RCY RIDE
REPORT
Viper-Los Pinetos
Trail
Sunday
01-07-2007
A good sized group arrived at the south
end of the San Fernando Road exit of the 14 freeway for the first
Sunday ride of the New Year. Enthusiasm reigned among the riders who
anticipated the long almost 8 mile climb up the winding fireroad. As
always it was a tough pedal, but added into the challenge was a fierce
cold wind that only increased in intensity the higher we climbed. Although
Mario headed back about half way up the grade the rest of us rode all the way to
the L.A. County Fire Station at the top.
Posing in front of the
Fire House
Standing from
the left: Joe, Jamshyd, Rod, Dean, Brian, new member DavidG, Mark, Paul,
Reuben
And in front: Roger,
DavidN, Mitch, Matthew chewin' on an apple
The top was so cold and windy
that Jamshyd tried to warm his toes by adding a glove to his
foot....
I, Robco Baggins,
sought shelter from the wind behind a fire truck....(it was actually a tonka toy
truck)
Worried that if we pushed our
luck we might be blown off the mountain, we headed down the fireroad,
looking forward to the Los Pinetos Singletrack. 3 or 4 miles down the road
we hit the trailhead to that traditionally beautiful and fun trail.
Dropping down, sheltered a bit from the wind, we wound our way through the
oak forest pedaling on a leafy golden carpet, crunching 'fibers'
beneath our tires. Soon the forest gave way to Mediterranean
chaparral desert, and that in turn gave way to the lower newly worked trail
section that was burned in a fire this past fall. At the bottom, everyone
was all smiles, having truly enjoyed the albeit short yet thrilling
singletrack and grateful to the land management people for all their work in
improving the trail.
Riders pause on Los
Pinetos Trail just past the site of the former washout that used
to have the homemade wooden bridge
A few miles of road pedaling
brought us back to the cars. Nine of us then headed over to Dos Arbolitos,
a great mexican restaurant in North Hills introduced to us by that
world-renowned food critic Dean. Great salsa, chips, enchiladas, burritos,
tostadas, nachos......
A rendering of the
feast
Have a great
week,
Robco Baggins
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RCYMountainBiking.com
