RCY RIDE REPORT

Bell Canyon to Chesebro

Sunday

4-23-06

Eleven men showed up at the bottom of Bell Canyon Sunday morning. Although with our number we had the makings of a championship football team, we realized it was the off-season and so chose mountain biking instead. Off to Ahmanson ranch pedaled Andy, Brian, Mitch, DavidR, DaveW, Reuben, Matthew, Dean, Jamshyd, Rod and Rob. But in true RCY fashion, about 8 1/2 minutes into the ride we got separated into at least 2 groups as the 2 Daves, Andy, and Brian headed one way on Las Virgenes Fireroad (we later learned) while the remaining 7 of us headed the other way.....never would the twain meet.

But although we lost some of our brethren, we did run into a couple of other groups of riders whom we knew. Below is a photo of some of us and some of them.

Sheryl, Mitch, Rod, Dean, BruceB, Jamshyd and Matthew plus 3 others whose names I don't know/forgot

Our route when we left Ahmanson took us up the Little Baleen Wall climb and then up the Big Baleen Wall (3 Hills) climb to the point where the above picture was taken. From there it was down the Broken Spoke (Gas Pipe) Trail back to the Las Virgenes Fireroad. Eventually the pedal back thru Ahmanson Ranch returned us to our cars where 5 of us headed to Eggs 'N Things for some eggs and things.

But now I'd like to simply share some photos (and a few interpretations) of our journey. The day was gorgeous with shifting bright blue and heavily clouded skies hovering over the lush green and yellow hillsides. Colorful wildflowers and wild yellow mustard covered the grassy hills that were dotted with spreading aged oak trees. I hope these photos give some sense of the beauty that we were and are blessed to ride through in southern California.

Mustard in the foreground of rolling green hills in Ahmanson Ranch