by the way..... i got a new bike!

[fatbottomedgurl]

Yeah for you!!! I am jealous! I have not heard a peep from Trek in the last few weeks. I think they are painting a lot of Christmas presents in the Project One shop.

Me thinks I need to take some dirt chicks to Aliso Woods. Looks neat-o!

[DirtDiva]

Nice.

[tattiefritter]

I really like the current crop of Spesh full boingers.

I looked at your pictures and saw something I haven't seen since I went to Spain in September Dusty Trails!. Jealous

I've resigned myself to our usual winter of gritty mud (poor drivetrain) and slop

[SalsaMTB]

Congrats on the new bike! Love the pics.

[redhot3368]

Hey Cali!!
Congrats on the new bike!!
Pretty sweet!
I have that same pink Jacket!

Enjoy your new bike!
Karen

[caligurl]

thanx, everyone!

i'm SO wanting to go ride it again this weekend.... but darned accident-prone hubby.... hurt his ribs at aliso woods so not sure he's gonna be up to riding this weekend... i'm SOOOOOOOOO hoping (unlike road riding where i'll get on the ruby and just GO.... the mtb is all in desolate areas and i'm really ascared of getting hurt or something.... so i'm not up to going on any of the trails alone!)

karen... i LOVE the pink PI jacket... it's the perfect shade.. and the grey... well... i love pink and grey together... and since my bike's grey... it ties it in! lol!

if i was independently wealthy i'd have gotten a pink helmet, too... so that when i'm wearing pink... i would have on a pink helmet! but alas... my practical side took over... cuz i do have red... and blue... and brown color clothes.... and it would have irked me to wear a pink helmet with those (especiall with the red! lol!)

i'm so ocp... even on the mtb!!!!!!

[caligurl]

I really like the current crop of Spesh full boingers.

I looked at your pictures and saw something I haven't seen since I went to Spain in September Dusty Trails!. Jealous

I've resigned myself to our usual winter of gritty mud (poor drivetrain) and slop

oh ya.... our bikes wer SOOOOOO dusty after each of the rides... at aliso... a worker in a truck asked to go ahead of us and joked he was going to leave us "in his dust".... literally! heck... even the other bike riders kicked up a cloud of dust!

i think i prefer dust to mud though.... i'm still kinda prissy!!!!! (but it was fun seeing all the dust on my clothes! felt.... free-ing!)

[Thistle]

Caligirl, you and your bike look gorgeous! and twin bikes - very cute

One of the guys at work is in the process of buying a new mountain bike (serious one, $4000) and i asked what colour it was... he said "charcoal" so i told him that's fine it will allow you to change your accessories, eg you can spice it up by wearing pink dont think he understood at all

[Jones]

Caligirl,

Congrats on your new bike it looks like you had a great time breaking her in, and I think you are right pink accessories are the way to go.

My DH and I got MTN bikes this summer and have been to JTNP a few times to ride, how was Queen Valley Rd? Was there lots of deep sand? Any info on MTN bikes rides in your area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Jones

[caligurl]

Caligirl,

Congrats on your new bike it looks like you had a great time breaking her in, and I think you are right pink accessories are the way to go.

My DH and I got MTN bikes this summer and have been to JTNP a few times to ride, how was Queen Valley Rd? Was there lots of deep sand? Any info on MTN bikes rides in your area would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
Jones

queen valley is uber easy.... basically flat (no hills... some slight elevation changes)! NO soft sand! as a matter of fact... we did this twice in a row a couple months back and i swore i wouldn't ride it again! lol! however it was the perfect first ride for the new bikes! and it really is gorgeous... i'm used to road riding on the main roads.. but you do get a different perspective of the park on the dirt road!

now the geology tour loop... there is where you get some sand issues! darn it all! cut it's REALLY REALLY pretty in there! but that loop has a LOT Of car traffic and it really loosens the sand! once you are down in there... it was fine the day we rode it (they had just graded it)... but even with the traffic that day... the climb out was miserable and a walk fest cuz of loose sand! we parked at the geology loop area... crossed the road to queen valley... took that all the way to barker damn (rode around a bit there in hidden valley) then came back on the other road (instead of going to the left back on queen valley... stayed to the right).. it comes out on the main road and you have to turn left to get back to the car..... but it's a short time on the road!

another area is the "goat trails" in palm springs/cathedral city. you park at von's at 111 and gene autry... and climb on in! (you have to carry your bike around the gate)... the climb in is steep... i haven't been able to ride it without stopping or walking yet ("funny" thing... i've climed roads as steep on my roadie.... so i finally "get" that dirt is different!) anyways... once you get in there... there are fireroads... singletracks... just all over! very cool!!!!!

there's other places starting in palm desert... but i've not been to them so can't speak on them!

over at MTBR a couple of gals just did the... oh... what's it called????? *totally blank* ugh! the dirt road/mtb ride down by the cottonwood entrance of JTNP.... they said it was doable.... i want to go check that out some time soon too! and will post my experiences with it once we finally do!

those are really the only three places within the park (queen valley, geology, and the cottonwood ride) until congress gets off their duff and signs the bill for the other mtb area!

[caligurl]

Caligirl, you and your bike look gorgeous! and twin bikes - very cute

One of the guys at work is in the process of buying a new mountain bike (serious one, $4000) and i asked what colour it was... he said "charcoal" so i told him that's fine it will allow you to change your accessories, eg you can spice it up by wearing pink dont think he understood at all

men SO don't get it, sometimes! lol! it's ALL ABOUT THE ACCESSORIES!!!!!!

[emily_in_nc]

Nice bike, Cali, congrats!

Just looking at your pictures made me yearn to get my mtb out too, but I'm just too doggone busy right now getting ready for the holidays. And we just got back from vacation in Key Largo (sailing every day - bliss!), so it's been trainer rides for me only. At least all my bumps, bruises, and rib injuries from my last fall have healed up finally. I'm like your DH -- accident-prone!

Enjoy your new ride and try to stay upright, unlike me. Love the pale pink and gray too (that was our wedding colors, oh so long ago -- 1985!)

Emily