Turnbull Canyon Whittier 3-15-08

[Devoid169]

FINALLY made it to Turnbull Canyon in Whittier for some climbing and to check out the alleged cool downhill sections. It's not alleged - the downhill sections are for real! Not as in super-gnarly, but as in super-fun! I'll put it this way - it's about the most balanced ride I've been on to date. Some places seem like you climb, climb, climb then whoosh! It's over. And then comes another just the same. Turnbull, for the sections that Coleko led us on (and please chime in on the trail names as I was too busy/stoked to note them), was a great intermediate loop that I found myself smiling and whoo-hoo-ing on the downhills that rolled along with jumps and berms - and making it up most all of the uphills aside for a few tire spins and two steep sections.
Its also freeway close and from Huntington I got there in less than 30 minutes. Others along on this 8:30am ride were: Graves.Z=Zack, Coleko(our guide)=Brian, Katonk=Tim, Pat=Duke, SlashUSC=Jason(Jay) and Pugz=Jason. Oh, also ran into Grandpa(name?) along the route with his actual grandson and one other. Everybody did well, no mechanicals, the weather was perfect and a beer (St. Patty's day y'all) tasted great at the end of one of the good climbs. Even the mayor himself, Dino Brown blessed our ride before we headed out - and that was like getting a key to the trails.....

[bighit8]

Dang, Jason looks even thinner than 2 weeks ago, Hes got the weight loss challenge in the bag!

[singleSSpeedster]

i saw you guys out there today. you guys were hangin out at on the fire road near the upper water tower around 9:30 or so. i cruised by riding a white 29er ss with a lefty fork climbing up to the water tower.i rode down 3 b!tches and then finished with friends/a-side singletrack.

when i got back to my car, i saw a green blazer with a str sticker on the rear window parked in front of me.

hope to see/meet you guys out here next time.

oh....and turnbull is nice right now. the cow trail side is getting pretty green, the mustard is growing quick and it is high. the fire road climb back up to 360* was pretty muddy. the fire road back up is singletrack in some parts!

quite a few hikers/dog walkers out here today.

and, lot of roadies on turnbull rd......the tour de sewer was today.


cheers!

[Dino Brown]

Tried to tell you Donny.....
What was your favorite section? First DH section... Second... The Last One? Just wondering!

Thursday we can talk about your return trip! My route!!!

[bighit8]

Now that we have more light dino, I will be up for some TB loops and I need a guide!

[Pugz]

The green truck was mine, it was a lot of fun and definitely a great group. Donny glad you had a good time.

[katonk]

For those of you that didn't believe me about St. Patrick's day being moved to Saturday:

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=9917

[Devoid169]

Originally Posted by Dino Brown

Tried to tell you Donny.....
What was your favorite section? First DH section... Second... The Last One? Just wondering!

Thursday we can talk about your return trip! My route!!!

Dino - all the downhill sections were good, and they'll only get better the more i ride there. I can't tell you how many times I'd miss a jump and want to hike back up to re-ride a section. The lower/last section with the jumps in the turns was great - fast and you could launch into a berm. See you Thursday nite!!

[katonk]

Link to the afore mentioned and pictured beer:

http://www.bevmo.com/productinfo.asp...&No=20&Ntk=All

It's a pretty OK Belgian white beer. The best, and only, white beer out of a can I've ever had. The 11.2 oz can fits nicely in your CamelBak (floating in the bladder or next to it) and the aluminum can is safer than bottle and a lot lighter to carry back.