Ride Report Inspiration Point - San Gabes

I rode out there with Mark (abuck55) today. Man, that route is quickly turning into one of my favorites.

http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=19292
http://www.strava.com/activities/87360601

The winds blew out all the usual crap in the air...and dried it out. I was having a small amount of difficulty with the dryness at one point. Great views from the ruins at the top of lower Merrill:




Lots of hikers on lower Merrill, as well as Sunset & El Prieto...to be expected. Most were cool as we rode by, saying hello and such. We came upon a couple ladies on lower Sunset that had been surprised by another rider ahead of us and were obviously upset. The other rider was stopped there for a moment. I talked with them for a minute and apologized for the way the encounter went (even tho neither Mark nor myself were there for it). We each had bells on, but the rider ahead of us apparently didn't. He went on ahead and didn't seem to want to talk or apologize to the ladies (or if he did, I missed it). Point I want to make is: use a bell on trails where you know you'll encounter others. Mark and I have received lots of compliments and thanks for using them out there, and it's so easy.

Moving on...

We had been hitting the downs pretty well, and we both felt energized coming into El P. So of course that's where I get stupid and lose it around a sandy switchback. It's looser and steeper than it looks. I was able to lay the bike down, unclip, and start turning so my momentum didn't result in a face-plant. Except that down tree you see stopped me sooner than I wanted to...right on the sacrum. Oh well. As I told Mark, it could have been worse.



Great riding today. Just thought I'd share and spread a small PSA.

 

Great RR Pat!

That route is such a blast. Maybe more so on a weekday. Climbing the merrills next to hikers is the most challenging part of the ride. Maybe ill go for a visit tomorrow.

 

OK Pat, time to take it easy; only two weeks before we hit Kernville....don't want anyone getting injured before then...we have some fun riding to do.

Thx for the RR and pics!!

 

Haha Thanks Roxy - yep, I gotta keep that in mind.

The hikers really weren't much of an issue. Yes, we saw a lot of them while climbing lower Merrill, but they were cool and let us pass when it was safe. I had more trouble with those switchbacks going up than anything.

 

The switchbacks at ELP are real sandy now a days. Still super fun!

 

Had a great time yesterday Pat!
Great "RR"! How is the I.T. band?
We should ride it at least once a month.

 

Totally agree about making this one a regular route. I think I still gotta vote for middle Merrill as my fav, but that route has more pay-off for the climbing than just about anything else I can think of.

IT band is fine - it and I have an understanding. Hips are hurting tho. I'll be 100% in a day or so, but that impact on my sacrum was harder than I thought at first.

 

BTW - rain this week! (Oh please oh please oh please) Kinda hope we get a good soak, but it may not be much.

 

I want in on this monthly San Gabes ride!!

Keep me posted...

 

Yes. Bring rain!! Lots of it!!

 

Kev,
Would love to ride w/ you again! Will do.

 

Gotta go there again! Thx pat and mark!

 

I love Lower Merrill, thats where 2 years ago, at the top, I gave up drinking beer. A glass of wine once in a while but no more beer. It was getting out of control to the point IPA stood for I Piss Alcohol. I drank after almost every ride, drank a beer for dinner, during sports events, after work, every day on the weekends, at all BBQ's, relatives get togethers, post hikes, in the spa, pool, Las Vegas trips, B ball games and even after seeing a movie.. The recycle trash bin out back sounded like some bar's trash can. "Kink!"

 

Good RR, I was up above Marshall Canyon today the smog was sitting in the IE, must have blew in from your POV. Im a climber now so Ill be wanting to join to.

 

Thanks! I'll post in the Trailhead section when we can get organized. I wouldn't want to take a big group tho, for several reasons...the most obvious is crowded lower trails.