Chilao After Dark

yes, as soon as he tells me what time to be there.

 

2am it is

 

Is this the rendezvous spot?

 

Plan on leaving here about 12:45…

 

Is this a ride where we will be revisiting the vehicles to stock up on fluids, etc., or should we plan to haul everything we need for the entire ride?

 

Our starting point adds about 5 miles to get where we parked for the bike park version, and the same 5 miles to get back to the cars at the end. We'll pass water, though, at the fire station... Same as when we did it.

I'm bringing a big bottle and a tiny spare.

 

You guys doing 3 laps or 4?

 

Wait, you're not coming?

 

No. I've got an appointment to have the cat permed at 2am tomorrow morning.

 

Next cat you get make sure it's a short hair and you won't have this issue.

 

Your advice is truly appreciated. Now, why didnt I think of that when we were cat shopping?!

 

Hey guys I’m gonna bow out on this. Just too damn beat after this week. Sorry I suck and I know it.
Also just got word from @Mikie that he’s not going to make it either. If I’m understanding correctly he spent all day doing a tractor job that he just finished and is now stuck in traffic on the 14 freeway going home. He’s clearly whooped.

 

Do over! Next Saturday! Whatcha got?

 

Hey guys, Mikie is out on the ride, he had too much going on today and didn't get enough rest to make it. See you in a few hours

 

Do you mean just cancel this weekend and try again next weekend or do it 2 weekends in an row

 

Two weekends in a row! My hall pass is for midnight to sunrise almost every weekend. Bang on!

 

If Mikie was driving that tractor on the 14 we know why the traffic was backed up

 

Waiting for a RR, but all participants probably sleeping like babies.

 

You are a silly man… and I like it!

 

Or frozen. It was chilly up there last night

 

Dooods! It was a 5k day for the slowest guy. I show up to a SS hardtail party with way too much bike and pretty much chased both ways all night. Then I rode solo at Quail Ridge and felt like the leader of the pack.

 

About the only pictures I took... I tried a few others, but it was really dark. The temps were perfectly cool, and the chunky trails seemed extra-extra chunky in the dark. My foot was off the pedals a lot more than during the daytime... It also felt a little strange being on the Chameleon and not the Moxie...

I'm still not sure how I got past Dirty D on the Hillyer descent. Dude must have been far enough off trail that I didn't see his light.

And sorry to the rock climbers who were camping in the middle of the trail...

Fun romp...

20/3100

 

Trail etiquette rules everywhere say to camp >100ft from any trail. If you ignore that, you have no right to get pissed off at someone who passes by early, or late....or in the middle of the night.

I probably passed by 500 thru hikers in their tents on the CT camped right next to the trail. On the AZT, a guy camped right next to one of the metal super gates that are impossible to open or close quietly. Sorry bud, maybe choose a better camp spot next time!

 

Another post midnight ride in the books.

got a little worried in the drive up as we entered the soup….I didn’t come prepared for a wet ride this time. Fortunately we quickly got above it, and were welcomed by a nearly full moon.

@DangerDirtyD showed up with the DH bike while the other 3 of us managed on XC SS’s.

the first couple of climbs were pretty rough in the kitty litter. Not to mention there isn’t much of a warm up before you start climbing.

Before long we were on the climb up to the wall. This would be the first time on the SS and it went about as expected. HAB under the full moon.

we regrouped at the top and let the DH bike go first….he dragged the beast up, might as well have some fun on the down. That worked out well until said DH bike completely missed a turn and was passed by 3 SS’s.

missed the spine as it came up really quick in the dark. @DangerDirtyD would be the only one to ride it, and even then he looked like a bucking bronco. Gonna say we looked like a bunch of rookies out there. Didn’t take any of the normal lines I usually do. Felt like I had barely just started riding bikes. Yeah, the guys camped on the side of the trail….too bad, so sad. We all made it down without incident. Really fun descent in the dark.

We then climbed up to Christian Camp and beyond to pick up Silver Moc a bit higher up. We dropped in from the road and it was pretty smooth. Wasn’t until we hit the rock garden that j realized my fork was still locked out. Got the switch flipped just in time. Climbing up the kitty litter was zapping the energy. @SS Barby was out front on the lower Silver Mocandbi followed. This trail is a blast on the hard tail. John would go down in one of the turns and I got by…he said he was good. So much fun.

we decided to can the 2nd lap…which turned out to be a good idea as my light went out on the climb up the pavement of death.

awesome night out in the mountains.

 

Definitely a different experience throughout the whole ride. Hillyer trail might as well had been a new trail to me. I missed every single feature, unfortunately that is what makes that trail so fun. I even overshot a turn and ended up running into a downed tree and then @DangerDirtyD passed me and pretty much did the same thing a few seconds later. Silver Moccasin was fun as always but also a much different experience in the dark. Wasn't as easy to just let it go and sail over the chunk when it is dark out. The chunk definitely felt chunkier. Even the dirt felt looser, got to experience a little slip out in the sand.

I was squealing all night, even if the rock climbers didn't camp right on the trail and almost get ran over, they were awakened by my squealing rear brake from the start of the descent. I tried @UPSed advice and got some Truckerco brake pads. I guess the pads and the rotor need to be sanded prior to use because they made so much noise, I think I kept LA awake.

 

The rumor mill says there’s going to be a night ride this weekend… closer to JPL. 20/3500 range.

Two in so far…