RCY Ride
Report
Ahmanson from Victory
Blvd.
"Doc Rod's
Annual Sukkah Ride"
Sunday
10-19-08
Although it is supposed to be
about the bike (specifically mountain bike), I'd say Sunday's ride was
more about the Sukkah. We had a tremendous turnout, with 18 people
arriving outside the gate at the west end of Victory Boulevard, chomping on the
bit to ride around Ahmanson Ranch, but also perhaps to chomp on some egg salad
and bagels under the Sukkah at Doc Rod's. After the ride The Bone Man and
his lovely wife Sharlene graciously opened their home to us mountainbiking
scoundrels in order to enjoy the autumn Jewish holiday of Sukkot. But I
get ahead of myself. First the ride.
As to who was in
attendance, I quote a famous Persian Jewish historian of the 20th and 21st
centuries: "Rod, Rob, Andy, John,
Matthew, DavidS, Sheryl, GaryM, GregA, Aron, Jeff, Efi, Mickey, Isaac, Joe,
Mike, SteveK, and me Jamshyd. Now I should get a prize just for remembering who
was on this now fast becoming a traditional, annual Sukkah ride invented,
designed, and arranged by our very own webmaster, the great bone doc and funny
man Doctor Nimrob Blau."
The group at the
Trailhead
16
individuals + my shadow + Matthew's angelic image (he was off getting more
apples for the large group)
As the Persian historian had
written, we left promptly between the hours of 7:30 and 8:00, heading west
through Ahmanson Ranch. A few riders as they approached the Las Virgenes
Fireroad.....
GaryM leading Andy
and SteveK
John
(it appears
that riders like to stick their tongue out at me)
Greg wizzing by,
tongue retracted
Isaac focused on the
trail
At this point some traditional
RCY confusion reigned as most of the group went the wrong way and briefly lost
contact with a small subset. But all ended well as we met back up and then
proceeded to be confused yet again as to which way to go. But some small
sect took control and we headed up the long climb of the Las Virgenes fireroad
with the idea of doing the Marbles Trail. But that idea eventually lost
favor with the multitudes and we ended up taking a small trail that led us into
the exclusive community of Bell Canyon. After a little pedaling on the
pavement we climbed an old dirt switchback that is at the end of Bell Canyon Dr.
which brought us to the ridge overlooking Ahmanson. From there it was down
a twisty singletrack through old dried grasses which beat and bruised our
fragile shins.
Stopping to regroup
in the rolling dry hills of Ahmanson Ranch
Reaching the floor of
Ahmanson, the group began to splinter as we found our way thru the myriad paths
back to the vehicles on Victory Boulevard. I clocked over 14 miles of
riding. From there it was a quick drive over to Rod's for Splendor in the
Sukkah.
Under the Sukkah,
more than a dozen RCYers feast after wandering more than 14 miles in the
desert.
(Note the tin of
chocolate chip cookies also graciously provided by Sheryl the cookie
goddess,
who also shared with
us a beautifully bound book that she created from her recent African
safari)
Rod photographs Rob
photographing Rod photographing Rob photographing.....
(Note Rod's big
Digital SLR.....I think I have camera envy)
Yoni instructs
Jamshyd in the proper method of
waving the
lulav and the etrog
Again, thanks to
Sharlene, Rod and son Yoni for their gracious generosity
Remember, too, that Rod and
Sharlene are heading to Israel soon to donate their time and energy during a bike ride to support a
children's hospital....donations can be made at http://snipurl.com/rod_alyn_hospital .
Enjoy your week.
Humbly submitted,
Robco
Baggins
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RCYMountainBiking.com
