RR: Four Favorite San Gab Trails in One Day

[kanga]

AirGabe had posted a san gab ride, destination to be determined at the carpool spot, for this morning. I rode the 9 miles from my house at 7:15, and met Gabe, TrojanInsomniac, Piranha, and Tom the Bomb at 8. I carpooled up with Tom (Piranha) and we parked outside the Little Pines campground to do the Hillyer Loop.

I was keen on climbing Silver Mocassin instead of the fire road, and the rest of the group didn't flinch and joined me. Gabe was feeling the aftermath of a wedding reception from last night, and unfortunately, had to turn back after the first climb. It's a tough climb, but short. Gabe, hope you've recovered and are well. Let us know.

It was the insomniac's virgin San Gabriel ride, so I'm sure he'll be back for more, since we barely scratched the surface.

From there we continued up the Silver Mocassin to the group camp, then up the Santa Clara Divide road less than a mile to the Hillyer Trail.

We cruised up and over Hillyer, stopping at the playspots and having a good old time. I got to redeem myself from my last big crash on the left slot line, doing it twice without problem. We cruised on down to the bottom, and back to the cars.

Back at the cars, I opted to continue on and hit some more of my favorite single track on the ride back home. I climbed the Silver Mocassin (Got rattled by a coiled up rattler on the climb), then climbed the Vetter Single Track which I'd never done before as a climb, and on to the Silver Mocassin to Shortcut Saddle, one of my favorite sections (see previous vids).

Cruising back on the highway towards redbox, there was a traffic stop for a helicopter rescue... another crotch rocket accident on the ACH. I stopped and ate a sandwich until the road opened again.

At redbox, I refilled the hydration pack, and opted for Strawberry Peak. It's an amazing loop, and I knew that Mike and Robin, the ANF volunteer Bike patrolers, had been working on it. I climbed up and near strawberry saddle, a guy coming the other way on his mountain bike told me don't go on... there's a big bear in the middle of the trail. He had apparently had to wait about ten minutes for the bear to clear off the trail before he could get through, and the terror on his face was quite evident.

I asked if there was a cub, and he said no, just a big bear, so I pushed on. I never saw it. I cruised down to Strawberry Potrero and to the climb out on Colby Canyon trail. The only people I saw (by this time nearly 3 p.m.) were a couple of climbers exploring the wall of Strawberry peak.

Colby Canyon trail was a blast. I always tell myself I'll take it easy, since I was alone, but the adrenaline gets going and I can't help myself. It was really fun.

From there I cruised over to Switzers for the Gabrielino trail back to JPL. That section is just as beautiful as ever, and notably cooler down in the canyon than up on the ridge. As noted by others, there were a couple of trees down, but not bad. I brushed my hydration pack as I ducked under the lowest one, the others weren't too bad, and I built a logover on one that was laying across the trail near Oakwilde.

By this time I had done nearly 45 miles, and was in conservation mode. I opted to walk a section of the climb out of Oakwilde, and headed over to the Arroyo Seco dam for a swim. That was the sweetest part of the ride... cold, refreshing clear water, and nobody around. I spent a good 20 minutes there and ate some food.

The ride out from there was pretty straightforward. It's always encouraging to ride the Arroyo Seco section of the Gabrielino on a Sunday... lots of families on bikes, kids on bikes, moms towing kiddie carriers. Makes me almost think there is hope for humanity....

From there another 8 miles of pavement back to home and an ice cold watermelon.... at 5:30 in the afternoon. Moving time was about 7 hours.

My GPS memory is corrupt, so I only got a distance of 56.3 miles, but didn't get the elevation or the track. It goes back to Garmin on Monday. I didn't shoot many photos, but I did do the Hillyer trail with Tom's GoPro helmet cam, so we'll see what he can do with the footage. I'm not expecting much, since I was in front most of the time.

Thanks again to Gabe for posting, even though he wasn't able to fully enjoy the ride, and to Tom for the "shuttle" up to Chilao.

Tom and Mark on the Silver Moc climb





At the top of the Wall on Hillyer



Looking back up what I rode down



Helicopter Rescue on ACH (Out of respect, I didn't take photos of the victim).



Strawberry Peak Trail... I never get tired of this view



Strawberry Peak



From the Colby Trail



Big Tujunga Canyon from the Colby Trail



Mount Wilson from Josephine Saddle, Colby trail in the foreground



A very pleasant break, but still 15 miles to go...

[TrojanInsomniac]

My virgin ride up in the San Gabes was definitely a blast. I'm going to need to buy some pads before my next excursion up there!

Steve, you're definitely as crazy in person as you are in those videos I had seen in the past......great riding w/ you, Tom, Tom and Gabe! Looking forward to the next ride!

[VinceM]

56.3 miles! Good god, what an animal!

How do you get to the Arroyo Seco dam?

[SheDevil]

See....it's pictures like that...of swimming and views, that make me want to try a ride....but NOW I consider who the OP is (Kanga), and scroll back up to that exposure pic...... I'll just enjoy the RR Safely...from here....for now

[Piranha]

Great ride report as usual Steve. Chilao was a blast as always. It was also a pleasure to meet and ride with Gabe, Mark and Tom from STR.

Take a ride on the Silver Moccasin with Kanga


Kanga hitting the spine, Mt. Hillyer


Spine take 2

[JoeTruth]

Nice job to all who participated. Especially to the San Gabe Virgins. Steve, you've been gone a month or so and it's obvious you've missed your adopted home. Wow, that's frickin' crazy and you're a machine. I guess being gone had no impact on your cardio. Nice job!

I did Strawberry Peak solo yesterday and started around 8am from Switzer. I climbed up Josephine and almost barfed out my Oatmeal in the first mile. I had just eaten (note to self, don't eat right b4 starting a steep climb).
Kept me nice and nauseous the whole ride. Lovely!

Met a cool guy named Jeff at the saddle and we cruised through the ride and to Red Box together. No riders out but some hikers here and there. I finished my ride with the gravy part of the Gab and bailed at Switzer.
16 miles and 3700 feet and I was pooped, especially with the heat. Compared to your ride, it was a drop in the bucket. Thanks again!

[art23rockpile]

Great RR, Steve!

You're an animal. A month in CR away from your bike didn't even phase you, did it? By the way, you're cordially invited to surf at my local reefbreak... PM me about it sometime.

Kelly, the Strawberry Peak route (either direction) and Switzer to JPL are awesome trails, but have MUCH more exposure than the route you did with Joe.

[dstepper]

Steve we must have just missed you guys at Chillao. We talked to Gabe after he came down Silver Moccasin.

Dean

[allison]

Nice waterfall/pond!!

[cjwally]

Where is that waterfall located? That looks like a great after-mid ride swim on a hot day....

[kanga]

Steppie, I did see a white pickup with a bob trailer and a blue cooler at the bottom of Silver Moc below chilao... could that have been?

Do you think my vacations are spent sipping pina coladas by a swimming pool?

Confession time....

My month away wasn't just surfing. Yeah, I surfed on average 5 hours a day, probably 20 of the 28 days I was gone. We were hit by Tropical Storm Alma, and my cousin and I were surfing 8 - 12' perfect lefts off the harbor mouth in our little town during the storm, while 12 boats sunk in the harbor, and our town was isolated from the rest of the country by floods. Most other days were head-high or so, but my last three days there was another big swell that hit.

The surf there is tide dependant, so if the tide was in the morning, there was time to ride in the afternoon. If the tides were early morning, I was able on several days to catch the morning tide, go ride, then come back and catch the afternoon tide. One morning, during the hurricane, we paddled out during the storm at 4:30 a.m., an hour before sunrise, just so we could have the waves to ourselves, even if it was dark and storming.

Last weekend, I rode with my friends 82 miles from the coast to the capital, 9.000' of climbing. He rode his road bike, I rode my XC fat tire bike. We rode part of the Ruta course, which they're trying to rope me into for their team in November. The following day we rode into the Tarrazu valley, where Tarrazu coffee comes from. If you're a starbucks junkie you've probably seen it on the menu. We climbed from there to the highest highway in central america at 10,500'. Since the Tropical storm Alma, the road had some severe landslides and was closed to through-traffic. We saw more cyclists than cars... paradise for cyclists without the hundreds of trucks that pass through per hour. The town itself is at about 7,000'. Helmet cam video of the road descent (a first for me) should be ready in the next day or so.

In the hotel room next door to us was Paulo the national downhill champ who rides for Kona. He was out shuttling runs in the valley, and got clothslined across the neck by a barbed wire gate that he didn't see through the fog and rain. He had an ugly, but fortunately shallow, gash across his neck, chest, and both arms.

The day after that I guided a mountain bike tour, and I also did a couple of days of whitewater rafting. One day I rode with Karen, 2004 olympic rider who was coming out of retirement to start training again.

In the month I was gone, I drove the car once and rode or took the bus everywhere.

In reality, I'm in as good or better shape than before I left. Now that's a vacation!

[dirtmistress]

Originally Posted by SheDevil

See....it's pictures like that...of swimming and views, that make me want to try a ride....but NOW I consider who the OP is (Kanga), and scroll back up to that exposure pic...... I'll just enjoy the RR Safely...from here....for now

There's only ONE picture your'e lookin' at !!

[0gravity]

Originally Posted by cjwally

Where is that waterfall located? That looks like a great after-mid ride swim on a hot day....

Yeah, yeah...where's that watering hole?

[bigringrider101]

Originally Posted by 0gravity

Yeah, yeah...where's that watering hole?

It's a secret spot.
get there by invitation only

[SheDevil]

Originally Posted by dirtmistress

There's only ONE picture your'e lookin' at !!

How DARE you almost break the sacred pact of the womens forum!!!! Deny deny deny!!!

[dirtmistress]

Originally Posted by SheDevil

How DARE you almost break the sacred pact of the womens forum!!!! Deny deny deny!!!

oops. I always screw up. I'm sorry.