A Great Read- Idlehour

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Faust29, May 24, 2022.


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  1. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
  2. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
  3. Runs with Scissors

    Runs with Scissors iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    West Anaheim
    Name:
    Mark Whitaker
    Current Bike:
    Giant XTC with pedals
    I've ridden past Idlehour a couple times. After reading this, I will continue to ride past Idlehour. :Roflmao
     
    Sasquatch9billion and Faust29 like this.
  4. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    It is certainly an acquired taste... :laugh: The two main DH portions are a lot of fun. The HAB to get out of the canyon is not.

    Whichever direction you ride it, you will be pushing your bike at some point. But, it also has some of the best and most secluded scenery in this end of the forest. :inlove: Can you tell I'm talking myself into another Idlehour run? :p

    IMG_5482.jpeg

    @redwoods wondering where the trail went... Wiped out after a December storm.
    IMG_6024.jpeg
     
  5. da big hills

    da big hills iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    pearl harbor
    Name:
    cagey
    Current Bike:
    enduro 29
    I used to hike Idlehour with my day hike from Henniger Flats. Back when I was a Boy Scout. Did not see any bikes back then, times have changed for the better, but the forest is no longer grazed so it burns which has changed the micro climates of the San Gabes. Even back then the trail camps that were built by FDR were falling into dis-repair. I loved those flat iron stoves with the square chimney pipes.
    Happy trail down memory lane
     
  6. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    Oh damnit I want some.
     
  7. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    :thumbsup:
     
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  8. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    This ride is right down your alley. Let's do it.
     
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  9. Bill

    Bill Member

    Location:
    Costa Mesa
    Name:
    Bill
    Current Bike:
    it's black
    I rode down Idlehour and up to the Toll Road back in the 80’s. I wasn’t racing anymore but I still had an outsized opinion of my fitness and general awesomeness. Memorable ride because I got dropped from the group climbing from the Cobb Estate and I had no Idea where I was at Inspiration Point. Did I mention it was about 40 degrees and my wool jacket was soaked through from the rain that started shortly after I did?

    Idlehour looked like it would take me back down so I ventured forth. I don’t really remember any of what happened next until I hit the Toll Road. My hands were so cold I could not really control them so I clawed my hands on the cantilever brake levers halfway to crawl down the Toll Road at 5 MPH since I couldn’t muster up the strength and coordination to actually moderate the brakes normally.

    I retained enough presence of mind to head back to the Cobb Estate once I reached the bottom of the Toll Road. The capper to the whole adventure was the cap I was wearing over my 80’s style racing “hairnet” helmet had had a blue ballpoint pen leak on it some time previously. The stain was water soluble and unbeknownst to me until I got to the car and the mirror was a dark blue stripe down one side of my face.

    May my next trip through Idlehour not be that kind of memorable.
     
    ~JB~, Danimal, Old&InTheWay and 7 others like this.
  10. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Ok... Idlehour is calling. I can't do it this weekend, but would anyone be up for it next weekend? On a weekend, there will be hiker traffic on the Lower Sam Merrill portion of the climb, but it thins out the rest of the way to Inspiration Point. Idlehour is usually empty.

    Extra Credit option: Finish the climb to Markham Saddle and drop Upper Merrill before hitting Idlehour.
     
  11. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I'm in as long as it's not hot out. We need to kidnap @Voodoo Tom for this one. :whistling:
     
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  12. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    I'd like to go if work allows.
     
    Faust29 likes this.
  13. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej J-Zilla

    Location:
    Orange
    Name:
    J
    Current Bike:
    SC Chameleon SS, SC Hightower

    Count me i ……..oh wait. Never mind.
     
  14. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Oh, don't worry... You'll get the invite to the extended masochist version later on.

    Turning left after Idlehour may just compare to turning left at the Holy Jim parking lot during VQ. :laugh:
     
    mtnbikej likes this.
  15. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    So... If we were to plan an Idlehour adventure for the following weekend, who would tentatively be interested? Would Saturday the 4th or Sunday the 5th be better?

    I really need to stress the "adventure" part of this. Idlehour is not a trail that the shuttle monkeys like- and for good reason. They can't ride all the features, and they will push their bikes... up and down. :laugh: Strava only shows 24 entries for the year going in the direction that we would ride it. And the ending would leave us with a couple miles of descent on the fire road to get back to civilization. I know how some feel about a fire road finish... I promise you'll be gassed by that point, and will be glad for the extended downhill. :laugh:

    The ride is only about 17.5/4300, and that includes a mile of pavement in the beginning, and a mile or so at the end. Speaking of the end, a short detour would land us at my new favorite taco place. And they have beer! @Voodoo Tom . A short downhill coaster cruise after tacos would get you back to the start.

    Ride reports from my 3 times:

    https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/idlehour-adventure.10377/

    https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/idlehour-loop.10430/

    https://www.imtbtrails.com/forum/threads/an-idle-virgin-no-more.10530/

    Edit: An extra credit loop to Markham Saddle and Upper Merrill before Idlehour would add a little under 5 miles and 1000 feet.
     
  16. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    My only chance to participate would be if on a Sunday. But I’m a shuttle monkey as much as I am a gravel grinder, so my participation is not certain.
     
    Faust29 likes this.
  17. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    A gravel bike would be perfect... It's much lighter to carry uphill and downhill. :Roflmao

    That reminds me... There are a few DH spots that are HABs for probably 95% of riders. Those occur at the creek level after the 2nd long DH and before the campground.
     
    DangerDirtyD and Old&InTheWay like this.
  18. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    I’d love to go guys but about the only thing I can commit to right now is a mental institution. One word of wisdom I can give is don’t buy a manufacturing company during the midst of a pandemic and a foreign war if you need employees and metal to make parts with. My sorry ass only has two rides in the last month. I may need to start riding with Wolfie to save some sanity.
     
    mtnbikej, ~JB~, Stkx66 and 8 others like this.
  19. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    What time do you usually go to sleep?
     
    mtnbikej likes this.
  20. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I soooooo want to do this! Definitely my kind of ride. :thumbsup: Unfortunately, I need to replace my hobnostal defosticator and they are on backorder.

    And my cat needs a perm.
     
  21. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I can help with the cat perm! But the other thing, I need mine too and that wont stop me!
     
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  22. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    I thought of you when I wrote the description! :laugh:
     
    herzalot and DangerDirtyD like this.
  23. Walleye

    Walleye Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Vista
    Name:
    Bill P.
    Current Bike:
    Trek Fuel EX7
    Tom, I run a machine shop also, and stainless steel pricing and availability is INSANE right now, and for the foreseeable future. Uggggh!
     
    Faust29, Danimal and Voodoo Tom like this.
  24. Voodoo Tom

    Voodoo Tom MTB Addict

    Location:
    Castaic
    Name:
    Tom Kokkinakis
    Current Bike:
    Mango one, black one, Ti one
    No doubt and unfortunately I use a lot of stainless. Prices are easily 2-3 times what they were just last year and lead times are well in to next year and beyond for most of my quotes. My main customer nearly had a stroke when I went up 7% on my prices a couple months ago.:Roflmao
     
  25. Stkx66

    Stkx66 iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Southern California
    Name:
    Steve
    Current Bike:
    Santa Cruz Hightower 27+/ 29r
    I have to pass on this ride this upcoming weekend. I need to stay close to home/ work but that's a good thing.
     
    Faust29 likes this.
  26. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    So... Anyone interested in a backcountry-ish adventure ride this weekend? I'm open to either Saturday or Sunday...
     
  27. Lost Kiwi

    Lost Kiwi Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Portola Hills
    Name:
    Simon
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I may have chatted to the prof about this, he's keen.
    Problem is I need to negotiate the rest of the week without catching covid from the fetid petri dish that is my house and work out missing which family event on the weekend is less likely to result in divorce to pull this off.

    Hopefully I have an answer for you tomorrow or Thursday.
     
    Faust29, DangerDirtyD and Danimal like this.
  28. SnakeCharmer

    SnakeCharmer iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Front Range, San Gabes
    Name:
    Mike, aka "Ssnake"
    Current Bike:
    YT Izzo
    I'm in for either day if we can firm it up soon. I need to work one one day this weekend but it doesn't matter which day. I just need to able to set it up work a day or two in advance.
     
    Faust29 and DangerDirtyD like this.
  29. DangerDirtyD

    DangerDirtyD iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    CA
    Name:
    Chicken Nugget
    Current Bike:
    2018 Guerrilla Gravity SMASH
    I’ll go if Kiwi goes and it’s on Sunday.
     
    Faust29 likes this.
  30. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.
    Sunday sounds like the day... And as Kiwi is a San Gabes virgin, I'd really like to add on Upper Merrill for him. Give him a proper taste of a San Gabes type trail. That puts the total ride in the 5000 range.

    Disclaimer- @Lost Kiwi - This ride will be orders of magnitude easier than Los Pinos on the adventure scale, but... It's not representative of the San Gabes as a whole. You're going to need to come back for a proper black diamond tour. :thumbsup:

    How early can you and the Prof be up here? Traffic is better early, as are the temps... I know from experience what it's like getting The Prof moving early. Promise him a warm seat heater and a blankie for the ride. :Roflmao
     
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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?