Ed and I hadn't gotten enough of MBTB5 and as the NorCal spring weather finally arrived we revelled in it.

Tuesday: I cruised down to Los Gatos after my three days of NorthBay rides and some negotiating with work.

The SouthBay has a different feel to it, being home to Silicon Valley. It feels Much faster and there's more of it. Ed and I met in a park-n-ride where many Startups undoubtedly had been born. Today it was real estate meetings.

Ed had a couple of ideas on where to ride. He mentioned wanting to do Big Basin for quite a while.

I had the need for a major ride....Bikes on the T-bird, ridin' duds in the back... I hand Ed the keys.

"Highway 9 is not the place to hand over the keys" Ed tells me....This will be fun.

We jam up the hiway and into the big trees... an area of remaining Redwoods in the SouthBay.

Changing, havin' a beer, gettin' a map, pay the fee... Let's go!!!

Our plan was to ride fire roads towards the Pacific and scope any single track that was doable.

This was classic Fireroad bombing.... Fat tires, broad vistas, a map and dirt. It doesn't need to be any more complex than that....We had all these things in full measure.

With long climbs and swooping descents it was just as I remember MTBing from 20 years ago.

After cruising thru the big trees, we started to have long views and eventually we could see the Pacific. There were lots of interesting things to check out... including a huge Redwood stump with a large octagonal platform on it. A pipe fence surrounding it, looked like a corral. The fence had animal shaped metal figures...Hmmm. The idea that this might be used for some exotic ritual suggested itself to us.

We consulted the map numerous times as the miles were big and we didn't want to make a lot of turn arounds out here... As we made our way towards the coast we talked about what we were seeing... I should have clued up when Ed asked what Stinging Nettles look like....


When a really promising short cut came up we checked it out... it dead ended at a high banked creek in a giant jungle of Poison oak and stinging Nettles.... perfect! Let's go back thru it just for sport.

We managed to finally get to the coast and ride up Hwy 1 to a little store/gas station at Gazos Creek Beach. Ed and I replenished our stock of treats and water... the store owner gave me some herbal mung to put on my rather tingley legs....

Now Twenty miles into our voyage we head north to seek out the return loop thru Butano state park... I was already pretty much done, but it's only another sixteen miles back to the car. The pavement actually felt good cars or not.

The fireroad climb back is pretty much relentless. I don't recall how much we climbed but it felt like plenty. I was contemplating the difference in energy required to do this ride... one rider on a 31.5 pound full sus, multi gear sled vs a very light single gear uncomplicated bike... I don't know, but we each walked some and made it back to the car with major smiles....

Here is a few pics of our cruise:

There were Pools and little waterfalls all around...

Ed seeking single track under the Big Trees...

Ed checking out a potential downhill/freeride course...

Ed rides a big sandy bank...

Ed crankin' the SS up a granular climb...

View thru the haze to the Pacific...

Wednesday:

Henry Coe is in Ed's back yard so...

TimL pulled up and we loaded the T-bird for another run. I have ridden the China Hole loop once before, this would be TimL's first shot at it.

With my descending skills getting better and having been on the trail once before, made for a really fun ride into the canyon... We learned that TimL isn't much on Poison oak.... There is a fine crop of it at Coe this season. After doing the hike-a-bike section over to the swimmin' hole we found that there is also a vast number of ticks... So the scene is three MTBr's with shorts and shirts in disarray trying to find the pests... across the creek a hiker making camp looks on wondering at our strange behavior???

As TimL and Ed ride another spur I make my way up the climb to the car... Arriving I take a wipey bath and major bug inspection by the side of the road... and settle in for lunch and a Bike mag.

A little while later Ed and Tim show up... They change as I make Salami sandwichs and hand out the Guinness... A fine weds ride.

A large carnivorous raptor considered dangerous during the fall rut...

A hearty mid week lunch...with special drinking ware!

Thursday:

Ed and I load up and head for PaulJ's place... We wait 'til we are right outside to call and wake him up.... Don't want him to be too alert when we drag him out to the car....

We get to the parking area at Demo Forest and Paul is still in the morning wake-up mode... Paper products in hand he heads for the trees. In true adventurer form, he is undetered by our rush to the trail.


       We roll up the road to the trails. This will be a first for me and the fourth time in a couple of weeks for Ed at Demo.

The weather is cool but promising and the trails are dyno-mite! A little squish here and there tells of the recent rain. We then enter the forest in ernest.... our climbing is rewarded with a nice swooping descent with little quick rises to keep you honest...There are lots of things to play on. I even managed a couple of small log piles!!


    I salvaged a few pics from the many I took... my action photo skills are getting better every day.... and like my riding skills I won't run out of things to learn or practice in this lifetime...

This is not an Endo!!! Ed rode this with Gusto...

Ed airing it out...

Ed rolling the small log...

PaulJ rolls the small log...

Why do they call him Fast Eddy???...

Ed on the small jump...

PaulJ on some stairs...

Ed on a log pile...

"That log is a tall as it is wide"...Huh???

PaulJ on the "Big" log...

Ed on the "Big" log...

Thanks for suffering thru these shots...

If I didn't post something, Ed and Paul would kick my @ss for what I put them thru to get them... after they see them??? It's good that I live 200 miles away!!!

I had a great time all week, rode with great friends and lived as a family member at Ed's place... right down to the dinner out with two very nice single ladies...Yesss... some more of that please!

Salami, Pepperjack cheese, and sourdough Rule!!!

Thanks Ed... My door is always open.


Tim

Ever eat at Zach's in Santa Cruz for breakfast?

I also remember a really cool place called the Kiva house (?) it was "clothing optional" new age hot tub place. What a great way to hang out with the beautiful hippie babes after a ride. Those were the days!

Chris