Wild & Wet Wildwood
Sunday
10.30.05
Sunday saw 9 RCYers show up for another great day of mountain biking under a sunny California sky. Impressed by a much enlarged dirt parking area (COSCA really knows how to do things right!), we headed out on our usual start to the back side of the Mesa.
On the Back Side -- Riders on the Santa Rosa Trail
At the summit of the climb we reach the ridge line for a view of the steep, twisting switchbacks below.
Our appetites whetted, we enthusiastically head down the serpentine trail.
David "hops" at a tight switchback
Andy focuses on a difficult turn
Brian on his #1 rated Intense Tracer glides thru a tight turn
The group posing on the fireroad at the bottom of the switchbacks:
Rod, Andy, Mike, DavidR, Ali, Brian, Jamshyd, DavidN and Me behind the lens
From here we headed towards the climb to Lizard Rock. Then it was down the Lizard Rock Trail to the (in)famous water treatment plant.
Rod approaches a turn on Lizard Rock Singletrack
DavidN enjoying Lizard Rock Trail
Jamshyd makes the turn
At the bottom of the trail we turned right and headed into the water treatment plant. After riding around the interior yard of the newly refurbished facility and finding out from a worker that there was no access to the canyon via the plant, we rode back to the road and after breaking up into a couple of exploratory groups we eventually all crossed the river that runs just outside the northern boundary of the water treatment plant. It took some time and effort....
Here is me Rob handing over a bike to Mike on the far shore.
Note the bikes stacked on the rocks at the left and the 'dangerous' rushing water at the lower right
Two barefoot doctors after crossing the mighty river!!
No sooner had we put our shoes and socks back on, put our cleats back into our pedals, then we had a second water crossing. This time most just walked thru it, or some rode thru, water up to the bottom bracket.
With Rod arriving on the far shore, Mike, Jamshyd, and David line up for the aqua-trek
We had 2 or 3 more water crossings as we headed up the valley south of Wildwood. Eventually we arrived at the singletrack on the left that climbs steeply towards the housing development above. The climb was even tougher than usual as the trail was rutted in spots and was overgrown throughout; climbing it involved both pedaling and hacking thru the jungle.
Arriving at the street at the top of the climb, we got separated into 2 groups. DavidR, Andy, and Brian pedaled on ahead when someone--I think it was me--suggested checking out the possibility of a trail that would allow us to avoid the pavement. After doing some exploration--plus talking to a couple of local residents in their front yards--we discovered a trail that starts and loops behind the homes, climbing, sometimes very steeply, to a ridge that looks northward towards Wildwood.
Ali, in the distance, leads the group across the newly discovered ridge trail.
Note the Mesa across the valley that is Wildwood. The parking area is just to the right of the houses in the center.
The newly discovered trail drops down to what I think is called the Lynnmere Trail.
Mike near the end of the new trail
After a turn to the left we made another quick turn to the right across a small wooden bridge and took that trail back to Lynn Road. From Lynn Road it's a short ride on pavement back to our cars. DavidR had waited for us and so 6 of us went to enjoy some food, drink, and talk at a local shopping center to end a great weekend of great mountain biking with great friends!
Robco Baggins
______________________________________________________________
RCYMountainBiking.com
