RR: Verdugos and snakes...

[kanga]

Last Thursday, I met a friend at 3:30 for some extra credit before the 6:00 p.m. climb up Brand in the Verdugos. We got extra credit miles, extra credit elevation and extra credit reptiles!

No riding pics, just snakes!

First sighting, just below the dump on Brand, first climb:





We climbed Brand, dropped down South Beaudry, and climbed up North Beaudry. On North Beaudry, we found:



and:



Then we went back down Brand and met Will, and hit the Seven Trees trail, and on the climb up to seven trees:





Then we took the NW ridge single track down to the library, hooked up with the group and climbed back up...

Three of us came down the ski chute, and it was in the worst shape I've seen for months. John went down hard at the start of the second pitch, just after the big water bar rut... I was carrying too much speed and my only way to stop behind him was to follow suit. Will went down behind me...

The ski chute ruts were deeper, dryer and looser than they have been over the past few months. Will slid out on a pipe near the bottom, but we made it down just fine...

A great thursday night ride.

[dirtmistress]

Snakes alive young man!!
Looks like a slitherin' good time!

[strobelite]

thanks for the snake pics!

i never see them!

[1080P]

I should have done the Xtra Credit with you guys, I love seeing snakes and lizards, but that was my first time at Brand, and the heat that day just saps me of motivation to pedal. The 6:00 regular ride was still plenty hot, the last 100yd steep straightaway near the top was a smoker.
Coming down Brand, there were cop cars and cop motorcycles everywhere around 7:40 PM by the storm drain? Any idea what that was about?

Reminder for Steve... get newer chain, cassette, ring gears and a case of chain lube, for all the miles you are racking up on your Bionicon. Oh yeah, and rim strips too!

[Tedroy]

Good eyes!

[VTVic]

Originally Posted by 1080P

...but that was my first time at Brand, and the heat that day just saps me of motivation to pedal.

I'm with you. I hate this heat as well. That's why I prefer to do super early rides when things get this hot It sucks, but then again there are those that love it.