RR: EL P/brown/burton/lukens/grizzly/gabrielino solo ride

[kanga]

This was a non-stop solo ride (at least until I felt a bonk coming on on the Lukens climb and stopped to eat), but just mostly wanted to report on conditions on Ken Burton.

Had a great solo climb up EL P... my usual dab spots still got me though, no breakthroughs. Ken Burton trail tread was in really good shape and our trailwork last year has really helped prevent further erosion. What has happened is the brush has grown in considerably, and there are parts where you're constantly brushing the undergrowth as you ride, but I knew from when we cut it all back that it's all soft new growth, so there's no problem. It did slow me down a tad though... 12:30 instead of my usual 12 minutes.

The gab had plenty of water flowing, and the section between the oakwilde camprground and the climb has been changed slightly by the water flow over the winter. Still relatively easy to find, but a few more rocks, and it wasn't easy to cross the river without getting wet. I rode up to my bottom bracket and dabbed to my knee pads on two of the crossings. There are three downed trees in a row, (waiting to be built up as logovers ), just after the first creek crossing after the oakwilde campground.

The rest of the Gab is in good shape, albeit with deep creek crossings. I was already wet so didn't care, and trudged on through them.

From the Gould Mesa campground I took a detour up the Fire road to Angeles Crest to meet the OTB group for Lukens/Grizzly. Both of those in stellar shape... grizz as usual was covered in rocks and boulders, but easy to pick a line through them. Back out to the highway down the single track, and highway down to the fire station. I parted ways with the group and continued on...

From there I dropped back down the gab trail and rode out the bottom of the gab. The bridge that is out is fenced off, forcing trail users to cross the creek, again a deep crossing. It was hard to find any remnant of trail in the dark, so I bushwhacked it but managed.

Cruised on home for a total of 46 miles and 6200' of vert with a 5:02 ride time, 5:40 total time. Something about riding solo late at night and having the trail to yourself is truly appealing... but it's also fun to time it to hook up with the crew for a portion.

[kanga]

I did have camera phone with me, and snapped off one pic of the downed trees on the Gab, between Oakwilde and the second river crossing. They'll make nice logovers on the trail eventually....

[1080P]

Good job Steve. I was wondering if you were going to drive to the fire station or ride it up before the assault on Mt. Luken. The Green Machine aka Bionicon, keeps on ticking with it's captain on board!

P.S. Otto and I have a Viper Session scheduled for 3pm today, if you want some extra credit, hammer on the sands up Wilson Cyn. Olive View in Sylmar to save you on the drive and meet us at the top around 4.

Is it Arroyo Seco Creek at the the bottom of Ken Burton or the Gab? I'm confused?

[kanga]

Yes, it's the Arroyo Seco creek. The Arroyo Seco watershed is about 46 square miles and helps to replenish aquifer under Pasadena that provides about half the local water supply. It's not only fun to ride (and wade your bike through, cold and wet at night...), but it's important for the city of Pasadena.