all by myself!!!
yay
8/15/2009
8/11/2009
Tales of a Mountain Bike Virgin
As of last friday, i became a real mountain biker.
I also got the shock that everything isn't all downhill or easy.
lets start at the beginning.
Friday.
i set out for laguna beach at 7:30 and got in the saddle at 8:15. it seemed pretty easy. i bombed down bommer ridge and had no trouble with the hills. then i made my first mistake, having absolutely NO clue where i was going, and i ended up going down a fire road that had a 20% average grade. when i got to a point where i could only travel with something more than a 2 inch travel hardtail, i decided to turn back, and had to climb it all. so that was that. an hour and a half and very little was accomplished.
So i Returned today, tuesday (much to the pain of my wallet)
This time i had a game plan. Park at the visitors center, head up No Name Ridge, up to Bommer, down through some single track, and down Moro back to my car.
it sounded a lot easier than it was. much easier.
when i headed up No Name, i realized that this was at least a 25% average slope as well, and despite my best attempts, i had to hike up the hill. all 2 miles and 1500 feet of it.i was tired and just wanted to go back home. But when i got to the top an hour later, things where looking up, the sun was out and i headed back on to familiar territory. But i knew what i was going to do. and i did just that.
and let me tell you.
it was just amazing.
i took the Fence line trail and had the best time of my summer. then onto the Missing Link trail and had just as much fun, until i hit a rock garden. but that still didn't hinder my ways. after the awesome single track adventure, i returned to Moro Ridge trail and it was just incredible. Riding through the hills and through the clouds, being in touch with nature and the outdoors, and seeing a part of orange county few ever see (or try to see) and i had time to think. it was then that i realized what i loved the most about mountain biking. not the downhill runs, the sweet singletrack for the masochism that i do seem to enjoy. Its the only thing that i can use to truly escape. Sure i can listen to my music, or make my won, but nothing beats being 30 miles from your family, and 2 miles from absolutely any civilization in all directions. its this time that i can spend time with my one true friend. Solitude. This is the time when i can unwind and get away from everything, and everyone.
It is just pure bliss.
now i wonder if i can find a bus route that will take me there from UCI......
I also got the shock that everything isn't all downhill or easy.
lets start at the beginning.
Friday.
i set out for laguna beach at 7:30 and got in the saddle at 8:15. it seemed pretty easy. i bombed down bommer ridge and had no trouble with the hills. then i made my first mistake, having absolutely NO clue where i was going, and i ended up going down a fire road that had a 20% average grade. when i got to a point where i could only travel with something more than a 2 inch travel hardtail, i decided to turn back, and had to climb it all. so that was that. an hour and a half and very little was accomplished.
So i Returned today, tuesday (much to the pain of my wallet)
This time i had a game plan. Park at the visitors center, head up No Name Ridge, up to Bommer, down through some single track, and down Moro back to my car.
it sounded a lot easier than it was. much easier.
when i headed up No Name, i realized that this was at least a 25% average slope as well, and despite my best attempts, i had to hike up the hill. all 2 miles and 1500 feet of it.i was tired and just wanted to go back home. But when i got to the top an hour later, things where looking up, the sun was out and i headed back on to familiar territory. But i knew what i was going to do. and i did just that.
and let me tell you.
it was just amazing.
i took the Fence line trail and had the best time of my summer. then onto the Missing Link trail and had just as much fun, until i hit a rock garden. but that still didn't hinder my ways. after the awesome single track adventure, i returned to Moro Ridge trail and it was just incredible. Riding through the hills and through the clouds, being in touch with nature and the outdoors, and seeing a part of orange county few ever see (or try to see) and i had time to think. it was then that i realized what i loved the most about mountain biking. not the downhill runs, the sweet singletrack for the masochism that i do seem to enjoy. Its the only thing that i can use to truly escape. Sure i can listen to my music, or make my won, but nothing beats being 30 miles from your family, and 2 miles from absolutely any civilization in all directions. its this time that i can spend time with my one true friend. Solitude. This is the time when i can unwind and get away from everything, and everyone.
It is just pure bliss.
now i wonder if i can find a bus route that will take me there from UCI......
8/07/2009
sooo
well, the whole "post everyday" thing failed
anywayssss.....
i had a fantastic few days.
Quarterfinals last night. GO BD!!!!! and HNC!!!
but today was just awesome, i went mountain biking by myself (the way i like it) and discovery a part of south orange county few see.
here, enjoy (just waiting for the pictures to upload to photobucket.. which reminds me. what goes down, must eventually come back up, especially when the car is parked at the top of the hill.)
(i can't smile very well...)
oh yeah, and new episodes of monk and psych!
sorry about the crappy cut off, if you right click the pictures, then click view picture, you'll see the whole thing.
anywayssss.....
i had a fantastic few days.
Quarterfinals last night. GO BD!!!!! and HNC!!!
but today was just awesome, i went mountain biking by myself (the way i like it) and discovery a part of south orange county few see.
here, enjoy (just waiting for the pictures to upload to photobucket.. which reminds me. what goes down, must eventually come back up, especially when the car is parked at the top of the hill.)
(i can't smile very well...)oh yeah, and new episodes of monk and psych!
sorry about the crappy cut off, if you right click the pictures, then click view picture, you'll see the whole thing.
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