Aliso/LCWP part 2 w/lots of pics

[TURNERob]

The ride/route we did a few weeks ago was a hit and a couple others who didn't go wanted to try it so we did it again today. The route was down 5 Oaks, up Cholla, down Stairsteps, across Laguna Canyon into LCWP and up Willow, down Laguna Ridge, back up Stairsteps, down Lynx and out. We had a group of 6 of us, Dino (Bret), Ladd Jasper (Dell), CalEpic (Craig), Intensekipp (Matt), banannaseat (Aldo), and myself. This time around the temps were much more pleasant and so was the ride.....we had no flats or other mechanical issues, but a few crashes caught on film. Another great ride guys!

Aldo was kind of enough to head down Steps first with my camera to take pics of all of us coming down (thanks bro). He'll be in some of these action pics soon but his shoulder is still healing up from a crash. Here are the pics:

Me leading the pack down Steps:

Craig on Steps:

Dino negotiating Steps:

Dell coming down Steps:
Matt at the first steep drop (it was his first time on the trail....next time will be easier Matt

A little further down Steps Dell starts to do a drop:

Dell after the drop, ooops.

Dell wipes himself off and tries again, this time with more success!

Now here we are at the rock roll/huck area on Laguna Ridge, Craig stepped up to the plate first and did the huck cleanly but the runout got him a little dirty Although he did do it again with perfect results the 2nd time.

I told Craig if he did then I would, so I sucked it up and went for it. Me on the take off:

Me about to land (a little nose heavy on my 1st attempt, 2nd time got it a little more cleanly).

Then of course after I did I told Bret he had to do it and cleaned it perfectly:

Then afterwards a few of us hit Wahoo's for more T&A action. We think we found Steven Jackson's new prototype downhill rig in the parking lot and Bret busted out a pose on it (hope you don't mind Steven). Check out those dope ass wheels

[dstepper]

How come that boulder on T&A looks smaller in the picture than it realy is.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by dstepper

How come that boulder on T&A looks smaller in the picture than it realy is.

True, the camera makes everything look easier, smaller and less steep. We had to think about doing that drop for a good 10 minutes before Craig went for it Next time I want to try the drop to the left in those pics where Dell was standing on, that one looks like fun too.

[RidetheRAAM4]

oh come on guys!!! thats easy stuff...it looks smaller on camera cuz when you see it you are looking at it from like 5ft higher or so and you are looking down the hill too, because you land on a hill, so it always looks a lot bigger....then when you get to the bottom you are like oh thats small

Very fun ride today guys. i was so glad to be able to ride the ENTIRE "stair-steps" trail today after flatting two weeks ago. This trail was a blast and making it down without any dabs was pretty rewarding. the temps were ideal for today's ride, and there was a cool breeze that was nice. thanks again to Aldo for taking the shots of us on STEPS and really capturing the different aspects of the trail. it is true, the camera always makes trail look way less intimidating/technical than they really are. the rock roll/huck area on T&A was a blast again. im really glad i did the huck and i plan on doing the other huck the next time we go there. next time KIPPIE said he'dd do the rock/roll, im holding him to this, lol.

as tradition, we hit wahoo's after the ride and had some tasty grubb.

another good ride with a great group of guys!!!

thanks everyone.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by RidetheRAAM4

oh come on guys!!! *thats easy stuff...it looks smaller on camera cuz when you see it you are looking at it from like 5ft higher or so and you are looking down the hill too, because you land on a hill, so it always looks a lot bigger....then when you get to the bottom you are like oh thats small

Well next time you can come out with us and show us how its done without hesitation \/

[RidetheRAAM4]

Originally Posted by FXRob

Well next time you can come out with us and show us how its done without hesitation \/

thats a can do!! i like doing drops...just nothing super huge because i only have 80mm of travel on my epic...but we got a few pretty intense drops over here....there is one i gotta take a shovel to just because we gotta turn the top into a little jump to clear some distance but it should be sweet!

[CalEpic]

Great ride today guys. Great loop, great group of guys. Sorry I missed Wahoo's but I have some good stories to tell from my wifes party.

Lookin' forward to next time.

C

[Von-Skipp]

super fun ride today!!! I made my debut on Stair Steps and T&A today. Steps I had some trouble droping in but I survived.... my wrist does hurt though And Oh My God climbing wilow was sooo much fun!!!! hehe

T&A was killer!! Yes I wussed out on the rockroll but next time you got my word Dino. Good job to the MEN who hucked off the boulder and Craig your slide into home was safe.


The best part was actually seeing Steven Jackson's sweet rig in the parking lot. Maybe thats why the scenery was dull at Wahoo's, they were all with Big Steve.

~Kippy

[Epic_Mtn_Biker]

Great pix, guys!! That ride looks like it was a lot of fun!

[Ladd Jasper]

Way fun. That loop is sweet, and while I don't exactly enjoy the hike-a-bike up Steps, I at least accept it as a necessary evil--the 'ol pay-to-play deal.

Look forward to hitting T&A on the new ride. Was stoked to see the guys step up and land the huck today, but was bummed I didn't join 'em. Could have taken the Stumpy off it I guess, but my puny 3 1/2" just wasn't enough. Travel, I mean. I'm talking travel here, nothing else

Wahoo's, always a highlight, didn't fail to deliver the goods. And the Jacksonmobile? Pure bonus!

Next time: Kipper and bananaseat roll the rock, I hit the huck (assuming I'm X-5'd by then), and CalEpic spills the beans on what really happened at the wife's party. Stay tuned!

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by RidetheRAAM4

80mm of travel on my epic

Sweet! hucking on an Epic..I may have to come watch this one.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Sweet! hucking on an Epic..I may have to come watch this one.

Yes I'll bring my camera, maybe even make take a movie.

Dean we were disapointed when we didn't see your name on the sign in sheet at LCWP We did see Steven Jackson's name on there though

[dstepper]

I was up there, I rode in from my house..up Dartmore Street. I forget what gate I went through but there was no sign in sheet.

[CalEpic]

I've taken my Epic down T&A twice and I can honestly say that I didn't have the sack to launch off anything more than about a foot. I'm sure there are those that have done it on lesser bikes and if Ride the RAAM is one of those that wants to put their bike up to the challenge, more power to you brother. Good luck.

ps - The dirt on T&A doesn't taste that great.

C

[dstepper]

From reading RidetheRAAM4's post I got the impresion that he wants to huck it.

In one of Winton's videos there is a video of a girl rolling that rock on a fully rigid Kelly 29er. I think it could be rolled on an Epic, but that frame is not made for taking drops. You can see all the chain ring marks on the rock from people rolling it.

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by dstepper

From reading RidetheRAAM4's post I got the impresion that he wants to huck it. *

In one of Winton's videos there is a video of a girl rolling that rock on a fully rigid Kelly 29er. *I think it could be rolled on an Epic, but that frame is not made for taking drops. *You can see all the chain ring marks on the rock from people rolling it.

That video you're thinking of is of the rock roll to the left of the drop we were doing in those pics (the part that looks like an easy not so steep roll). We were hucking off the rock that has all the chainring marks on it which is just to the left (standing from the top of it looking down, on the right side in our pics) of the rock roll they were doing in Winston's videos. You could roll that huck we were doing and obviously some have due to all the chainring marks but it is more fun to huck it! Dell has an Epic and did the rock roll, it isn't so much the bike in doing the roll (no offense Dell, it does take balls regardless).....but for hucks the bike makes a big difference for sure. I do want to get up the balls to do the huck at the very beginning of Laguna Ridge also someday

[Steven Jackson]

Originally Posted by RidetheRAAM4

so it always looks a lot bigger....then when you get to the bottom you are like oh thats small

Funny you say that because that is what your g/f said about your...

[mikecsulb]

What does Huck it mean?

[LBmtb]

Originally Posted by mikecsulb

What does Huck it mean?

To drop off the ledge/rock.