8/25 Hooky Day at Annadel State Park

[SadieKate]

Before Veronica goes back to school, we’re going to squeeze in a day of mountainbiking over in Santa Rosa. We’ll cover about 20 miles of mostly singletrack. The trails are intermediate and conditions will probably somewhat loose and dusty. The day will start early because of the heat and you’ll need to carry enough water for the entire ride.

Anyone want to join us for our all day adventure?

Some info on the trails:
http://www.bmxnonstop.com/mtb/annadel.htm

The state web site:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=480

We’ll meet and park at Spring Lake:
http://www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_slake.htm

[velogirl]

Dang! If it was a different day I'd love to join you. Alas, I'm driving to lovely San Ardo on Friday (we race Saturday morning).

[Running Mommy]

HA! My husbands old stomping grounds!!! :p
Have fun girls! And be sure to stop up top at the lake for a nice break.

[Deanna]

I haven't been on my mountain bike in 3 years, or I'd love to meet you up there. Don't forget to bring swim gear for Lake Ilsanjo if it's especially hot.

[SadieKate]

You know, I've fished there but never gone swimming in it. Sounds nice as it's always dusty that time of year but we'll pass the lake early in our adventure. I suppose we could detour from Steve's or S (I never remember the name because it isn't on any of my maps) but then we'd have another ridge to climb over.

Anyone know of a really current trail map? I'm dependent on one from years back where we've drawn in the newer trails.

[Trekhawk]

Ooohh that does sound like fun but Pete is already loooking after the tackers on Sunday so I can do the Fair Oaks Metric so I better not sign up for this one.

Have fun and take some pics if you get a chance.:) :)

[Deanna]

Anyone know of a really current trail map? I'm dependent on one from years back where we've drawn in the newer trails.

There is a really good one, done by 360 Maps:

http://www.360geographics.com/360maps/ (the rangers appreciate the well done map, but it does point out some illegal trails they don't want people on)

I know you can get it at some local shops if they can't get it to you by the end of the week.

The Sonoma County Bike Coalition posted a link to the state parks published map, but it cuts the park into sections.

http://bikesonoma.org/PREV/AnnadelSP.pdf

[SadieKate]

Thanks, Deanna. I just emailed them to see if I can get the maps by Thursday. A possible 10-day wait is pretty extreme. We'll be on the trail before the shops open so I'm dependent on them responding to my email.

I have asked if there is a retailer in Davis.

[Deanna]

I'll check to see if I still have one. If they can't get it to you, I'll see what I can do.

[SadieKate]

Cool news! I've been emailing with the map company and he's going to drop the map(s) in the mail from Berkeley tomorrow. That should get it to me on Thursday. I've asked him to mail whatever method possible that works. Just waiting for a shipment fee. $1 for 3 maps doesn't seem quite right.

Thanks, Deanna, for the info and the offer.

[Deanna]

Ohh, I just remembered - most, if not all of Steve's S is off limits to bikes. It's an interesting trail though--covered with obsidian flakes from when regional tribes got obsidian there (they only carved "blanks" for transport, so your not likely to find arrowheads). I did some state park volunteer training there, I wish I could go with you so I could see how much I remember.

[SadieKate]

http://www.ogrehut.net/trails.php/Bay-North/Annadel
http://arnica.csustan.edu/mtbike/Maps/Annadel_Map.pdf

Look, I found a fairly up to date map in case the other doesn’t make it in time.

We usually, park at Spring Lake and ride up Channel Drive/Trail (depending on how easy a warm up is desired), up Richardson, up either Two Quarry or South Burma (pros and cons to each) to Ledson Marsh.

We then pick up Marsh to Ridge/Upper Steve’s (this is not the closed piece) and back to Marsh. My old maps didn't have this on them.

I’m then in a quandary and I’ll have to go find my old notes. I swear we descend on Canyon and Cobblestone but I don’t know how we got from one to the other. I’m also tempted by descending Canyon to Spring Creek to get to North Burma and Channel Trail. I’ve never descended that way and some of the trail reports make it sound fun.

Cobblestone is cool because you get some views but you can get rattled to death. V has a hard tail and Cobblestone can get a bit old on a hardtail. That said, I used to ride Annadel on a fully rigid bike before they re-vamped the trails and made them MTB friendly. I’m older and less compliant now.

[SadieKate]

. . . .the tackers Since this is in context, I can figure it out. But the derivation????

Ditch the metric and come play with us!

[Trekhawk]

LOL - nah cant blow off the metric I have organized to ride with Jim V from BJ and he always has lots of yummy food to share.:D Seriously though Im not sure I would be able to keep up with you two. Enjoy the ride and dont forget pictures please.

[SadieKate]

Deanna - all 3 maps arrived today! They are very nice. Thanks again. Sure you don't want to dust off the trust dirt bike?

[Veronica]

Yeah! Come on Deanna! Come play with the girls in the dirt. It will be fun.

V.

[Deanna]

I'd love to, but, I don't think I've worked a full shift since my assistant got back from maternity leave. Hooky time limit has been reached.

[Veronica]

What a great day! I did take 3 pictures, one is fuzzy, one is an empty field with no SK and the third is boring. :cool:

A lot of nice intermediate singletrack. The trails are well named, expecially Rough Go and Cobblestone.

We saw 12 deer, 6 wild turkeys, many lizards and two turkeys who refused help from the chicks.

V.

[SadieKate]

I saw one of those cutiepie vultures Nanci raves about while we were eating our sport Beans. We were in another one of our intense conversations when it flew over and saw we were still alive.

We need to do it again with the boys as long as they promise not to crash.

[Deanna]

We saw 12 deer, 6 wild turkeys, many lizards and two turkeys who refused help from the chicks.

V.

I'm guessing the last two were featherless turkeys?

[Veronica]

Yep, two guys. One was clearly having mechanical difficulties. But they didn't want any tools or anything...

V.