Palm cnyn #2 Jan 14

[RidetheRAAM4]

Ride was great. 30 miles. NO SAND! We took 2 detours to bypass the sandy spots. Made it out with only 2 flats, both flats were tubless guys with stans. Didn't get to ride up Dunn road to hahn buena vista, that would have probably put us at a 36-37 mile ride. We need an earlier start time for that. Ended with the awesome cindy whitehead trail. Still some of the best singletrack around

[CalEpic]

Have you ever heard that saying - It was colder than a witch's t1t in a brass bra? Well that's how cold it was when we started up top. We were riding through snow on the north facing slopes - Pretty cool. Literally.

We had 7 of us on this ride. Mark - Outlaw, Tom the bomb, another Tom, Chris - Ride the RAAM, Oscar, Roger and myself.

This is truly an Epic all singletrack ride that will take all day even in a perfect scenario. I'm bummed we didn't get to complete the ride with Hahn Buena Vista but it was still great. This is with no stragglers either. We maintained a decent pace without excessive stops. Daylight is at a premium this time of year. Next time, we won't goof around as much at the start. I think we must have wasted 45 minutes to an hour getting our act together.

Prior to the ride I was concerned about how much time would be wasted fixing flats (there is a ton of cactus and thorns on this ride) and encouraged everyone on it to go the Stan's route, Slime tubes, etc. Strangely enough the only flat victims were Oscar and Tom - both running Stans when they cut tires on rocks.

I can't wait to do this again.

C

[Tom Cosgrove]

RR: All arrived at the Imax at 8:15, Tom the bomb, Calepic, Outlaw, T2, Rompin roger, Ride the raam and Og. Problem was it was 42 degrees and no one was moving too fast. Potty runs to jack in the box and b\s didn' get us on the trail till 10.

3 layers and a wind breaker, 35 degrees at the top and we were ready to rock.
Zoom we hit the pinion trail zippin and zangin for 5 miles of rollin fast s/t.....

We dropped in to the canyon and bam, face to face with Mr. Longhorn staring us down. Everyone in the back seemed real brave, " throw rocks (roger), yell, make bull sounds (og) until the guys in the front went to the back and hid behind the guys in the back, (me, Chris, Craig)!!!! So we just shut up and let the angus beef mozzy on past us and off ourrrrrr traillllll!!!!!!

We are off and running again, great tech climbs and decents, I could ride this trail every weekend .
Whamm shhhhhhhhhhhhh, Og blows a tire, stans tubeless and all. Break time and repair.

Finally ready and back to the s/t. We bob and weave up and down through the desert for about and hour more and whamm shsssssssss I blow a tire on the rocks, pssr! After about 10 min of trying to get stans to seal, Graig pulls out some superglue, that sealed the hole but still had a leak in the bead for some reason, pumped it up and hoped it would seal. 2 more stop and pumps to no avail over the next 2-3 miles. Out comes the stans in go the tube and away we go.

Craig hit his boulder and went up and over and over the bars, disappearing behind the boulder with just his feet sticking up as he endoed, Damn I knew I should have video"d . So goes it again and cleans it.

Chris took us up to the wash and in about 1\4 mile and we found the s\t detour that took us around the hill that bypassed all the sand, ya baby . This trail was not only a detour but fun too, this is really the best route. Good job Chris.
5 hours on the trail we came to the Cindy Whitehead trail with 1.5 hrs of daylight left. Mileage was 24 at this time. Our plan was to climb up Dunn to the oasis go up Hans decend back to Cindy's and decend cindys, butttttt, we estimated that would add about 1.25 hrs just to get to Cindys again . Leaving another 30 min to do Cindy's and back to the car. So we elect to finish with Cindy's, pisssss.
So Down we go slippin and slidin through the switchys and scetchys to the bottom.

30 miles later, 6 hrs, 2 blowouts and a shiat load of fun and we are off to the Red Tomato for pizza and beer. Thats mountain biking!!!!

P.S. We still have't done the fulll loop ?
Click on the camera to view the albumn. 1-14-07.

[dstepper]

Nice RR's guys. When you guys get the route dailed in one of you should map it out with a GPS...I would like to have the tracklogs.

Craig at least that thorn is easy to find. I have some Cholla needles in a couple of tires that are eluding me.

How come no closeup pic of the cow?

Dean

[Tom Cosgrove]

We were as close as comfort would allow.

Originally Posted by dstepper

Nice RR's guys. When you guys get the route dailed in one of you should map it out with a GPS...I would like to have the tracklogs.

Craig at least that thorn is easy to find. I have some Cholla needles in a couple of tires that are eluding me.

How come no closeup pic of the cow?

Dean

[Pain Freak]

I can't believe Ride The Ram didn't Ride the Bull.

[roadkillross]

yeah i wouldnt fel comfortable gettin too close to something that big. especially if i had to ride away from it. lol looks fun

[guero]

excellent RR guys! i especially liked toms take on "Everyone in the back seemed real brave..." i can totally picture that happening.

who is that cal epic guy? he sounds familiar, did he used to ride in laguna?

[CalEpic]

Originally Posted by guero

who is that cal epic guy? he sounds familiar, did he used to ride in laguna?

Pot, meet kettle. I took my kids to Aliso on Sat does that count? I was bummed to miss your cherry popping SS voyage Sunday but I needed some miles under my belt. Next time.

C

[RidetheRAAM4]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Nice RR's guys. When you guys get the route dailed in one of you should map it out with a GPS...I would like to have the tracklogs.

Craig at least that thorn is easy to find. I have some Cholla needles in a couple of tires that are eluding me.

How come no closeup pic of the cow?

Dean

None of us have a GPS, guess you will have to come with us to get the route. We got the trail dialed, just not the whole loop because time hasn't allowed it

[Tom Cosgrove]

Looks like we are going back 1st weekend in Feb with cjwally.

[RidetheRAAM4]

Originally Posted by Tom Cosgrove

Looks like we are going back 1st weekend in Feb with cjwally.

that would be either the 3rd or the 4th. Count me in

[mcgrath]

Count me in too for that ride. Love the "pot meet kettle" remark. Classic. But seriously, are you too cool for school craiger?

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by mcgrath

Count me in too for that ride. Love the "pot meet kettle" remark. Classic. But seriously, are you too cool for school craiger?

Yeah seriously Craig Pat said he wouldn't do the rock roll on T&A unless you were there to witness it.

[guero]

That is true, I heard him say that. Even after I did it on my 29er, he still wouldnt do it. He said you and him made a "special pact".

[mcgrath]

Word. I wouldn't do that to a homey. So, Rob, are you down with this ride if we make it for Sunday?

I would ask Bret, but now with him SS'ing it..... Perhaps Robby can "rent the AS-X?"

[CalEpic]

I'm up for either T&A or Palm Canyon. I'm not sure which you're talking about. I am riding Push a Kona this Saturday but I'll ride local Sunday if that's what you mean. I won;t have the legs for Palm Canyon this weekend.

C

[TURNERob]

Originally Posted by mcgrath

Word. I wouldn't do that to a homey. So, Rob, are you down with this ride if we make it for Sunday?

I would ask Bret, but now with him SS'ing it..... Perhaps Robby can "rent the AS-X?"

30 miles on the AS-X eh? I'd like to see that one. I might be interested in this ride, but only if Craigger goes again.

[mcgrath]

Originally Posted by CalEpic

I'm up for either T&A or Palm Canyon. I'm not sure which you're talking about. I am riding Push a Kona this Saturday but I'll ride local Sunday if that's what you mean. I won;t have the legs for Palm Canyon this weekend.

C

I was talking about Palm Canyon, but not until the first week in February.

[guero]

to make things worse, now am i not only s/sing, but i have hockey games sunday night! you guys should come watch, bring road sodas to stay warm in there.