RR: San Gabriels Fun (at first)

[VTVic]

I was toying with the idea of doing an early Lower Sam Merrell/Sunset/El Prieto loop to try and beat the heat, but while browsing on STR I noticed that Gabe (AirGabe) and Mike (Pain Freak) had a ride planned at JPL on Saturday. Since it was a long ride I thought it would be better to do a 6am start and both Mike and Gabe agreed so I joined them (I should have stuck to my initial plan). The plan was to park at JPL, ride the street to Chaney and climb the road up to Inspiration Pt, then head up the fire road to Mt Disappointment and down to Redbox to Switzer's and back down to JPL via the Gabrielino trail. About a 30 mile ride.

From JPL Bernie and I hit LSM while Mike climbed up to the gate at Chaney where Gabe and his brother Ray were waiting for him.

As usual, the climb on LSM was challenging but fun. Not the usual weekend traffic most likely due to the heat. Bernie hadn't been riding as often lately so he was struggling a bit from the beginning and asked me to continue as he was going to cut the ride short at Sunset.

Eventually I made it to where Mike and Gabe were waiting at the road just above Sunset. The climb to Inspiration Pt was mellow and by now it was a little hotter but with a nice breeze at times. We made it to Inspiration Pt at a nice pace and took a short break before we continued our journey to Mt Disappointment. I've done this ride before and the toughest part for me was making the fire road climb after Inspiration Pt (and getting out of the Arroyo towards the end of the ride), but this time it seemed a lot shorter and less painful.

We eventually made it to Redbox where we refilled our water and took another short break. Knowing that it was "all downhill" from here I only refilled my water about 3/4 of the way and my water bottle was still untouched so I left it alone not thinking that the water in it was could be hot. I had also noticed but did not worry much that I had not yet gone to water the plants the whole ride even though I was drinking lots of water throughout the ride. I would later pay the price...

So after 1/2 a PB&J sandwich off we went down towards Switzer's where right away we noticed that the entrance to the trail was completely unridable, even walking it was a struggle. There seems to be a second entrance starting to take shape just above it. The rest of the trail was rockier and sketchier than normal. After passing all the rock gardens and the waterfall, the rest seemed normal all the way to Switzer's.

We took our time out of Switzers. None of us really pushing too hard trying to try and deal with the heat (at least me). Once we were descending for a good 20 or so minutes my neck started to bother me and it was exhausting just trying to keep my head up to look ahead. All Gabe kept talking about was finding a good spot to jump in the stream, which did not seem like an attractive idea to me (at the time). So once we got to the bench (can't remember the name of this section) off Gabe went to get in the water to cool down and I stayed back to try and rest a bit as I was pretty exhausted by now. When Ray arrived he was complaining that he was feeling dehydrated and completely out of water, so I went ahead and gave him my bottle which was still full but HOT.

After drinking and eating we took off to reach the rocky bed of the arroyo. By now I was noticing that I was low on water and started to cut down a bit to try to have enough for the climb out. I was starting to feel weak and a throbbing headache was bothering me. Crossing the bed of the arroyo must have drained a lot of my energy; Mike and I were pushing each other trying to make the difficult rocky sections without walking and once we reached the switchbacks I started to feel nauseous and the headache was more intense. I stopped to finally water the plants and noticed that my urine was darker than normal, which I now know is a sign of dehydration and I knew I had to get out of the heat. I rode a small part of the climb when I started to think that perhaps I needed to take a break in the shade just before the top. After a few minutes Gabe came by but I didn't tell him exactly what was going on so he continued while I stayed back and waited for Ray.

I finished the rest of my water while I sat on the shade for a while and I don't think it helped at all as my water was very warm. Ray came by and joined for a few minutes until I decided to continue down the descent, which was a struggle to stay focused due to the headache and minor cramping that was now starting hit me.

Once I got to where the trail meets the fire road I noticed Gabe and Mike sitting in the shade at the water crossing. It was a HUGE relief! I think they saw me and knew I was in trouble as I went straight for the water and sat on a rock while pooring water on my head. I now know that poring cool water on your head is also a bad idea (I knew but didn't care), but I was desperate and not really thinking. I think I felt the shock of the cold water after a few minutes and was actually shaking a bit as I was poring. Both Ray and I stayed in the water for good 20 - 30 minutes cooling down.

I'm glad this didn't turn out any worse and I definitely have learned my lesson. I should have done a shorter ride or stayed home completely...

On to pictures...
Playing possum...glad this wasn't me at the end of the ride. I think Gabe ran him over on his way up to Chaney


Mike and Gabe on the way to the tunnel




Mike coming down from Redbox



Gabe


Ray on the Gab...lots of poison oak


View of Mt Lowe from the Gab


Mike and Gabe



trail shot


arroyo


some kind of snake enjoying the shade


Great seeing Mike and Gabe again and nice Meeting Ray for the first time. Let's do it again soon (like in 5 months). Be safe out there.

[vandeec5]

Woah! that place looks amazing!

Can I get directions to this place?

[Pain Freak]

Sorry I already shipped my camera north for my bike tour....


When Gabe gave me a call and suggested the ride I was all in, as I love the longer rides. This one turned out to be only 35 miles but it was a lot of work for the guys having heat issues.

When we started out it was already a little warm and my stupid water bladder had leaked some water again. I'd frozen it the night before so I still had the ice in there. I found a 12 oz bottle in my car and thru that in. So I climbed Chaney Trail and Vic went over to Lower Merrill to tell Bernie where we were going to meet. Bernie was late as always and in our rush to get him moving he forgot his gloves and went back. He said he'd drive over and meet us at the trailhead. Problem was he thought we were climbing LSM and we were going to meet Gabe and Ray at Millard,DOH!

Anywho we meet Vic at the trail by Sunset and he tells us Bernie is going to bail. So we wait a while and then start to head on up. We only seen one other group and they were also going to the top but were descending Upper Merrill, we were going to come down the Gab. Redbox/Switzers/JPL. We were taking our time for the most part as Ray is just getting back into it after a year or two hiatus. As Vic said, the climb from this point was mild and we were making good time. We wanted to be at Redbox by 11 and we did. I was having no issues whatsoever with the heat, but I had managed to drink whatever water I had, but there was still some ice in the bladder. We refilled at Redbox and I still wanted cold water so I didn't refill all the way, WTH, it's almost all down from this point anyways. The ride down seemed to be taking a toll though. Vic who had been pulling shifts up front and playing rabbit with me was now lagging a little and he didn't look like he was having fun any longer. Gabe looked strong but kept talking about jumping into the water, and he finally did. We got to one place where we had a good 30 minute wait, waiting for Ray in fact I was going back to get him when he finally showed up. Gabe had spotted some trout in the water and a snake, not an eel but a snake that stayed underwater. It was a black and yellowed striped one not very big, I'm thinking a racer? So Gabe gets done with his dunk and we regroup. About this time I notice I'm out of water too. Oh well, no biggy we only have a few more miles or so. I'm also feeling very good as the ride has been easy on me. The climbs were no big deal and at the slower pace I still had tons of energy left. We rode on. This trail is one of the most beautiful in the whole San Gabes and I had the opportunity to go slower and look around more. I took it. I love this place. As we were doing our last leg of climbing I came up on Vic but he didn't say anything about the heat, but he looked miserable. He told me to go on and he would be along. So I rode the little bit of uphill and I knew there were some good difficult switchbacks coming up that I would have fun trying to make. I had made the real difficult one there right before the stream where we usually gather to see who makes it. This was my first time and really put a highpoint on my ride. So I get into the switches and cleaned them all at speed. I'm feeling great and just a little bummed that the ride is almost over. I now start to feel the heat, but it's not that bad to me. We have dropped 4,000 feet and the temps have climbed 20 degrees from the top. I make it down and wait for my buds to show. I'm there a while and start to get worried a little when finally Gabe shows up and reassures me everyone is okay and they're on there way down. Gabe sits by the water and starts to soak. Vic follows a good 10 minutes later and looks like shit. He sits down on a rock in the stram and puts water on to himself. I start to feel bad as I'm feeling really good and I don't like to see my friends like this. Next in comes Ray and he looks awful but he's a trooper and doesn't complain just hurries into the water. After a while everyone says they're feeling much better and we mount up and ride down the Arroyo. There's a place ahead where we can get water. We make it there and I don't like the taste of the water so I only take a few sips. Vic and Gabe drink some and Vic says he's alright now. Gabe and I ride out to go get his car so he can be back when Ray makes it out.

All in all to me it was an excellent ride and I'd do it again regardless of the temps, well maybe not cold temps. But we were talking of times years ago when this ride used to bust our butts and this day it was so very easy and very enjoyable.

I've got the Grand Tour double century next weeknd and then I start my 1500 mile bike tour the following weekend but when I get back I'm doing this ride again.It was that good!

[JoeTruth]

Vic, that's scary, dude. I try and stay off the bike when it's this hot. Aside from the obvious reasons, when it goes above 95, I don't do so good out and about and the only thing that sounds good is some salty, fresh or chlorinated H2O in massive volumes. Come to to think of it, I don't do so good, period! As Mike calls me now, I'm the "Ol Mr. Truth". LOL!

That's a great loop with an awesome reward but it does have a fair amount of climbing involved. I don't know how you guys did it in the brutal heat but hats off to you all for thinking of it, let alone actually doing it. Vic, I'm glad you're relatively okay, after the fact. The combination of the heat and not drinking water could have fatal results. I know you know better but now, you know ever better! Hope you're recovered and are feeling better. Take care, bro.

BTW, nice RR. Thanks for sharing!

[Dusty]

Good lesson for all of us.

[kanga]

Glad to hear you're O.K.

A slight headache is often the first sign of dehydration. If you're not watering the plants in a few hours, you're already on your way.

I always carry iodine purification tablets in my first aid kit, just in case, and have had to drink from the Arroyo in the past.

It is one of the most beautiful trails in the front country, and is definitely some work to get into through Switzers. But it's always well worth it.

[Sewellymon]

kudos, but you guys are nuts. front range + 100F+ mid day??

was a perfect 85F feeling like 75F in the PM at 5,500' Saturday late afternoon. Cooled to the 70's at dusk. More my speed...

p.s.- any of you guys ride this thing in the early 90's? B4 the floods made the stream bottom extra rocky? you would pretty much ride from Oakwilde down to JPL without a dab. I was younger then (sigh) and would time-trail the whole loop in under 4 hours. .. (which means there were guys who could likely have done it in about 3 hours?

[KBL]

I take it the water fountain at Red Box is working OK?

Last time I checked (a while ago) it was turned off.

This is a tough ride when the weather's perfect. Add heat and it's downright brutal. Good job to all for surviving.

On long rides with uncertain water sources, I'll carry a Sweetwater Guardian filter. The last place I remember using it was a Reed Spring in South Fork Canyon--anyone else know where that is?

There's a spring up the hill from the Mt. Lowe campground. It's next to the old water tank once used in the Alpine Tavern. I've never drank from it, but there's no question that iodine tablets or a water filter would be mandatory.

Again, good job surviving!

[Pain Freak]

Originally Posted by Sewellymon

kudos, but you guys are nuts. front range + 100F+ mid day??

was a perfect 85F feeling like 75F in the PM at 5,500' Saturday late afternoon. Cooled to the 70's at dusk. More my speed...

p.s.- any of you guys ride this thing in the early 90's? B4 the floods made the stream bottom extra rocky? you would pretty much ride from Oakwilde down to JPL without a dab. I was younger then (sigh) and would time-trail the whole loop in under 4 hours. .. (which means there were guys who could likely have done it in about 3 hours?

Man, that would be kick ass fast. I love the place to much to rush through it.

No I wasn't riding bikes at that time, just moto's. I've talked to a few of the old timers from the area that tell of how it used to be. It sounds like the forestry service goes in and recuts the trail about every 10 to 20 years. After the big floods a few years back I've seen the transformation and it was total reconstruction. Very few parts of the trail were left unchanged. But there was good and bad. A lot more technical riding, but some real serious exposure in some places too. All things considered it's still a world class trail to me. We did notice lots more rocks in the trail and the skill level is going up. The waterfall section is getting a little easier too, but above it the rocks are many and all lose that requires some finesse.

And the water is on at Redbox and the mini museum was open selling water and gatorade.

[VTVic]

Originally Posted by JoeTruth

Vic, that's scary, dude. I try and stay off the bike when it's this hot. Aside from the obvious reasons, when it goes above 95, I don't do so good out and about and the only thing that sounds good is some salty, fresh or chlorinated H2O in massive volumes. Come to to think of it, I don't do so good, period! As Mike calls me now, I'm the "Ol Mr. Truth". LOL!

That's a great loop with an awesome reward but it does have a fair amount of climbing involved. I don't know how you guys did it in the brutal heat but hats off to you all for thinking of it, let alone actually doing it. Vic, I'm glad you're relatively okay, after the fact. The combination of the heat and not drinking water could have fatal results. I know you know better but now, you know ever better! Hope you're recovered and are feeling better. Take care, bro.

BTW, nice RR. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Joe. Yeah! It was very scary. All I kept thinking about coming home to a nice cold shower...this is the worse I've felt ever and it has definitely thought me a lesson. I too don't do well in the heat and I should have stayed in, or as I said, done a shorter ride. Props to Mike and all of you lizards that thrive in the heat. When I got to the parking lot there were only about 4 cars totals. Guess I wasn't the only dumb @ss out there that day

[xhuskr]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

This one turned out to be only 35 miles but it was a lot of work for the guys having heat issues.

Mike...I guess only a true pain freak would think 35 miles ins this heat is a 'short ride'.

VTVIC...glad everyone's OK...a guy I rode with at the oaks lost all his water on the 2nd B....the heat got him.....he was dizzy and turned back. You won't see him (or me) doing that kind of ride with Mike!

[airgabe]

It was my idea for this loop Then cosmic RAy invites himselfThen Vic calls to join in with Bernie..,,, Here is my reasoning.....Mike thrives in the heat and he said he wanted a ride of atleast 30 miles and we had not done this loop in 4 years I wanted to redeem myself from last week and Mike was eager to hit the trail.. I carried 164 ounces and plenty of food...I was fine with the heat for the first 16 miles I did shower at Red Box and Mike did drink a garorade.. 2nd mistake we all choose not to fully refill our camebacks due to the bland taste of the H20 and Mike stating it was all downhill from here. I openly said I would jump into the stream and I noticed several signs in all of us becoming dehydratedRay was slower than usuaL!!!Mike was tentative on narrow sections and he was quiet Vic was in a zone (twilight) going fast and clearing. Then after I waited for Ray and I peed Coffee color quart into the scrub I reached Vic on the fence near the Dam. He just waved me on and said he would wait for Ray I then was hallucinating in the exposure and heat of the Dam area. Then I saw Mike in the stream (The Shire?), did the heat get to him I was bonking so I joined him and ten mins later Vic and Ray joined us... We chilled in the stream and then cruised to safety in the JPL parking lot,,,

[Rossage]

The trail from Switzers to JPL was my first mtb ride ever-back in 1987. We bribed my brother (with a 12 pack) to shuttle us up there, asked a ranger the way and down the trail we went. I was on a 1986 Stumpjumper with no suspension, cantilever brakes, and friction thumb shifters.
Our back packs were full of beer, and some water, our heads were full of weed and we definately didn't have helmets. I dont know how we survived. My buddy was drinking out of the stream by the end!
We emerged at JPL some 6 hours later, covered in dust and blood and swore that that was the most fun we had ever had.
I love that ride. Great ride report-a true San Gabes epic.

[VTVic]

Originally Posted by Rossage

The trail from Switzers to JPL was my first mtb ride ever-back in 1987. We bribed my brother (with a 12 pack) to shuttle us up there, asked a ranger the way and down the trail we went. I was on a 1986 Stumpjumper with no suspension, cantilever brakes, and friction thumb shifters.
Our back packs were full of beer, and some water, our heads were full of weed and we definately didn't have helmets. I dont know how we survived. My buddy was drinking out of the stream by the end!
We emerged at JPL some 6 hours later, covered in dust and blood and swore that that was the most fun we had ever had.
I love that ride. Great ride report-a true San Gabes epic.

That sounds very funny. Thanks for sharing your story.