[Internal14]

So we're probably going to be starting around 9:30-ish(mtb'er time is always a bit of a guess) from the Confluence. Going up Clementine, out Connector, Upper Loop, and then back down Connector to Culvert then Confluence.
At least that's the plan as of now.
Weather dot com says snow flurries from 9-12....great timing I know....but I have to be off the trails by around 1:30 and be headed for home shortly thereafter.

I'll be in a White Tundra with three other guys.

Feel free to come and share the pain and shivering.

 

[MattP.]

If you would have said shuttle, I would be all over it!

Have a blast!

 

[renderedtoast]

I'm gonna go there tomorrow and do the loops. Didn't know about the snow. Guess I'll get there a bit early. Thanks for the info.

 

[Brewtality]

I did the same ride today, sans the snow.....
Nice weather today, clear and sunny, actually did most of the ride in just a jersey and shorts.
The north side of FHDL and much of Connector were wet and slick from overnight rain. Very slippery in spots. The south side of FHDL was totally dry and excellent traction.

 

[William42]

anybody down for some shuttling? my riding partners bailed

 

[redmr2_man]

it's not gunna snow until 7pm according to weather.com

lame! i wanted to snow bike hah

 

[William42]

it's not gunna snow until 7pm according to weather.com

lame! i wanted to snow bike hah

You could go shuttle bike :ihih:

 

[redmr2_man]

You could go shuttle bike :ihih:

naw i'm one of those lame people who likes to climb on a 5inch AM bike. I know, crazy!

 

[William42]

naw i'm one of those lame people who likes to climb on a 5inch AM bike. I know, crazy!

Hey man, I like to climb on a 5 inch AM bike, but I like to shuttle on a 5 inch AM bike even more

Ah well, such is life, I guess I'll have to wait till my CCDB gets back from its rebuild before riding again on tuesday, and not ride my spare shock today. Life is tough.

 

[redmr2_man]

im heading up to do a quick foresthill ride. got some stuff to do around town, might get there around 2ish. I'll be on a white ironhorse if anyone wants to join

 

[redmr2_man]

of course nobody was up there.

I was OKAY for the first half of the loop. a little cold, but fine. Then at the picnic table the snow just started flying in and i decided i needed to pick it up or take the road home. Between mile 6 and 7, the snow was coming down so hard that I couldn't see well, and my disc brakes sure didn't seem up to the job of stopping my bike.

Gotta head to the road!

Bam flat rear tire. No problem....I have two more new tubes in my pack.

Cars are stopping and asking if i needed a ride, but it was OK, since I had tubes...

Changing tubes when it's snowing is a PITA! got the first one on and bam, wouldn't inflate.

OKAY WTF. throw the second one on, again, would NOT inflate.

By this time, the snow was falling pretty good and it was soaking thru my mid/heavy jacket. Busted out the rain parka and started hike-a-bike back down to the start of the FDLT.

Naturally nobody was stopping now...

So after a good 20-30mins of joggin the bike, this very nice couple and their two kids stopped in their chevy truck. I gladly accepted a ride back to my car and even though I was completely covered in mud they didn't mind at all. He says he knows about the loop and lives in foresthill, and mentioned some stuff about the trail so if you're a biker and you're possibly on here, thank you so very much!

Now for the good stuff!

Snow biking is FUN! The rain was off and on and not too bad at all. I'm glad I came prepared with Coldweather l/s, shirt, mid/heavy jacket, and rain parka on the camelbak, as well as food/water, etc. Too bad those tubes didn't inflate or I would've had a nice snow ride!

 

[Akathisia]

Pioneer Trail COLD Snow!

...

Snow biking is FUN! ...

Snow riding CAN be fun, but there can be suffering involved too. We went on a 27 mile ride on Pioneer Trail today that started out cold and icy and ended up with us plowing through 3-4" of snow for more than half the trip. It was hard work and bitter cold. Temps in the 20's.

The photos show the snow as it was beginning. It got deeper and colder. The last 7 miles were punishing. We ended up at the bottom of chain control at the Harmony Ridge Market. They had good hot food/drinks.:thumbsup:

 

[lawndale]

nice job

 

[nachomc]

nice pics, guys!

 

[Akathisia]

nice pics, guys!

Yeah, all we had was our phones for pics. At some point I was too cold to take more pics, but the snow looked cool with "single track" lines in it.

We actually got lost a couple of times because the trail and our tracks were covered up on the way back.

 

[nachomc]

In the next few weeks I'd like to head up to the snow. My wife and I hiked HITG to Lola Montez lake a few weeks ago and it was awesome being in some snow. Except of course when she hit me with that snowball