San Gab ride

[Pain Freak]

Today started with JPL to Sam Merril to Sunset and down to El prieto, here's my rr (sorry no pix as Santa won't be here for a few more weeks)

I got to the JPL lot at 7. The traffic going to the Rose Bowl was unbelieveable (USC vs UCLA). At about 7:30 I was starting to look around for someone. My phone rang and it was Henry telling me that both him and Tris were bailing. I thought, well, I'm here, might as well ride. Beats doing work around the casa. I rode over to Lake (and of course I took a wrong turn, but I did get some extra climbing miles in). Made it over in good time and started to climb Merrills. Since nobody else was along I just decided to take it a little slower and see how much I could clean. I got every switchback but one and I tried to do the step up, but crashed hard and got a boo-boo on my leg, but I cleaned a lot more then ever before. I went the entire way up without taking a break. But by the time I got to Mt Lowe, I was done. I took a little break here and I'd caught up with some guys that were doing a shuttle from the top. They were asking how I got up there so fast as I'd seen them in the parking lot and we left at the same time???? Hell, I don't know I guess you guys are slow dh'ers??? They asked if I'd like to join them and I did. We got to the top of Sunset and after a couple minutes break we decided to hit it. They were all on long travel bikes so I let them go thinking this may be the last time I see them. Nope. I gave the last guy a good 40 second head start and I was on top of him 3 minutes later, Then we caught his friends. We rode like this a while then one guy up front went OTB on a switchback and we had to stop and pull him back up. I then ended up front and I didn't see them again till they got to the turn off for Millard. We went down here and another guy went down on a smaller rocky part where the stream sometimes comes through. I walked here, but STJunkie always makes it. They followed me up to El P and I waited for them again as I wanted to have someone there in case of a problem. Again I was out front and in no time I was way ahead, but I was getting tired. I got to one little rocky climb that I've done a 100 times before and I guess I just took it for granted and I didn't have enough to get to the top. My back tire spun and I knew I was in trouble as I was right on the side of the cliff. I kind of balanced there for a few seconds trying to push myself back in towards the trail, but in the end it was to no avail. Over I went. Straight down and into the bushes/trees and sand. No real harm , just scared the shiat out of me. I was just managing to get back up to the trail when the DH'ers showed up. They looked over the side and were amazed I wasn't dead as it looked straight down. It was a real biatch getting back up though. We finished the ride together and all things considered it was real good ride. Total time was 3 hours.

Trail conditions were really easy. The dh'ers have cut some grooves into the switchbacks and all you have to do is keep peddeling and stay in the rut and it will do all the work for you. It looks like they've sanitized some of lower Merrill, but after some rain it should be back to a more difficult level.I was kind of let down that they smoothed over some of the difficult stuff as I was getting real close to making that second switchback and today it was cake, to easy. Overall the trail is really good though.

[dstepper]

Nice report Mike, glad you did not damage yourself...we have trailwork tomorrow. I also ended up climbing up to that dead end water tank the first time I rode Lower Merrill. That switchback near the top is tough, see 2nd pic. That loop gives alot of bang for the buck...see ya tomorrow.

Here I got ya covered for a couple of pics of Lower Sam Merrill.

[gurp13]

Dang, Mike! Don't fall off cliffs! Unless Tin is behind you with a helmet cam to immortalize it on YouTube, of course.

Glad you're okay. I'm ready to ride. Got my new tires on and everything. When are we meeting?

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by gurp13

Dang, Mike! Don't fall off cliffs! Unless Tin is behind you with a helmet cam to immortalize it on YouTube, of course.

Glad you're okay. I'm ready to ride. Got my new tires on and everything. When are we meeting?

I should be at Chantry Parking Lot at 9am.

[gurp13]

Cool. I'm carpooling with Mike. If I don't hear from him, I'm going to be at his house at 7am knocking on the door.

[Pain Freak]

Make it 7:30 mi amigo. Brian isn't going to be there till 8:30, so we would probably just end up waiting for him.
\
Middle picture is the step up that got me. I've seen a few make it, I just haven't develop the skill to do it yet. I got about as close as I ever had to day though.

[gurp13]

People ride UP that thing? I mean, besides stjunkie, who clearly as superpowers.

Any special advice for dealing with the wind tomorrow?

[Pain Freak]

Wind

Had little to none once I was up in the hills. Down here it was blowing like mad, but up there just a gentle breeze.

[gurp13]

I got new tires, so hopefully I can keep up a little bit better. Weirwolf up front and mutano raptor in the back.

[Pain Freak]

I've got Deans Weirwolf in the back and it's pretty grippy, but my Schwalbe Fat Albert was better. Still I paid 70 bucks for the Fat Albert and Dean says the Weirwolf was around 14 bucks.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

I've got Deans Weirwolf in the back and it's pretty grippy, but my Schwalbe Fat Albert was better. Still I paid 70 bucks for the Fat Albert and Dean says the Weirwolf was around 14 bucks.

My IRC Trailbears are $14 that Weirwolf was about $28. I do not like the Weirwolf on the back...It does make for a great front tire.

[Pain Freak]

Are the Trailbears 2.5's?

[Schecky]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Are the Trailbears 2.5's?

I think they have a 2.25 and a 2.5.
I ride a 2.25 in the back. Very durable and cheapo.

[dstepper]

Originally Posted by Pain Freak

Are the Trailbears 2.5's?

Yes same 2.5 front tire that Morgan was sporting when we saw him at Gooseberry. I have had that tire for two years seen many miles and still a ton of thread. Now my Nevagal...I will be lucky to get 500 miles out of it. Love that sticky rubber.

I have only found 2.5 Trailbears on line $19.95 at Price Point. They are the tallest tire I have ever used...will not clear many frames. On my 5-Spot it used to rub my front deralluer until I adusted the stop. The Trailbear is the old IRC Missle Downhill tire...lighter with thinner sidewalls.