got to the hump and had that feeling of sitting on the bike and having it move without me pedaling. This was the 2nd best moment of the trip.
Stage 5 - It was up and down for a bit on the fireroads (2N06 to 2N10). I then got to Grandview Point and turned onto the Pineknot trail to take it into town. This was the 2nd of the 2 downhills on the day. The sun was just starting to go down at this point. I rode into the Village and found the Big Bear Hostel (A great place to stay) and was finally able to fully rest.
The Ride Back
After a stop at the bike shop to get some new tubes I headed to Snow Summit. I decided I wanted the full experience of riding all the way from the top of Snow Summit to my house. I took the chairlift up and it felt incredibly good to gain that elevation while sitting back and taking in the scenery. I took Falline down and then headed towards the golf course. From there I picked up 2N27 and took it to 2N93. this was a gradual 5 mile climb on a fire road that essentially took me around Sugarloaf Mountain. Then I took the Wildhorse singletrack down to the 38 and then down to Southfork.
Once at Southfork I was in territory I knew well. At this point I was just ready to get home and I was dreading every little climb. I was also nearing the Middle Control Rd. climb which I had been dreading right from the start when I was planning the ride.
At about 80 miles I got to Middle Control Rd. It's about a 3 mile fireroad climb up to Angelus Oaks. When I got to it, it was as bad as I had imagined. I just didn’t want to pedal anymore at that point. I wasn’t on it more than 2 minutes and I got off and started walking. I was figuring on it taking me about 45 minutes to get up those 3 miles with a mixture of walking and riding. I was walking for about 30 seconds and a car came up behind me and the guy rolled down his window and said something like, “hey, want a ride, grab on and I’ll pull you up.” I grabbed on to his back window and held on for dear life. It may have actually been the hardest I worked on the whole ride. He certainly didn’t slow down and take it easy for me. I was just holding on with every muscle I had and trying to keep the bike steady with my other arm. My triceps felt like they were going to fall off. It was worth it though, 7-8 minutes of intense work was much better than 45 minutes of moderate work. Thank you to Jeff and Melissa for the ride. I've ridden up that road close to 100 times, and never has anyone asked if I wanted a ride up (possibly because I've never been walking before). If anyone were to ask at any other time I would have declined and kept on riding. This was different though. When I got to the top I went to the restaurant and had some pancakes and even after I ate I was still feeling it in my arms. For the official record, I did subtract those 3 miles from my 105 mile total to make it 102 miles.
From this point on it was all downhill. I decided to take the Old Highway down rather than the SART. I wanted the easiest and most direct way at this point. There still would have been a little climbing had I taken the SART. It was about 18 miles to my house, the first 8 on trails and the final 10 on pavement. The absolute best moment came in Mentone when I looked up at the mountains and looked at what I had just ridden. I've seen those mountains hundreds of times, but never had I seen them in quite that way before.
I won't entirely rule it out, but I doubt I'll ever do this ride again. If I do, the number one priority will be checking on the weather more closely and making sure it's not too hot.
The Numbers
Roundtrip Mileage - 102 miles
Day 1
Mileage - 44 miles
Starting Elevation - 1419'
High Point Elevation - 8140'
Elevation Gain - 6721'
Day 2
Mileage - 58 miles
Starting Elevation - 8180' (after chairlift ride)
Ending Elevation - 1419'
Elevation Drop - 6761'
The Plan
I wanted to carry as little as possible with me. With a restaurant in Angelus Oaks at about the halfway point I didn't need to worry about carrying too much food. There were also a couple other water stops along the way in addition to Angelus Oaks so I didn't really need an excess amount of water either. I'd spend the night in Big Bear and then ride home the next day.
It took me 11 hours to get up (44 miles) and 9 hours to get down (58 miles). The most unexpected thing was the heat. I really wasn't ready for it. The previous weekend I had driven up to Seven Oaks to check things out and it was 75° in the middle of the afternoon. On the Saturday I did my ride weather.com reported highs of over 100° in both Redlands and Angelus Oaks. The heat took so much out of me and I was hurting by the time I got to Angelus Oaks.
The Route
Stage 1 - I left my house at 8:30am and rode through Redlands and Mentone on the streets. Once I got to the Beef Jerky place towards the end of Mentone I turned and picked up a dirt road that went towards the wash. then I was back on Highway 38 for a couple miles until I took a short break at the Ranger Station. From there it was about 3 miles up the 38 until I got to Loch Leven.
Stage 2 - This is where the majority of the offroad riding started. At this point I was really starting to feel the heat. Loch Leven is a nice 7 mile ride up the Old Highway 38. Parts of it are still paved, but most of it is now dirt and there is even some singletrack on the ride. I took almost an hour at The Oaks restaurant to eat lunch and recover.
Stage 3 - The was my first of 2 downhill sections on the day. I took a section of the SART down and then picked up Middle Control Road and took it the rest of the way down to Seven Oaks Road.
Stage 4 - This was the big uphill of the weekend. The elevation went from 4790' to 8140'. Luckily it was a little cooler, but it still had to be at least 90° at this point so I was anything but cool. I took 1N04 right when I got to Seven Oaks Road. Then climbed about 1000' with occasional little downhills and it met up with 2N06 (Radford Truck Trail). I had one last stop for water at a fire station there right where 2N06 started. It was then up 2N06 and it was all uphill and it was at a pretty steep grade. I was so worn out at this point there were sections I walked. The views up this section were great. I was seeing things from angles I hadn't seen before. I was essentially looking straight down the canyon between the Big Bear mountains and the Gorgonio mountains. Finally I got to the hump and had that feeling of sitting on the bike and having it move without me pedaling. This was the 2nd best moment of the trip.
Stage 5 - It was up and down for a bit on the fireroads (2N06 to 2N10). I then got to Grandview Point and turned onto the Pineknot trail to take it into town. This was the 2nd of the 2 downhills on the day. The sun was just starting to go down at this point. I rode into the Village and found the Big Bear Hostel (A great place to stay) and was finally able to fully rest.
The Ride Back
After a stop at the bike shop to get some new tubes I headed to Snow Summit. I decided I wanted the full experience of riding all the way from the top of Snow Summit to my house. I took the chairlift up and it felt incredibly good to gain that elevation while sitting back and taking in the scenery. I took Falline down and then headed towards the golf course. From there I picked up 2N27 and took it to 2N93. this was a gradual 5 mile climb on a fire road that essentially took me around Sugarloaf Mountain. Then I took the Wildhorse singletrack down to the 38 and then down to Southfork.
Once at Southfork I was in territory I knew well. At this point I was just ready to get home and I was dreading every little climb. I was also nearing the Middle Control Rd. climb which I had been dreading right from the start when I was planning the ride.
At about 80 miles I got to Middle Control Rd. It's about a 3 mile fireroad climb up to Angelus Oaks. When I got to it, it was as bad as I had imagined. I just didn’t want to pedal anymore at that point. I wasn’t on it more than 2 minutes and I got off and started walking. I was figuring on it taking me about 45 minutes to get up those 3 miles with a mixture of walking and riding. I was walking for about 30 seconds and a car came up behind me and the guy rolled down his window and said something like, “hey, want a ride, grab on and I’ll pull you up.” I grabbed on to his back window and held on for dear life. It may have actually been the hardest I worked on the whole ride. He certainly didn’t slow down and take it easy for me. I was just holding on with every muscle I had and trying to keep the bike steady with my other arm. My triceps felt like they were going to fall off. It was worth it though, 7-8 minutes of intense work was much better than 45 minutes of moderate work. Thank you to Jeff and Melissa for the ride. I've ridden up that road close to 100 times, and never has anyone asked if I wanted a ride up (possibly because I've never been walking before). If anyone were to ask at any other time I would have declined and kept on riding. This was different though. When I got to the top I went to the restaurant and had some pancakes and even after I ate I was still feeling it in my arms. For the official record, I did subtract those 3 miles from my 105 mile total to make it 102 miles.
From this point on it was all downhill. I decided to take the Old Highway down rather than the SART. I wanted the easiest and most direct way at this point. There still would have been a little climbing had I taken the SART. It was about 18 miles to my house, the first 8 on trails and the final 10 on pavement. The absolute best moment came in Mentone when I looked up at the mountains and looked at what I had just ridden. I've seen those mountains hundreds of times, but never had I seen them in quite that way before.
I won't entirely rule it out, but I doubt I'll ever do this ride again. If I do, the number one priority will be checking on the weather more closely and making sure it's not too hot.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Stumpjumper for Sale
The winning bidder never paid the last time so I've listed it again. The Medium Stumpjumper is back on ebay. Auction ends Monday evening (Sep 15).
Ebay Auction for this bike.
Ebay Auction for this bike.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
More Mammoth
Took another Mammoth trip this past weekend. This was the first time I've done the downhill stuff 2 days in a row. I feel like I can't get enough now. For the first time in awhile I feel like I'm getting better at some things. There's still a few sections I walk down, but I give most of it a try now.
Twilight Zone is the newest trail at Mammoth. It's listed as a double black diamond, but it wasn't as tough as the other double blacks, it was just pure fun. Huge banked wall, plus lots of jumps and bridges.
We really didn't waste too much time taking pictures or video. Really it was just 1 run down where we got some stuff, then I got a few quick pics on a couple trails by myself.
Twilight Zone is the newest trail at Mammoth. It's listed as a double black diamond, but it wasn't as tough as the other double blacks, it was just pure fun. Huge banked wall, plus lots of jumps and bridges.
We really didn't waste too much time taking pictures or video. Really it was just 1 run down where we got some stuff, then I got a few quick pics on a couple trails by myself.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Another Mammoth Video
Mammoth July 26-27, 2008.
We went on 3 rides, but nearly all the video is from ride #3.
1) Lower Rock Creek - 11 miles
2) Mammoth Mountain Night Ride - 13.5 miles
3) Mammoth Mountain - 7 hours of downhill
We went on 3 rides, but nearly all the video is from ride #3.
1) Lower Rock Creek - 11 miles
2) Mammoth Mountain Night Ride - 13.5 miles
3) Mammoth Mountain - 7 hours of downhill
Friday, August 1, 2008
FOR SALE - Specialized Stumpjumper
It turns out the Stumpjumper I bought was too small for me. It's a medium size and I really need a large. I now have it for sale on ebay. The auction ends next Thursday evening.
Ebay Auction - Specialized Stumpjumper
RELISTED - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT AUCTION
Ebay Auction - Specialized Stumpjumper
RELISTED - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT AUCTION
Monday, July 28, 2008
Mammoth 1987 and Now
When we were at Mammoth this weekend we were riding "Bridge the Gap" after coming down "Skid Marks" and I suddenly felt like I was in a very familiar place. I quickly realized that I was going down a trail (a fireroad actually) that I had ridden up in my very first race. It was 1987 and I was 12 years old and I believe it was the Raleigh World Mountain Bike Championships. I think it was the 2nd one they had there. There weren't even age divisions, just classes, so I was in the beginner division. The picture was taken just at the start of the steepest climb of the course. I remember seeing the photographer and making sure I rode far enough up the hill to get my picture taken on the bike before I had to get off and walk up. You'll notice one guy behind me didn't even attempt the hill.
I was riding a $350 Univega Rover Sport. I also have to point out that the red watch on my wrist is actually a Swatch.
Anyways....here's me in 1987 and then again in 2008 at the same spot.....
I was riding a $350 Univega Rover Sport. I also have to point out that the red watch on my wrist is actually a Swatch.
Anyways....here's me in 1987 and then again in 2008 at the same spot.....
Friday, July 25, 2008
Mammoth
I'm heading to Mammoth this weekend. Here's a video of my last 2 trips there.
The first trip was an end of the summer last chance kind of trip 2 years ago. We had one good run. On the others we had flat tires, a brake cable pulled right out when I squeezed the brake, and Mike had his rear derailluer fall off. These were on the cheap Giant rental bikes. Luckily we stopped at Lower Rock Creek on the way home and had a great ride on our own bikes.
The 2nd trip was much better. We had a day of riding at Mammoth on the way to Tahoe. Then on the way back from Tahoe we stopped at Lower Rock Creek again, this time we had a driver to shuttle us and didn't have to ride all the way back up to the car.
The first trip was an end of the summer last chance kind of trip 2 years ago. We had one good run. On the others we had flat tires, a brake cable pulled right out when I squeezed the brake, and Mike had his rear derailluer fall off. These were on the cheap Giant rental bikes. Luckily we stopped at Lower Rock Creek on the way home and had a great ride on our own bikes.
The 2nd trip was much better. We had a day of riding at Mammoth on the way to Tahoe. Then on the way back from Tahoe we stopped at Lower Rock Creek again, this time we had a driver to shuttle us and didn't have to ride all the way back up to the car.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Whiting Ranch
Finally some good news about Whiting. It's expected to reopen by the end of July.
http://ocparks.com/newsroom/default.asp?Show=1001851&subshow=A
http://ocparks.com/newsroom/default.asp?Show=1001851&subshow=A
American Gladiators
Most of you didn't know this, but I made a short appearance on American Gladiators. Check it out...
Sunday, June 15, 2008
An Eventful Ride
I'm not really sure where to start, other than to say a lot happened on this ride. There were deer, great views from the lookout tower, police, paramedics, a bear, plus a great 40 mile ride along the SART.
The plan was to shuttle to Southfork and then ride all the way to my house in Redlands. We followed that plan but there were a few unexpected things that happened along the way. The first 12 miles were typical great SART singletrack with about 70% downhill. Then came the 2.5 mile climb to the restaurant.
After a good lunch and a fun technical singletrack we were on the fireroad that goes to the turnoff for Morton Peak. About 2 miles down I was stopped and off my bike waiting for Joy, and I look down the fireroad and see a full grown brown bear walking right towards me. There was nowhere to go but back up the fireroad. I quietly moved around the corner and then started riding back where I came from. After waiting a good 5 minutes we proceeded down slowly and making a lot of noise. Luckily the bear was not to be seen again. It's the first bear I've ever seen in the wild.
After the rest of that downhill came the steep 1.5 mile climb to Morton Peak. There was a nice couple that had rented the lookout tower for the night and they let us come up and check it out. After spending a little time there and taking some pictures we were off for the last of our ride.
The Morton Peak singletrack was actually in much better shape than it was 8 months ago when I last rode it, but it's still overgrown in a lot of sections. We managed to get to the pavement just before dark. We took mostly side roads the last 8 miles back to my house for a total of 40 miles (actual odometer reading on my computer was 39.99 miles)
-----------------------------------------The rock I would have used---------------------------------------------Waterfall along Middle------
The exact spot I saw the bear. ----- to fight him off-------------------Joy a few miles past Glass Rd.--------Control Rd.-----------------
----------------------------------------The lookout Tower at Morton Peak------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ride was over, but there's more to write about. We drove back to Southfork and I was back to my car at 11:00pm. As I'm coming down the mountain, thirty minutes later, just past the Forest Falls turnoff, I see two cars coming from the other direction. The car behind wants to pass the other car, so the front car pulls into the shoulder to let her pass, she goes to pass him and just as she starts to pull next to him she sees a dead deer laying right in the middle of her lane. She starts to turn to the left to avoid it. Remember, I'm coming from the other direction watching this...she turned right towards me. As soon as she did that she realized I was coming right at her so she swerved back to the right and hit the truck the guy was driving. I look in my rear view mirror and all I see is a giant wall of sparks from the guys truck flipping. I quickly stop and turn back. Luckily everyone was okay. The girl was perfectly fine (other than a little shaken up) and the guy driving the truck had some neck pain and was eventually taken to the hospital by the paramedics, but he seemed okay and there wasn't a scratch on him. It was pretty remarkable considering his truck flipped at least a couple of times and looked to be totaled.
The plan was to shuttle to Southfork and then ride all the way to my house in Redlands. We followed that plan but there were a few unexpected things that happened along the way. The first 12 miles were typical great SART singletrack with about 70% downhill. Then came the 2.5 mile climb to the restaurant.
After a good lunch and a fun technical singletrack we were on the fireroad that goes to the turnoff for Morton Peak. About 2 miles down I was stopped and off my bike waiting for Joy, and I look down the fireroad and see a full grown brown bear walking right towards me. There was nowhere to go but back up the fireroad. I quietly moved around the corner and then started riding back where I came from. After waiting a good 5 minutes we proceeded down slowly and making a lot of noise. Luckily the bear was not to be seen again. It's the first bear I've ever seen in the wild.
After the rest of that downhill came the steep 1.5 mile climb to Morton Peak. There was a nice couple that had rented the lookout tower for the night and they let us come up and check it out. After spending a little time there and taking some pictures we were off for the last of our ride.
The Morton Peak singletrack was actually in much better shape than it was 8 months ago when I last rode it, but it's still overgrown in a lot of sections. We managed to get to the pavement just before dark. We took mostly side roads the last 8 miles back to my house for a total of 40 miles (actual odometer reading on my computer was 39.99 miles)
-----------------------------------------The rock I would have used---------------------------------------------Waterfall along Middle------
The exact spot I saw the bear. ----- to fight him off-------------------Joy a few miles past Glass Rd.--------Control Rd.-----------------
----------------------------------------The lookout Tower at Morton Peak------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ride was over, but there's more to write about. We drove back to Southfork and I was back to my car at 11:00pm. As I'm coming down the mountain, thirty minutes later, just past the Forest Falls turnoff, I see two cars coming from the other direction. The car behind wants to pass the other car, so the front car pulls into the shoulder to let her pass, she goes to pass him and just as she starts to pull next to him she sees a dead deer laying right in the middle of her lane. She starts to turn to the left to avoid it. Remember, I'm coming from the other direction watching this...she turned right towards me. As soon as she did that she realized I was coming right at her so she swerved back to the right and hit the truck the guy was driving. I look in my rear view mirror and all I see is a giant wall of sparks from the guys truck flipping. I quickly stop and turn back. Luckily everyone was okay. The girl was perfectly fine (other than a little shaken up) and the guy driving the truck had some neck pain and was eventually taken to the hospital by the paramedics, but he seemed okay and there wasn't a scratch on him. It was pretty remarkable considering his truck flipped at least a couple of times and looked to be totaled.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Moab 2006
In trying to think about where I'd like to ride this summer I was reminded about Moab and my one trip there. As far as riding goes, it's without a doubt the best trip I've taken. Porcupine Rim remains my favorite trail of all time.
This was also the first trip we took with the helmet cam. Unfortunately there was one problem after another with it and we didn't get any helmet cam footage. Maybe this summer....
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Box Springs Park
Box Springs Park sits right between Moreno Valley, Grand Terrace, and Riverside. It's one of those mountains you see off the freeway with all the Radio Towers at the top. I haven't ridden all the trails in the area, mainly because every time I go I feel like I have to do the M trail. I finally realized last weekend why it's called the M trail (it's because it's near the spot on the mountain where they have the great big M for Moreno Valley). The M trail is a very technical 2 mile singletrack that starts at about the highest point of the mountain and ends at what I believe is the main park area in Moreno Valley. The end point is not far from Canyon Springs HS.
I used to think it was called Box Springs Park because people would dump there box springs in this area. When I use to go there up Peacock road I'd see mattresses and other junk that had been dumped. Thanks to this article I now know the origin of the name - http://www.pe.com/sports/outdoors/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_out_feat_25.33f6281.html
It's a brutal place to ride in the summertime. As you can see, no trees, plus 100° weather. It's great out there at this time of year though.
I used to think it was called Box Springs Park because people would dump there box springs in this area. When I use to go there up Peacock road I'd see mattresses and other junk that had been dumped. Thanks to this article I now know the origin of the name - http://www.pe.com/sports/outdoors/stories/PE_Sports_Local_D_out_feat_25.33f6281.html
It's a brutal place to ride in the summertime. As you can see, no trees, plus 100° weather. It's great out there at this time of year though.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Has this ever happened before?
Have the hills at Hulda Crooks ever been this green before? Actually, I'm sure they have, but I really don't remember it happening last year. With all the rain we've had the last few weeks everything has turned green out here and the trails are in great shape.
The Jedi is the best it's been in a long time.
The Jedi is the best it's been in a long time.
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