Patience is a Virtue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAaetr8a51U&feature=player_embedded

Wet n Wild

  I know my order is reversed here, but this ride was too fun to not share.  The day before the New Years ride Jen, Stef, and myself went out for a cold ride off the 14 in beautiul Santa Clarita.  The weather was an ominous foe turned friend on this ride.  The drive to the trailhead was marked full of doubt and fear, afraid that this new ride I was going on was gonna be cancelled due to muddy conditions.  Anger, how does it only rain on my days off! Anyways, enough about my inner turmoil. I got to the trail and although the rain had slowed to a drizzle, the wind was still howling through the canyon, taunting us to gear up and pedal into the fog soaked mountains.  Needless to say, we ain't skeered.  Helmets on, CamelBak's over our jackets, and up we went.  After a long grind up the fire roads and passed Viper, we got to the top of Nature Center, my first time on what had been described as a fast flowy singletrack, full of sweepers and walled out turns.  Who could resist?  As we dropped off the fire road and into the trees all I could think was if, Cradle of Filth were to make a music video about mountain biking, this would be it!  Skeletons of trees, fog so thick you couldn't see the next turn 'til you were half way in it and an eerie silence only broken by the wind rushing through the trees, or me yelling YEEHAW...  Well, after all is said and done, this trail kicked ass and I highly recommend it to anyone who doesn't mind a bit of a climb.  Take it easy and keep the rubber down!

    

1st. Annual New Years Eve Day Ride

  
   Well, it is now 2010 and I am still working on collecting all the pictures from the attendees.  However I will say, and I think everyone will agree, this ride was a huge success and everyone had an incredible time!   Well, the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words, and hopefully I'll have a lot more pictures coming soon, so why bother trying to compete... Enjoy and check back soon for more pics to come.

  

     

 

  

 

                                                                                                             

Suicide Saturday

Well, Saturday was a cold yet beautiful morning and there's no cup of coffee no matter the size that can wake you up like a nice ride down Sui!  What more could a guy ask for than a beautiful crisp morning nice tacky dirt and a gang of guys ready to have some fun... Unfortunately I was a bit short on time since I get the wonderful responsibility of working weekends.(lame)  Alright, so unfortunately I didnt get many action shots since I was rushed but hopefully soon I'll get to see some of the video that was shot from that day and put it up.  Hope to see you guys new years eve day, 31st for the folks who aren't so word wise, for a kick ass XC ride.

FTW

  

Merry Christmas Malibu

What a day!! Hard to believe another Christmas has come and gone.  Today I mixed it up some and broke my Christmas tradition of all day shuttle runs for a killer road ride.  At the moment I am still too hungry and whooped to get into all the events of the ride, (i.e. my blowout, helping weird hippy raw food lady, and penis flashing to name a few)  I hope to get some more energy after a glutenous Christmas dinner, however that may really do me in.  At any rate, after a quick lap around town with the old man, I met up with Colby and Aaron and we hit the tarmac, destination, PCH.  After headed down Mulholland a while we climbed up Old Topanga and had a killer descent down to PCH, cruised the highway and after some persuasion, made Aaron join us for the climb up Latigo canyon. He loved it!  Thats about all I got for now, enjoy the pics and stay tuned...

 

God, Guts, and Guns!

Are what made America great!
http://www.the-backup.com/

It Aint Nothin Fancy

So, after the last few weeks of doin rides outside the bubble here, Colby talked me into doin 3rd tunnel of Kanan.  He told me there wasn't much climbing, which was important since I had done a shitload the day before!  HE LIED, weird.  Long story short, we rode, trails were a bit sticky, nice dirt up high under the trees, more creek crossings, pinch flat, and all around good times!  I'm tired please forgive my brevity. 

FTW

Third Time's the Charm

  Ok, now I'm sure you are getting tired of looking at pictures and hearing stories of the same place, and I may be a bit of a creature of habit, but usually I do try and venture out some.  However, since Ian took me out to Chantry Flats I just can't sleep soundly or quit day-dreaming about what else is out there!  Needless to say, I went back. This will be the last time you will have to read about my wonder-lust for BSC.  Today, my buddy Scott Hart, from DECLINE MAG, accompanied me with an equal amount of zest and adventure.  With a bag that looked like he was going to be spending the night on the mountain, and myself in a hip-hop sized rain jacket, we hit the trail and the good times began.  As mentioned previously, (twice) the climb which is normally pretty mellow spit some new game at us today as the rain slicked rocks and mudslides pushed our tires nearer to the edge of an already narrow trail.  After a few close calls we were dropping our seat posts, via remote levers cuz we're in the know, and started dropping singletrack like Ike dropped Tina.  Now, Scott and I were fully aware that we were being total pussies at the creek crossings, but didn't mind waving our "socal" flags too high.  The water had risen with the recent rain and what may have been rideable last week was not a good idea today.  However, after tiptoeing around 5 or 6 crossings, our skills had sharpened and Scott went big, too big.  His uncustomized plastic shoes slid off a wet rock he was jumping for and in he went! Plunged to the depths of a 2 foot creek bed. I was next to go, he jinxed me and on the next crossing I was soaked too.  Now that our skirts were off, we had a blast trudging through the icy water and seeing who could ride em out.  Once we reached Robert's Camp we headed back up the mountain to a beautiful waterfall and took some photos. 

Our thirst had not yet been quenched so we headed further up the mountain headed for Zion peak.  After quite a steep and challenging climb, mostly because of the 8 inch wide trail cut into the side of a mountain with 60 foot drops to the side, we peaked the summit and relished our victory, victory over monday.  What followed was an incredible descent, strewn with big rocks, quick drops, and more switchbacks than crumbs in Rosie O'Donnel's couch.  We were dorks and knew it, the grins and high fives were out in effect today, and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity and ability to get out and see and experience what so many who live just down the road will never know.  Till then, keep the rubber side down, and turn it up!

I Just Can't Get Enough

  I'm not fan of Depeche Mode, but they may have said it best when it comes to Big Santa Anita Canyon, I just can't get enough.  So after a week away I couldn't stop thinkin about shredding through those lush tree covered single tracks up there in the Angeles forest.  Although we didn't have everyone who had hoped to make it, Jen and I set out on our own little ride which developed into a mini-epic pushing into the forrest long after the sun had quit.   

So, if you read the last post, the one of me raving about how fun and endless the trail network is up there I don't need to delve back into the descriptions and imagery. (Plus today I've got pictures)  But, what I will go into is one of the most awesome things that has happened to me out on a trail ride.  As Jen and I were flowing down this swoopy trail paralleling a creek in a deep canyon I came up over a 10 foot or so tall rise and about 35 feet ahead of me was a 300 plus pound BEAR!  No shit, I stopped dead in my tracks and waited(a long time) till Jen pulled up to point out the bear as it went scrambling up the hill startled by our bikes chattering down the trail.  Not long after Yogi scarred the shit outta me the trail ended as did the daylight.  However, with so much fun to be had out there in the woods, how could we pack it in?!  Jen did call me a quitter and made me take off my skirt and we took a left turn and headed further away from the van and back into the woods looking for a waterfall I can't even remember the name of.  Darkness crept in as we pedaled deeper into the woods, soon we came across an unreal little settlement of cabins built in the 1930's-40's, a couple even had Christmas lights!  After following the sound of a generator the last few minutes up to a cabin nestled against the creek bed, we watched some old creepy bearded hermit chillin in his place doin who knows what.  This was about the time we decided this search may be better put off for another day... Until then, enjoy the pics and turn it up!

FTW