[5k bike 50cent legs]

Some great weather across NorCal this week. The days are slowly getting shorter.

Max Temps

Min Temps

 

[Teich]

I did a 30 mile loop up northstar fireroads, TRT, down big chief, and back. 3k climbing. My fitness isn’t there yet and I suffered. Also turned out to have way high air pressure which made the constant rock on big chief way more brutal. Finally figured it out 90% of the way down and all of a sudden I had traction and comfort. 😂

Was surprised how much climbing big chief has. I got to the point where I was crawling on any pedal. That trail rewards some more speed. Maybe if I ever get in better shape I’ll give it another go!

 

[RBoardman]

Fry sauce Mega on the loose. Even though there are a million SC bikes around, this one should stand out very easily.

 

[roughster]

Cool and crisp dawn patrol run at the hill. 12 miles, 2K, all good! A few of us are attacking the cow post hole hold out sections and we should have pretty much most of them cleaned out in the next 2-3 weeks.

The biggest issue this year are the god damn star thistle. I have weed whacked the entire trail end to end twice this year, but it keeps growing back due to the ground still holding moisture. My shins looked like I had contracted small pox after the ride this morning from all the "hits". One more week of burning heat should get most of the surface water out and then the weed whacking should stick. ugh!

The trail is also still pretty rough despite literally weeks worth of effort at this point. This year the trail tread was the worst it has ever been due to the heavy and late season rains with the cows in. I just think the dirt clod / mounds are going to be part of the trail's character for the rest of the year, but I am going to keep trying to level them out as much as possible!

 

[5k bike 50cent legs]

Feeling perky today......

 

[Skyline35]

From Monte Bello OSP today I could see smoke in the Santa Cruz mountains:

I rode over to Turtle Rock for a closer look. The smoke was about the same and someone there told me it was a prescribed burn (yay!).

https://patch.com/california/scottsvalley/prescribed-burn-underway-northern-santa-cruz-county

Very pleasant 70º day, the miles seemed easy.
///Charlie

 

[RRauzer]

Did Water Dog park yesterday. It's about five minutes from where I live so easy to go to after work. Pretty nice views when clouds cooperate. Question: about a month ago I saw a reference to "Three Witches" section - where/what trail is that on? I'm assuming it's not this (bottom picture), but do dig this section (Rambler, a bit past the Finch turn).

 

[dp400]

Did Water Dog park yesterday. It's about five minutes from where I live so easy to go to after work. Pretty nice views when clouds cooperate. Question: about a month ago I saw a reference to "Three Witches" section - where/what trail is that on? I'm assuming it's not this (bottom picture), but do dig this section (Rambler, a bit past the Finch turn).

Three witches is a main line that you have to go up and or down to get from one side of the park to the other. Its fun going down but sucks climbing it. You can't miss it. It's three short punchy climbs in a row. if you're sucking wind then you are probably on it!

 

[roughster]

A friend just sent me a trail report for Lagoon Valley (aka Pena Adobe):

https://www.trailforks.com/region/pena-adobe/

Here was his report:

Great ride thistle is bad but not real tall so ok. The trail that cuts off the very top is unridable but the long trail down the back is great someone did a bunch of work!!!

It's been a long time since the DH was rideable, but sounds like some folks putting in some sweat equity into the dirt and it is paying off. It will be hot as Hades in during the day but the mornings and evenings should be pretty nice.

Just a heads up, not that it is overly hard, but the DH is no way a green. Given a few of the spots of rocks, exposure, steeps, and general looseness, prepare yourself for a mid-intermediate ride if you're not familiar. Don't want anyone to get in over their head(s) and get hurt due to bad beta.

 

[NorCalTaz]

Been breaking in my Ripmo in Upper Bidwell Park this week. Finally finding some good stuff to ride after doing the Upper Rim/Trail B ride last weekend. Climbing on the lava cap and rocks is challenging, but Trail B was WAY over my head, ended up waling about 1/2 of it, too old to waste time being injured, beside, I don't bounce nearly as good as I used to.

 

[roughster]

2 hour dig session on about a 100 yard stretch. The part that was bothering me the most got what I call the machine cut even though it is hand benched. It's pretty obvious in the picture below:

The trail curve towards the bottom of the pic and I worked that stretch over as well. After that, went to the shop, picked up my wheels that they converted to tubeless for me (yeah I'm hella lazy) so I rode around the local city trail for a few miles to help spread the sealant and really get them locked and loaded for tomorrow's dawn patrol ride.