RR: Black Star night ride; which ever time you started

[genusmtbkr5]

Originally Posted by Devoid169

Tried to make it to the ride tonite - traffic was absolutely slllloooowwww and I didn't leave myself enough time...so I turned around. Anybody have ideas how to get there a better way from Huntington (Beach & Warner) rather than the toll freeways, etc??

Donny, you need to get to El Toro Rd off the 5 fwy or Chapman off the 55 fwy. How you get there is up to you. I would leave as early as possible for at least the first ride so you know where it is, then decide how earlly to leave next time. Get there early so you can prepare like mount lights, drink coffee, whatever, but get there so you don't miss out.

Originally Posted by integradriv3r

B) Try to get there earlier

Bummer about your ID Jessie, I'd try to leave 30 min earlier if you can next time so you don't have to rush.

Great ride last night. I went with Deb aka "db250f", Donna aka "CaDownhilldoll", And Vickie aka "Vickie". We headed out around 4:50. Saw Brian on his commute home FROM THE PATH. On our way down, I saw 5 different groups leave at different times. 1st group(ocrider, mtnbikej) headed out around 6:30 or so. We saw them as they started the climb, 2nd group 5 min behind, 3rd group(sprokethead, nightspokes, jcampbell) on the paved road, 4th(gabe, lety, grandpa) at the gate and 5th and final group(Dell, Carl, Godfather, Nam, Bret, Trung) at the tree lot. In other words, lots of start times.

[rmb socal]

Tried to make it to Neil's house by 6, but was absolutely killed by traffic on the 241 and the 91, there was no way I was going to make it by 6....... Oh well, next time. Bummed too, because I had a new bike I was going to spin.

[mtnbikerdude87]

It was a good ride. It got pretty cold down in hidden valley. Ill be there next week.

[Devoid169]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

Donny, you need to get to El Toro Rd off the 5 fwy or Chapman off the 55 fwy. How you get there is up to you. I would leave as early as possible for at least the first ride so you know where it is, then decide how earlly to leave next time. Get there early so you can prepare like mount lights, drink coffee, whatever, but get there so you don't miss out.

Perfect - I see the route off the 55 fwy now. Still kinda new to OC navigating - Much better than the 405 & toll fwys. Thanks again, Gene!!

[Sprockethead]

Great ride everyone! I was absolutely blown away by how many people showed up for the ride. There must have been 30+ people at Beeks! Geoladders Riders, Switchback Cyclery Group, and us.

This is the new social ride, well Advanced Social Ride.

[LBmtb]

Thanks to Carl for letting me use his handlebar light. Coming on this ride was a last minute decision for me and my HID wasn't charged so of course it dies on the way up

[genusmtbkr5]

Must of been some sight to see that many riders up there. I didn't mind that I was only with 3.

[guero]

nice gene! jesse, my phone was dying and it did die as i was talking to my co-worker who was asking me some crap about work. like gene said, leave a little earlier and join us next week. tonights ride was fun, the weather was MUCH cooler than last weeks ride, most of us had leg warmers, arm warmers and windbreakers. i only had leg warmers and a long sleeve jersey. while i managed once i warmed up on the climb, the hidden valley section was freezing!!! georges light decided that it was done right at the top cattle trap thing right before the downhill into hidden valley. so he cruised next to me at a much slower rate of speed. once we started climbing again i turned my light off and we managed just fine all the way to the gate. once at the gate we saw neil, steve, mike, ocrider, keith, anne, andy and the other bubbs. cracked a beer (thanks rob), and slugged it while shivering. the descent was just as cold as i expected it to be. i actually welcomed the little climb out of hidden valley as it allowed me to curl my hands for warmth as well as pedal my butt off for warmth.

once again in n out topped the night off. looking forward to next week bubbs.

[cH4os]

Ill Try it Neil...

[Pho'dUp]

Hey super fun ride guys. It was a trip having a cocktail party at Beek's with some many folks there. Of course everyone was shuffling their feet and moving around because it was butt cold there. We're supposed to get Santa Anas next week so it should warm up. If not, I'm running to Performance and buy some toesties.




No problemo on the light George. I'm always running two lights for this very reason.

Good to meet Jeremy and SailCalifornia. Let's ride again soon.

Phro'dup Bret? Nice. Dude that's too funny.

See you guys next week.

Originally Posted by Devoid169

Perfect - I see the route off the 55 fwy now. Still kinda new to OC navigating - Much better than the 405 & toll fwys. Thanks again, Gene!!

Devoid, Dude becareful of the 55fwy. That freeway always sucks balls after work. Maybe you can drive north on Beach (Newland probably better choice)and take the 22E to the 55N and exit Chapman. The 22 is bad too but maybe since the expansion finished it won't be so bad. That way you won't sit on the 55 as much.

But if you're thinking 405S > 55N. That's probably gonna blow too.

Maybe check sigalert.com and see which freeways are moving.

Carl

[donkey]

I got a rather early start at 5. Saw Gene and friends but those were the only familiar faces for me.

One of these weeks I'm going to have to deviate from my usual plan and meet up with you guys!

B

[1x1clyde]

Originally Posted by Sprockethead

Great ride everyone! I was absolutely blown away by how many people showed up for the ride. There must have been 30+ people at Beeks! Geoladders Riders, Switchback Cyclery Group, and us.

This is the new social ride, well Advanced Social Ride.

This IS the new thursday!
Props to Stevie B for cruising right up and for Nam running sweep
Mike and I came up Skyline, waited about 30 minutes and then went down looking for familiar lights, I mean faces and found Carl who said he was in the last group.
Went a little further, turned around and back up to Beeks.
It was fantastic when Mike and I got there after 7 to see all lights coming up!
See you all next week and thanks Carl for the beer!

[Rawhead]

It was my first night ride with STR and all I can say is wow! Awesome turn out. It was great to meet everyone... I had a blast! Next time I'm wearing full fingered gloves. Riding down it felt like my fingers were going to shatter! I'll see you guys next week!

Jeremy

[Letyrides]

We turned back because of my back. It is still pretty raw and was hurting on the climbs quite a bit. Gabe got concerned and so he made me turn back before it got worse. On the way down I crashed pretty hard again and managed to bend my rear derailuer thingy (Sp?) and landed on my right knee and elbow. I thought I was going to throw up instantly I've never hit so hard. I managed to collect myself and we headed out. At the gate we saw some kids doing donuts, they sped off after we crossed the gate. I noticed it smelled like smoke on the way back. Once at the car we saw a fire truck with lights on speed past us, soon after a police truck and after that the paramedics. Anyone see anything on the way down? We still smelled smoke on the way out of the canyon but didn't see anything?

[Sprockethead]

Heal up girl, take the holiday weekend to rest.

I hope you didn't fall in the same place, that big hole in the rut by the cement pipe. We didn't see or smell any smoke on the way out. A light fog did roll in though.

[Vickie]

Originally Posted by genusmtbkr5

Must of been some sight to see that many riders up there. I didn't mind that I was only with 3.

Gene, it was great having you with the three of us last night on the "early" shift -

Thanks for sharing your light with me the last half of the descent. My old Nite Rider is about on it's last leg!! Apparently a new light is next on the list for me!! Oh, and I can't believe how cold I was by the time we got to the car.....my woolies are coming out next time .

[Letyrides]

Originally Posted by Sprockethead

Heal up girl, take the holiday weekend to rest.

I hope you didn't fall in the same place, that big hole in the rut by the cement pipe. We didn't see or smell any smoke on the way out. A light fog did roll in though.

haha...no I was aware of the big hole this time. I fell on a flat, my depth perception is even worse when I wear my glasses and they kept foggin up, I couldn't tell in what direction to turn, got to close to Gabe, over corrected and slammed myself down on the ground. Luckily no one was there to see the disaster.

[AKmoney]

Great ride everyone. I thought it was cool being up at Beeks and seeing that one wave of riders approach from Main Divide. With all the HID lights in the darkness it looked like a scene from Close Encounters of the Third Kind.