Some of you have gotten
the chance to ride Lower Rock Creek near Mammoth.
Here is a vid that someone was nice enough to take and let you download.
It’s about 35 meg so let it download and watch it from your home
computer.
Lower
Rock Creek (Right Click to Save)
Bootleg Canyon Ride
Report
I went to
a convention two weeks ago (that's how busy I've been since then) in Las Vegas,
and naturally I took my bike with me. A web search turned up Bootleg
Canyon in Boulder City, about 20 miles south of LV. Thought i,d give it a
try for one of those solo, soul searching rides.
IT WAS AWESOME!!!
Very
desert type landscape, sagebrush, but few cactus; mostly rocky or gravelly
trailbed.
36 miles
of trail, with XC and 4 super downhill courses. Not being a downhiller, I
avoided these trails until later in the day. The Lakeview trails were
mostly 2-3 in technical, East Leg was 3-4 and Girl Scout was my favorite in the
downhill direction. Finally got up the nerve to try a downhill trail;
talked to some guys from Fresno about which one was the easiest, (Snakeback?)
and headed downhill. Used a lot of brake, rolled some fast
switchbacks, skipped the 6 foot drop, and then let 'er rip! Way cool!
I'll use some protection next time and ride all the downhillers. Park
entry is free, ride the shuttle all day for 15 bucks. I rode for 5 hours
and covered 60-70% of the trails.
Three
days later I rode Cottonwood Canyon west of LV on highway 160. One of the
original NORBA courses. Not as exciting as Bootleg, but again very
enjoyable in the downhill direction. When in Vegas, take the best ride
ever!
Helicopter
Jon
March 28
Ford Ord Race Report
Well I got spanked today, or at least it feels like I did. I accepted the course to be changed up again this time and it was. But when Rod said it will be 5 laps today I was kinda thrown for a loop. 5 laps!! are you try to kill us? This course is a little shorter so it will be 5 laps. Geeezzzzz!!
Standing at the start line I could tell that the level of competition had moved up a couple notches. Some new face this time and some old one's too. Looking at some of these guy's they just look fast just standing still. I looked behind me and there where quite a few more women this time too. In an SS race it is a true form of racing. It is a open class. Meaning anything form Pro/Expert riders to beginners. The race is not based on your age or any thing for that matter. Just show up with a single speed and join in on a wild ride. Not to mention much,much quieter. Sometimes you can not even hear the other guy coming or they can not here you coming up on them. It is so stealthy.
GO! and were off. This time for some reason everyone did a made sprint off the line to get there speed up fast. At this point I knew this group would be way hard to keep up with. Before I knew it they were gone.
On lap one I skidded out purity good around a way sandy corner. I have some nice strawberries on my left knee and left elbow. Have not went down like that in a long time. Changing the tires did help either. I put on some WTB Race Raptors to try them out. These tires are so coming off. I should have just left the Skidmarks on there, they worked a lot better at session#2 race. Skidding out like that messes with your concentration totally. Losing time you just have to look at the damage fast and just get on you bike and go! go! go!. Shake it off and get your game face back on fast.
Lap 5 so kicked my booty!, a little bit of cramping and a whole lot quad exploding pain. I made it 5 laps done, tongue hanging out in all. Man that was kinda brutal. If you want to know what place I got my number is Porsche ???.
Remember the French guy " Michelle" He told me he fixed his no tubes flats with CO2 on the trail. Ahhhha! But this time at this race he had a no tubes rear flat and DNFed. Oh! yeah this stuff keeps MTBers happy.
TFL
Joseph
March 27
Colette shares here cheesy ride pics at
Chesebro.
Ride Pics
March 23
The Del Puerto Canyon dot com boys made the Modesto Bee. http://www.modbee.com/local/story/8312984p-9154374c.html
Ride Reports
Oat Hill Mines Rd.
Photos are up from the Oat Hill Ride:
http://ogrehut.net/trails.php/Bay-North/OatHill?tv=1
5 showed up, Ogre, Jeff, Joseph, My Bro Kevin,
and friend Todd. We started
the climb at about 10:10 AM. We only did 15 miles... But they were tough
miles. The climb was a bit tougher than I remembered, 4 miles of moderately
technical climbing, about 1 mile of TOUGH technical climbing, and 1/4 mile
or so of pushing. Once at the top we did about 3-4 more miles out over some
very tricksy technical trails lot's of dabs all around. I rode
quite a bit
more than I did last time I came up.
Round Valley to Mnt. Diablo
Round Valley Sloggin’ with theTROGS- Roll
call Alex, Dave C., John P.,
Mad Max and self. Dave and I hit hit this place several times a tear to
train. It was a first for the others. Dave has been wanting to make it
to Mt. Diablo from Round Valley for along time. We got close today. We
did make into Mt. Diablo Park. , but not to the summit. At mile 13 we
had already climbed 3100ft and I was toast. But the hills were picture
postcard perfect. The sun was bright, all the grasses and trees green
and flowers blooming and vultures circling overhead, sometimes within a
few feet making sure I was still alive. Thanks to JP's broken
chain(sorry John), I was able to lie down in soft grass on top of the
world and take a sweet little nap. It was just what I needed. Shortly
after entering the Mt.D. park we got our downhill reward and I got to
see Mad Max in action. What an animal! Besides kicking our butts up
every hill, he’s not happy unless he’s doing 50mph down the hills. More
than once I saw him turn a 6” rock or berm into a launching ramp a land
40ft out. We opted for a 5 mile 1400’ paved climb back to the Morgan
Territory parking lot
where picked up the trail again for the final 7mile downhill sprint
home. Total tally, 25+ miles, 4800 ft climbing, 1/2 injuries(JP
knee/chain), Tubes 3/ NoTubes 2-no flats. We celebrated with some Fat
Tire Ales,. How do we keep getting the best rides ever?- Fred
March 20
Some Iron Angel Results we missed.
William Strand 2nd place 25-35 beginners,
Dave Brunetty 5th place ? Sport 25-35
March 19
Evidence of an old school Trog has been found.
March 15th
Erich's Race Report
So I finally did my first race!
Last night during a final tune up session, I discovered that my pivot bearings
were acting up again (crackling, creaking under pedal load), so I had to
disassemble my frame to clean them out. I also had a dragging disc brake that
would not seem to align. It turns out that the disc brake caliper itself was
rubbing, but it took me a while before I caught that. So anyway, I was up to
1:00 am figuring this stuff out, and cleaning the kitchen, which I promised my
wife I would do before going to bed.
On top of that, I got really crappy sleep. The kids these days, who no longer
'sideshow' on the weekends, have taken to motorcycles with straight pipes,
Harley style. All I could hear last night were kids cruising up and down
McArthur Blvd. Dang, those things are noisy.
So I drive down there and did the entry form and handed them $25 of my favorite
dollars. I met up with Mike V, and his bud John who were racing Sport class.
The race started, and I was keeping up with the second lead pack for most of the
first lap, which was probably my biggest mistake. I started to really feel it
about 3/4 the way through the first of two laps, and had to back off the rest of
the race. A side note, I thought I was going pretty well, but I actually got
lapped about when I started the second lap, by a few guys who looked super
serious. Folks, if you don't belong in beginner class, please don't race
beginner, please? It just crushes the newbie spirit.
I thought I was doing pretty well, up until I got lapped. I was having trouble
with the climbs, but I was hammering the flats and downs. I did manage to get
one thing right today. I managed to judge the exact amount of water and Gatorade
to fill my pack and bottle with. I actually ran out during my post-race
cool-down period.
Anyhow, I ended up 10th out of 14 who finished, and there were a bunch of DNFs
they say, but I don't know how many.
That was fun! I wanna do that again!
-e
Joseph's Race Report
32-16 I chose this time. I dropped a tooth to
elevate so much spinning on the hard pack smooth sections. Also installed a set
of Slime Skid mark tire. They look like an over sized Cross tire. Pumped those
bad boy's up to 40psi and we be rolling fast this time.
I heard rumors that Rod the boy's where going to change up the course and make
it bit longer. Ooh! and they soo did for the number 2 session. Completely
different from the original Fort Ord race course as some of know it. 7 Sand pit
section with 2 wheel sliding all day long. A lot more corning on this version
for sure also. 2 split road section back to back that where quite lengthy I must
say. This version seemed like there was more braking involved. Was still fast,
and yes they kept the 2 long climbs also. On this version they eliminated my 2
favorite way fast descents. I was so bummed. Instead of a finger 8 like course
it was a one big 6 mile loop. Still fun.
I spoke with Rod and he said they are going to change up the course for every
race session. This way it wont it be so predictable every time you go. I agreed
with him. This way it will be more of a challenge and a different race every
time.
Remember that Italian guy that past me at the last race. Well it turn out he's
not Italian he's French. His name is " Michelle". I buzzed my him on
the down hill road section and did not see him again after that. For me I turned
it up a little bit and raced a bit harder this time. There where about 20 or so
that stared in the SS class. I got 10th out of 13 that actually finished. It was
a little hotter this time so I think the heat may have got to some. I did pass
one geared guy too.
After the race I asked Michelle what happened. He told me he got 2 fats in two
different section of the course and took time to fixed both of them. I look down
at his bike and what do I see a nice set of NO Tubes specific rims. Hummm? I
said. Once again No tubes front flat ruins some one's day. Tubbed flats are
almost unheard of on this course I thought to myself. Can not figure out how he
did that. I will ask him next time how he fixed his NO tubes flats on the
course. I am thinking CO2 but I am not sure.
Well that's 87 mile for me this weekend and my legs are feeling it. 43 road
miles in the canyon on Friday, 20 at Demo with Fred and ten other MTBR members
Sat, and today's 24 miles race. I am feeling good right now.
TFL
Joseph
March 10
More Iron Angel Pictures from www.WendyZphoto.com
March 9
Steve Wolfe's Pictures from Iron Angel, and his video from the night ride are available at his web site.
Iron Angel Race Results
Beginners 35 and over
Bob 6th
Beginners Women
Tammy 3rd
Sport Under 35
Joseph 6th (on a single speed)
George 12th (on a single speed)
Sport 35 and over
Joe 7th
Max ?
Single Speed
Greg 2nd
Scotty 4th
March 6,7
Trog
To Do, Campout, Iron Angel Pictures
March 4th
Mark and Bob's Muddy Ride pictures
Help Save Demo... write a letter!!!!
From: Shaun Reid, President of the Northern
California Mountain Biking Association. It describes some issues and provides a
place to acquire a letter which you can send to a Senator.
The facts
Soquel Demonstration Forest is threatened with staff and budget cuts, and as
a result potential closure. This would mean the loss of one of the best places
for mountain biking in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Soquel Demonstration Forest was on target to become a self-sustaining forest
unit through its 2004 timber harvest plan. If the timber harvest plan were
implemented the forest would not need State funding, and staff cuts could be
avoided.
What you can do to help
The decision to close SDF will be made by the governing bodies in Sacramento.
You can help influence this decision by writing a letter to the California
State senator (Bruce McPherson) or one of the California assemblymen.
Points to make in your letter:
(i) SDF is one of the most popular destinations for mountain bikers, hikers
and equestrians in the San Francisco Bay Area
(ii) SDF offers a wide range of research, recreational and education programs
for the local community. It would be a huge loss to the community if these
programs were taken away.
(iii) Community members care about the forest's well being and contribute
many volunteer hours for trail maintenance.
(iv) SDF has its own group of National Mountain Bike Patrollers (community
volunteers) that support the foresters by providing assistance, information and
education to forest users.
(v) SDF could become a self-supporting forest, with no need for State
funding, if it were to implement its 2004 timber harvest plan. However, adequate
staffing (no cuts) is needed in order to successfully carry out this plan.
Sample letter
Click on the following link to view a sample letter:
http://www.romp.org/SDFletter.html
Shaun Reid
President
Northern California Mountain Biking Association
www.ncmba.org
San Francisco Bay Area Rep
International Mountain Bicycling Association
www.imba.com
Trogs To Do BBQ update!!
Cyclemasters has graciously decided to donate some funds to go towards the BBQ at the Iron Angel race. We should have a good supply of burgers, dogs, chips, salsa, soda and beer.
Directions to Glory Hole:
From Stockton, take Hwy 4 to Angel's Camp, south on Hwy 49 to Glory Hole Rec Area
From Modesto/Turlock Area, take Hwy 120 from Oakdale to Jamestown, turn left on Raw Hide Rd, turn left on Hwy 49, to Glory Hole Rec Area.
Remember: Saturday night, night ride,
poker, campout.
Sunday, BBQ, and Iron Angel race.
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