Anyone a frequent rider at ST Park?
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Hey!
I'm not sure about a group ride that happens regularly at ST, but I ride there quite often. I haven't had to much time the past few weeks to ride, but once the trails are dry I'm gonna try to make it there once a week or so. I'll let ya know the next time I plan on goin there.
I'm not sure about a group ride that happens regularly at ST, but I ride there quite often. I haven't had to much time the past few weeks to ride, but once the trails are dry I'm gonna try to make it there once a week or so. I'll let ya know the next time I plan on goin there.
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Santa Teresa is a great fun little workout park. I do Santa Teresa approximately 2X per week - often before work for a quick one hour "speed" training rides. I also just do more of the park on weekends if I'm busy with other things and want a quick fun ride.
I've also tried to meet others for rides in the morning. It's fun once in a while, but the efficiency for a 1 hour ride isn't great for doing this all the time. Especially since I also don't ride at the exactly same time every day and it's tough for me to predict my schedule. Quick weekday morning workouts are just hard to coordinate in general.
I've never ridden ST much with jorgemonkey, probably for two reasons. We come from different sides of the park - him from Santa Teresa up Bernal Rd., and me from Almaden through the singletrack access beside the IBM parking lot off Harry. So coordinating for half a loop is tough and just doesn't make sense.
Also, jorgemonkey's a lot faster than me. I suspect he used to be 50% faster, but I'm smaller and became a lot faster now too. Yesterday morning I did a loop up Coyote Peak via the fire road, then the singletrack of Rocky Ridge and back via Stile Ranch singletrack all in under an hour.
(I had another 10-12 minutes on each end riding from/to my house via the singletrack by IBM.)
But as mentioned a couple times on the other thread, Santa Teresa is more miss than hit during the winter rains. I try it sometimes after a couple days of sun. If I see the mud building up on the tires at all, which usually happens quickly in the first few feet, I turn around and go over to Quicksilver or other local parks. There's even some nice singletrack along Camden Rd. that's level but can give a fun morning muddy singletrack workout when combined with some small local hills.
Stripes has been wanting to do a Santa Teresa trip some weekend. She's not fast - about like I used to be, and wants rides of about 10-12 miles right now, which fits Santa Teresa. Sungchang has also been looking for a ride there together. So when I see a good weekend for this gathering between rain drops I'll post and let you know.
In any case, if you're coming from Santa Teresa via Bernal Rd., you may want to hook up with jorgemonkey as he's offered. If I see you there I'll say Hi. I'm a big guy on an XL Black Heckler with a yellow AM1 fork.
I've also tried to meet others for rides in the morning. It's fun once in a while, but the efficiency for a 1 hour ride isn't great for doing this all the time. Especially since I also don't ride at the exactly same time every day and it's tough for me to predict my schedule. Quick weekday morning workouts are just hard to coordinate in general.
I've never ridden ST much with jorgemonkey, probably for two reasons. We come from different sides of the park - him from Santa Teresa up Bernal Rd., and me from Almaden through the singletrack access beside the IBM parking lot off Harry. So coordinating for half a loop is tough and just doesn't make sense.
Also, jorgemonkey's a lot faster than me. I suspect he used to be 50% faster, but I'm smaller and became a lot faster now too. Yesterday morning I did a loop up Coyote Peak via the fire road, then the singletrack of Rocky Ridge and back via Stile Ranch singletrack all in under an hour.
(I had another 10-12 minutes on each end riding from/to my house via the singletrack by IBM.)But as mentioned a couple times on the other thread, Santa Teresa is more miss than hit during the winter rains. I try it sometimes after a couple days of sun. If I see the mud building up on the tires at all, which usually happens quickly in the first few feet, I turn around and go over to Quicksilver or other local parks. There's even some nice singletrack along Camden Rd. that's level but can give a fun morning muddy singletrack workout when combined with some small local hills.
Stripes has been wanting to do a Santa Teresa trip some weekend. She's not fast - about like I used to be, and wants rides of about 10-12 miles right now, which fits Santa Teresa. Sungchang has also been looking for a ride there together. So when I see a good weekend for this gathering between rain drops I'll post and let you know.
In any case, if you're coming from Santa Teresa via Bernal Rd., you may want to hook up with jorgemonkey as he's offered. If I see you there I'll say Hi. I'm a big guy on an XL Black Heckler with a yellow AM1 fork.
After looking at your pix's I'm not sure if I may be able to keep up with you. (LOL) I have never raced, but I'm a pretty decent rider. Maybe I can learn a few things from you. I always enter from the Bernal road side.jorgemonkey said:
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I also ride ST on ocassion, from the Harry Rd/ IBM side. I prefer to ride at Demo when I have the time. If ya like tom join there's always room for another. You can IM me if ya want to hook up. Im gonna ride the 24th if the weather permits, but Im sure the trails are gonna need a few days after this weekend.gfitness said:
Sean
Post when you're gonna ride there and maybe I can make it out there. I ride fire road from the Bernal road side, though I don't ride up Bernal rode. I generally will ride ST either Saturday or Sunday early in the mornings (7 or 8AM, yeah it's sick but I'm a morning person!). ST is not good to ride once the rains hit. Way too muddy. You'll need at least 3 or 4 good sunny days before it's rideable after rains like this weekend.gfitness said:
Ken
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Pardon my ignorance, where is Santa Teresa park?
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Very South San Jose
Santa Teresa is a small park with the highest point being Coyote Peak at 1100'. I'm at the point I can do most all the trails there in under 2 hours. But there's lots of very tough climbing on the steep fire roads.
Best of all, there's two great technical singletrack routes. Rocky Ridge seems to go on forever and has you dodging 1-3' high rocks and multiple one foot drops off of big rocks. Stile Ranch on the other end has a bunch of 6-8" rock garden singletrack with tight switchbacks thrown in for good measure. One day I saw a bike off the end of one of these switchbacks but didn't see a rider down the cliff, or smell anything either. Whoever must have said the heck with it and given up MTB after trying to get through that tough section. Called the ranger and they'd heard reports of the abandoned bike but couldn't find it.
Again: Don't go when it's wet. The mud is like cement when wet. Wait for a few days of sunshine to dry things up, at least on the surface.
Here's a link to the Santa Clara Parks official web site. Try also the MTBR "Trail Reviews" link above. You might just find some reviews like this.
Santa Teresa is on the very south end of San Jose, between Almaden Expressway and Hwy 101. You can reach it via Bernal road from the East off of Santa Teresa Hwy, or the other entrance at San Vicente and Fortini via McKean to Fortini, or the back singletrack trail between the creek and IBM parking lot off Harry Road by Camden in South San Jose, where Almaden Expressway ends.ride4pedro said:
Santa Teresa is a small park with the highest point being Coyote Peak at 1100'. I'm at the point I can do most all the trails there in under 2 hours. But there's lots of very tough climbing on the steep fire roads.
Best of all, there's two great technical singletrack routes. Rocky Ridge seems to go on forever and has you dodging 1-3' high rocks and multiple one foot drops off of big rocks. Stile Ranch on the other end has a bunch of 6-8" rock garden singletrack with tight switchbacks thrown in for good measure. One day I saw a bike off the end of one of these switchbacks but didn't see a rider down the cliff, or smell anything either. Whoever must have said the heck with it and given up MTB after trying to get through that tough section. Called the ranger and they'd heard reports of the abandoned bike but couldn't find it.
Again: Don't go when it's wet. The mud is like cement when wet. Wait for a few days of sunshine to dry things up, at least on the surface.
Here's a link to the Santa Clara Parks official web site. Try also the MTBR "Trail Reviews" link above. You might just find some reviews like this.
I ride ST about once a week, conditions permitting. Its not the best park around, pretty barren, no shade. Its OK for a quick ride.
Like others have said, do not ride there after a rain unless you want to have about 20 pounds of muck stuck to your bike. Seriously, a few times I made that mistake and the stuff just caked on my fork and chainstays like clay! I left scrathes from the little rocks that also get stuck and scratch as the wheels turn. After the rains, usually Stiles is the most rideable since its mostly rock vs. soil.
I'd like to join others too when possible. I come from the Bernal side. PM me anyone.
Like others have said, do not ride there after a rain unless you want to have about 20 pounds of muck stuck to your bike. Seriously, a few times I made that mistake and the stuff just caked on my fork and chainstays like clay! I left scrathes from the little rocks that also get stuck and scratch as the wheels turn. After the rains, usually Stiles is the most rideable since its mostly rock vs. soil.
I'd like to join others too when possible. I come from the Bernal side. PM me anyone.
Saturday ride December 24th
I'm planning on going for a ride at ST Park Saturday the 24th (if the weather permits) at around 10am or 1030am. If anyone is willing and able I will be parked in the lot at the top of Bernal road right before the IBM entrance. If anything changes I will let you guys know before Saturday.
Hope to see some of you there.
I'm planning on going for a ride at ST Park Saturday the 24th (if the weather permits) at around 10am or 1030am. If anyone is willing and able I will be parked in the lot at the top of Bernal road right before the IBM entrance. If anything changes I will let you guys know before Saturday.
Hope to see some of you there.
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Thanks for the Info, It sounds like the mud can be a problem, once I rode at Tilden park on the east side of the Berkeley hills, and the clay was just all over my bike like cement.
Thanks again for your accurate reply!
Thanks again for your accurate reply!
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