Ebay Auction - Specialized Stumpjumper
RELISTED - CLICK HERE FOR CURRENT AUCTION
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.
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