Vernal Equinox / First Full Day of Spring Blackstar Ride

Discussion in 'Trailhead' started by Rumpled, Feb 28, 2019.


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Added to Calendar: 03-21-19
  1. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    I made it within 1/2 mile of Beeks. BonsaiNut continued on and disappeared into the clouds but returned after a few minutes. My chain came off 4-5 times and the mud caked onto my tires and drivetrain until it wouldn't turn anymore. I think maybe at one point a rock got stuck in the mud between the tire and the frame. I kept wiping and poking the mud clear of my tires but it just piled back on. - It's interesting to talk to other riders while climbing up Black Star. The climb seems so much easier.

    F5F4B918-9B84-415B-928B-B90059B07355.jpeg

    A66724A6-C73E-475E-A529-92D15A5AE385.jpeg
     
  2. Rumpled

    Rumpled Well-Known Member

    Location:
    OC
    Name:
    Jim Martin
    Current Bike:
    2018 Specialized Epic Carbon C
    I've had hamsters, never clipped their toenails.
    Try again!
     
  3. Rumpled

    Rumpled Well-Known Member

    Location:
    OC
    Name:
    Jim Martin
    Current Bike:
    2018 Specialized Epic Carbon C
    I turned around just before the cross, any further and I might broken something in the drive train.
    Basically a mile too far. Shoulda turned around before descending into Hidden Ranch.
     
  4. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    It was the best of times... it was the worst of times :)

    Arrived at the Tree Farm and started chatting with Steve. Everything was looking good. And then Jim pulled up and this happened:

    spring1.jpg

    We watched as this little cell got closer... and then it hit us with moderate rain mixed with a little hail. Jim was starting to look a little hesitant... but I guilted him into trying it regardless of conditions. Fortunately Steve is as stupid/daring as I am, and was totally game!

    Up to the Falls it was very wet, but gritty and sandy without much mud. There was a lot of water flow from the seasonal creeks on all sides of the trail - and it was dirty brown water which from my camping experience usually means "heavy rain uphill... watch for flash floods". But once we got to the Falls, conditions improved considerably. There was even a moment when it looked like the sun might break through. Aside from the trail conditions, the ride was perfect. Relatively warm and dead calm - not a breath of wind.

    spring2.jpg

    Here's Steve cutting a new set of tracks up through the switch-backs:

    spring3.jpg

    Jim said he was listening to a "Spring Equinox Music Mix" but it sure sounded a lot like arena rock from the 1980's :) At this point things were still looking relatively good.

    spring4.jpg

    Once we got to Hidden Ranch, all of the bad trail sections had simply gotten worse with time, rain, and unwise truck traffic. Several sections that you had previously been able to skirt to the left or right were simply impassible without diving right in. Steve and I took turns guessing which part of a muddy lake you could ride through... and though neither of us ever got stuck, there were some amusing moments.

    Climbing out of Hidden Ranch, the darkness started to creep in due to the low cloud cover. There are several parts of the fire road here that are now impassible to truck traffic - and pretty sketchy even on a bike, with wash-outs, rock slides, and ruts/ravines running straight down the middle of the trail. At one point Steve and I stopped to make sure Jim was still with us... and way off in the distance we could see his lights heading in the other direction climbing out of Hidden Ranch :) He made the right choice :)

    Right below Beek's things took a turn for the worse. The mud got even more tenacious, and we rode into heavy cloud cover that obscured the trail. Steve got bogged down with mud and started losing his chain. I told him I was going to scout ahead, and continued up the trail for a bit. I stopped at the bottom of the single track that comes down from the gate just below Beek's and considered our options. I called out to Steve a few times, but he was too far away to hear me. I stood there and listened to the frogs for a few moments, and then turned on my light and turned around. I found Steve still poking out boulders that had been deposited in nooks and crannies of his bike frame. He was game to continue to the top, even if it meant a HAB, but I had had enough.

    It was a slip and slide on the way down, but nowhere near as bad as on the way up. I dropped my chain a couple of times, and had to stop every now and then to clear mud from my eyes. Once we climbed out of Hidden Ranch the rest of the way down was a little slimy, but rideable. Got quite a workout slogging through the wet sand back to the pavement at the trailhead, and then it was a quick roll back to the Tree Farm and the cars. And who was there waiting for us but Jim - relaxing and drinking a beer!

    It was fun and I'm glad I went - but it was definitely a messy ride. When I got home my wife was appalled at my appearance :)

    16.8 miles, 2100 feet
     
  5. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I saw your cars when we were headed out of Silverado Canyon... And knew that it would be an interesting tale. :thumbsup:
     
  6. BonsaiNut

    BonsaiNut iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Troutman, NC
    Name:
    Greg P
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower CC XX1
    I actually stopped and bought my annual Adventure Pass on the way to the ride... because my Plan B was to ride Maple Springs :)
     
    Old&InTheWay, Stkx66 and mtnbikej like this.
  7. BeckTrex

    BeckTrex Member

    Location:
    Yorba Linda, Ca
    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    2009 Giant Trance X3
    I arrived late at 6:30 and knew that I’d have some catching up to do. The bottom of Blackstar was wet and muddy but not the kind of mud that I remember from Blackstar rides of the past. I decided to see if perhaps these years rains had finally washed the clay enough to ride it, but vowed to turn around at the 1st sign that Blackstar mud was still “peanut butter”. About a mile past the gate my tires started to load up, so I turned around and headed back to the car. Back at the car, with only 4.3 miles ridden, I decided to head up Silverado canyon. I went through the gate, over the 1st water crossing and decided to go up Motorway a bit. About a quarter mile up Motorway the trail had been covered by a landslide and I decided that was a good place to turn around. The ride down Silverado canyon is always fast and fun and doing it at night on a wet road didn’t make it any less fun (just a bit more stressful). I arrived back at the tree farm just in time to meet up with the crew that braved the mud to the higher reaches.

    The trail should be dried out before the Summer Solstice ride
     
  8. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Were you with another rider? I passed two guys heading up Silverado Canyon when I was on the way out. VW SUV with the orange Tin Lizard on the back...

    Glad you got some miles in. :thumbsup:
     
    -ROCKY- and Stkx66 like this.
  9. mike

    mike iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Western US
    Name:
    Mike O
    Current Bike:
    HT, FS
    Way to give it hell, lads!

    It's heartening to know others too have to deal with that fcking peanut butter...

    Happy Spring, y'all. Shake a leg, SoCalers, the heat is around the corner.
     
  10. BeckTrex

    BeckTrex Member

    Location:
    Yorba Linda, Ca
    Name:
    Mark
    Current Bike:
    2009 Giant Trance X3
    I was riding solo last night. Those 2 riders were starting up Silverado Canyon as I was setting up my bicycle.
     
    Old&InTheWay likes this.
  11. Rumpled

    Rumpled Well-Known Member

    Location:
    OC
    Name:
    Jim Martin
    Current Bike:
    2018 Specialized Epic Carbon C
    Basically like @BonsaiNut said. My music choice was actually from Amazon, a playlist called Spring Classic Rock Garden. Seemed like a decent title for the first day of spring. A lot of 60's and 70's was on it as well.
    I was a bit hesitant to ride, but yes was guilted into it.
    Most was doable until past the first cattle guard, more mud was sticking on then.
    When we got to the top of the hill above Hidden Ranch, I was thinking that would be a good turn around. I had had to stop once to clear the front tire and front derailleur of mud. Going down to Hidden Ranch it got worse. Finally couldn't roll just past the creek bottom. Decided to pull the plug. Tried to yell and whistle ahead that I was done; to no affect. Having a whistle might have helped with communication.
    Used a few sticks to try and clear out the mud. Once I got going downhill, most of it got flung off.
    Slow rolled to the truck and decided to wait until everyone was back. Only took about 5 minutes.
    Enjoyed a beer and headed home.
    It was a bit of an adventure.

    When my wife came home later, she said "You're bike looks disgusting!"

    20190321_205350.jpg
     
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As a former Amazon Associate I continue to get screwed trying to stay qualified as an Amazon Affiliate. So I quit!


Want to donate to imtbtrails?