12.27 / 12.28.08
Saturday afternoon, did Westridge up and then down and over to Gardenland. Sunday we did the SGL (Sulli up / Backbone down). The weather was amazing!
Weekend 11.29 / 11.30.08
Saturday afternoon, did our usual Westridge up / Sulli Cyn down. The canyon was in prime shape. With the rain that we had about 4 days before, the soil was super tacky and fast, but not muddy at all.
Sunday, hit up the Rocky Peak – Chumash Trail. I had not been out this way in many years. Summer time its crazy hot out here, so this is the time of year to do it. Recently there was a huge wild fire in the area, so much of the vegetation is torched. All the sandstone and blackened brush put me in more of a B&W mood.
Weekend 11.22 / 11.23.08
Got a quick afternoon run up-and-back in Sulli Cyn on Sat and some Sycamore / Guadalasco single track on Sunday.
Weekend 11.8 / 11.9.08
Well, Saturday we hit up the “usual”, the Uber-Ghey loop – Westridge up / Sulli Cyn down. Fighting a very mild cold thing for a few days.
Sunday was super fun. Went out to the Camarillo area. The Newbury Park Bicycle Shop (http://npbikeshop.com/) was having a Titus Cycles Demo Day. Lori took an El Guapo out for the day. This is their 6″ bike. We road the “Space Mountain” area stuff with our friend Erik. The day was great, temps cool, and a little windy. Everyone had fun, and the bike was a success.
Other than this, we’ve just been riding the usual stuff lately, no big trips planned at the moment.
September…
The usual rides going on. Just local stuff. Looks like we’re going to hit up the CORBA Fat Tire Fest on Oct 12. New location this year, out at Castaic Lake.
Weekend 8.31 / 9.1.08
Sunday we got in 20+ miles or so out at Sycamore. Wood Canyon to Guadalasco single track, then drop down Wood Canyon Vista (Backbone), then over to the Over Look trail climbing. From here we got to ride down Guadalasco and then the ever so fun climb out on the blacktop. For the first time in a long time, I bonked with about a mile to go.
Monday, labor day, we did the SSGL (Super Super Ghey Loop), Westridge up, Sulli Cyn down. From the amout of people out, we wern’t the only ones with that idea.
PV Road Ride 8.16.08
Had not been on the road bike in more than 2 months. Sheesh! Anyway, got in 40mi with Sara. Felt pretty good.
Paseo Miramar / Trailer Cyn 8.9.08
Lori, Brett and I did the 20 mile loop of Paseo / Trailer. Nothing of note here. This is really only a training ride. 90% on fire road, 10% on pavement. Good time was had by all.
Weekend 7.19 / 7.20.08
Well, the end of June and beginning of July was great for riding. We did our summer N. Cal trip. This weekend we did Westridge / Sully Cyn on Saturday, and Sunday I did the Backbone / Will Rodgers loop with Brett. For having just gotten back from two weeks of riding (at altitude), I sure wasn’t feeling too strong on either ride. WTF?
Weekend 6.14 / 6.15.08
Sat road La Tuna with Brian. This is really just a stiff fireroad climb. Brian has been using this climb for his workout rides. Pretty darn hot! Sun, Lori and I road Westridge up and Sully Canyon down. We had not been down Sully (one of our faves and a great Santa Monica mountains area ride) since the rains have stopped. It was great. Water is pretty much gone and the trail has once again changed – a little. Super fun. Only a week and a half ’till our summer trip!
Chilao / Mt. Mooney / Mt. Hillyer 6.8.08
Did the long drive up Angeles Crest (2 Hwy) to Charlton Flat. From there did the typical figure eight loop around Mt. Mooney, through Chilao, up Mt. Hillyer and back. Pretty fun route. About 50/50 fire road to single track. All above 5k feet. The initial climb up Hillyer is a tough one, but soon flattens out. Then, down between boulders, and on soft pumice. The mid section of ST is drop after drop of water bars 10 to 20 inches, plus switch backs and boulder sections. Erik was with us, I was jazzed that he could make it. It was his first time up here, so it was nice to share the trail and scenic views. Erik is a fine rider, and was leading us down this techy section. He was really moving. Well, his plan was to do all he could to clean it all the way down. One section got the better of him, and he did a mild OTB, crashing on his left knee pretty hard. He ended up ditching out to the pavement and rolling back to his truck. Lori and I continued on and finished out the trail. I think he’ll heal up, but it was a pretty good impact. I’m guessing the total mileage for us was about 18.
Backbone from Kanan 6.1.08
Solo ride starting at Kanan. Up and over the tunnel and then east on the Backbone ST. For sure was not feeling the vibe today. Crossed Latigo and road on for another couple of miles. Decided to turn back (this is an out-and-back ride anyway) just past the Castro Peak Motorway. Road back towards the parking area, still not really in the mindset. Once back at the parking lot, decided to ride the mile or so west on Backbone. No pix.
Memorial Day Weekend 5.24.08
OK, WTF? Last weekend too hot to ride, this weekend low 60’s and RAIN. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll squeez in a ride Sun or Mon.
Well, we did end up getting out, two out of four ain’t bad? Sunday we met up with Brett and a few from the South Bay Mountain Bike Club to do a fair chunk of Chesebro. Monday, the two of us just did Sullivan Ridge to the top, where we messed around a bit and then headed back down via the Sulli ST.
Backbone / Will Rodgers 5.18.08
Dang it was hot this weekend. Low 100’s in the valley, and 90’s here on the west-side. Only got one ride in because of this heat. It was even tough to get on the trainer. Anyway, the usual 20mi loop.
Anaheim Hills 5.10.08 / Westridge 5.11.08
Hit up a short little ride in then Anaheim Hills area of OC on Sat. After had lunch with our friend Scott. Scott road a little bit of the flatter stuff in the canyon. Scott broke his hip last summer and is trying to get back in shape. Sunday we did an easy Westridge ride. Feeling like I’m getting behind in my riding the past couple of weeks. Next weekend I hope to get in some better rides.
Cheesboro 5.4.08
Took the El Salt out to the Cheese. Brian came along. He had a great time. Its nice to see him enjoying being on the bike. He did really well. Erik was there, leading the way. Not a super long ride, but fun canyon single track.
Caballero to Mulli / Backbone / Will Rodgers 4.27.08
Today Brett, Erik and I started on the valley side. We climbed the Caballero ST, something that I (or Brett) had never done. Strange, after all these years riding the SM’s. It is a single track climb that brings you out at Mulli. From there we did the usual loop. Everyone was in the groove, even me with the nearly 50mi on my legs. Only the heat was hurting us. Erik was getting his first ride on his new Lyrik fork (on his Terremoto). I think he is liking it. I’m going to call it 25mi.
PCH 4.26.08
47 miles up and back on PCH, starting at the Sheriff station. Sara, Ron, Lori and I made the run. Sara had to keep her “watts” under 200, as she is training. This meant that on the flats she could get a good pace going, but on hills she needed to downshift and spin. Temps were quite warm.
Westridge – New CCDB Shakedown Ride 4.20.08
WOW, the CCDB was great. Now that I’ve got that out of the way. 
Westridge was the perfect place to get the new shock on the dirt. After yesterday’s 50+ miles on the road I wasn’t looking for any epic, and with a new piece of hardware on the Terremoto, it was about right. Brett came out to ride, he had done Corral / Backbone the day before, so he was looking for something mild himself. Also, managed to get Brian to come out. Brian has been trying to get back on the bike (road and Mtn), and has been riding up La Tuna recently. At the top of our climb, Brian told me that this was the most fun he’d had on him mountain bike (ever?). So, it was a good vibe ride for everyone. Weather was good, got to play on some of the stuff at the top of Sulli and get the feel for my new bling, the DB.
PCH / Mulholland / Encinal Road Ride 4.19.08
52 miles with some good climbing up Mulholland. Sara, Lori and I. Felt good, and was the right length. Having only been on the road bike a few times in the past couple of months, the 52 miles was plenty. Everyone did well, no mechanicals, and the weather was great.
PV Road Ride 40mi 4.12.08
Back on the road bike after two months I think? Did the “usual” PV ride. 41 miles. Temp were hot by PV (beach) standards. Felt good for being away from the road bike for a while. My a$$ felt it more than any other part. Sara was with us. She has been putting in the major miles for her upcoming TT. Maybe try and get on the dirt tomorrow, maybe… Looks to be in the 90’s around here tomorrow.
Backbone / Will Rodgers 4.6.08
Nice ride today. And, finally got to see Erik’s Ventana Terremoto. This thing has a one of a kind paint job – artic camo. He’s moved most components over from his Turner, which he’s sold. Really solid build. He is still fine tuning things, but once he gets it dialed in, look out!
The ride was Sulli ridge to the Hub and then down backbone single track. Was riding my Terremoto today too. Twenty miles of fun. Weather was great. Rolled my little drop at the top of Sulli, and had my Kodachrome moment.
Trailer Canyon / Eagle Rock 4.5.08
Pulled the El Salt out and did a quick spin up Trailer Canyon (fireroad) to the “Hub” and then up and over to Eagle Rock. Fun, but short single track here. Ended up riding back up the ST and then back down. From there, looped back up to the Hub and then down the fireroad. Twelve miles?
Backbone / Will Rodgers 3.30.08
Quick spin around our “loop”. About 20 miles. Met up with Brett at the top of Sulli Ridge. Started a little later than normal, as it was pretty dank this morning. Turned out to be a nice day.
Aliso Woods 3.29.08
Nice 20 miles in Aliso (OC) today. Met up with Arthur, Igor, Mark, and our youngest rider Tim. We headed down the canyon, taking Coyote Run, and then climbed Cholla. Cholla is tough in that it is fairly steep single track, and a little techy. Sand over rocks and some switchbacks. Once to the top we road down Rock-it. Then back over to Cholla to climb it again. Now over to the Top of the World and then on to Meadows and down. From everyone except for Igor and I were done. The two of us climbed up the canyon again to the bottom of Cholla. Here we did a u-turn and then ran Coyote Run all the way back. That gave us just over 20 for the day.
Spring 2008
Well, lets see… Yea, been getting in plenty of rides, not many road rides, but mountain yes. Mostly in the Santa Monica’s, and a couple down in the OC.
Backbone 2.2.08
With a 100% chance of rain tomorrow, we thought we’d better get out. Twenty miles of fun, the usual Sulli climb to Mully, then over to the Hub, and then down Backbone single track. The weather was perfect, and the trail was super tacky from the rain last week.
January Rides
Weather and such has made scheduling rides tough over the past couple of weeks. Here in Los Angeles, we’ve gotten more rain so far this year than we did all of last. We’ve gotten a couple of 40+ mile road rides in, and a couple of “spur of the moment” MTB rides in, but nothing too noteworthy, just the “local” stuff.
Chino Hills 12.16.07
Between the weather and scheduling, we finally got a good group ride in at Chino Hills in the OC. Arthur, Bill, Mark, Igor, Lori, and myself. Weather was great, and with the recent light rain, the trails were in great shape. Nothing too techy, but some good climbs and about 18 miles.
Sycamore Canyon 11.18.07
Got in 18 miles or so out at Sycamore. Wood Canyon to Guadalasco single track, then drop down Wood Canyon Vista (Backbone).
Cheesboro 11.04.07
Saddle time with a Homer and a Knolly at Cheeseboro. Brett was sporting his brand new Knolly.
