backbone conditions?

[TheFlyingM]

hey all, new member here. has anyone ridden the backbone to will rogers lately? i haven't ridden it in ages and was wondering if it was overgrown or what.

mike

[ShinKen]

Never been there!! where is it at?

[TheFlyingM]

you mean you've never ridden the backbone???? just kidding, it's actually pretty far out of the way for people who live in orange county. it's a singletrack in the santa monicas. it runs from about hub junction down the ridge to will rogers state park in brentwood. it's pretty sweet, seeing as it's pretty much all downhill, plus the lower section has switchbacks and some nice water bars to jump. but it does have the tendency to get overgrown easily and last time i went i saw poison oak. this may be one of my favorite trails...but it's not favorite enough to deal with PO afterwards!

[singleSSpeedster]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingM

hey all, new member here. has anyone ridden the backbone to will rogers lately? i haven't ridden it in ages and was wondering if it was overgrown or what.

mike

i haven't ridin' backbone for about 1 month. i hope to be out there sun.

last time i rode it, it was nice. the brush was slightly getting over the trail in some places. also, some tree branches were hanging abit low.

i usually ride the section from the near the hub to will rogers.

Jose...you never heard of backbone??? when you are ready for 6 miles of fun singletrack, let me know.

[ShinKen]

Originally Posted by singleSSpeedster

Jose...you never heard of backbone??? when you are ready for 6 miles of fun singletrack, let me know.

well, do I need suspension for this crazy trail or is it too tuff for the 29er? maybe next week? make a tread to get some monkeys in?.

[royta]

Originally Posted by TheFlyingM

you mean you've never ridden the backbone???? just kidding, it's actually pretty far out of the way for people who live in orange county. it's a singletrack in the santa monicas. it runs from about hub junction down the ridge to will rogers state park in brentwood. it's pretty sweet, seeing as it's pretty much all downhill, plus the lower section has switchbacks and some nice water bars to jump. but it does have the tendency to get overgrown easily and last time i went i saw poison oak. this may be one of my favorite trails...but it's not favorite enough to deal with PO afterwards!

Is the PO so bad that there is no avoiding it unless you get off your bike? Or is the PO just tucked away off the trail? My sister & her husband live in Santa Monica, and I've been meaning to go up there for a ride with him. I'm now rather PO shy after the last 2 1/2 weeks of misery, but if it's not actually bordering the trail, than I'm good with it.

[singleSSpeedster]

Jose...like I said, I will most likely ride there sun, early am. maybe start at 7 am.

i have done backbone many times on a rigid/fixed gear bike....not a problem....pure fun if you ask me.

i would be up for a ride there next weekend as well.

the loop i/we do is about 25 mile with about 4500 ft of climbing. really only one big climb (up sullivan fireroad). there is another medium climb (hear the hub) and small, short climbs that are steep. it usually takes me about 2:30-3 hours if i am riding alone. abit longer with a group.

great ride....probably one of my favs.

Roy....i highly doubt you would do a head first slide into PO again....what would be the odds of that???

[royta]

Originally Posted by singleSSpeedster

Roy....i highly doubt you would do a head first slide into PO again....what would be the odds of that???

Oh man, I hope the odds are EXTREMELY high. Or is that low? Whatever, I just hope it never happens again. I do truly wish that whole thing could have been captured on video. It would have brought pure entertainment for years.

[LBmtb]

Did you buy ivyBlock yet?

[royta]

Nah man, that stuff is for pu, uh, wimps! I don't think I'm any more allergic to the stuff than the next guy. I don't get any swelling, or anything crazy like that. I'm thinking I got just the amount of blisters anybody else who makes love to a poison oak bush would get.

[royta]

Originally Posted by royta

Is the PO so bad that there is no avoiding it unless you get off your bike? Or is the PO just tucked away off the trail? My sister & her husband live in Santa Monica, and I've been meaning to go up there for a ride with him. I'm now rather PO shy after the last 2 1/2 weeks of misery, but if it's not actually bordering the trail, than I'm good with it.

OK, so what's the story here? Nobody answered my question.

[snailbike]

Rode backbone up from will rogers yesterday. Very fun but extremely overgrown. Could not even see the trail in front of my wheel in some places. Saw no poison oak but not looking that close - not itching now. One bee sting though.

[JimN]

Originally Posted by royta

OK, so what's the story here? Nobody answered my question.

The trail is rather overgrown right now, but there's really only one short section where the PO thrives. It's about half-way down, just before you reach the big oak tree. The PO is completely avoidable, as long as you slow down and carefully pick your way through that one section of trail.

[singleSSpeedster]

did a long ride this past sun., june 11th.

backbone was the "dessert", a nice st decent to finish a LONG ride.

there were sections that were overgrown, the brush was over the trail. and, other sections where branches were hanging low.

still was able to "blast" thru it all with no PO infection.

plan to ride there again next sat.

[dirttorpeedo]

Originally Posted by singleSSpeedster

did a long ride this past sun., june 11th.

backbone was the "dessert", a nice st decent to finish a LONG ride.

there were sections that were overgrown, the brush was over the trail. and, other sections where branches were hanging low.

still was able to "blast" thru it all with no PO infection.

plan to ride there again next sat.

hey ss did we not do this with armondo ,fo,outlaw and?.... a few months ago? jose this is an aa$$ kicken ride dood, do it if you get the chance.

[singleSSpeedster]

Originally Posted by dirttorpeedo

hey ss did we not do this with armondo ,fo,outlaw and?.... a few months ago? jose this is an aa$$ kicken ride dood, do it if you get the chance.

yup....it is the last st we took from the hub. absolutely b!tchen'. it was that last 6-7 miles of st where foshizzle was suffering from massive menstrual cramps

[snailbike]

Big thanks to the crew that did the weed control this week on wiil rogers
Still overgrown on upper trail in places so be ready.