|   Coe: Thank you sir. May I have another! (w/pics!) | Joe Steel
Feb 4, 2002 7:24 AM | | You know you're in for a spanking when you combine any of the following:
Henry Coe
Fourarm
BV
My mind was grinning from ear to ear. Fast Eddie, Gary -- aka Parkmiester, Fourarm, BV and I were planning to ride at Coe. The weather was expected to be nice; no time constraints.thing were aligned quite nice.
I was mentally prepared for an ass whoppin' and I was not disappointed.
In the parking lot, Eddie and Fourarm negotiated the punishment. As I was merely along for the pleasure/pain thingy, I watched with interest as they debated the merits of various routes. Once settled, the journey started with a hellatious and unforgiving singletrack climb up Lyman Wilson Ridge and the Bowl Trail to Wilson Camp. A nice warmup from the bottom of the valley far below, and a taste of things to come.
From there, we traveled north on Wagon Rd to Wasno Pond. Things got squirrelly here as we negotiated the non-existent NN109 (shown clearly on the map). Along the creek bed toward Kelly Lake we found the remains of a recently killed buck. Nice rack for a black tailed deer (BV has pictures). A grim reminder of the rugged and wild country we were visiting.
From Kelly Lake we traveled north on Coit Road to Willow Ridge Road.
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(l to r) BV, Eddie, Fourarm, & Parkmeister
Up and down White Tank Trail (sweet and rugged) where we experienced the days only mechanical (Eddie's flat), and south on Coit Ridge Trail. Over the earth dam and up Coit Dam Road, we crossed several snow patches. Prior to crossing the dam, we made radio contact with Eddie's three commuter-train friends. Our groups joined to complete the journey as one.
From here we enjoyed a sweet singletrack descent of Cross Canyon Trail.
BV on Cross Canyon descent
After several creek crossings at the bottom of the canyon, it was pay-back time -- a punishing uphill singletrack climb out of the canyon. After roughly 4.5 hours on the bikes, you could see fatigue beginning to set in on the faces of the warriors. (ok..maybe it was just me..but it sounded good when I wrote it)
Crossing Coit Road, we graciously entered the Grapevine singletrack descent possibly the most spirited trail of the day. With whoops of joy and grins from ear to ear, we enjoyed the fast, tight, rocky, rutty, wooded downhill run.
With several more grunts uphill on Anza Trail, my mind and body were relieved to cross the apex and point the nose downhill for the final bit of singletrack heaven through wooded switchbacks like a jedi warrior.
A mile or so of pavement back to the staging area served as a wonderful cooldown where one's mind could relax and anticipate the pleasures that awaited.
With clean, dry clothes, cold beers and smiles, we recapped the days journey:
Six hours of riding
A vertical mile of accumulative altitude gain
25 miles of ground covered (I swear it felt more like 35)
with a great group of riders
With hand shakes all around we parted, returning to our families with satiated desires, tired bodies, and lasting memories of an epic one-day journey. |
| Negotiating the punishment | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 7:50 AM | | I did not know at this point that these guys were gonna drag me out on a six-hour ride. I'm glad they did.
Excellent write-up, Joe and I really enjoyed riding with you all.
BV |
| fourarm and some scenery | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 7:54 AM | | I can't figure this guy out. He's the only rider I know that is super-fast both up and down. On the descents he whistles small tunes and turns is head to look at the scenery, while I struggle really hard to keep up with him. On the climbs, if you try to drop him, he'll just grunt and stick to you wheel. Then when you're out of breath trying to drop him, he grunts again and passes you.
Do yourself a favor, Paul and enter a race. You'll do really great if you can figure out how to not stop and pee for every 5 miles :-)
BV |
| Paul is a Mutant | Photo-John
Feb 4, 2002 8:51 AM | | Or he may be an alien. In any case, he's got superhuman strength, and he is at both climbing and downhill. He showed up at Rockville about a year ago with an old hardtail, just as a handicap to make it more interesting for him. And he'd literally ride circles around most of us on the climbs.
It's just not right.
John |
| Preety! | cleatgrrl
Feb 4, 2002 7:58 AM | | Look how they blend in with nature. |
| Joe on a trail-wannabe | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 7:59 AM | | We are still debating if this "trail" that Ed led us down really exists other than on his map... |
| Joe's secret fetish... | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 8:03 AM | | Bet you didn't know this guy gets turned on by deer skulls. He really tried to carry this stinky thing with half of the spine hanging on. In a swarm of flies, we forced him to ride at the back of the group, until he took a spill and almost impaled himself on one of the antlers. Then we wrestled the stinky thing from his hands and put it next to the wild pig scull we found. I think it was some comfort that his new love wasn't left alone out there...
BV |
| The excitement of single track with no protection was too much.. | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 8:06 AM | | ...for Fast Eddie.
BV |
| Thats a Cool Shot | Hollis
Feb 4, 2002 8:21 AM | | nm |
| My new wallpaper. | Finch Platte
Feb 4, 2002 10:06 AM | | And what's the deal w/ Med. Ed not wearing a helmet?
fp (glad I bagged on the race instead of bagging on your ride. I'd have been
i really
pissed!) |
| I was more worried about... | Fast Eddy
Feb 4, 2002 11:01 AM | | ...the helmet police than whacking my head on something. I did find myself taking it easy on the bumpy dh sections though.
It just never made it into BVs van on the way down. "Let's see, bike, cell phone, wallet, camera, shoes, beer. Got it, let's roll." |
| At least you got you priorities right. | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 11:19 AM | | We turned back to his house to get the beer, but the helmet never made it.
BV |
| Snow and a rare sight... | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 8:07 AM | | ...Paul from the front - climbing.
BV |
| Parkmeister crosses a dry creek | Biking Viking
Feb 4, 2002 8:09 AM | | Sorry - only singletrack pic I have. I was to busy enjoying myself most of the time.
BV |
| how cool! | up_hiller
Feb 4, 2002 10:45 AM | | where is this again? i'm jealous. looks like another addition to my "list o' mountain biking places i really want to visit but will be lucky if i get to".
happy trails! matt |
| Awesome recap and photos! | K-Zero
Feb 4, 2002 10:14 AM | | God I wish I could've been there...looks like it was a perfect day for an epic ride! Now I definitely hafta check out Coe sometime.
K-Zero |
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