Mission Trails RR Part 1, 4-23-08

[Zonacat]

I've been riding here for years, so yesterday finally brought a camera out with me and started snapping away... hope you don't get bored looking at these...

This is my local ride, 3X/week usually. It's a short ride, just under 8 miles, but lots of variety, lots of climbing.

BTW, this is my first attempt at a ride report.

At the end, go to the other thread for PART 2. Too many pictures I guess.

Entering from Claremont Mesa...

Starting on the ridge towards Suycott....

Looking towards the Fortuna Saddle, be climbing that in a few minutes....notice the nice singletrack in the foreground.

Looking towards N. Fortuna, target #1.

Looking at S. Fortuna, target #2. Cowles Mtn. in the background.

Heading down the a crossroads.

Fork in the road, I make a right to some very fun ST.

Looking back from where I came from, somebody named this, but I don't remember the name. Fun descent.

Another of the same.

Looking up at N. Fortuna, be there in a few.

Some more sweet ST.

My trusted friend. Nothing fancy, but has never given me a day of trouble in 4 years. Yes, I have bar ends.

More ST ahead. This starts heading up to the saddle.

Two ways, up, I usually hike up the section to the right, towards the power pole. The ride to the left is extremely loose gravel and sandy dirt.

First steep pitch, hug the left and you can clean it.

Same pitch.

Some creepy ground hornets or something. Anyone want to identify? They dig out these little holes, those are dirt plugs. Nasty.

Start of the second pitch.

Here's where I hike up.

Here's the alternative. I will be coming down this later on my way out.

The climb out, later on...

The Fortuna Saddle.

The start of the climb up N. Fortuna.

Getting steeper.

Looking back down towards S. Fortuna. Cowles in the background.

Looking back again. You can see the climb out in the background.

Looking towards S. Fortuna. Nice trail up and over. Will be there later.


ON TO PART 2...............................

[el_d00der1n0]

TCB called that singletrack E-Ticket.

Those tubes are miner bees' nests. I forgot who answered that one.

[Zonacat]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

TCB called that singletrack E-Ticket.

Those tubes are miner bees' nests. I forgot who answered that one.

E-ticket, fitting.

Thanks!

[Esqo]

sweet, zona, let us know when you want do a group ride there.

[Zonacat]

Originally Posted by Esqo

sweet, zona, let us know when you want do a group ride there.

I usually can only ride weekdays midday as the family takes over my weekends.

Heck, I might just head back out in the next hour or so, if I can sneak away.

[bajamtnbkr]

I had tried MTRP once when I first started riding years ago and I though it was hell with all that climibing, I really will like to ride it again and hope I improved some, I said we need a group ride since I don't know the area.
Thanks Zonacat for the pictures.

[foofighter]

those are alien pods



great pics and ride report!

[ChipsandSalsa]

Thanks, Zonacat, for the great ride report. Mission Trails is so underrated. There really is riding for all levels there, and you definitely chose one of the harder routes.

[ocd]

Originally Posted by Esqo

sweet, zona, let us know when you want do a group ride there.

3 is company, 4 is a crowd. No groups allowed in Mission trails.

Anything over 3 and you will be ticketed.

Originally Posted by bajamtnbkr

I had tried MTRP once when I first started riding years ago and I though it was hell with all that climibing, I really will like to ride it again and hope I improved some, I said we need a group ride since I don't know the area.
Thanks Zonacat for the pictures.

The hills are loose, there are tons of snakes, the rangers saw 2 mountain lions just weeks ago and they break into cars in the parking lots.

There are many better places for group rides.

Thanks guys.

Ahhh I am sure I will gain plenty of friends here but.........

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by ocd

3 is company, 4 is a crowd. No groups allowed in Mission trails.

Anything over 3 and you will be ticketed.




The hills are loose, there are tons of snakes, the rangers saw 2 mountain lions just weeks ago and they break into cars in the parking lots.

There are many better places for group rides.

Thanks guys.

Ahhh I am sure I will gain plenty of friends here but.........

Did the rangers break into the cars to avoid the cats???


I've had a group ride there with no grief. We did the Fortuna stuff. Didn't see many people. Just more riders. No cats either, but we did see a snake.

[Esqo]

What's with the buzzkill, dude? Show me the part of the municipal code saying group rides are illegal.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by Esqo

What's with the buzzkill, dude? Show me the part of the municipal code saying group rides are illegal.

I went to the site: MTRP.org, and found 0 info about rules regarding group bike rides. Nada about rangers breaking into your cars to get away from cats either...

Trestles sucks too. Oh, and Swamiis too. Forget about Rincon. Points are overrated...

[ocd]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

Trestles sucks too. Oh, and Swamiis too. Forget about Rincon. Points are overrated...

One look at trestles, swamis or Rincon on 90% of the days of the year and maybe it will be understood.

We need not turn it into another PQ or Sycamore.

Those places are dandy for group rides

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by ocd

One look at trestles, swamis or Rincon on 90% of the days of the year and maybe it will be understood.

We need not turn it into another PQ or Sycamore.

Those places are dandy for group rides

MTRP's pretty big though.

[bajamtnbkr]

What I heard from people about MTRP is that "too much climbing" so becouse of that I doubt it can become another LPQ or Sycamore, I like climbing but I have Sweetwater as my backyard, I usually ride there twice a week from my driveway.

[Solo]

Originally Posted by ocd

One look at trestles, swamis or Rincon on 90% of the days of the year and maybe it will be understood.

We need not turn it into another PQ or Sycamore.

Those places are dandy for group rides

Did you really just post a ride review with pics on the internet and then suggest no one ride there?

If I'm driving all the way down there I would rather ride Cowles/Pyles but thinking that this would be a good place for a group ride with all the fire roads.

[ocd]

Originally Posted by Solo

Did you really just post a ride review with pics on the internet and then suggest no one ride there?

If I'm driving all the way down there I would rather ride Cowles/Pyles but thinking that this would be a good place for a group ride with all the fire roads.

This was not my ride report.

In all honesty, I would rather not see pics posted. But I ask for people to be respectful for those that live and ride here.

There is a ton of climbing and that helps keep things manageable.

But really, be courteous, pay attention to what is legal and what is not, don't cause ill attention to mountain bikers and its all good.

[Solo]

Originally Posted by ocd

This was not my ride report.

In all honesty, I would rather not see pics posted. But I ask for people to be respectful for those that live and ride here.

There is a ton of climbing and that helps keep things manageable.

But really, be courteous, pay attention to what is legal and what is not, don't cause ill attention to mountain bikers and its all good.

Oh, I see, my mistake. I'm an internet retard.

What you did was worse. You just jacked this guys ride review to say don't ride here.

Last I checked, this wasn't a "sensitive" area with trail closures nor a "destination" ride. Sounds like a perfect place for a group ride.

[ocd]

Originally Posted by Solo

Oh, I see, my mistake. I'm an internet retard.

What you did was worse. You just jacked this guys ride review to say don't ride here.

Last I checked, this wasn't a "sensitive" area with trail closures nor a "destination" ride. Sounds like a perfect place for a group ride.

Never said "don't ride there"

I did hint that I would rather not see group rides there.

Whether you want to admit it or not, groups pull in group mentalities.

The larger the group , the more chances you have to have that "one guy" who has to blaze new trails, who has to go off trail, etc. and the complaints start.

And you are correct, it is no destination the whole place is just mediocre steep fireroads

[Esqo]

Don't want to detract from Zona's ride report by further fanning the flames, but it's not like Mission Trails is some "hidden jewel" that riders in SD don't know about. I'd bet that 98% of the SD people on STR have ridden it. So I don't see why there's a problem with the OP posting pics of his ride -- there's already tons of pics, maps, trail reports on MTRP out there as it is.

As far as the "group mentality" - dont really get your point. The group rides I've been on have been pretty respectful.