RR: Black Mountain w/Miner's and Summit

I have no recollection of this ride.

Looks like a pretty standard local ride, with Miner's Ridge to the cutover to the summit to Miner's to Lilac. Took the road down from Lilac though, which is rare. Hmm.

Total Distance: 10.88 miles
Total Time: 1:36:41
Ascent: 1877 feet
Average Speed: 6.8 mph
Top Speed: 36.5 mph
Bike: Intense Spider XVP
Map:

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RR: Sweetwater/Rock House

Rode with Nate today. I had planned on riding another nearby secret trail, but he convinced me to do this one instead.

The Rock House climb was a monster, but I made it to the top and back.





























Total Distance: 11.66 miles
Total Time: 2:22:40
Ascent: 2143 feet
Average Speed: 4.9 mph
Top Speed: 28.9 mph
Bike: Intense Spider XVP
Map:

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TR: Black Mountain Trail Work

[Editor's note: The summary below was taken from the SDMBA website.]

On Saturday, February 21, eighteen SDMBA volunteers opened a new stretch of single-track at Black Mountain Open Space Park. The new connector links Miner’s Ridge Loop Trail to the north with the Nighthawk trail system to the south. Although the trail technically existed before this volunteer event, its sightlines, signage, and tread were inadequate for mountain biking.

The new connector trail has been a long time in coming. Aerial photos showed the trail existed when the arsenic mine was active. After the mine closed, the mountain reclaimed the trail. In 2002, Ranger John Barone and I discussed cutting a new trail near the site of the old trail. After John left Black Mountain Park, Ranger Tom Miller (with support from city trail manager Rick Thompson) continued to push for the construction of the new trail. Tom managed to bypass some of the bureaucracy of building a new trail by showing that the old trail had once existed and aligning the new connector over the old one. In 2007, Tom led a group that re-cut the connector, but final approval to complete construction (widen, mark, build the puncheon bridge, etc.) and officially open it didn’t come until earlier this year. Our group of 18 volunteers completed that construction.

For the seventh year in a row, Black Mountain Bicycles donated swag – including a rear derailleur and hydration pack – to raffle off to volunteers after trail work concluded around 12:30pm. Everyone went home with something.

Thanks go to all of our volunteers for helping to open yet another trail in Black Mountain Park (our second in the past 3 years) – now go ride it! (A map to the new Connector Trail can be found on the second page of the event announcement.) Special thanks to Rich, Gardner, Everett, Michael, John, Kim, Tom, and Evan for being trail bosses and Sr. Ranger Ed Christensen for providing tools, logistics, materials, and support.

I was on Evan's trail crew, and had a great time doing work and chatting with Ranger Ed on the way back down the mountain. I've ridden this connector trail dozens of times, and have some ambivalence about the work that was done, but appreciate that a local ride of mine is getting some love.

Several pictures, including a couple of me, are available here.

RR: Ramona Ride

Had an awesome ride today with a ton of DT guys up in Ramona. The ride report with pics (including some of me) is available here.

Total Distance: 12.88 miles
Total Time: 2:49:50
Ascent: 1801 feet
Average Speed: 4.5 mph
Top Speed: 23.3mph
Bike: Intense Spider XVP
Map:

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RR: Local Ride w/Miner's Loop and Lilac Canyon

This afternoon was a quick local ride, just to trying to keep my momentum going. I rode Miner's loop from home.

Total Distance: 9.55 miles
Total Time: 1:19:39
Ascent: 1457 feet
Average Speed: 7.2 mph
Top Speed: 33.6 mph
Bike: Intense Spider XVP
Map:

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RR: SMaRT

This afternoon was a short but fun trip up to Fallbrook for a ride on the Santa Margarita River Trail with Doug and his dad. I had been hoping to get some kind of ride in this weekend, and this turned out to be a good option.

We dropped into the trail from a fun downhill near Doug's parent's house, and then rode along the river for a bit. The trail itself is beautiful, and there were quite a few people out today enjoying the amazing weather.

The ride was more or less uneventful. I cleaned a few steep climbs that would have given me trouble in the past, which felt good. I also finished strong up a very steep pavement climb to the finish that Doug had warned me about.

Doug was having a good time, even if it didn't look like it.

The trail was in pretty good shape, though there were some sandy spots.


Father and son on the trails:

I did have an amusing fall as I tried to ride up and over a huge dirt mound that was at the base of the pavement climb. I think my big ring caught as I reached the apex of the mound, causing me to go OTB into the soft dirt. Fortunately, there was no photographic evidence.

I enjoyed riding with Doug as always, and the scenery on this trail is among the best for rides that aren't an hour away in the mountains.

All in all it was a fun, quick trip.

Here are the stats:

Total Distance: 5.23 miles
Total Time: 1:11:47
Ascent: 940 feet
Average Speed: 4.4 mph
Top Speed: 27.5 mph
Bike: Intense Spider XVP
Map:

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RR: Daley Ranch (Intense Demo Day)

I'm in the midst of trial preparation hell, but somehow found time to work in a short ride this morning at Daley Ranch before heading into work on a Saturday.

Intense was having a demo day out at Daley, and because its so close to work and I am now an Intense owner and fan, I wanted to make it out there for at least a little bit.

I brought my bike, but was hoping to get to ride a new Tracer if one was available. I got there early, but all of the Tracers in my size were already gone, so I elected to demo a Spider 29'er instead. After a quick waiver form and installing my own pedals, I was on my way.

I took Creek Crossing from the parking lot to East Ridge, up Sage, then down the Diamondback singletrack. Just before the turnoff to Diamondback, I saw a coyote just off the trail.


He eventually went his way, and I went mine.

From Diamondback I took East Ridge north to the west side of Jack Creek Meadow Loop, up Hidden Spring (Cardiac) to Englemann Oak, and hooked a left on Cougar Ridge.



On Cougar Ridge, I stopped for a quick picture to the west. It was gorgeous out, and I could see all the way to the ocean.


By taking this route I skipped a significant section of trail that I had ridden before, including the Burnt Mountain and Bobcat singletracks, but I was short on time and trial prep was calling my name.

I then took Cougar Ridge to the newly re-routed Crest singletrack, which was a ton of fun and a big improvement. After that all I had left was the banzai down the Ranch House fire road back to the Intense truck and my car.

As far as my impressions of the Spider 29'er, my thoughts are limited. It felt a lot like my Spider 26'er, so I didn't notice a huge advantage to the bigger wheels. I loved the XTR brakes, however, and the bike did climb very well. If I didn't have the 26" version and was in the market for a full suspension 29'er, I think it would be a great choice. But since I already have a FS 26" bike with almost the same geometry, I can't see buying one of these. Either way, it was fun to ride something different, and the color was really cool.


Here are the stats:

Total Distance: 1.73 miles
Total Time: 1:34:51
Ascent: 1705 feet
Average Speed: 6.8 mph
Top Speed: 30.5 mph
Bike: Intense Spider 29'er
Map:

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