June 12 - Mt Tam mtb ride (#2 in the Bay Area Peak Trifecta)

[SadieKate]

We're going to try this again, if the heavens behave themselves for a while.

Non-technical but long mtb ride

Start: Natalie Green Park (off Lagunitas Road near Ross)
Time: 9 am, ready to ride as soon after as possible
Length: 20-24 miles
Climbing: Lots! We’re going to ride all the way around the mountain and then some.

We’ll ride a lollypop loop starting with the stick. We’ll wind our way up Shaver Grade past Bon Tempe Lake and Lake Lagunitas to Eldridge Grade where we’ll grind our way up (it’ll be fun, trust me!) to the fun Hoo Koo E Koo trail. We’ll roll over to the legendary Rail Road Grade and twiddle up to the historic West Point Inn (restrooms and water). After this respite, we’ll have a last climb to the summit at East Peak so you can pat yourself on the back and laugh at all the people who drove up! Those lazy bums.

We’ll them zoom down the paved road to Rock Springs – Lagunitas where we’ll be back on dirt, noses headed down a long, long hill. Make sure your brakes are tuned and fully operational! They will be squealing like a pig by the time you get back to Lake Lagunitas where we pick up the lollypop stick past the lakes once again.

Be sure to bring layers as Mt Tam is notorious for sunny weather on one side and cold/drippy weather on the other (think a poached egg ) - even in summer.

Bike Bus will leave Davis by 7 am.

[yellow]

ooooooooooohhhh. We may have a conflict, or at least a choice. Seems that the Hangtown Velo Tahoe mountain bike love fest is that day. What to do...ride Mt Tam or ride the Rim Trail? Such tough choices

I'll have to confer with Bri and let you know.

[SadieKate]

Will the choice of snack tip the scales? Or after ride activities, such as the Marin Brewing Company?

[SadieKate]

Looking for headcount:

How many for snacks?

How many for post-ride reservation at the Marin Brewing Co?

[Veronica]

We'll be there for whatever.

V.

[yellow]

Not gonna make it.

[SadieKate]

Nooooo! Kim bowed out also. Seems cupcakes and beer weren't enough temptation.

[Veronica]

I even tried to tempt Kim with cookies.

V.

[SadieKate]

Yellow has a good excuse. I think Kim is just playing hard to get.

[aka_kim]

LOL. Yeah, I'm holding out for the really good stuff.

It's going to have to be a "very select" group on Sunday. Have fun, and take pictures!

[SadieKate]

What? You mean chocolate chip-dried cherry chocolate cupcakes aren't good enough for you?

Not gurmet 'nough?

[aka_kim]

My tastes are so refined, don't ya know.

[yellow]

Report, please.

[SadieKate]

We also had lemon poppyseed muffins spruced up with dried apricots and almonds. Fish, chips and beer after at a very puppy friendly brew pub.

Oh, you want a ride report. I'll have to work on that.

[Veronica]

Sunday was just a gorgeous day for a ride up Mount Tam. We started in Ross, a cute little (expensive) town at a little city park. Their porta-potties were about the smelliest I have ever been in.

We climbed a little bit up to some lakes (really ponds), circled around the lakes, and climbed a little more. Nothing was REALLY steep (18 - 20%) is my definition of REALLY steep. I think the worst it got was 15%. I of course had too much air in my tires for that section and the gravelly conditions we found there. Live and learn. I came off my bike once. Got back on, rolled diagonally across the trail and was headed off the edge, so put my foot down again. Got back on and was maybe, 30 feet from the top when the rear tire spun out again. I walked the rest of the way up that.

The scenery was just beautiful. If we weren’t in amongst the trees, we were out on the mountainside and could see the bay and the waves crashing on the beach. It was pretty clear. Thom complained that he needed a few puffy clouds to make for better pictures.

I don’t know the names of all the trails we took. I know we got on Railroad Grade and took that up the final section. It was actually a rather pleasant climb 5 -7%, a little warm though and mostly exposed. We hung around at East Peak snacking and looking at the view. Then we got back on the road to begin our descent – which didn’t begin right away. But we survived.

We got back on the dirt and had a few tough little climbs and then begin a really nice, long descent. This section had some steep bits in the 15 – 20% range and I was very careful picking my way down. I was very happy with how well I controlled the bike and picked my line. We stopped and regrouped a couple of times. About 600 feet from the bottom the trail was really rutted in the middle. There was a gentleman hiking down the good side on the right. I went around to the left of the ruts and continued down.

Thom wasn’t so fortunate. He was behind me and was watching the man and slammed into the ruts doing about 10 miles an hour. These suckers were about 12 inches deep. He thinks the front tire locked up and he skidded off to the side. He landed hard on his left arm and bounced onto his right side. Torn up fingers and knees and he ruined his favorite pair of lycra shorts.

I was around the corner and didn’t see or hear any of it. Thank God for Sarah and her kitchen sink! She came up on Thom and gave him Neosporin and Advil. Sue (not Yellow a different one) found a ranger who drove Thom and his bike back to the car. He went to the local doctor today while I was at work. She sent him to Walnut Creek for an X –ray. I drove him in there. He’s got a broken radius. We’re going to the orthopedic doctor tomorrow to get it set.

I’m not sure what this will do to our summer plans. And what a way to spend your anniversary – waiting for X –rays.

The bike is fine. My camera was mounted on the bike and it still takes pictures, but Thom thinks maybe the image stabilization is broken.

We still reallly enjoyed the ride and want to do it again. Poor Sarah and Bill - every time they take us off road one of us gets hurt.

Thom is working on getting the pictures he took up on the website. They should be up later tonight.

V.