|   Call for action: May by the Bay 5 | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 8:53 AM | | Charlie said we should go on without him, so here we go.
(I linked to the trail reviews, but there are some knuckleheads out there, so take some of them with a grain of salt. All these trails are first rate XC trails.)
Since I am a Henry Coe State Park fanatic, and since the whole place may someday be filled with water, I say we camp at the Manzanita Point Group Camp the nights of Day 1 and Day 2. It's right in the middle of all the riding (below Poverty Flat in the pic), and they will let us make a couple trips out there in my truck. If you are packing or bob-ing it's about a 2.5 mile fire road ride with a few mild (by HC standards) climbs on the way out. Lots of Henry Coe and Annadel pics are linked from my website. Coe has lots of hills, and some technical riding, but it's no Mr. Toad's. Not much use for the 8" travel bike on these rides.
Day 1 we will do up to 50 miles, and optional swimming. Night rides will again be optional that night. Optional dawn patrol on Day 3, then pack up in time to ride either:
Option 1: Rockville around 3pm on Day 3 on the way up to camp somewhere near Santa Rosa to ride Annadel on Day 4, or
Option 2: Demo Forest on the way to camp at Butano SP, where there is the option of a 30 mile fire road epic that winds through Big Basin SP, or a climb through Skeggs (El Corte de Madera Creek OSP).
Option 1 is about a little more driving, and the weather will be warmer, at least. I think most people would like the riding better at Annadel, but what do I know.
If you did all the rides, it could easily total over 150 miles, and over 5 miles of vertical.
There are five weekends in May. Memorial day is the 26th. I'd personally prefer to do it one of the other weekends. Mother's Day is the 11th, so that is totally out. If we do it Memorial Day weekend, Day 1 would be Friday, other wise it could be Thursday. Some people (FP) will want it to run Fri-Mon regardless. Flowers and the weather will be better earlier. I think the first weekend would be the best.
Are you in, or out? What weekend is best? Day 1 Thursday or Friday? Rockville/Annadel, or Demo Forest/Skeggs? Wanna help? I'll put up a website as soon as the date is set.
On http://www.itn.com I saw roundtrip flights from $98 (PHX) to a max of $308 (JFK), so no excuses for not coming.
Ride on!
Henry Coe Aerial View |
| Friday though monday..... | Zonic Man
Jan 23, 2003 9:13 AM | | and rockville/annadel. For obvious reasons. |
| I think that riding some of this stuff is in order, too. | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 9:19 AM | | This will most likely be my last Passion gathering - at least for a while. I'd love to be able to share my local stuff while it's still my local stuff.
BV
 |
| We can all vote, but... | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 9:37 AM | | ...I was trying to avoid places with speed limits, smog, crowds and reviews of less than 4 fat tires.
I certainly understand your point though. |
| LOL. | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 9:48 AM | | I am taking a chance that you're joking here.
I bet a Long Ridge ride would show even you some really nice singletrack that you haven't been on before. I have a route mapped out already that nicely combines three versions (walk-in-the-park/moderate/die hard) in one ride.
The wildflower display is going to be unreal at that time of year (they hold out later near the coast)
BV |
| I guess... | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 10:22 AM | | ...I was referring to the Montebello/Black Mtn./Steven's Cyn ride.
I retract my statement regarding the review. The Gap is highly rated, but there's mention of radar, and here's a quote from the Steven's Creek review, "Avoid the weekends,its like Disneyland." And the Table Mtn, "uphill only" sucks too. The Long Ridge page says they have only 12 miles of trail, and 3 miles is off-limits to bikes.
It's good stuff to have near your house, and I'd love to ride there with you, but I don't think it's gathering material. I only have one vote though, so we'll see what happens. Maybe no one will show up.
I was bored of Long Ridge before you could speak english. 8^) We rode there before there were any restrictions. You used to be able to ride down into Portola State Park, down Table Mtn, and even down into Rancho San Antonio off the top of Black Mtn. That is a badass trail!
Have you ever ridden down Old Page Mill Road? Across Skyline from Page Mill, and behind the duck pond. |
| Ask Paul J about the last loop we did. | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 11:36 AM | | You need to come ride here with me. If this isn't gathering material, then what is?
Forget about Disneyland - forget about speed limits. Both are much more of an issue at Skeggs, where we successfully managed to pull off a gathering ride last year. 12 miles of trails on Long Ridge only, but this whole area is a number of preserves seamlessly linked together.
Montebello OSP
Saratoga Gap OSP
Long Ridge OSP
Skyline Ridge OSP
Russian Ridge OSP
Coal Creek OSP
Upper Stevens Creek County Park
You can ride here for a whole day, not repeating yourself. I can easily construct a 40-mile ride here including some really good singletrack.
http://www.openspace.org/preserves/skyline/skyline_map(very_large).pdf
Old Page Mill trail? I never bothered because it's shown as a dead-end. Maybe I should give it a try.
BV |
| could you then? | Sabine
Jan 23, 2003 12:01 PM | | construct that 40 mile ride?
We've been riding 40+ rides each Sunday on the coast and need new options.
Sabine |
| Absolutely. Some of the best trails are closed now, but... | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 12:19 PM | | ...when it dries out - come on up and I'll show you.
40 miles will include some 6-7K ft of climbing, but that shouldn't be a problem for you guys.
BV |
| OK!!!! I'm gonna try to make this one..... | Rollingbones
Jan 30, 2003 6:54 PM | | ...I just marked off for the time from work. Hopefully I'll be there Thurs. afternoon and will stay until Sunday. I probably won't do the Sunday ride (too much to do), but will looking forward to the rest.
I only need a place to pitch a tent, so let me know what the cammping arrangements are and who I need to pay what.
Time to ride!!!
"Sometimes the majority only means most the fools are on the same side"...Dirt!!! |
| Alllright! (vote for 1st weekend) | GregR
Jan 23, 2003 10:18 AM | | The best chance of me making it is the First weekend...so thats my vote (but what do I count for anyway!)
G |
| Odds of my | Pup
Jan 23, 2003 10:19 AM | | getting free for a long weekend in May are small... but not immeasurable. No 50 milers for me though, please. Point me to something bumpy.
Hell its only a 14 hour drive if we kick it...
Pup
considers |
| The full moon is on May 15th, so... | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 10:24 AM | | ...the third weekend would be the best if there's going to be a bunch of night riding. |
| 24 hrs of Adrenalin is May 17-18.... | Joe Steel
Jan 23, 2003 10:36 AM | | I believe. Would be nice to avoid that weekend. |
| Yup. Thanks. nm | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 10:41 AM | | |
| Yeah, I'll be at 24 hours. (nm) | Zonic Man
Jan 23, 2003 11:08 AM | | |
| Way to step to the plate, FE! | Zignzag
Jan 23, 2003 11:04 AM | | May by the Bay lives! I hope to do some of the rides, at least. The first weekend (May 3,4 ) is bad for me. I like the Coe/Butano camp combo.
A few things to consider: 1) The inland rides (Coe/Rockville) can get pretty brown and toasty towards the end of May. 2) Campgrounds much more crowded Memorial Day weekend. |
| re: Call for action: May by the Bay 5 | moschika
Jan 23, 2003 1:03 PM | | option 1 is best for me.
going before memorial weekend would generally be better then after. most places get more crowded after that weekend for some reason. memorial weekend i think will be crowded everywhere and camping could become difficult.
there is good camping at spring lake park for the annadel ride. we could even reserve the group campground for everyone. and the sooner the better to reserve, especially if it's after memorial weekend. i'm sure memorial weekend is booked up. but we might get some spaces since it's still early. but i remember people calling 6 months in advance for spots that weekend. |
| That narrows it down. Here's the plan: | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 2:23 PM | | Not on Mother's Day, Memorial Day, or the weekend of the 24 hours of Laguna Seca. Before Memorial Day for the flowers, the weather, and the camping reservations. That leaves the first weekend in May. Sorry Zig. You can still make at least one of the rides though, right?
Day 1, Friday, May 2: Henry Coe Middle Ridge Loop starting around noon to accomodate late arrivals. If enough folks want to come on Thursday, I'll arrange to get the campsite a day early, and arrange a longer, earlier ride. All levels of riders will be accomodated. Beginners can expect some hike-a-bike. This is probably the right evening for an organized night ride. I suggest Carnitas and Margaritas for dinner.
Day 2, Saturday, May 3: South Coe rides and optional Deathmarch. All levels of riders will be accomodated, but beginners can expect some repetition. Bring your bikini, speedo or birthday suit for swimming. BV's volunteered to cook a giant meal of sausage, veggies and rigatoni for everyone, since we're doing his ride on Sunday.
Everyone should plan to pack double the food and water you think you need for all the Henry Coe rides. There's plenty of water if you have a filter.
Day 3, Sunday, May 4: After a brief religious service by the Rev. Gary Harmon, we'll break camp by 9:00 and head for Disneyland, um, I mean Saratoga Gap/Long Ridge/Steven's Canyon. The rides will start promptly at 11am. It's just over an hour of driving from Coe HQ, so there should be plenty of time. The rides there will have to finish by around 5pm, because it's about 2 hours driving to Santa Rosa/Spring Lake/Annadel. We'll have to get a bite on the road, then we can go out for beers after we set up camp.
Day 4, Monday, May 5: Annadel, starting around 9ish. There will be multiple options, so if you want to catch a plane in Oakland in the early evening, it won't be a problem. Traffic from Santa Rosa to any of the major airports is not going to be fun. There will also be a long ride of about 30 miles.
Sound good? |
| I'll try to make it for a day or two | laffeaux
Jan 23, 2003 2:49 PM | | The "Disneyland" portion of the event is in my backyard, so I'll defintiely do that. |
| Maybe you just volunteered to lead a part of the group. | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 3:16 PM | | We'll need more than one ride leader, since I consider doing different loops for different ability levels.
BV |
| Maybe you just volunteered to lead a part of the group. | laffeaux
Jan 23, 2003 3:49 PM | | As long as I'm not with anyone that can ride Charcoal Road in their middle ring, I'll be glad to help out. |
| I'll lead the middle ringers. Your group won't... | Biking Viking
Jan 23, 2003 4:10 PM | | ...be riding Charcoal at all.
BV |
| IMBA Epic tentatively May 2-4th | derek
Jan 23, 2003 3:05 PM | | FYI, I got an e-mail from ROMP that there is going to be an IMBA Epic at Coe in May. Apparently they are going to camp at either Orestimba Corral, Dowdy Ranch or Hunting Hollow. The date was either the 2-4th or the weekend of the 17th.
Since you are proposing camping at the Manzanita Campgrounds it shouldn't be a big deal. Either way looks like fun. May I'll bring the SS for the walk up Bear Mountain.
-Derek
PS I'd be more inclined for the weekend of the 17th since the Shasta Lemurian is on the 3rd. |
| thought could make it pretty crowded (nm) | laffeaux
Jan 23, 2003 3:08 PM | | |
| more likely that we won't ever see them. nm | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 4:54 PM | | |
| Bear Mtn is easier with a SS than a gearie. | Fast Eddy
Jan 23, 2003 4:53 PM | | At least the bike is lighter for the pushing. On at least one of the rides, I'm going to go to the foot of Bear Mtn. as an out-and-back, just to show it to some people.
If you read above, the 24 hours of Laguna Seca is on the weekend of the 17th. That would eliminate about half of the folks who'll come to the gathering. No offense, but the Lemurian isn't as popular. |
| Except for the first 300 yards... | fourarm
Jan 23, 2003 8:51 PM | | that whole climb is ridable, it's not easy but it's ridable. There is a climb worse than Bear at Coe...try the Hobbs road climbing up to Blue Ridge,just brutal, maybe 50% of it is ridable and that might be stretching it. |
| I will try to be there for two of the days. | wg
Jan 23, 2003 4:57 PM | | Friday. (I wanna go back to Coe)
Not sure whether Sun or Mon will work.
What sort of help would you be looking for?
Werner |
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