BikeThePlanet
Active Member
Sorry no pics.
I haven't been out to Tijera's in almost a year. Word was that it took a beating in the storms. I haevn't heard anything on it, it has been 5-6 months since the storms, so I decided to go see what's what.
I started at the top of O'neil at Los Flores. I got a head's up as I was getting ready that my usual route (dropping down off of Antonio below the water tank and crossing the creek bed) was gone and that I'd have to take some horse trails behing the high school. I eventually found the spot and was blindsided with some climbing up to a ridge. I don't know what it was called, but I was not expecting the early climb.
Once on the ridge it was nice and quite, not a soul around. It looked like fire road/double track that had grown into single track and has little rough and rutted on the rigid in parts. I dropped down into familiar territory, right before going under Antonio before hitting the baseball field and golf course. I could see where my usual route was no more.
After going under the road, this part of the trail was beautiful. Beautiful single track with some sections rerouted through the trees. I was loving it. Dropped into Waterworks and had a blast. The kids have been busy building some gnasty jumps down there.
Then the bushwhacking began. Good thing I was on a 29er. I crossed the creek starting the backside of Tijeras and the trouble (aka fun) began. Essentially, the old trail (connecting to the Jungle and even the Jungle itself) is gone. People have weaved together a new trail of sorts for the most part, but you are still bushwhacking. It is like being in the backcountry on an undiscovered trail. The 29ers were eating up the sand, multi-water crossings, and rock galore. I lost the trail and had to explore in parts. It was a blast.
The jungle is gone, but still fun. The rest is the usual boring fire road back to O'neil. The last bit of all rocks seems way worse or maybe it was just that I was tired after two hours of riding and the fully rigid was beating me to death. It seemed like endless rocks just wearing out my arms, shoulders, and back. I suggest cutting through O'neil and taking the road at the end. There really is no crossing the riverbed.
I think next time I might go in reverse and get the bumpy rocks out if the way when I am fresh. Overall, it was great bushwhacking like and explorer on an undiscovered trail.
I haven't been out to Tijera's in almost a year. Word was that it took a beating in the storms. I haevn't heard anything on it, it has been 5-6 months since the storms, so I decided to go see what's what.
I started at the top of O'neil at Los Flores. I got a head's up as I was getting ready that my usual route (dropping down off of Antonio below the water tank and crossing the creek bed) was gone and that I'd have to take some horse trails behing the high school. I eventually found the spot and was blindsided with some climbing up to a ridge. I don't know what it was called, but I was not expecting the early climb.
Once on the ridge it was nice and quite, not a soul around. It looked like fire road/double track that had grown into single track and has little rough and rutted on the rigid in parts. I dropped down into familiar territory, right before going under Antonio before hitting the baseball field and golf course. I could see where my usual route was no more.
After going under the road, this part of the trail was beautiful. Beautiful single track with some sections rerouted through the trees. I was loving it. Dropped into Waterworks and had a blast. The kids have been busy building some gnasty jumps down there.
Then the bushwhacking began. Good thing I was on a 29er. I crossed the creek starting the backside of Tijeras and the trouble (aka fun) began. Essentially, the old trail (connecting to the Jungle and even the Jungle itself) is gone. People have weaved together a new trail of sorts for the most part, but you are still bushwhacking. It is like being in the backcountry on an undiscovered trail. The 29ers were eating up the sand, multi-water crossings, and rock galore. I lost the trail and had to explore in parts. It was a blast.
The jungle is gone, but still fun. The rest is the usual boring fire road back to O'neil. The last bit of all rocks seems way worse or maybe it was just that I was tired after two hours of riding and the fully rigid was beating me to death. It seemed like endless rocks just wearing out my arms, shoulders, and back. I suggest cutting through O'neil and taking the road at the end. There really is no crossing the riverbed.
I think next time I might go in reverse and get the bumpy rocks out if the way when I am fresh. Overall, it was great bushwhacking like and explorer on an undiscovered trail.