RR: LPQ'mute

[el_d00der1n0]

Or, how was your drive to work? :P

I was prepared for this last week, but Mrs. D00d was having a bad morning. So I decided today was the day to ride to work. Last night I contemplated which bike to take. I really would like to bring my SS to work, and I want to try out my new seat post, but Lopez Canyon is a bitch on the geared bike. I can't imagine riding up that on the SS. Pacific Heights Blvd. is pretty tough too. So I went with the geared bike. In total, it looks like it took about an hour. Probably about 800' of climbing that'll be repeated on the way home. The trip is probably about 10 miles. Somewhere around 70% on dirt. Probably 50% of that dirt is singletrack.

Start of the first singletrack. I believe this trail is called Eucalyptus. It starts just off of Carmel Country Rd.
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A pretty tight climb out. It's much steeper than it looks. There's a switchback right in the beginning too.
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Which way does the trail go? Actually, there's more trail to the right. I come from that direction if I climb up behind the apartments on Carmel Creek.
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This trail is rather straight in this shot, but I like the view, and it's hard to stop when you're having fun.
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This is the start of the Little Waimea trail. There's a video of it on emptybeer.
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Hai Thai
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So I'm cruising along getting ready to stop and take a pic of the Lopez Canyon climb that will complete the dirt portion of my commute. All around me bunnies have been bounding, and then all of the sudden, something leaps out of the bushes and attacks me. I start pedaling faster to get away from it. What could it be??? A bobcat???? A chupacabra???

Nah, just a really stabby thistle strewn thorn weed thing. It was in my cassette.

Attack of the thorn weed thing.
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More thorn weed thing.
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Lopez Canyon is a lot more fun going down. This climb hurts.
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[Solo]

and I thought it was going to be the chupacabra... there have been sightings in Tunnels you know.

Good on ya for biking to work, will this become a regular occurrence now?

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by Solo

and I thought it was going to be the chupacabra... there have been sightings in Tunnels you know.

Good on ya for biking to work, will this become a regular occurrence now?

i found a new tunnel monday, and the chupacabra was the least of my worries. i nailed my head on a very low branch...

i was doing it regularly before the kid came along. so far, i've done it twice this year. so, it depends on what you mean by regular...

[tkblazer]

thats sweet. nothin better than hittin some dirt before work... i'll be doing road miles

[Solo]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

i found a new tunnel monday, and the chupacabra was the least of my worries. i nailed my head on a very low branch...

Sweet, freshly cut or new find? From all the latest LPQ buzz, I guess we should be glad there are still trees at head level.

[SIK SD]

His doodness, you seem to be the one to ask this possibly?? I hit a tunnel the other day for the first time, don't know how to refer to it as i have not ridden with you but maybe you will know. It is the one that shoots you out into the meadow singletrack that leads straight to the horse ranch or up the drainage to Carmel Country Rd.

My question is:

Is there another way back to the tunnels out of that tunnel besides turning around and backtracking all the way back up it? Or is there a fork to change direction before you hit the meadow trail?

Not sure if any of that makes sense...

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by Solo

Sweet, freshly cut or new find? From all the latest LPQ buzz, I guess we should be glad there are still trees at head level.

I've run into a few trails lately that look like they're very fresh. Some are still pretty soft. There are new structures being built too. I've seen some gnarly drops and one bridge so far.

Originally Posted by SIK SD

His doodness, you seem to be the one to ask this possibly?? I hit a tunnel the other day for the first time, don't know how to refer to it as i have not ridden with you but maybe you will know. It is the one that shoots you out into the meadow singletrack that leads straight to the horse ranch or up the drainage to Carmel Country Rd.

My question is:

Is there another way back to the tunnels out of that tunnel besides turning around and backtracking all the way back up it? Or is there a fork to change direction before you hit the meadow trail?

Not sure if any of that makes sense...

i think this is the one i discovered monday. does it look like it's freshly made? still kinda silty like the old tunnel used to be when it was a little more "secret"?

it dumps you almost on the 56 right? near the migrant camps?

if this is the one you're talking about, i took a wrong turn monday and went strait uphill to the right of the exit of the tunnel. while pushing my ss up the hill, i saw two guys on the exact opposite side making their way up a zig zag that looked more ridable. not sure how to get there, but it seems turning left is the key.

[SIK SD]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

I've run into a few trails lately that look like they're very fresh. Some are still pretty soft. There are new structures being built too. I've seen some gnarly drops and one bridge so far.




i think this is the one i discovered monday. does it look like it's freshly made? still kinda silty like the old tunnel used to be when it was a little more "secret"?

it dumps you almost on the 56 right? near the migrant camps?

if this is the one you're talking about, i took a wrong turn monday and went strait uphill to the right of the exit of the tunnel. while pushing my ss up the hill, i saw two guys on the exact opposite side making their way up a zig zag that looked more ridable. not sure how to get there, but it seems turning left is the key.

Yup...that's the one...silty...super tight in sections...couple o fair size drops. Super fun except that it shoots you way the hell out there.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by SIK SD

Yup...that's the one...silty...super tight in sections...couple o fair size drops. Super fun except that it shoots you way the hell out there.

if i don't find a more agreeable way back, i'm thinking it could be part of a loop that starts at the bottom of carmel mtn and includes just that little bit of the 56 bike path back.

[PacMan]

That new Tunnel is alright, but the climb back up does suck.

[FatPossum]

Start of the first singletrack. I believe this trail is called Eucalyptus. It starts just off of Carmel Mt. Rd.

When you start at eucalyptus - where do you park? Are you headed towards sorrento valley in theses pictures? Could I start from carmel valley road and end up near the del sur exit of 56?

sorry for all of the questions, but I am mostly familiar with the canyojn and tunnels that are more near penasquitos.


thanks - FP

[BrewMaster]

Nice RR el d00d. I wish my commute to work involved single track.

[el_d00der1n0]

Originally Posted by FatPossum

When you start at eucalyptus - where do you park? Are you headed towards sorrento valley in theses pictures? Could I start from carmel valley road and end up near the del sur exit of 56?

i start from my house, but you could park at the dirt lot on carmel country road just south of the 56.

yes, i start from carmel valley near carmel creek and go through sorrento valley under the road then up lopez to mira mesa and down to carroll road.

if you start from carmel valley road, you'd need to ride the bike path up to carmel country and turn off on shaw valley road. to end up near del sur, you could take the new tunnel.