|   Nighttime Singleyspeed Epic (long) | Fast Eddy
Jul 25, 2002 2:12 PM | | I got home early, enjoyed some fine left-overs, made some Bobolis for the young-uns and packed up my stuff for a nighttime solo.
I finally got everything done, lights mounted and my gears changed down to a 36:18 by around 7:30. At the last minute I remembered my maglight and a screw driver in case I had to work on my lights. The whole ride would have been quieter if I'd have also remembered to lube the chain (doh!).
I tried to copy/paste a map from topozone with no success. Here's a link. In the middle of the map, the road up to Henry Coe SP is the main feature. If you follow it right and down to 101 (in always-fashionable pink) I live near the first intersection (Hill Road) at the bottom of the hill where the elevation is marked as 368.
The first section, up to the lake, felt the steepest as I struggled to warm up in the breezy afternoon air. I've ridden this countless times on my singlespeed, and it never fails to kick my ass. It was on this hill where I started plotting my bail-out. Luckily, there's a swoopy downhill to the bridge across the tail end of Lake Anderson. Bail-out planning suspended for a while.
At the end of the bridge, there's a bone-jarring metal connector that sent my led flasher smashing into the side of the bridge, and into a million (or six) pieces. On another kind of bridge, it would have ended up in the water. A quick stop to puzzle the thing back together, and I was off again to begin the real climb.
There were a few folks hanging around the lake, doing the usual hanging around kinds of things; fishing, drinking, smoking and necking. Since the road doesn't really go anywhere, and there are only a dozen or so homes beyond the lake, I didn't expect a lot of company on a weeknight.
Jackson ranch is on the East side of the lake. It's an old mansion where the Jackson sisters lived before the county grabbed their land for the lake. The house used to be where the bottom of the lake is, but they moved it. As I was cranking past, an old Impala wagon smoked by, wagging its tail around the corners ahead in serious need of a new set of shocks. Nice car dude, but how 'bout a tune up [cough]?
There were mile marker signs, and I knew there was one at the top that read 10.10. The ranch is around mm 4, and it's almost all climbing. I'm thinking at this point that 34:18 would be sweet, but I destroyed that ring on a previous ride.
Mile 5 must have been steep, because it seemed to be stamped into a never-ending stream of those little reflectors. A couple nondescript cars passed, and I grinded upwards. Somewhere during mile 6 a half-ton chevy pickup passed with two guys in the back (now illegal in CA). They were signing to each other.
I didn't check the time when the sun went down, but I stopped for a rest and a whiz to mark the event. The silicon valley is pretty smoggy lately, which is not good, but it's good to leave it behind when I go home, and it makes for a pretty sweet-looking sunset. From driving up this way a hundred-or-so times before, I remembered a couple steep pitches that I was dreading. They never seemed to materialize. I made some big 'S' turns a few times from fatigue, but I was able to grind up all the steeps.
There's a time after sunset, if there's just the right amount of clouds, when the sun lights up the clouds, and the evening actually has more light than before. In this light, I noticed poison oak bushes along the road big enough to have wood. It didn't last, but I crested the first ridge before I thought about turning on my lights. The little downhill afterwards made me think about what it would be like coming back up. I was still considering bail-out options at this point, but I didn't fill my camelbak, and there was water at Coe HQ.
By the time I noticed lucky mm 8.88 I had my lights on low and I stopped for a moment of rest in its honor. A mile and a quarter to go, and I forgot all about bailing out. The last pitch from the cattle-crossing to mm 10.10 was the steepest, and I was feeling the 2500'+ of climbing, but I struggled through it and triumphantly killed my lights and flasher at the top and took in the views of Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and San Jose. It was now fully dark, and my phone told me it was 9:05 as I chewed an apple and called my over-protective better-half to let her know the plan which I was making up as I was talking. I had ridden the 12 miles up in 90 minutes. Now I was going into the park for the payoff: 8 miles of dark, spooky dirt.
After the half-mile Live Oak trail, I got to the HQ where I first saw the moon rising. The smoke from CA forest fires colored it a milky yellow that was pretty wild. 24 ounces of water, one mother of a climb up a paved driveway, and a mile of fireroad later I hit Flat Frog trail.
It was just so awesome I can't describe it. I ride here all the time, and I've been here at night before too, but I was just rockin'. Every mistake lead to my front tire skidding near an edge with a dark drop-off that I knew went way-the-fock down. Shadows from overgrowth come down the trail towards your front tire. This spooked me out more than once. Darkness doesn't make any of the technical stuff harder though. I rode the rock stairs, the wood stairs, all the little creek switchbacks, everything. The only unnerving thing was not being able to see the trail when rounding an overgrown trail corner.
Even though I was having a great time on the trail, I was still considering bailing out on the final objective. At the end of the trail, there's a pretty steep fire road climb up to Frog Lake. I was thinking that it would be nice to get home in time for the 11 o'clock news, and the lake isn't really that thrilling. Once I hit the fire road, my bike was headed up, and despite walking a short section, I made it up to the lake.
There are trees surrounding the lake, and the moon was still pretty low in the sky as I stopped on the small earthen dam. I killed my lights and listened quietly to see if I was alone. Aparently so. This was the furthest point from my house, and I felt I deserved a rest. I burned a small offering, and ate a Clif Bar I got from Finch Platte that had a best-if-consumed-by date from when LBJ was in office before packing up for the return trip.
I poached a quarter mile section leading back from the lake that is off limits to bikes and horses, probably because it's too technical. I didn't think anyone would mind at 10pm. I had one little incident where I almost fell backwards into a rocky crag. No big, but be more careful I thought.
Going the other way on Flat Frog Trail is like being on a totally different trail, especially at night. All the obstacles are different. Sections you thought were flat are uphill, and stairs that were easy in one directions are probably impossible this way, so I walked those smiling ear-to-ear the whole way. I had so much fun on these couple of miles I just can't describe.
I was thinking of the three climbs on the way back; The fireroad up to HQ, one climb to the first ridge, and the last climb from the bridge to the top of the ridge above my house. At least the fire road wasn't too bad. I got another bottle of water at HQ just in case, and headed back down Live Oak Trail.
There's just one small spot where I can get cellular service, and as I was straddling my bike there calling home a car pulled up, and the guy asked, "So, how was the ride?" It turns out I knew him, and I've ridden with him before. Janimal, as he's known, is a CalTrain conductor, and just a hell of a nice guy. Amazing that the first guy I run into, in the dark, 12 miles from the nearest street-light is someone I know.
So we shoot the shit a minute, before heading out. He goes first for a while, and I catch up. He's stopped, and flagging me down. He and his friend claim to have seen two Mountain Lions crossing the road. The friend says, "How cool is that?", to which I respond, "Way cooler than if I had come upon them while I was alone." I'm not convinced they weren't BSing me, but they seemed sincere.
I took off first, and smoked them on a big section of downhill before hitting the uphill to the first ridge. They bid adieu, and I cranked.
From the top of the first ridge to the bottom is about five miles of uninterrupted, lonely, dark downhill. I cranked up the lights and got into a tuck and railed the whole thing in about 10 minutes. It was really fun, though a little unnerving, going that fast, that late. Light wasn't a problem though. Even without using my top setting (47w), I could see further than I needed too.
Past the fishermen (now with a Coleman lantern), the smoker, and the lovers, the last climb wasn't all fun, but I didn't have to walk any of it as I had feared. Even with the trip up to the lake, I rolled back into my house just as the 11 o'clock news was starting. I ate a bowl of cereal with a great adrenalin buzz before showering and sleeping very well.
It was 32 miles and 3000' of climbing in 3.5 hours. Two miles of it was fire road, and 6 miles of singletrack. One fucking speed. |
| re: Nighttime Singleyspeed Epic (long) | PhoenixKEn
Jul 25, 2002 2:19 PM | | You want a medal? I could also buy you a trophy if you are interested! Let me know what you would like inscribed! |
| You're just bitter because... | Fast Eddy
Jul 25, 2002 2:29 PM | | ...someone at Walmart put the fork on your Huffy backwards.
You'll get over it when you turn 16 and your parents let you drive the Pinto outside the trailer park. |
| Oh, I want one! | Pete.
Jul 25, 2002 3:35 PM | | My medal should read:
"PhoenixKEn is still a clueless newbie fúck"
You can keep the trophy until you post your first ride report that includes pictures.
Then you should inscribe it with "PhoenixKEn might not be a newbie but he's still an idiot" and then violently stick it up your ass (once you pull your head out of the way that is).
Have a lovely evening!
Pete |
| Oh, I want one! | PhoenixKEn
Jul 26, 2002 7:04 AM | | Yup a clueless newbie f-ck! See the thing is that I know I ride long, hard, and pretty good for that matter. I do not bring a camera, stop, take pictures and write about how long or hard I rode. Every day I get out, bomb trails and know. That is the case dickweed, plain and simple, so whenever you are interested come and tag along.
As for the Pinto I can only hope someone will give me the key soon! |
| Good stuff, Ed. I was with you all the way. Too bad... | Biking Viking
Jul 25, 2002 2:31 PM | | ...I couldn't join you in person.
I bet you fell asleep with a big grin thinking about the ride. I know I would.
BV |
| Sweet write up! (nm) | wg
Jul 25, 2002 2:35 PM | | |
| nice! | bones
Jul 25, 2002 2:38 PM | | Good work Ed, that sounds like an awesome ride!
cheers,
b. |
| Wow | Spiff
Jul 25, 2002 3:08 PM | | 32 Mi and 3k climb in 3.5 hr is quite a ride, for me it is almost an epic (except that I'd probably take more than 5 hours to do it, in a 27 of course). Congrats for the ride.
Yet back in home to the 11 news ?
priceless
Gui |
| Nice write up... | joemtb
Jul 25, 2002 3:13 PM | | ...and now, for some strange reason my legs are sore.
Glad to hear you made it home in time for the news.
Joe |
| Beautiful. | Teach
Jul 25, 2002 3:54 PM | | What a great write up - I could smell the oatgrass and bay leaf.
Been meaning to ask for a while - is Eddy a first or last name? I too am an Eddy (last name)...
Keep riding that fixed gear! |
| Ed's my first name. | Fast Eddy
Jul 25, 2002 4:24 PM | | Fast Eddy is a nickname given to me by a co-worker a long time ago because my uncle would get pissed because I drove too fast.
My bike is a singlespeed, but not a fixed gear.
See ya. |
| EDDY IS HIS LAST NAME........................................... | Paul J
Jul 26, 2002 7:07 AM | | and F#cking is his first name. |
| Nice ride... | fourarm
Jul 25, 2002 4:26 PM | | Nice description...Coe, at night, one speed...it must be amazingly quiet.
Also...calling Frog Lake a lake is a real stretch, more like a brackish pond. |
| Fantastic read!! | mugg
Jul 25, 2002 7:06 PM | | Felt like I was there...cranking up the mountain in my uno gear. Thanks for the passion hit! |
| Nice read, Ed! (nm) | Finch Platte
Jul 25, 2002 7:25 PM | | Sem mensagem. |
| I finally got to read your post....work sure gets in the way.... | Battman42
Jul 25, 2002 8:25 PM | | Nice ride post....You are definitely more motivated than I am....
I'm still in the havin' fun mode....
I met a Pomo indian chief at Boggs today....riding a Specialized...
The best part is he had a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale jersey on...
See if you can hook up with Moschika for Saturday at Annadel, he said something about friday..... but I think you could convince him.
Mary and I will be going North on I-5 to Hood river on Sat.
Oldschool is up there on vacation and I E-mailed my old ride partner who is going to meet for some rides with us...
Catch ya in a couple of weeks.
Tim |
| Excellent! I love when the bike takes you... | KriZ
Jul 25, 2002 9:15 PM | | where it wants to go and it's simply wonderful! That is one of the best stories I've read here in a long time. That's a sleek looking bike there Ed.
Oh, I thought of you and your greater family when I was eating artichokes from my garden this year! Homegrown is best. |
| thanks Ed! | spideysgirl
Jul 25, 2002 9:23 PM | | I really enjoyed this report from you. I'm glad you didn't run into those mountain lions by yourself, but I bet the bike might have spooked them off. I can't believe you're doing all those miles and trails with no suspension or gears! You are an inspiration for me. :) I had surgery (again) on July 8th, and I'm sitting at home for several weeks recuperating, while watching Lance kick a$$ in France. But I miss my bike.
-Cyndy |
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