[climb4fun]

Just moved to the Fremont and would like to join you girls/guys Sunday if it doesn't rain. I'll park at Skeggs by 9AM. Look for a blue Scion tC hatch and silver Specialized hardtail.

 

[medieval]

I really wanted to join you guys at Skeggs, but I need to be back in Fremont around 10AM. I'm probably going to do another early ride at WD instead.

 

[poff]

Zorg - I might join you guys on Monday, do not know for sure yet.

 

[theseawind]

I cannot make it. Have fun at Skeggs everyone!

 

[Redpine88]

Whoo, fun times.

Two questions though:
1) Why did the person who insisted the ride be at Skeggs not make it?
2) Anyone know what happened to Skyline35?

Started with 8 - mostly full suspensions (one of which was getting the first big ride on a set of new Crank Brothers wheels - BLING!), but climb4fun and myself decided to represent the hardtail contingent. CM01-pavement-Fir-Resolution-up to North Leaf-NL-AWESOME new connector-South Leaf. Here Patty and Jeff peeled off, as did the German dude (sorry, forgot your name already). Five dropped all the way to the bottom, and spent the next 45 minutes climbing out. Crank Brothers wheels and a whole crew of Specialized guys (I think I saw Mike Sinyard) went up Gordon Mill, four of us kept going to the top of Blue Blossom. Dutch Biker's shock bolt snapped someplace, so he bailed to the road and out, three went down again. Benzy took off up Gordon Mill back to Sierra Morena and the cars, and climb4fun and I decided to climb up to Manzanita via Crosscut/Crossover.

Dunno what the totals are, elevation and distance-wise, but that was a good ride!

Any thoughts on next week?

 

[ForbiddenBeat]

Wow the CB wheels are out? Those look insane.

I slept in a bit, and did Skeggs down to the end of South Leaf by way of Resolution, then just turned around and came back up and out ECDM trail.

The new connector is nice, but South Leaf is challenging as usual. I still can't clean 2 or 3 of the short steep climbs coming back.

 

[Skyline35]

Anyone know what happened to Skyline35?

I'm sorry, John. That was a communication break-down at my end. I was over with Plim and his co-worker Erik. Erik had left his riding shoes at home. Plim and I were persuading him to ride anyway while you guys were gathering, and eventually rolled-out. Erik did give it a go, and the three of us nice easy ride.

We did hit the Disneyland by-pass. I was impressed with the new trail - very fun!

///Charlie

 

[knobbyknees]

That was a fun ride. The new trail will break in to be almost as tough as the old South Leaf section. Lots of short steep power moves, and very narrow. The steeps aren't as long as the old South Leaf aka "Sammy Miller" which was built by the PITS moto guys who had a throttle to help them up.

Kudos to Craig Beckman from MROSD for laying out and building such a fine piece of singletrack that fits the character of that side of the preserve. A masterful blend of art and engineering.

Patty

 

[theseawind]

1) Why did the person who insisted the ride be at Skeggs not make it?

I'm having lower back pain from Saturday Annadel's ride and were not going aggravate the injury. Sorry for not showing John. It sounds like you guys had a long nice ride. May be I will be to make it this weekend. Counting down!

 

[sanjuro]

We rode from Swett Road, and did South Leaf, Virginia Mill, Lawrence Creek, Blue Blossom, Springboard, Crosscut, Timberview, Manzanita, Fir, down Resolution, then ECdM. I broke a spoke going down Resolution, so we skipped North Leaf, but otherwise it was a great ride.

 

[ForbiddenBeat]

I'm curious, does anyone else have trouble making a few sections on the "old" South Leaf if you are going back towards North Leaf? Going down a lot of the steep sections is great fun going out, but if I turn around to ride it backwards, coming back up 2 or 3 of them I just can't do. Super steep with roots and very narrow. Do I suck, or is this hard for everyone?

 

[knobbyknees]

I'm curious, does anyone else have trouble making a few sections on the "old" South Leaf if you are going back towards North Leaf? Going down a lot of the steep sections is great fun going out, but if I turn around to ride it backwards. coming back up 2 or 3 of them I just can't do. Super steep with roots and very narrow. Do I suck, or is this hard for everyone?

I think generally the consensus is that South Leaf is the most technical legal singletrack on the Peninsula/South Bay. Mostly due to its narrowness and the steepness of certain pitches combined with rocks and roots. You'd need some real legitimate trials skills plus some serious power to get over some of the obstacles in the trail tread and be able to pedal away. I suppose if you could leap up onto a picnic table from a stand still, and turn 90 degrees on the top, you could ride south-to-north on South Leaf without dabbing. So, no you don't suck if you are a cross-country type of rider. If you fancy yourself to be a skilled trials rider then maybe you suck. Ask J. He can tell you.

It's interesting to see the changes to the old trail over the years. Certain drops going from north-to-south have been altered, with the trail being moved and realigned below the drops to flatten it out. Also use has widened the tread in a few places and made it easier to get around some protruding rocks. But damn, it's still really tough.

I also enjoyed riding the North Leaf trail after over a year of not visiting this side of the preserve. I was one of the people, along with Berry Stevens from ROMP, who helped lay out the trial alignment with MROSD about a decade ago. It's remained mostly in its original configuration, although they did install some rock waterbars where the trail lacked grade reversals.

I noticed that the new trail has way more grade reversals than the North Leaf trail, and more short, steep pitches. A nice blend in character from North Leaf to South Leaf. Also a few slaloms between trees that feels like Waterdog. It has the potential to wear in a lot like Resolution has. Remember when they built Resolution we complained you could roll a baby stroller down it? And now look at what we have! The new South Leaf Extension has large roots and rocks near the surface that are likely to become exposed as the tread compacts. I imagine they will go back and do some touch up to the trail as user error starts to indicate where the line isn't sustainable from a flow standpoint.

Long live narrow hand-built singletrack trails!

Patty

 

[zorg]

Brain fart, replied to wrong thread...

 

[ForbiddenBeat]

I think generally the consensus is that South Leaf is the most technical legal singletrack on the Peninsula/South Bay. Mostly due to its narrowness and the steepness of certain pitches combined with rocks and roots. You'd need some real legitimate trials skills plus some serious power to get over some of the obstacles in the trail tread and be able to pedal away. I suppose if you could leap up onto a picnic table from a stand still, and turn 90 degrees on the top, you could ride south-to-north on South Leaf without dabbing. So, no you don't suck if you are a cross-country type of rider. If you fancy yourself to be a skilled trials rider then maybe you suck. Ask J. He can tell you.

Ok, good to know . Thanks.

 

[mudworm]

...the new trail ...has the potential to wear in a lot like Resolution has. ...The new South Leaf Extension has large roots and rocks near the surface that are likely to become exposed as the tread compacts.

Thanks Patty for sharing the knowledge. It's good to know. I should go back there more to enjoy the smooth trail before it becomes too rough. We rode the new connector the first time today. Right after the tough South Leaf single track, it came as a very pleasant surprise to be able to just ride without having to get off. I loved it. I hope my skills will progress as the trail transforms so it is stays a smooth ride.

 

[slappy]

"Do people actually ride this?"

I think generally the consensus is that South Leaf is the most technical legal singletrack on the Peninsula/South Bay........

I didn't wake up early enough to join the morning ride, but Tammy and I made it out there in the afternoon and decided to trace the route you guys suggested. We went all the way to the bottom to attempt North and South Leaf. North Leaf was loads of fun but once we got to South Leaf both thought, "DAMN! We suck! Do people actually ride this thing (both ways)??????" Your opinion reassured us that we still suck, but not as bad as we thought we were

The new trail was awesome! But we also wondered how long it will remain that way before it gets washed out.

We made a wrong turn at the end while trying to find a way out and the climb out was quite brutal because we were so pumped out by then, but in all we had a wonderful time.

PEDAL POWER! RAH RAH RAH!

And now for a gratuituous goof-off-at-Skeggs pic....

 

[J]

I love south leaf, its one of the best trails in the park. I don't think I've ridden it "backwards", but upon reading this thread, its on my short to-do list. Let's do it.

We'll also be trying to climb up the creek backwards (drop down, heading east from the lower gates, back up towards skeggs pt). That's a significant challenge.

Rode Oat Hill mine yesterday with backpedal, Audi0 and wd, so I'm extra stoked to do short, horrifically technical climbs that make people get scrunchy face.

 

[Redpine88]

You want it . . .

You call it. Take just a tiny smidgen of your enthusiasm for purple spokes and tuxedo'd Sterlings, and start a thread.

PS. I'd also be happy to save gas and take Caltrain to Waterdog this weekend.

 

[SVSocrates]

Nice avatar...lemme guess, found after a google image search for "bowtie dork?"

Anyhoo, I'm planning a leisurely ride at Skeggs on Saturday with my friend Geoff. Late start time though (12:00).

 

[J]

Sterling and I are on good terms these days. We rocked Oat Hill on Monday, and he's improving on the candor and quality of his snaps, so I'm easing off a bit. Eron, however - man that guy is a ball breaker. He's fast too so you can't really get back much at him. I have a way, though.

Ill call something up soon.