Merry Christmas To All

Winter Wonderland

Snow in Orange County comes around about as often as a fresh fruit cake. But here it is...and just in time for Christmas. This week's storm gave a proper dusting to the peaks of the Santa Ana range. These photos are taken from the San Juan Trail, just above Cocktail Rock. Yesterday I rode the bottom half of the trail with two friends. It was great - clear skies, crisp air and snow capped peaks. Wow.

For those of you not in the know, the San Juan is great for post-rainy day sessions. The surface is mostly decomposed granite, so mud isn't a factor. Yesterday the trail was almost perfect, perhaps slightly slick in places, but grippy enough for a hair-raising descent.

A few weeks ago I broke my bike frame...again. Faced with a sad month of not riding and consequently falling out of shape, I was saved by my friend Mark. He loaned me his extra bike - a single-speed Bianchi. At first this seemed like a mixed blessing. I had always claimed (thought, assumed) I was too big (6’8": 225) to ride a bike without gears. Plus, the hills around Laguna are steep. Most of my rides start with steep climbs. I thought it was going to be hard...too hard. I was right, but only partially. Single speeding is a great workout and great fun. First of all, thanks to Mark for the bike. The Bianchi W.U.S.S. rides really well (Bianchi cheekily says, "the double-you stands for white." No further explanation. I assume the "S.S." stands for single speed and can only guess on the "U". Ugly came to mind the first time I made a substantial climb). Overall I learned to climb fairly well on the single speed. I learned to pace myself on long climbs and sprint up short sections. You view the climbs differently on a single speed - it's all about sections. You have to know when to sprint, when to rest and when to grind. (If I was cleverer I could put that to the tune of The Gambler.) Surprisingly I found myself able to keep up with my riding group. The single speed did not make me ride slower; it just made me ride differently. The bike was also a blast downhill. I'd forgotten how much coast you get out of hard tail and when you're on a single speed every bit of coasting matters. I've been riding full suspension for quite a while and it was fun to go back to the solid feel of the hard tail...not permanently, but for a while. This week I will get my main ride back. Happily so. But I won't rule out more days on the single speed. In fact I'm looking forward to it.

Note: There are photos of the W.U.S.S. available online. Unfortunately none of the photos were downloadable.

MORE MOAB

I thought I'd post a few more shots of Moab. These are all taken near the Sovereign Trail. We found an enormous flat slab of rock -perhaps five square miles - and took a bit of detour. It is hard to judge the scale of the landscape and rockscape from these photos, but I do think they give an idea of the impressive array of colors and textures that greet the eye in greater Moab. The top two photos feature Carl Hyndman, sussing out and then riding through a rock chute. In the third photo, Charles and Chris guard our bikes against possible predators. And the fourth photo depicts the rockscape. From the nearby hillside this rock slab looked like a big pan of biscuits. I guess I may have been hungry.

MOAB

I spent last week in southern Utah, mountain biking with five friends in the fat-tire Mecca. Yes...Moab. It was my first time riding in the area and I'm happy to say that all my expectations were met, if not surpassed. First of all, I had forgotten how utterly breathtaking the landscape is in southern Utah - the colors, the scale, the rock formations and the amazing textures of sand and sandstone. The overall effect is surreal, otherworldly and, perhaps, psychadelic. Then there was the riding. We rode five routes in five days. Three of the trails - Porcupine Rim (part of The Whole Enchilada ride), Slick Rock and the Amassa Back - were as good as any I have ever ridden. The stoke level in our group ranged from extreme to supernatural. Everyone found at least one memorable section or vista in every ride. The Whole Enchilada ride and the Amassa Back both offered plenty moderately technical dropoffs and climbs. And when I say plenty, I mean hundreds. The Amassa Back is a 10-mile out and back up a ledgy, rock-strewn jeep road. The end point offers an amazing birds-eye view of the Colorado River. On paper the riding may seem a bit a pedestrian, but it is far from it. After a challenging, technical climb, complete with knee-high slick-rock steps, we were treated a white knuckle, pick-your-line-and-hope for the best, fast and raucous downhill. The Whole Enchilada is a shuttle ride that combines two sections of single-track in the La Sal mountains with the spectacular Porcupine Rim Trail. The twenty-mile plus route descends more than five thousand feet from snow capped mountains to the dusty Colorado. This descent was truly an experience. I can't imagine there are many rides equal or better to this in the mountain-bike universe. Although the top section was a bit dicey due to high winds and cold air, we quickly descended to the UPS and LPS trails - tight tree-lined single tracks, with fun slick-rock chutes and makable rock drops. The LPS trail led to Porcupine Rim. The somewhat famous trail, at first, skirts the edge of a precipitous cliff then descends down a fast, rocky jeep trail. The latter section is an adrenaline junky's dream. It's fast, challenging and goes on and on and on. Everyone had a smile while riding this section (perhaps until they crashed). Porcupine Rim becomes a narrow single track and courses along the cliff side to the bank of the Colorado River. Just this single-track section alone would stand up to any trail in Orange County and yet it is only about 15% of the Whole Enchilada experience. Talk about scale. Finally, I should mention the Slick Rock Trail. I didn't have great expectations for this ride but was pleasantly surprised. The route follows a white line of paint that has been sketched across an enormous rock wilderness The trail rollercoasters up, around and between bulbous rock mounds. Fat tire enthusiasts are treated to some of the best gripping surface their tires will ever encounter. The downside is that is there is no excuse to walk. The rockscape gives riders a chance to test their leg strength and their will as steeper and steeper climbs are encountered. Each climb is rewarded with great views of the Colorado River basin and the La Sal Mountains. I've included a few photos taken with my small Point and Click camera. The photos don't do the landscape justice. You really have to experience this place for yourself.
(The 3rd photo is courtesy of Ron Leland. The 5th photo is courtesy of Carl Hyndman.)

Irvine Open Space

I rode today in the Irvine Open Space portion of the Irvine Ranch Land Reserve. Currently, the IRLR conducts docent-led rides, beginning at the Quail Hill staging area, every second Wednesday morning. Today's ride was relatively fast, fairly challenging and entirely fun. The trails seem well designed - made by mountain bikers for mountain bikers - and cover a variety of terrain in a very pristine and scenic wilderness. This morning’s twelve-mile loop (designated as intermediate) contained some moderately technical singletrack. We coursed through loose rocks, off-camber traverses, tight switchbacks and a few rock drops. The last downhill even had a signed warning, something to the effect of Big Rock Drop Off Ahead. For the risk aversive, there was a bypass on this particular section. The rock, although sizable, was not too daunting. I rode it, and believe me, no one confuses me with Hans Rey.

Unfortunately I didn't have much time to take photos. These two shots don't do the ride justice. I will try to take more in the future.

Don't be deterred by the idea of a docent ride. All one has to do is sign up online and show up. There are also advanced rides for those who want to be pushed and beginner rides for...well beginners. What's more they have docent-free open access days, the next coming on September 27th. Sign up at Bommer Canyon and gain a day's free pass into this virtually unused open space. You won't be disappointed. If you like to ride fun trails, away from crowds, this is your ticket. Hopefully the Irvine Company and the City of Irvine will see fit to increase the number of open access days. This open space is too great a resource to have under lock and key. If you live in Irvine consider talking with your Park and Recs person. Tell them you want greater access to the Irvine Open Space. I've talked to people at the IRLR and they would be amenable to increasing the access as long as the City of Irvine approves. As mountain bikers we should let our voices be heard. The wilderness is there, the trails are there, we just need someone to unlock the gate.

Santa Ana River Trail

Here are some photos from my weekend ride on the Santa Ana River Trail (SART). SART is a classic SoCal mountain-bike trail, running from Big Bear to Mentone. Most riders bike the single-track section near Angelus Oaks. (Beginning or ending at the Middle Control Road just outside of town. Sixteen miles of pristine single-track lead to the South Fork Campgound near Seven Oaks road).
SART is a fantastic summer riding destination with abundant shade and cool stream crossings. Parts of the trail remind one of OC's San Juan Trail - albeit shadier, less technical and larger scaled. The single-track carves along tree-lined slopes and rocky washes. There aren't any extended steep hills, just a series of short rollercoasterish drops and climbs. The ridgelines are awash in Manzanita and offer postcard perfect views of the San Bernadino range.
The riding is fun, relatively fast and only moderately technical. Many sections of the trail are strewn with toaster-sized rocks - rugged enough to keep you focused - but there are no boulder crossings or rock drop offs. Look for fun berms on many of the turns as the trail winds in out of small ravines. There are also plenty of stream crossings, most of which are makable. Downed trees were a problem after last winter, but the Forest Service has done a good job of clearing and cutting the obstacles. As a tall rider I encountered plenty of low bridges, but I only had to portage twice in seven miles. There is a definite advantage to riding late in the season.

25th Rad Challenge

Saturday night saw the 25th annual Rad Challenge. The race, as always, began at the big bend in Laguna Canyon and ended, nearby, at the bottom of Telonics. After the mass start, the riders sprinted along Laguna Canyon Road and then rode and hike-a-biked up Stairsteps. At the ridgeline, they headed west and climbed all the way to Alta Laguna. The race concluded with a hair-raising plunge down Telonics - 1000 feet of elevation loss in less than one mile.
The rider's challenge: to be able to finesse a line down the tricky sections of Telonics after using all their energy during the gut-busting climb to Alta Laguna. Forty-two riders started and finished the race, with the majority of the riders finishing under thirty minutes. Except for the start image, all these photos were taken from Telonics, standing near the big drop known as Volkswagen Rock. The recently groomed trail is in great shape. Riders, exhausted as they were, definitely were able to charge down the trail.

After the event, there was a nice community event, with food, awards, photos from past events and a bit of Tequila. It was great to see the old photos. Do the math, the event began in 1983, predating the term Mountain Bike. The early bikes were a mishmash of converted BMX and beefed up cruiser bikes - no one even considered suspension back in those days, they were just hoping to stop.

Surviving the Heat

As the summer sun bakes Orange County many of our mountain-bike trails become less attractive. Heat and dust are the bane of summertime riders. Verdant canyons which may be attractively cool and green in the winter and spring, often swelter in the summer months. Direct sun creates temperature spikes below the ridge line. This is particularly true when riding near the coastline. Ocean breezes which fan the ridges don't flow into box canyons. Often the climbs out of these canyons are steep and exposed. Be prepared for a bit of sweat and sizzle.

If you can't stand the heat you may look for rides that offer plenty of tree cover. The Fullerton Loop has a great deal of shade and short climbing sections. It also passes through several city parks, so, if you get overheated, you can rest on the grass and recuperate. The Arroyo Trabuco and the Tijeras Creek trails are great hot day destinations as well - offering some of the shadiest riding in Orange County and stream crossings to boot. You will get wet on these rides, but who cares it's summer.

Book Signing

I will have a book signing at the Huntington Beach REI, Thursday, June 26th at 7:00 p.m. The event is free. So come down if you have any questions about Orange County trails (and hopefully I can answer them).

The Huntington Beach REI is located on Edinger just west of the 405 freeway.

7777 Edinger Avenue Ste 138
Huntington Beach, CA 92647

Questions? Contact REI customer service at 714-379-1938.