Maple Springs

[DeadlyStryker]

i need some info on the acutaul ride, how much of a climb is it? how many miles is it? is it easy/hard/medium? can a noob keep up?

[JamR]

Originally Posted by DeadlyStryker

i need some info on the acutaul ride, how much of a climb is it? how many miles is it? is it easy/hard/medium? can a noob keep up?

The ride three miles of paved road and water crossings, then 4 miles of granite fire road to Main Divide. All an easy to moderate climb with great views.

You can turn around there for a super fast coast back to the car, or

Go left at Main Divide for a mostly downhill coast to Motorway, then turn left at Motorway for a 3 mile singletrack downhill blast, or

Go right on Main Divide to the top of the peak at the radio towers (another 5 mile climb)

So basically you can do a 14 miler - 7 up and 7 down, or

16 miler - 7 up and 9 down, or

24 miler - 12 up and 12 down.

They are all great rides.

I'll post the weather at 7:00 am, but I pretty much plan on riding unless it's a complete deluge.

[badfishgood]

I would TOTALLY join y'all... but I got called in tomorrow...

"Ummm yeeeah, we're gunna need you to come in tomorrow... uuuh huuuh yeeeeaahhh that's a full day, mmmmmkaay? "

FAAAAACK.
* *

Have fun and bring lots of garbage bags for your post ride clothing
containment

[LBmtb]

Regular long sleeved jersey's are ok to wear in the rain, right?

Should be good times

[LBmtb]

Crap . . . . alarm is set wrong and woke me up an hour early. Was raining HARD here in long beach a few minutes ago but seems to be calming down now.

Here's an update on what weather.com says for the ride:

[JamR]

Originally Posted by LBmtb

Crap . . . . alarm is set wrong and woke me up an hour early. Was raining HARD here in long beach a few minutes ago but seems to be calming down now.

Here's an update on what weather.com says for the ride:

It's 6:12 and not raining in San Juan right not. It seems to only rain in 10 minute spurts. Only had 4 or 5 short rains overnight.

I think it's safe to say that it's going to rain on us. It's just a crap shoot on how much.

Accuweather.com shows a dry period around 9:00 am and a couple sunny hours early afternoon.

I'm heading out around 7:20 to the trail head to get there around 8:00 to 8:15 after my coffee stop.

I figure I could either take a shower or ride.............either way I'lll get wet

[LBmtb]

Originally Posted by JamR

I figure I could either take a shower or ride.............either way I'lll get wet

I found an 'emergency poncho' I got at target that might work good for today.

[JamR]

Originally Posted by LBmtb

*

I found an 'emergency poncho' I got at target that might work good for today. *

It's 6:45 and still not raining in San Juan......

I'm getting dressed and heading to Starbucks for my caffeen fix before the ride.

I'll be at the trail head by 8:15 at the latest. Should be a fun ride.

[moochy]

Allright i'll be out there by 815 also...Those thumder warnings aren't to encouraging though...especially being on top of a mountain on a metal bike...maybe thats just me worrying though

I drive a black camaro and ride a red and white specialized

[LBmtb]

I'm in cypress now at alan's (bikinglawyer) house and it's coming down hard here. We're second guessing going now. If we're not there by 8.30 go ahead without us.

my cell: 562.208.1051

[LBmtb]

7.51 and we're gonna head out there. wait for us!

[ECOdork]

Noticed the rain when I got out of bed...I have been outside during my share of torrential downpours complete with nearby lighting and flash flooding of ephemeral streams, so I think I'll sit this one out....

But I hope you all had fun! How was the ride?!?!?! Did a lot of you go?
Please give us a report after you dry out!

[DeadlyStryker]

damnit! i woke up at 5:45 this morning(on accident) and it was thunder/lightning and crap so i didnt go :'( now the sun is out!

[LBmtb]

Originally Posted by DeadlyStryker

damnit! i woke up at 5:45 this morning(on accident) and it was thunder/lightning and crap so i didnt go :'( now the sun is out!

Be glad you didn't come. I'll talk to you on aim about it.

One thing I can say . . . I'll never forget today!

[JamR]

That was some interesting mountain biking/surfing this morning.

Three bikes lost to the fast water.

Be very careful out there. Things can change at the drop of a hat when there's that much water coming down from the rains at the top of saddleback.

On water crossing that was only 10 feet across when we went up was over thirty feet across when we came back.

Hopefully the bikes will remain hung up in the stream until the water recedes. We know where all three bikes are.

We watched my bike for over a half mile being bounced off rocks until it finally became lodged underwater with only one wheel showing, but it was down an embankment around 30 feet or so, and the water was incredibly fast.

Moochies bike ended up stacked right up against mine, so they will probably be there later.

When we got back to the final stream crossing, we found another bike on the bank, and assumed some biker had died in some very high water, so I decided to at least try to recover the bike and turn it over to the Ranger Station. I tried to get it across the stream, but lost another battle with the rushing water.

Found out later it was Alan's bike....he left it to recover later.......Sorry Alan.

We should assemble a search party for the three bikes when the water recedes.

All in all, a very interesting mountain biking adventure.

I wonder what we can do next time to top this.

[TURNERob]

You've got to be kidding, that is crazy! I'd be shitting my pants if I saw my bike being swept away bouncing off rocks.....then consider myself lucky that it wasn't me being swept away. Glad to hear you guys are ok.

[DeadlyStryker]

call me up when u guys go, ill definatly help look! 714-458-4584

[LBmtb]

Ya . . . very interesting indeed. Cold morning and pouring rain. Alan and I got there late and saw dell, adam, and mikes cars already there.

The first crossing was difficult and we didnt even attempt the second, had to go back down to the first one again but it was higher and stronger then before.

Tried to toss the bike over and then crawl on a log that had fallen across the stream. Tossed the wheels over ok but the frame fell just short and into the water and was heading downstream towards that same log. Looked to the side and saw the fork sticking out before the log ( and lodged on something) and I scampered across the log as quickly as I could without falling into the rapids. Got over and got the bike out ok. Alan waited a bit but the water was rising. He tried to toss the wheels over too but the back one couldnt come off (singlespeed) so he decided to leave it there instead of risking throwing it short like me. He slowly but surely got across the log safely.

Got to the parking lot and saw their cars still there. Thought we should give them a bit of time before calling search and rescue. Thankfully they showed up, three of them with only one bike.

Those are cliff notes, ask us anytime about it. Dell, Adam's and Mike's stories are crazier then what I went through. I'm sure none of us will forget about this for a loooooooong time.

NO WAY!?!?!??! Dude, that is nuts! Someone post more about this incident. Anyone planning to ride tomorrow?

[ECOdork]

Damn guys, sorry to hear that things went so rough!
There were a few particualrly nasty storm cells that just dumped...I could only imagine what it was like up there....
Glad that everyone is OK and drying out. The bikes are replacable but you aren't!