I had intended to make a ride yesterday at the Plesanton Ridge Regional Park but it was raining all day. I had some business over in Palo Alto this morning so I just jetted over to the Arastradero Preserve southwest of P.A. after I was finished. I've ridden in this preserve on several occasions and I always keep coming back. Parking is easy and the terrain is great. That being said, my trip on this occasion turned out the be my second worst trip ever into Arastradero. (The worst was the painful header that I took on hard, rocky turf (errrr.....shale) after slipping a rut last summer.) On this day, I completely underestimated the condition of the trails after the rain. There were portions of the clay/dirt that had become like peanut butter. Fat globs of mud stuck to the wheels and jammed the hell out of the brakes, effectively freezing the front wheel in seconds. It took me about 11/2 hours to ride a normally moderate 30-40 minute 6 mile loop. I was coated in mud after the ride. Luckily I was wearing full rain gear and I could just peel it off later. I'm glad I was the only one on the trail cause I must have looked like a complete tool, covered in dirt and riding with 8" diameter mud balls hanging off of the frame as I stopped every few hundred yards to cuss like a sailor and free my wheels. Let me just say, I got more game than Parker Brothers---A.J. is on the bike and I'm smooth like butta.
I did get a chance to practice on some tricky rutted downhill mud trails. You don't really ride it; you pick a line and slide your way down the slope like a ski run. I lost the bike in a slip at least three times coming down. Anyway, my advice is don't fool around with the mud here and come when it's dry. There's some outstanding scattered singletrak if you explore a little.
There was one other thing that I saw today which made me treasure Arastradero even more. The only other person on the trail was a guy hiking up with binoculars and birdwatching. This guy came to the preserve for an entirely different reason than I did but he probably also left with the same amount of satisfaction as I did. The chance for him to see the natural ornithological bounty near Paly is just as important as the rush I feel moving through the hills and observing the surroundings on my bike. Open space is for everyone!
Hopefully I'll have digital photos to publish in my next journal entry. Check back soon!
Note: In retrospect, with what I've learned since this trip, my adventure in the mud here was totally irresponsible. By riding these muddy trails, I contributed to their erosion and destruction. Never ride muddy trails, it is the worst thing one can do. It is completely contrary to Leave No Trace and IMBA's "soft cycling" techniques. It also adds fuel to the fire for people who are against opening trails to bikers. Horses and hikers tear up muddy trails just as bad as bikers do, too, folks. Keep that in mind.
No comments:
Post a Comment