two wheel love: Allison n' Me n' Eric n' Some New Green Jerseys

Well, this weekend Dan stayed up in the Bakersfield area for the Cal State DH Race #2 at Woodward West (Tehachapi). I decided not to make the multihour drive and instead stay around San Diego (er, Murrieta). Allison also decided not to go to the Cal State race, so we made it a girl's weekend with rides at Blue Jay (Saturday) and Santa Rosa Plateau (Sunday).

Saturday: Blue Jay-MD-Trabuco-HJ-MD-Blue Jay
Drove up to Allison's, picked her up, and then met Eric at the Blue Jay trailhead. We made pretty decent time on our 22-ish mile ride (with about 4800' of climbing) with a total running time of about 3:18.

Here is my ride report as posted on STR:

Two gals (Allison & I) and our trail male (Eric) decided to go out and play since our men folk (Justin & Dan) are out racing DH at Woodward West.

Met up at the Blue Jay campground and got going by about 8:30. We knew it would be a warm day, so got ready and on the bikes asap.

Up MD to Trabuco was well, how it always is...steep and loose and steep.

Eric was also our trail virgin today...it was his first time on Trabuco and Holy Jim...we promised to be gentle.

He was pretty stoked and so were we! Who doesn't love that trail!?!

Allison clearly enjoying Trabuco

Eric, contemplating the sweetness that is Trabuco

Had a sighting of men in uniform (how sexy) and played hopscotch with the fire truck once we got onto the bottom of Holy Jim.

New trail numero dos for Eric

The water crossings were pretty low and the poison oak was looking quite abundant.

Allison hitting the water

Tunnel of love

Took the Playboy shots of the bikes (thanks for the idea Hugh

Once we got up to the switchbacks, well, that was the last we saw of Eric until the very top of Holy Jim (we joked that he was probably napping). Allison & I made good time and both cleared some sections/switchbacks for the first time.

Got a moment or two of rest at the top of HJ, then it was time to head toward The Wall.

We all cleared it without any dabs or stopping and then kept climbing. At one point, past WHT, Eric was like, "More climbing?!" Yes, Eric, more climbing

I spy with my little eye...

Sooner than we knew, we were back at Blue Jay, where Allison and I showered off together....

made ya look

We were washing off with Tecnu.

Great ride and we made pretty great time. Eric is officially not a Trabuco/HJ virgin anymore!

Sunday: Santa Rosa Plateau
We did a short ride/photo shoot (hey, new jerseys deserve the royal treatment!) today and kept it simple. The ride was fun, and we managed to pack it in before the heat really climbed.

Here is a slightly edited version of Allison's ride report as posted on STR (as it has many pictures of me and thought it would be nice to post someone else's writing for a change:

Well, Steph and I debated quite a bit about what to ride today... I went so far as to call the Hurkey Creek ranger booth last night at 9:30. Unfortunately they said the trails were closed until about 3 or so today (I have afternoon plans). I figured the same was true for Vail.

We said, Daley? San Juan? It was supposed to be HOT. I slept in, so by the time we were eating breakfast it was about 8:30 or so. Well, Santa Rosa Plateau was going to have to be it.

It was about 75 or so on the drive over there.

Find Steph and her green bike...amidst the greenery