My Lucky Day

[Wrecker]

I recently (last week) started a training program. My goal:
8 hour of Idyllwild in September (for fun), then complete the Vision
Quest, with a bit of time cut off from this year. So, I now have a
strict schedule of what I ride each day. Today was my recovery day,
about an hour of mtn biking on relatively flat terrain.

Flat terrain? Where can I find that? Well, I thought, the end of
Whiting Ranch is just perfect. I could ride from John's house
(corner of El Toro/Portola), enter off of Portola, ride the fire
road up and loop around the last single track. What could be more
perfect than that? Being that this is a recovery ride, with
standard low Hr, I didn't think to post, as who would be
interested?!?!

Entering into the park, I saw the typical mtn lion sighting sign;
the last sightings were 6/12 and 6/16. I thought, hmm, 6/16 seems
recent (not having worked for the past 5 days, I lost track of the
date). But, there have been more sightings around and we all know
there is plenty of food (lately, I have seen no less than 6 deer in
Whiting on each of my rides).

I started thinking...if I was a mtn lion, I don't think I'd want to
eat me...just to be sure, I wasn't going to stop anywhere and I said
a little prayer. I glanced over to the single track I was to ride
and was reminded of its beauty with the glowing streams of sunlight
dancing across the serene, empty trail--one of my favorite
singletracks, for that very reason, and why I usually ride it on weekdays instead of the weekend.

A few minutes into my ride, I came across the entrance to the single
track. For the first time on my short ride, I wasn't alone. There
was a ranger truck blocking the fire road that I had just riden up,
along with another mtn biker sitting next to her. I pulled out my
earphones as I slid between the truck and entrance, "everything
okay?"

The ranger looked over and said, "nope, there's a mtn lion with a
fresh kill over there. I just flushed him out from the trail (she
pointed behind her--the trail I had just gone up), and he headed up
to the singletrack. He has a male deer up on the ridge, on top of
the trail. So, I don't advise that either of you head that way".

I quickly made friends with the other mtn biker, then John and I
headed out Line Shack. His bear bell rang out as we climbed; we
both hoped that would clear our path, as we rode up a few more hills
than either of us had planned on. I consider both of us lucky for
ending that ride and having the priveledge of calling it
uneventful.

So, I'm proposing a "someone has a case of the Mondays" ride,
perfect for beginners, those with little/no experience riding, and
those recovering from the weekend, or just wanting to work on
skills. It's even perfect if you want to get a quick ride in before
work (you guys know who you are)

Monday mornings (time: am, exact time TBD upon interest)


Only about an hour ride on primarily flat (probably Whiting or
Aliso, top of El Moro ridge), with plenty of opportunity to practice
skills and redo lines, etc.

Another idea is to make it a Monday bruncheon (a take on the old
Fred Rides). Everyone brings a snack to share, ride at Aliso, up
Cholla, brunch at the top of Lynx (on the rock) and ride down/out.

Again, depends on what you guys tell me you'd like to do

If anyone is interested, let me know

[OMR]

Originally Posted by Wrecker

I started thinking...if I was a mtn lion, I don't think I'd want to
eat me...just to be sure, I wasn't going to stop anywhere and I said
a little prayer.

Rach,

I don't think that mountain lion would want a bite of you.... you're wayyyy too tough... and I mean that in a good way! Glad to hear Mr. Ranger was on the job warning people. We sometimes forget tht we are strangers in a strange land.... just pass'n through.

And sure would be fun to start up those Fred rides again.... Andy are you listening?

OMR

[genusmtbkr5]

I'd be in for a Monday morning ride. Any of the parks mentioned would be fine.

[J_Sims]

Mountain Munchies in Aliso Woods Last week

[allison]

nice! We saw one of them on the beach over the weekend

[surlygal]

I'd be really interested in doing a ride on Monday Mornings - I fall in the beginning to no skills at all group (just ask Nam)

[Wrecker]

I'll post a ride; any preferences on trails?? I have to drive either way, so it doesn't matter to me--and there are lions at all the parks, so we just need to be prepared not scared (to steal away the Trail Angel logo).