Mountain Bike BDay Ride

With today being my birthday, I played hooky and went for a three hour ride on the Mountain Bike.  Needless to say, it was a great day to be out on the trail and Sycamore Canyon was calling my name.

After dropping in from the black bitch, I hit the rolling single track that runs parallel to the road.  Running right across the trail in front of me, I was able to spy a bob cat.  It was great to see animals like this still out there where so many humans now visit... I am glad we can venture out together and I leave him alone and fortunately he leaves me alone... though I think a bob cat is nothing like a mountain lion but I digress.

I decided to hit up Hell Hill.  Now I haven't been able to conquer hell hill in the last 7 years but today I was determined... and I did it!  Of course now my legs are punishing me, but by god I nailed it.

Backbone was typical as always.  Even on a Wed. afternoon, there was still riders coming up. For the life of me I will never understand why they do that.  It is such a well known downhill run, I would never recommend ascending that trail for the risk of getting clipped is far too great.

All in all it has been a great birthday.  Maybe in the weeks to come we will do a mountain bike ride out in Sycamore for one of the Agoura MTN Bike Rides.

Big Sycamore Ride on Sunday

So last Sunday I decided to do a big 3.5 ride into Sycamore.  After blasting over the Dos Vientos hills, I dropped in down the Black Bitch and rolled over to Hell Hill.

For those of you that don't know, Hell Hill is a direct route to the top of where Backbone and Overlook meet.  It is steep , grueling and now recently plowed.  Back in my prime, I could climb this hill without stopping.  Now, not so much.  It took me two stops - it's the heat and I'm sticking to that excuse!

At least after torturing your legs on this climb, you are rewarded with one of the best single track descents I have ever been on.  I also was extra fortunate to not run into any climbers, which seems like it would be equally challenging but insane to me considering how fast some people come down that hill.  When you throw in how many inexperienced riders I encounter out there, that makes for a crazy combo!

And speaking of other riders, what has happened to friendliness?  What the hell is wrong with saying hi when you pass a fellow rider, hiker or jogger?  It seems more common than not now I meet some uptight individuals on the trails who for the life of them can't mutter two letters.

Regardless, try a nod or small wave... we are all sharing the trail, enjoying nature and getting exercise - let's remain friendly because lord knows hikers and horseback riders would love nothing more than extra ammo to kick us off the dirt!