[BigLarry]

I'm going to Ales and Trails on Saturday. But the guided rides are limited to only a few people, so a group of us mere mortals may need to navigate our own route. What trails would you recommend?

We'd like to climb less than 2000', and 15-20 miles over 2.5 to 3.0 hours, for a very relaxed ride.

I got the map and can follow along with names. But the best is if you can send me a GPS track, or a link to a gpx file of a similar ride.

Thanks!

 

[fgiraffe]

I think you'd have to ride a few trails 4x to climb 2k in CC.
It is very mere mortals-friendly, and not that big. Start w Shoreline -> Bay View -> Oak Ridge -> Shoreline for a nice loop around most of the park.

 

[ddraewwg]

I think you'd have to ride a few trails 4x to climb 2k in CC.
It is very mere mortals-friendly, and not that big. Start w Shoreline -> Bay View -> Oak Ridge -> Shoreline for a nice loop around most of the park.

Yup....I haven't ridden CC in a while so I won't be good on the names but we used to do 2 loops there for about 15 mi and maybe we did 2K vert. :thumbsup: We stuck to most of the singletrack stuff and rode the park counterclockwise....that seemed to be the most fun way to do it. there were a lot of intersections that we took so I can't really name the trails for you...sorry. To get more vert, we took a trail to the very peak...it's a tough tough climb if you add that section and a very very sketchy DH.....loose, dry and steep. Not necessarily fun but it broke up the monotony a bit.

 

[Dan'ger]

It's hard to get that kind of distance/elevation at China Camp. I would suggest that you try to get there early and go on one of the planned rides.

If you can't get there in time or they get filled up, there will still be many folks there doing their own rides.

In case that also doesn't pan out, Motion Based is your friend: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3154472

 

[MikeU]

The park is not that big or difficult. My regular after-work loop there is 11 miles, and takes barely over an hour at a moderate pace with no rest stops. It would probably stretch out to close to 1.5 hours at a leisurely pace, with rest stops/regroups. I think it is close to 1,000 ft of climbing. Sorry no GPS. I prefer to ride in a counter-clockwise direction. Most of the climbing is at the beginning, with good rolling trails in the middle and at the end.

>Start at Kiosk at main campground entrance.
> Shoreline trail.
> Bayview trail.
> Oak Ridge trail.
> Peacock Gap trail. (down a fire road).
> Left on Biscayne Drive (yeah I know, it is paved, but only a short section).
> Shoreline Trail, on your left before San Pedro road (short steep fire road climb).
> return to Kiosk.

Enjoy the ride!

 

[NoBalance]

My advice for intermediate riders is to stay off the "other trails" and stick to the normal loop at first. I've provided a link to my motionbased ride of the normal loop (did three times in a row).

One loop only gives you about 10 miles and 1100 ft of climbing. You can add a detour to the Nike Site, which will probably give you another couple hundred feet. You do this by taking the Echo trail up to the pavement, left on the pavement up to the Nike site. When done, rather than go down the fireroad, come back the way you went up. When Echo trail meets up with Bay View trail again, keep going in the same direction you were going befor eturning up Echo trail earlier.

Total will be about 1500 ft and perhaps 13 miles?

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5228915
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/466/files/ChinaCampPark.pdf

 

[EBrider]

Do we need to register for the rides?

It doesn't say anything about them filling up on the website. I would hate for all the rides to get full and have to start drinking beer at 9 AM.

 

[NoBalance]

> Peacock Gap trail. (down a fire road).
> Left on Biscayne Drive (yeah I know, it is paved, but only a short section).
> Shoreline Trail, on your left before San Pedro road (short steep fire road climb).
> return to Kiosk.

Enjoy the ride!

Not a bad little addition. I guess Peacock is a sharp right turn where Oakridge merges with Shoreline?

 

[Quercus agrifolia]

Yeah, I'm not sure what's up with the rider cap on the guided rides...I don't remember that from years past, but perhaps they're trying to keep the groups smaller.

It doesn't matter, because the trails are going to be mobbed anyway. Just get out there and ride, you won't get lost.

 

[norton55]

larry, we are riding with trialseeker, and chris knows cc like the back of his hand. we will be there around 9:00. if you want to hang with us you are more than welcome. i am not sure about a hammerfest, because we have been swimming in smoke here for the last 5 day's.

 

[MtnBikerDan]

so which bike, a SS rigid 29er w 32/19 or my BLT w 20mm TA 140mm fork?

I'll be there representin TWW and MBoSC.

 

[Ryan G.]

SS rigid! The place has no climbs and you can hammer on the smooth single/double/triple track.

Sad I cannot go...

 

[fatdave]

+1 for the SS rigid. With the exception of the paved road up to the nike site, the hills are all quite SS-able. In fact, I think some even SS up that paved road (not me). I ride my rigid SS there often -- it is great for that.

 

[BigLarry]

Do we need to register for the rides?

It doesn't say anything about them filling up on the website. I would hate for all the rides to get full and have to start drinking beer at 9 AM.

Over on the ride info page, they say the rides are limited to 10 people including guides. So I suspect maybe only 8 per ride. And there's only one or two which would be right for our group.

With the smoke, we'll take it very slow and easy, and limit the distance as well. Maybe we'll only do 2 hours or so before hitting the beer.

 

[BigLarry]

It's hard to get that kind of distance/elevation at China Camp. I would suggest that you try to get there early and go on one of the planned rides.

If you can't get there in time or they get filled up, there will still be many folks there doing their own rides.

In case that also doesn't pan out, Motion Based is your friend: http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/3154472

We'll try to get into an official ride, or hook with another group. But the mere mortals are slow and don't always fit with other people's pace.

I'm looking not for any ride, but a recommended ride. Like I fear some on Motion Based may have got lost and took a road back, I don't want to blindly repeat their route.

Your route looks interesting, if we cut it in half and choose one. Thanks for the link.

 

[BigLarry]

larry, we are riding with trialseeker, and chris knows cc like the back of his hand. we will be there around 9:00. if you want to hang with us you are more than welcome. i am not sure about a hammerfest, because we have been swimming in smoke here for the last 5 day's.

The mere mortals are opposite of a hammer fest. Be prepared to be shocked how slow a bike can go. On the other hand, it would be nice to meet you guys and hang with you for a bit. And for incentive, we do have cute girls in our group.

 

[BigLarry]

Yeah, I'm not sure what's up with the rider cap on the guided rides...I don't remember that from years past, but perhaps they're trying to keep the groups smaller.

It doesn't matter, because the trails are going to be mobbed anyway. Just get out there and ride, you won't get lost.

Yea, that's what I'm figuring, they don't want everyone in a big bunch. There'll be lots of smaller groups, which works better.

I just want to find a ride and route that works for the mere mortals and is still fun, rather than get accidentally dragged into a torture fest by following the wrong people. (Note, I've yet to see anyone who doesn't say they're slow, but we really are.)

 

[BigLarry]

My advice for intermediate riders is to stay off the "other trails" and stick to the normal loop at first. I've provided a link to my motionbased ride of the normal loop (did three times in a row).

One loop only gives you about 10 miles and 1100 ft of climbing. You can add a detour to the Nike Site, which will probably give you another couple hundred feet. You do this by taking the Echo trail up to the pavement, left on the pavement up to the Nike site. When done, rather than go down the fireroad, come back the way you went up. When Echo trail meets up with Bay View trail again, keep going in the same direction you were going befor eturning up Echo trail earlier.

Total will be about 1500 ft and perhaps 13 miles?

http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/5228915
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/466/files/ChinaCampPark.pdf

Looks interesting, especially with the Nike site detour. They make shoes up there?

 

[fatdave]

Sounds like I'm mere mortal speed, from your description. The route on motionbased is probably perfect for you guys. That's the route I take on my rigid SS (just did it on Wednesday night), and it is really fun. The detour up to the nike site is fun, but the paved part is very steep. I make it up there on my geared bike, but it is a tough go (for me). Great view once you are up there, though.

On my rigid SS, I go up to the paved road, and turn around. That detour has some nice rocky sections that make things interesting, both up and down. Pavement is too steep for my SS. I'll be there tomorrow -- fat guy on a Raleigh xxix.

 

[Dan'ger]

Do we need to register for the rides?

It doesn't say anything about them filling up on the website. I would hate for all the rides to get full and have to start drinking beer at 9 AM.

They are first come first serve for sign-up in person on Saturday morning.