MTB ride with a hamfisted ending

[luv2climb]

Yesterday I rode another one of my old favorites, the Salmon Falls Trail in El Dorado County, CA. This was only my second real mtb ride in 15 years. The first one was in Auburn last weekend.

This trail seemed more difficult than the ones I did in Auburn, due to how technical it is. I intended to climb the 2 mile long Flagstaff Hill, but I overshot the trail leading to it.

On the way out I saw people walking and resting on a climb, so I knew this would be a good climb on the way back. Sure enough, it made me live up to my username! I made it all the way up without walking or resting. I did pick a wrong line and stall out once, but I restarted and continued on.

I saw another cyclist with a GoPro on his helmet. He was riding with a friend. They noticed my chest-mounted GoPro and that sparked a good conversation. One of the guys was riding a hybrid with 700x35c tires!

On the way back I saw a lot of dog walkers and petted a few dogs. Then the hamfist of the day occurred when I attempted to descend the most ridiculously technical section of trail I've ever encountered. It was a slow-speed crash too. Yes, it was caught on video!

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/149250811

Video is 100% natural sound, so my standard heavy breathing on climbs audio warning applies!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbdq1zN7Bz4

Sign I should have heeded, at least on the descent. I had no problem cleaning this climb, but the descent was another story!

caution sign on Salmon Falls Trail technical section by freighttraininguphill, on Flickr

The section I crashed on

extremely technical section of Salmon Falls Trail by freighttraininguphill, on Flickr

View of American River from near the above technical section

view of American River from Salmon Falls Trail by freighttraininguphill, on Flickr