Well, I just got back from riding. Mostly road. I went up Lytle Creek road, over the freeway on Duncan Cyn. Up Duncan Cyn to the dirt road (1st on left going north) and went up the dirt road and took it up to the fireroad that parallels the powerlines. Then, I went west, crossed over to the Panorama houses. I was looking to go up the singletrack somewhere up there. Couldn't find it. Well, that's half true. I found a singletrack that goes right the f*ck up the face of a hill. I rode a little ways up, then pushed my bike up the first hump, then pushed halfway up the second hump before I thought, "Just what in God's name am I doing? I'm just gonna have to walk back down this!" I looked and thought, "Hey, this doesn't look *that* steep."
Famous last words.
I got on the bike, nosed it toward the slope, and hung my butt over the back wheel. I started down, skidding my back wheel (hey, Dirttorpedo, those brakes werk gud!) and started to ease off the brake, picking up speed a little, got to the lip of the first hump and hesitated, then went over that too. I slid and skidded but made my way down. So there, I thought.
I went across the street to the Panorama houses. Google Earth shows another singletrack over there. Looking closely at the map, it looks like it goes over the hills to "Grapevine Canyon" and "Texas Hill" in the Lytle Creek area. I couldn't get over there because of the construction of the new $1M houses. I went around the south side, down a fireroad, around a big chainlink fence I'm sure they didn't want me around, and toured down the fireroad, noting the "Private Property - No Trespassing" signs as I went. Sigh. Why won't they just let us ride?
Anywho, I eventually made my way over to a fireroad that joined back up with the pavement. I took a horsetrail along the back of the "Brentwood" houses and paralleled San Sevaine Ave down to Wilson/Summit. Then, back to my house. 16.1 miles total. Fun! Not as fun as Marshall, exactly, but better than a poke in the eye with a hot, sharp, mite-ridden stick.:bang:
Next week fer shure.
Bottom line: I had visions of my front wheel bouncing off a rut or something and me going flying and rolling down the hill without the bike. Or worse, with on top of me.
rotest:
