CHUM said:
....but from memory there's like a 26 miler from the Hunting Hollow that takes you out to Middleridge and back.....something like 6000 footies????? It's really a pretty nice ride
Yup, HH-HQ and back is probably the best bang for your first-Coe-ride buck.
Start at Coyote Creek. This is two miles further down Gilroy Hot Springs Road past Hunting Hollow. No fee (nice), cuts out two road miles at beginning and end of the ride (good), but there is very limited parking (dang). If you don't get there early, you'll have to get creative with parking spots or just head back to Hunting Hollow.
Take Coit Road (fireroad). Starts just before and to the right of the bridge at the end of Gilroy Hot Springs Road.
Follow Coit Road until you hit Anza.
Right on Anza.
Right on Jackson.
Left on Elderberry Spring.
Left on Rock Tower.
Left on Domino Pond.
Straightish onto Cattle Duster.
Continue straightish/leftish on Coit Spring.
Right up a no-name trail (I think, might be Cross Canyon, don't remember if it's marked and if so what it's marked as) - the trail is very steep at first.
Right on whatever trail is there when the previous trail ends; you'll just have to ride slightly uphill 100 yards or so before you hit Coit Road.
Left on Coit Road to intersection with Mahoney Meadows.
Take Mahoney Meadows.
Left on China Hole Trail at the intersection of China Hole Trail, Lost Spring Trail, and Mahoney Meadows Road. China Hole is the leftmost trail - don't take Lost Spring.
China Hole Trail brings you down to China Hole.
Cross the stream and continue on China Hole Trail (up now, instead of down) on the other side. Climb a long time.
Eventually China Hole Trail hits Manzanita Point Road.
Go right on Manzanita Point Road. Stairstep up some short nasty climbs, then take a right on Flat Frog Trail.
Flat Frog hits Hobbs Road. Frog Lake trail would be a fun way to Middle Ridge, but is not bike legal, so go right on Hobbs Road and follow it until you hit Middle Ridge.
Right on Middle Ridge.
Follow Middle Ridge down. Say, "Wheeee!" at appropriate times.
Cross a stream or three at the bottom.
Turn left on Poverty Flat road.
Turn right on Creekside Trail. Hike-a-bike along the precarious "trail." It follows the creek, so you won't get lost. Watch for poison oak. This'll take you back to China Hole. Look for a trail to the left going uphill just before you get to China Hole. This'll cut out some crappy boulder climbs at the end of Creekside and put you on China Hole Trail.
Retrace your steps up the East side of China Hole Trail.
Turn right on Mahoney Meadows Road.
Left (uphill) on Coit Road when you hit it.
Turn right at Cross Canyon Trail. In about a hundred yards, turn left on a trail without a name or sign. The left turn is just after the first tree (or maybe second tree, but if it's second tree, both the trees are close together), and the tree used to have a streamer (and still might). You came up this way, so should be able to recognize it.
Turn left at the end of this trail onto Coit Spring Trail.
Turn right on Grapevine and follow it down until it hits Coit Road.
Left on Coit back to the cars (or for even more singletrack + climbing, take a left on Anza from Grapevine just before Coit Road).
Bring a map. Bring lots of food. Bring a water filter (or add a little out and back to HQ to refill your water supplies to the route above).
Another good ride that includes Middle Ridge but starts from HQ is this one:
http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5199741
It's a little over 6000' of climbing, but not much more than 25 miles. Also has many "where the heck's the trail" moments. Write-up from when I last did it here:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=394016&highlight=coe+middle+ridge