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allison

... I WISH!!



It was GORGEOUS today! The temp was around low 50s in the parking lot when we got there at 7:30. Crash and Gregg were there. Shortly after Kanga and Scott showed up.

No Ben, but we rolled out at 8 am anyway.

I'd say it was uneventful, but someone has done a LOT of work on San Juan since Thanksgiving!! The first bit of lower switchbacks have been brushed some. Lots of the ruts have been filled in and completely packed down.. and there is a LOT of drainage work that has been done. It made the switchbacks way more difficult for me, but I'm sure will totally help the trail out if we have a rainy winter. Especially cause it'll see a lot of use.

After that it was uneventful. The lead guys (Justin, Kanga, Gregg, and Scott) took off leaving Maxwell and I behind. It was cool riding with Crash (who stayed rubber side down on the uphill). I did fall once. I was trying to keep moving, so I grabbed my bottle of HEED, then went to put it back and ended up in some manzanita for a big scratch on my shin. Minimal blood loss, but there's still a large mark of it on my leg post shower.

We climbed up, took a short break at Cocktail and bid Darrin (how do you spell your name, anyway?!) farewell. The rest of us continued on.

I was feeling slow and totally technically uncoordinated on upper San Juan on the way to Blue Jay. I tried to ride over a small rock pile/ledge and ended up falling over onto the dirt, unable to clip out. Would've been fine, but I completely smashed my right thigh on the saddle and was stuck. Nice big bruise there to go with the scrape on my left shin.

Climbing up Main Divide to Trabuco was down right painful. I walked large stretches. Finally made it to the top. Descending Trabuco was fun, as always. My right (planted/forward) foot was starting to hurt, though. I tried switching it up, but it feels so darn awkward!

We stopped at the Christmas tree for a few photos (it looks great!) and continued on.

Justin and the others were waiting at the West Horse Thief cutoff and up we began to hike.

It was aight at first. WHT HABage at its best. Eventually it became downright brutal. Justin waited up for me quite a bit to encourage me. For the most part I kept moving. It hurt. Then it hurt some more.

Finally we got to where we could ride and my legs could hardly pedal. But at least I wasn't walking.

The group was stopped in the shade for some food. I'd been sipping Perpetuem, had had an Odwalla bar and Margarita bloks. HEED, water with Elete drops. It was all good. I had an Uncrustable I was saving.

The climb over to Trabuco wasn't too bad. There were a few flies at the end, and it was steep, but I rode it all, slowly. The descent was okay. Kinda painful, as they always are for me after 20miles of riding.

I came around corner and noticed Justin about 20 feet away from his bike. Wasn't sure what was going on. Then I saw his bike facing the wrong way. Oops, crash.

His front tire had flatted and he'd jumped a water bar, landing on nothing really. He walked it off, fixed the flat, and on we went.

We stopped at Blue Jay for a water refill, but didn't stay long. Down San Juan we went. It was most uneventful. Rocky, as always. Still in good shape considering the rains. There were decent sized ruts in some places, but the trail pretty much is the same as always.

We got to Cocktail, and after a close call with bonkdom I was feeling okay.

For those of you that rode on Thanksgiving, a few of us conked our noggin's on a low-hanging tree branch in part of that short return climb area at a turn? Well, I went around the corner and started looking out to duck and ended up smacking my knee, leg, and bike frame really good. At first I thought I'd broken my knee cap or something. I just kind of laid on the ground, my right foot stuck in the pedal, left leg screaming.. I got unclipped, kind of pushed the bike away from me.. the knee looked OK, but was scraped up and starting to swell a little. It hurt. I whistled for the guys a few times. Got myself up and dusted off. Started walking. My leg was hurting pretty good, but was moving fine.

Eventually it occurred to me that the guys weren't coming back, so I started to ride. I wasn't sure how the leg would hold up, but it was at least functioning. Then I saw Justin and the guys on their way back up after me. Not much to do about the knee. Nothing was broken, but I had to get down. So, kept on riding, just a lot slower than normal. Justin hung back with me, riding behind me. He fell when I hit the brakes once, so that was the end of that. I made him ride in front of me.

Not too long after, we were descending and I saw a guy climbing up. I felt bad we'd made him yield the trail, but I figured since he was pulled over I'd keep riding. I looked up just as I was going to by to see it was Jeff!! We chatted for a bit about his new bike, and let him go on his way. He was headed to Cocktail and it was probably 3:30 or so.

I did really bad on the switchbacks. I think the rigid Surly 1x1 was made for them! I did much better riding it on the switchbacks

Got down to the lot... I hurt everywhere. I could barely walk. I did a little stretching, changed into warm dry clothes.. We were hanging out when we heard from above "I need more cowbell!!" "BEN!" we yelled!

He had showed up and spent the entire day chasing us down. I felt bad he'd been out there by himself (I would've freaked out, I think, I get weirded out by the smallest noises when I'm in the wild). He pulled up to us in the lot and laid down on the ground. He'd made up a good amount of time, but unfortunately missed the WHT turn off and ended up at the bottom of Trabuco.

So, disheartened knowing he wouldn't catch us, he took a nice long break to chill and eat.

The three of us hung out after the others left and eventually Jeff came back down.

I'm in immense leg-ular pain right now. But, it was a pretty good day otherwise. I need to get my suffer back on, cause it's a tough game, yknow.

Thanks to the guys that rode!! Kanga was the photo master (and a damn good rider to boot), so I can't wait to see his pics. I'll have mine posted tomorrow.

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CalEpic

That's a big ride. Sounds painful, but better than smelling cow poop in the Central Valley like me. Sorry to hear about your crashes/injuries.

C

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tkblazer: you pedaled up mathis? nice, i'm scared to ride down it

allison

It happens.. seems like every other time I'm out at SJT I crash... THREE times. Weird, huh?

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bjammin

I am so worked. That is the last time I do an all-out sprint to the top of Blue-Jay! At times I could swear I was so close to catching up to you guys I could feel it. It's funny, I knew I was going to be late from all the school traffic I was hitting, and when I got to the trail-head it was 8:30!
I sat in my truck wondering what I was going to do and Jack-in-the-box and my sofa started to sound really good. Just then, the other Ben (Elab) showed up. We got ready and head out around 8:40 with the mission to catch the group. About 8 switch backs up Elab wasn't feeling well and I decided to put down the pedal and catch the group. I saw Maxwell close to C-tail rock and he said you guys were about 10 minuets ahead. I don't think I ever made it to Bluejay so fast. I hopped on Pain divide and flew down Trabuco stopping by the Xmas tree for a moment. This is when things went wrong...Iflew past the WHT trailhead and descended all the way to the Trabuco kiosk! Once I realized my mistake I said F-it, I'm on my own today, sat down and ate my PB+J sammy.
The best part of the ride was after being alone all day, coming around a switchback and running into Jeff Simms. I was never so glad to see a familiar face in my life! About 3 switchbacks from the bottom I heard the group talking and let out a request for some cowbell. Good ride...painfull,but good!

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sdyeti

Wow! Sounds like a tough (but worth it) day. Wish I could've been there. I want to do one of these tough rides soon...hopefully in the next 2 weeks or so (weekend of 12/15 or 12/22??? Any takers??). I only have ridden SJ once and never any of the other trails up in that area..I'd be lost in a second.

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DeeZee

did that ride a few months ago. Arse kicker fo sho

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allison

Photos tonight:

Climbing up



Only shot I've got of Maxwell



Poor SOB's sitting in traffic



Heading toward Blue Jay



Kanga



Gregg and Scott



Hitting in the Pain Divide



The Christmas Tree



Finishing off Trabuco



Lower part of WHT. I haven't done one of these in a WHILE



Regroup at the top



Too fast for my camera



Gregg



Scott



Paint donation (or, I still couldn't get up after my crash)



I was too wiped out to remember my camera, but this is kind of what Ben looked like when he made it down to the trail head parking



Hope everyone enjoyed their Wednesday's!!

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foofighter

this one is calendar material Allison

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-Duan
Dulce et Decorum

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allison

It kind of says "Winter in California" doesn't it?



Seriously, though, thanks for the compliment!!

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foofighter

we should do an STR calendar! and proceeds go to some worthy charity! we have enough professional and aspiring photogs on here and plenty of riders that would be cool

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sdyeti

What kind of camera do you have Allison? It takes such great pictures...mine is a 5 megapixel Canon and my photo quality sux.....

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J_Sims

I knew the Mann's were up in OC so instead of heading for the San Clemente Single tracks after work I headed to San Juan to bid them well on their way down from their painful day in the saddle. I was hoping to be at cocktail rock when they rolled by but I got hung up with work. So here they come bruised and beaten but still in good spirits and moving right along. We chatted a bit and off they went, so up I went to at least get to Cocktail and turn around. Just as I approach the last switchback before ccktail I see an orange Intense and the biggest smile in the world.... I do not think that I have ever received such a warm welcome. Ben had been out all day chasing the group and was suffering some seperation anxiety. We chatted as long as I could without risking my safe trip back to the car as I did not bring a light. I headed up took some pics of the new bike on the rocks as I like to do and headed back down making pretty good time as the sun was slowly going away, to the point that it had fully set and the pinks were fading to grey as I hit the last set of switchbacks on the face. I kept the pace pretty good as those switchbacks are smooth (Thank You Whever you are) and as I headed into the second to last I hear my name loud and clear... Justin Allison and Ben waited.. SWEET!!!

end it all with a great dinner and good times fo sho


Feel better kids you gonna be sore tomorrow...

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bjammin

What was the final tally for mileage/elevation?

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Welcome to California. Now shut up and start climbing!

cbharping

Wow, I hope you're feeling OK, sorry about the crash! Beautiful pics, makes me JEALOUS I was stuck INSIDE!

What kind of camera do you use? Though I know it's photographer skill, not just the camera.

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maxwell

Hey guy's, thanks for putting the ride together!

It sure beat riding by myself, like my normal Wensesday morning rides.

Even though I didn't get to do the whole ride, it was fun cruzing up SJ with you Allison.

Geez, you're getting FAST!

And thanks for the cool pictures!

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