Some of you may be interested, some may not....but I thought I would post a quick little run down of probably the most awesome time riding I have ever had!
Last year I had a pretty bad MTB accident which put me in a cast and on crutches for 6 months, so during this time I clearly got bored! Born was the trip to California!
I am thinking of writing an article and seeing whether any of the MTB magazines would be interested (in the interests of those who might want to plan a similar lifetime trip??)....but I'm not sure anyone would be interested? Anyway, here are the highlights of the trip.....
First stop - Marin County, Fairfax to be precise. Through STW I was contacted by someone who can only be described as an MTB Legend..... Charlie Kelly, anyway, one thing led to another and he said if I ever made it over to let him know, so I did and I got the surprise of a lifetime when I actually went to meet with him at the Java Hut in Fairfax - I got two legends for the price of one! So who was the other guide of the day..... Joe Breeze, yes Joe Breeze! So here we are in Marin - just about to ride Tamarancho & [u]THE[/u] 'Repack'! How does it get better than that?
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At the start line to 'the Repack'...
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At the finish line of 'the repack'...
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After our ride in Marin and the experience of Tamarancho what could come next?
Downieville is what happened next - Dropping 5,000 vertical feet in 17 miles from Packer Saddle to Downieville, the Downieville Downhill is the longest and most demanding downhill mountain bike race in the nation. This prestigious race course follows the paths of the Sunrise Trail, Butcher Ranch Trail, Third Divide Trail and First Divide Trail. It's big, it's bad and it's beautiful.
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At the top (Sunrise Trail)....
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Do you think the trail must have been dusty??
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As much as we would have stayed here for the rest of our lives,it was time to move on....Oh ok.... Lake Tahoe it is then!
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On the Flume trail - The half mile of climbing past Snow Valley is where you become friendly with that shiny little granny gear on your mountain bike. You start the ride at 7000' and climb to 8157' giving you only 1100' to climb so take your time and savor these ascents as they are the only ones you'll do all day!
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The bikes have taken quite a hammering already, so time for a bit of servicing before the next destination...
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That'll be Mammoth Mountain then!
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And at height (11,500') it was hard to breath...
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We really did need a rest at the end of the day!
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The furthest peak you can see is where you start your joy!
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A quick stop off for a night out....Las Vegas (oh yeah! and to be scared the s**t out of on the Stratosphere!)
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View from the top....
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The scared bit!
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That's enough of that....off to LA to ride Aliso Canyon!
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Caught on the run after making my mate Chris scream like a little girl by resting by our bikes after the ride.....a "RATTLER"!
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Then it was a couple of days R & R - visits to Knotts Berry Farm & Universal Studio's before our final ride in Santa Cruz....
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Let the packing for home begin....
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But not without nipping for a look around the Santa Cruz factory eh!! Thanks to Ryan how spent a few hours showing us around and of course for the beer!! Mmmmm.....
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Well that's if now! You're probably bored anyway!
Fantastic 🙂
A mountain bikers dream holiday? I'm actually very jealous!
It's RepackRider who post's on here isn't it? IMO his posts don't quite get the appreciation i feel they deserve
Great pics, thanks for sharing
Fantastic!
I'm deeply, madly jealous of you!
I've been to Durango and Moab, and I need to get back to the USA again soon, and this isn't helping my bank balance, showing pics like that...! 🙂
Thanks for sharing 😀
Charlie and Joe are legends, and really nice guys to boot! Thanks for sharing that and making me very jealous indeed!
It's RepackRider who post's on here isn't it? IMO his posts don't quite get the appreciation i feel they deserve
It is the very same RepackRider and I am sure if people really knew who he was and his involvement along with Joe Breeze & Gary Fisher in what we know as mountain biking today, then I think it would be VERY different!
No problem sharing....the problem is it just makes me want to go back myself! Mmmmm....maybe I will!
CaptainFlashheart - MemberCharlie and Joe are legends, and really nice guys to boot! Thanks for sharing that and making me very jealous indeed!
EVERYTHING you say is true! They are legends and FANTASTIC GUYS!
Thanks for posting that. Absolutely awesome!
"PeterPoddy - Member
Fantastic!
I'm deeply, madly jealous of you"
It was those Pikes that made the trip!! 😀
Totally awesome dude!!!
Wow.
Simply WOW.
I'm so, so jealous! Nice to hear RepackRider is as cool in the flesh as he is online 🙂
Looks like my old Pikes just had the MTB trip of a lifetime.
Yes mate - Your Pikes are on the White SC Heckler (my mates bike!) that is in shown in a couple of the pics! Took me a few minutes there to catch on what you were on about! They performed excellent buddy!
That looks AMAZING.
Jealous as ****
Wow!!! What a trip! Those pics made me smile 😀
Well i have just gone green from head to tail.
Chapeau mon amis, chapeau!!
peteimpreza - MemberWell i have just gone green from head to tail.
Chapeau mon amis, chapeau!!
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Excellent pics, we can only dream...
Itheisinger, are you riding a heckler btw?
You'll have to forgive me, I'm on a santa cruz love fest at the moment! 🙂
One can only dream, fair play to you for going and doing it, the pics are great.
DarrenH - MemberExcellent pics, we can only dream...
Itheisinger, are you riding a heckler btw?
You'll have to forgive me, I'm on a santa cruz love fest at the moment!
Yes mate - the last 3 bikes have all been SC, but the black Heckler in the pics is mine. Love it!
I love California
cynic-al - MemberI love California
...so do i!
fantastic............you lucky sod's 8)
Indeed a trip of a life time. Yes I think you should write a piece about the holiday and send it into Single Track Magazine, with some of those fantastic photos.
I always have a little smile on face when reading RepackRider's posts, as I know who he is and his history.
California is where I met my husband many years ago (at Lake Tahoe), so it holds very special memories for us.
Bunnyhop - MemberIndeed a trip of a life time. Yes I think you should write a piece about the holiday and send it into Single Track Magazine, with some of those fantastic photos.
I always have a little smile on face when reading RepackRider's posts, as I know who he is and his history.
California is where I met my husband many years ago (at Lake Tahoe), so it holds very special memories for us.
Thank you and I'm glad we could rekindle some of those memories! 🙂
No accidents then?
Can't wait to see the videos.
What a totally awesome trip Dudes.
Total respect.
now heres a thread that genuinely deserves awesome in the title.
10 of us rode the Pacific Coast Highway from San Fransisco to LA earlier this year on retro mb's......the views and the riding were fantastic but your California experience looks out of this world, i'm a tad jealous!
Fab-u-lous - and I was NOT bored 😯
Add me to that list of jealous individuals.
Looks like a fantastic trip, some great photos too.
Would love to do something like that
Git! whatta trip, I'm seriously jealous. Decided I'm going to take my cousins offer up to go visit him in the Pacific NW.
Aliso Cyn - as in Laguna Niguel ?
Was it a good ride ?
(I go out near there on hols every summer but haven't done that park - you were very near to a great route that I do always ride, don't suppose you did San Juan or Los Pinos up the Ortega highway ?)
[edit] "Ossum!" by the way
Last year I had a pretty bad MTB accident which put me in a cast and on crutches for 6 months
That's awesome to hear - good for you. Very jealous!
Wow, what a trip. I bet you had the time of your life. I'm going to California next August for my honeymoon & hope to squeeze in a bit of riding (as much as I can get away with anyway).
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[url= http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbwelcome.htm ][b]2retro4u[/b][/url]
Marin County, Cali
Late on this because I'm in a different time zone. I was waiting for Leon to introduce the subject. Thanks for the kind words.
Leon and Chris showed up for their ride so late in the day that Joe was the only person I could find who hadn't already gone out. We took the boys on as much of a ride as they were game for in the time allotted. Total distance might have been fifteen miles, but they were not easily earned.
Joe and I had the "home field advantage" of knowing exactly how far it was to the top of every climb. We took them up Iron Springs Road to the Alchemist Trail, took that to the Goldman Trail, then Serpentine, Wagon Wheel, B-17 and B-17 Extension trails out the other side of Tamarancho.
Along the way we passed "The Rock." Joe cleaned it, but no one else did. It seems like everyone who ever cleaned The Rock has the video on YouTube.
On Wagon Wheel one of the boys had his first close look at a vulture, a common sight here as they glide on the thermals close to the hills, and shouted, "What is that enormous black bird?"
Then the climb that tested their stamina, to an elevation of just over 1500 feet on a warm afternoon. Did I hear a few complaints on the climbs? Must have been the coyotes. That's why they put those gears on the bikes.
I hope the boys came away from their ride down Repack with a little insight into why it was such a great test then and still is now. Leon should have video from his helmet camera, and I look forward to the YouTube post.
A familiar ride is more enjoyable when you ride with someone discovering it for the first time. Leon and Chris were great company, so let me thank them here for joining us.
"What is that enormous black bird?"
😆
Wow trip of a lifetime , Thanks for sharing.
Excellent. Food for thought indeed.
California is the one place I've been to in the States where I thought "hmmm yeah I could live here".
scaredypants - MemberAliso Cyn - as in Laguna Niguel ?
Was it a good ride ?
Yes it was Laguna Niguel & yes it was great! We got show up to 'the top of the World' by a guy called James who we met in the car park before heading off and then came down 'Rock it'! Great Ride!
Unfortunately we didn't get chance to do San Juan, but there always next time!!!! 😀 I heard so many good things about San Juan, but just ran out of time in LA.
Repack Rider - Member2retro4u
Marin County, CaliLate on this because I'm in a different time zone. I was waiting for Leon to introduce the subject. Thanks for the kind words.
Leon and Chris showed up for their ride so late in the day that Joe was the only person I could find who hadn't already gone out. We took the boys on as much of a ride as they were game for in the time allotted. Total distance might have been fifteen miles, but they were not easily earned.
Joe and I had the "home field advantage" of knowing exactly how far it was to the top of every climb. We took them up Iron Springs Road to the Alchemist Trail, took that to the Goldman Trail, then Serpentine, Wagon Wheel, B-17 and B-17 Extension trails out the other side of Tamarancho.
Along the way we passed "The Rock." Joe cleaned it, but no one else did. It seems like everyone who ever cleaned The Rock has the video on YouTube.
On Wagon Wheel one of the boys had his first close look at a vulture, a common sight here as they glide on the thermals close to the hills, and shouted, "What is that enormous black bird?"
Then the climb that tested their stamina, to an elevation of just over 1500 feet on a warm afternoon. Did I hear a few complaints on the climbs? Must have been the coyotes. That's why they put those gears on the bikes.
I hope the boys came away from their ride down Repack with a little insight into why it was such a great test then and still is now. Leon should have video from his helmet camera, and I look forward to the YouTube post.
A familiar ride is more enjoyable when you ride with someone discovering it for the first time. Leon and Chris were great company, so let me thank them here for joining us.
Charlie - thanks very much for the description of our ride - there was no way that I would have remembered all that!
No worries on the kind words - you guys couldn't have made our ride in Tamarancho and our holiday any more special - we really appreciated that!
The videos need a bit of work (i.e. editing), but plan to do them this weekend, at which point I'll post the links here!
Cheers again Charlie - you're a legend!
cool, I did virtually the exact same trip in 99.
awesome stuff
awesom - v jealous! your pics are just fantastic - the home of mountain biking eh! one day....
Out of interest how mich did the rv cost to rent ?
Out of interest how mich did the rv cost to rent ?
All in for 18 days with 1500 miles, personal kits, provision kits, gas, generator, dumping & insurances - £1156
Wow that does look great, and i think you should send a story to the mags, who wouldnt want to see such an inspirational story, thanks for sharing, i think you have a planted a forest full of seeds with this. Looking forward to seeing the vid too.
Looks like a great trip. I rode the Flume Trail as a loop.
Flume Trail
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Armstrong Trail
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Christmas Trail
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😯
Not only do you go and meet and ride with a legend (well, two!) but he then goes and writes your ride report for you! The stuff of dreams, sir!
Envious - moi? 😉
Ooooh looking forward to the video clips now.
Awesome. Lucky swine.
WOW!
Amazing trip, really must do something like this soon. Just hope that I don't need to end up on crutches in order to plan it 😉
That
is
brilliant!!
Dead Jealous.
Really good thread, love the photos, looks great !!!! 😛
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[url= http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbwelcome.htm ][b]2retro4u[/b][/url]
Marin County, Cali
Checking in late again from the Pacific Time Zone so I can bump ltheisinger's story. The only other STW member I have met in person would be McMoonter, who posted his own photos above. I rescued him a couple of years ago as he wandered lost and thirsty and five long minutes from beer on Mount Tamalpais.
I can't think of any other riders who took on such a fine MTB adventure. Sometimes I think every possible mountain bike tale has been spun, and I'm hearing them for the third time, but this is an original story well worth ltheisinger and his mate getting paid to write it up and send it in.
Charlie, There seems to be a rescue pattern to my US trips. I'm just back from the San Juans. On a trip to Orcas Island we underestimated the return trip time from Mt Constitution and a swim in the mountain lake to catch the ferry back to Shaw Island. My girlfriend made up a notice while we ate Burritos, some super kind folks from Body Board Blade a Kayaking company on the island gave us a ride to catch the boat.
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so what, i'm off piste at cannock tomorrow. 🙄
just kidding, that looks ace 😉
Trying to work out how to put the video on! 😕 this is the Repack one.... Hopefully??
EDIT: Nope - I'll keep trying?
Try again....
Videos of Downieville, Tahoe, Mammoth, Laguna Niguel & Santa Cruz to follow - but they take flipping ages!
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[url= http://sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/mtbwelcome.htm ][b]2retro4u[/b][/url]
Marin County, Cali
Good job! I passed the camera twice, once near the top, and then after I had to stop to put my chain back on. You can see Joe off his bike taking a photo, and then passing the camera. After putting his camera away, Joe got back on his bike and had very nearly caught me at the bottom.
Unfortunately the camera does not give a good impression of how steep the hill is, but the [i]average[/i] grade over the length is about 14%, which means some parts are steeper than that.
Thanks Charlie! The HD version is now on YouTube if you want to take a look at that? Much better quality!
[url=
Tube HD Video[/url]
That looks truly ace! JEALOUS!
Hey Itheisinger...
glad you had a great time in Northern Cal, it's ace eh! I replied to your thread last year, when you were canvassing opinion on your trips and possible destinations. You seemed to have gone to all the places i recommended and looks like you had a blast.
Glad i could help out with a destination or two, and along with Mr Kelly and Co: looks like it was fun.
Ain't Downeiville great eh!
awesome
lardman - MemberHey Itheisinger...
glad you had a great time in Northern Cal, it's ace eh! I replied to your thread last year, when you were canvassing opinion on your trips and possible destinations. You seemed to have gone to all the places i recommended and looks like you had a blast.
Glad i could help out with a destination or two, and along with Mr Kelly and Co: looks like it was fun.
Ain't Downeiville great eh!
Hey buddy - Yep we had a fantastic time in California, especially the North! I remember your posts and the pics (the pics you posted just made it VERY difficult to wait!). My three Favorite rides have to be Tamarancho/ Repack with Charlie & Joe, Downieville & Mammoth.
I am already thinking about the next time I can go and believe me I WILL be going again, but now I know the area a bit better I will plan slightly different, to allow more time in the areas I REALLY enjoyed this time!
Thanks again buddy and cheers for posting on this one too!
well, there's plenty more places i can direct you to, for when u go again.
cheers
well, there's plenty more places i can direct you to, for when u go again.
I know a great route that takes you from the center of San Fran right over Mt Tamalpais, down to beautiful white sandy beach (and pub) then back over on singletrack to Golden Gate bridge... and back to SF. All off road, and at least half singletrack (mostly legit)
Plus lots more round the bay area.
cheers