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Blog Camping MTB

Stunning Tahoe MTBing

We’ve lived in San Francisco for two years and we’ve never made it to Tahoe which is about 3.5-4.5hrs drive away depending on traffic. We’ve joked that we’ll never make it for skiing though we really do hope to! So we finally tied down a date, booked the last spot available at a lakeside campsite, invited a few friends (though only one could make it) and left at about 7am on Saturday morning!

On the way we needed our weekend fix of espresso and it’s always a mission to find the perfect cup. Lindsay has this down to a fine art, and we stopped in Roseville, close to Sacramento for coffee at Fourscore. He outdid himself by finding perfect coffee in a stunningly restored old part of the town.

MTBing Angora Ridge/Tahoe Mountain Loop

Lindsay had wanted to ride another trail, but with it being the height of summer and schools on vacation, the roads to Tahoe were packed and we made slower than expected progress. Along the way he changed tack deciding to ride the Anogora Ridge/Tahoe Mountain loop. The trail was 12+ Miles,and was close to our campsite looking out over lake Tahoe.

We could drive and park right up to the start of the trail. There was a short rugged ride that took us up to a fire road. We could have carried along the road for a while, or get back on the mountain bike trail which is generally always our preference. This part of the ride was pretty with views out to Fallen Leaf lake. A single track, it was so dry, with the finest brown dust that made its way through my closed toe Giro shoes and socks, leaving my feet filthy. The weather was warm early 30’sC/late 80’sF, there were lots of loose or jutting rocks and a steady climb up to 7200 feet, making for a slow, sweaty, heart palpitating ride.

This ride includes two climbs, but the first (the Angora Ridge) is the most difficult. Both downhills are really good fun with seemingly long, flowy downhill rides. The second half of the ride took us through the Angora Forest which was decimated in 2007 by forest fires. What would have been a forest ride was now jarred with burnt trees. However the trail was really pretty, with new flora developing on the once tree covered hills.

It is a pity there are many forest fires burning in California at the moment, I believe to date these are the worst on record. Not only do they destroy homes, the ash can spread hundreds of miles which is why these photos look so murky and don’t show the stunning views as they should.

Camping Next to Lake Tahoe

We met up with our buddy Kurt at a local supermarket and completed our shopping for supplies. Having recently purchased his own truck, he took the opportunity to get it out on the open road for a good drive.

Lindsay had managed to nab the last campsite at Bliss State Park, bordering Lake Tahoe. This is bear country, and the park provides sturdy steel storage lockers for all things smelly. This includes food, sunscreen, the lot. They suggest taking these items out of the car and storing them in the lockers or face a fine up to $1000. I felt a little concern about sleeping in a light tent, whilst our food stayed safe in bear proof lockers. After all, wouldn’t I be tasty bear food?

We had a great deal of laughs as we set up camp. Kurt had initiated a trial of a Trucktent. And like the good woman I am, I stood back watching with amusement as two engineers attempted to erect the cumbersome unit. I offered a couple of tips which were well received. Unfortunately, the final unzip is where plans fell apart, with a tear appearing on the ill-fitting tent. Kurt had bought along his Aussie back up. A Swag Tent, which is a complete bed and one man tent which only needs to be unrolled, and 3 small tent poles inserted! Except for the heat, Kurt slept like a baby.

We settled in for the eve with chipmunks scurrying about, expectantly burrowing into the ground. It was our first time seeing these little creatures and we were delighted. The boys proudly built a fire and as night settled in we attempted S’mores, an American delight….though one each was enough for us.

In the morning we headed down to the lake for a refreshing dip. The waters of Lake Tahoe were cool, but beautifully clear.

MTBing Tahoe Rim Flume Trail

The next day we parted ways with Kurt and headed to an iconic U.S. trail, and probably my second favourite scenic ride of all time (My favourite is the Motu Trails in New Zealand). It’s known as the Flume Trail and it follows the old log flume that was used to extract timber from the forests above. We drove to the bottom of the trail where an organisation called Flume Trail Bikes have shuttles (and MTB rentals) that will drop you at the start of the trails.

We just missed the 12.30 shuttle so stopped for lunch at the café next door to the shuttles, We then got a ride on the 2pm shuttle to the beginning of the trail. The climb is slow and steady, not steep but the altitude makes it tough. Even though I’m asthmatic I was okay, maybe as I’d taken a puff on my Ventolin inhaler. But Lindsay struggled with a high heart rate. Both of us were sweating heavily and had to finish the very top of the climb on foot pushing our bikes, when the incline got a little steeper.

Once the inital climb is over, that’s it…no more climbs.  The ride from there is flat with the slightest downhill incline. Pure bliss! As we cycled past the stunning Lake Marlette Lindsay exclaimed that he could absolutely imagine a bear or mountain lion wandering out of the hills. As we came to the end of the Marlette lake, there is a reservoir that shines a stunning emerald/blue colour.

This reservoir is the start of the old log flume that has been removed. Now it’s a stunning single track that works its way through sparse forest, and along the side of sheer cliffs which tumble down to Lake Tahoe below. The ride is exhilarating, keeping the adrenaline pumping as you ride along the track, and the scenery is breathtaking.

Several times we passed a fit looking man in his early 20’s, who was literally throwing himself on the trail, begging his buddy to get search and rescue to pick him up because he was too tired. He was riding with his backpack wildly swinging from the bars, and he was making a amazing ride exhausting and dangerous for all around. Don’t be fool on this ride, wear your gear correctly, and keep a good head. And as on any ride, know your level of fitness, and ride to that. Once you’re in, the only way out is by riding.

The end of the ride takes you down a long, sandy, fun downhill and you can ride right off the hills and straight back to the car. The shuttle dropped us to the bottom of the trail about 2.30pm, and we were packed and back underway by 5pm.

Categories
Blog Camping MTB

Billy Goats Required!

 So rough I jiggled an old wrist fracture loose…

In the USA many companies close down for the week of July 4th. We decided to use the opportunity for a summer holiday/vacation with a MTBing / camping weekend. As the weather was fast warming up, we decided to go camping close to Clear Lake, a couple of hours drive north of San Francisco, where we could take a dip after our first days riding. It was a fortunate decision as weather warnings were in place for temps in the early 40’s C/100’s F.

MTBing in Santa Rosa

On the way to the camp site, we stopped off at Trione Annadel State Park for a 16+ Mile Ride on the Big Loop. When we arrived the temperature was already starting to heat up. The beginning of the road takes you up Cobblestone Trail, a tenuous description for what is a two-way easy incline, but a very bumpy ride. Not long after starting my heart was beating fast. I was starting to sweat a lot and I had a bit of a funny tummy. Meanwhile, Lindsay was feeling awesome.

About 10 miles into the ride we stopped at a large dammed lake. Another couple had stripped down to their underwear and had waded in for a dip. I contemplated following them in, but once I’d had a snack and a shaded sit down, I felt a little better.

Before we headed off, a local artist wandered into the area and informed me that the innocuous greenery I had rested my bike in was in fact poison ivy, and that I should give my bike a wipe down before carrying on. I’m lucky that either I’m not affected by its oil, or I managed to avoid getting it on my body. Something like 85% of people are allergic to the undetectable sticky oil put off by all parts of the plant which can have horrific consequences!!

We didn’t complete the full loop as I was going a lot slower than my normal pace, and suspect I was experiencing slight heat exhaustion. However there were some great downhills, though not for the fainthearted. They were rocky with dappled light coming through the forest canopy making it difficult to read the trail. It was mentally tiring, but well worth the effort.

We made it to the end of the trail later than expected, happy to climb back into the strategically parked truck, now shaded by the surrounded brush. At the end of the ride I remembered several lessons we had learnt from riding in the heat of Phoenix, AZ. First, take lots of breaks and pre-hydrate. Second, pre-load with a little food if we head out in the late morning. Finally, turn up the temp in the car so as not to get out of a pleasantly cool car, into intense warm heat.

Camping at Clear Lake

We arrived at the  Clear Lake State Park campground at about 5.30pm after having gone shopping for food and supplies. It had some fairly decent amenities with pretty water filled inlets stretching well into the grounds. We erected our tent and headed down to the lake on our MTB’s as the site is fairly large.

The lake was surprisingly warm which I suspect contributed to the algae bloom occurring in the water. As we waded in we could feel large flurries of soft algae swish past our bodies.  Apparently Clear Lake is fantastic for fishing off shore and now I believe it. I’m a water baby, I grew up swimming, water skiing, snorkeling. Lindsay and I met Scuba Diving! But I was surprised when I felt a nibble on my heel, letting out a small squeal. Lindsay laughed until he later felt a nibble on his toe, after which he quickly exited the water!

MTBing in the Napa Wine Country

The next day, feeling refreshed we headed back to San Francisco via Napa County. Lindsay had originally picked a cycle trail close to the campsite, though he noticed there hadn’t been a lot of recent updates on the MTB Project link. It turned out as we headed in the direction of the trail that the forest had been burnt out in 2017 California Wine Country Fires with the entrance to the trail gated and shut.

Lindsay did a quick search and he found the Oat Hill Mine Trail, boasting views out over the valleys and vineyards of the upper Napa region. It was getting late in the morning so following the lessons learnt from yesterdays’ ride, we loaded up on peanuts and water. We then found a park for the truck, under the shade of a tree, and headed out.

The ride is an out and back ride – straight up, and then straight down the same path. The incline was steep though rideable, but seemed to throw up every type of rock garden imaginable. At times we had to pick our trajectory carefully through jutting rocks, shale, or over long bumpy rock faces. It takes a fairly experienced rider to stay on the bike over all the terrain, otherwise there would be a fair amount of pushing.

We took a lot of breaks to cool down, stopping at the 3 mile point to refuel, whilst sitting on a jutting rock taking in the spectacular views.

There was good canopy shelter over the lower parts of the trail, which then thinned out as we climbed. At about 4 miles into the 4.3 mile ride we were both pushing our bikes up hill over jutting rocks that were un-rideable and unpleasant. We decided to abort the attempt to get to the top, turn and ride the 4 miles back. A fun down hill proceeded, but after riding over all those jarring rocks, my left wrist started to ache. A week later I had the wrist x-rayed. It turned out that I’d jiggled an old fracture of the scaphoid bone in my wrist, lose. It took three surgeries and 2 yrs to heal last time. Fingers crossed, it’s a little faster this time. However…it won’t and hasn’t yet stop me riding.

Categories
Apparel Gear

Review: Shimano MT60 SPD Touring Shoes

Summary: Acceptable shoes for touring, reasonable to walk in, but Gore-Tex is not a great fabric for shoes, as they fill up with water in heavy rain.

Details:

The “Shimano MT60 Gore-Tex Bike Shoe” was sold as a commuting/touring/mountain biking SPD-compatible shoe. They are less obviously “cycling” shoes than some others on the market. When new they look like this:

After many years of use, they look more like this:

Well-worn shoes, holding up OK

As the name suggests, they are made with Gore-Tex waterproof fabric. They have a fairly stiff sole, but with enough flexibility to walk. They are SPD-compatible. You can leave the sole plates in place, and use them without SPDs if preferred.

Earlier models had a velcro strap that held the laces down. These ones have a simple elastic band for tucking spare laces into.

Fit: Shimano runs a little small with their sizing. I normally wear a US 11.5, but in this case went with the EU 47.

Usage:

Long-term readers will know that I have favored SPD-compatible sandals for long-distance touring. Horrifically ugly:

Dirty and dusty, ugly but comfortable sandals

With matching tan/dirt lines:

Horrific tan lines from long days in Shimano sandals

I wore Shimano SPD sandals for long periods on the road. Later I got some Exustar SPD sandals. Just as ugly.

But when I was touring in Patagonia, I knew the weather would be mostly cool and wet, so wanted to just take shoes. These were the only shoes I took on this trip, for both cycling and walking. Here they are in action on the side of the road:

Shoes in action in Patagonia

Note the wet weather gear – that was the sort of conditions these were designed for.

When not touring, these were my only SPD shoes. If I was going mountain biking, or riding my touring bike in cool/wet conditions, I would wear these. They’ve had plenty of on- and off-road usage.

Likes:

  • Styling was (for the time) low-key. There are much better options today for shoes that don’t scream I’M A CYCLING NERD, but in 2009 there were not as many options. They looked like typical “Westerner traveling abroad” shoes.
  • Pretty good for walking around. Obviously some scraping of the cleats, and the soles are stiffer than regular shoes, but they are fine for walking.

Dislikes:

  • The waterproof fabric seems like a good idea. And if you step in small puddles, it seems great. But on very wet days, you will get water splashing up from your bike and cars, and the shoes will tend to fill up with water. They don’t drain. Better to wear Sealskinz waterproof socks instead.
  • Laces are too long, and the elastic holder stretches over time, so the laces are not held in, and are prone to tangling with your chain ring.
  • The sole is not well-suited for pushing your bike up muddy MTB trails. I wore mine mountain biking because that’s what I had, but if you’re looking for a dedicated MTB SPD shoe, consider other designs.

Verdict:

Would not buy again. Nothing against Shimano shoes, the price/quality was fair, but I would not buy Gore-Tex cycling shoes again.

Categories
Apparel Gear

Review: Gore Windstopper Element Jacket

Summary: Highly recommended, a much-loved jacket, perfect for dry, cool conditions. Packed small, nice against the skin, and kept me warm in cold winds. Quality gear from Gore.

Gore Windstopper Element Jacket

The Gore Windstopper Element jacket is a lightweight convertible jacket, made of Gore-Tex Windstopper fabric. Gore makes a range of cycling and running clothing, all of it high quality. Not cheap, but fits well, and is well-made.

I purchased this jacket while touring across Europe and Asia. I found that regular Gore-Tex fabrics were not good in the cold wind, and that was more of a problem for me than rain. I needed a lightweight jacket that blocked wind, and gave some lightweight rain protection.

Here’s the jacket in use, somewhere in China:

Not my best look: jacket, socks & sandals. Warmth with minimal bulk

Later it became my go-to jacket for mountain biking. I could put it on in the morning, wear it until I warmed up, and then either remove the sleeves, or just unzip the arm holes a bit for breathability. Here’s a shot riding in Taupo – note the frost on the ground. That’s at 4pm – it was a cold day, but I’m warm and comfortable.

Cold, frosty day – perfect conditions

The sleeves could be completely removed and put in the rear pocket, and the jacket itself could be stuffed into its own pocket.

Likes

Warm on cold mornings, but then can easily unzip the sleeves as you warm up, or remove them or the entire jacket, and stuff it in your Camelbak/pannier.

Blocks cold winds, yet remains breathable. Feels very nice against the skin. Not clammy, not prone to overheating. This, plus an insulating merino layer, along with a Buff and maybe a skull cap, keeps you comfortable even below freezing.

I like having the ability to convert it to a vest by removing the sleeves, even though I don’t often use it that way. It’s good to have it there.

Dislikes

No major quibbles here. The main issue is rain proofing: it’s not designed to keep you dry all day. When it was newer, the water would tend to bead and run off. As it got more worn, it would tend to soak in the water. It won’t keep you dry in all-day rain, but that’s not its goal. It will keep you dry in light showers, and you should be warmed up by the time it starts raining harder.

Verdict

This has been a great jacket. Highly recommended, particularly for cool, dry conditions. Not great if you often ride in the rain, but good for most of us.

Quality gear from a company that consistently makes nice riding gear.

The Replacement

After many years of use, the main zip started failing. I investigated alternatives, but Gore was always going to be my first choice. I ended up with the current version of the Element jacket. This is basically an updated version: it’s still Windstopper fabric, with removable sleeves.

We also purchased one for Anna:

Tweedledum & Tweedledee, matching jackets

Note that mine is black, with yellow back & sides:

Side view – note the yellow back

I much prefer the color of Anna’s jacket, or perhaps the blue. But the only color I could get was black/yellow.

The new model is good, but not quite as good as the older model. No hand pockets, but it does have a chest pocket suitable for storing your phone.

The inside of the jacket lacks any mesh, so it’s not quite as nice against the skin. It’s not far off though. Definitely not like other fabrics that can be clammy. Feels smaller & lighter, but still completely blocks out the wind. In those photos above, temperatures were near freezing, with strong cold winds, but we were happy in our jackets.

Hopefully another ten years of wear from these?

Categories
Blog MTB

Northland Boys 1st Time Camping With His Girl

MTBing Fort Ord

This post is really about the camping, but before we went camping we went riding in Fort Ord. Fort Ord is a former military post which is now a part of the National Conservation Lands in Monterey County, California. We thought the ride started out a bit dull. Lots of hard pressed clay and sand on what appears to be low level sparse scrub. We took a fairly easy ride up to the top of the hills, and stopped to look out over the views.

Atop Ford Ord, looking out over the valley we were about to drop into.

However, once we rode into the valley, the path became surprisingly beautiful. May/June is a wonderful time of year in California. Not long after the winter rains, but before the dry season stretches out. The flowers were blooming; the bush and grasses were green, and the pathway that wound us through this terrain was stunning.

The photo does not speak to the beauty of these green, shadowed pathways.

Camping Arroyo Seco

We were running short on time unfortunately, and didn’t get to explore as much we’d have liked. However, we were keen to get to our camping spot.

Trial run, inside the safety or our lounge.

We’re thinking about getting our bikes on the road again for another tour, so are starting to update some of the gear. Lindsay recently decided to purchase a new light weight tent, the Big Agnes Copper Spur with lights.

So we’ve decided to do some vehicle camping to try out the new gear, and for our first last minute trip we decided to head to Big Sur. But every campground in Big Sur was all booked out unless we wanted to pay $100 + taxes to pitch our little tent.

 

A friend told me about a place to stay on the east/back side of Big Sur called the Arroyo Seco Camping Ground. It was all booked out, but with seven drive up spots, we thought we’d try our luck. Luckily we got the last spot. We were thrilled with the $25 charge, and they also sold ice and firewood. Perfect.

Oh how we laughed. Signage to the ‘Primitive Sites’.

We drove through the park to the ‘primitive sites’ where we pitched our tent for the second time, this time outside! The ‘primitive’ sites at this campground came with long drop (aka ‘pit’) toilets, a camp site with parking for one car, a camp table, bbq/grill and fire pit.

Second run. Big Agnes is up and ready for sleeping in.

Lindsay took a quick leap into the water. He may look like he’s basking, but he’s really quite chilly.

Feeling hot and dusty from our ride earlier in the day, and from mucking in at the camp site, we decided to go for a swim in the river that ran through the bottom of the campsite. We braved the cool waters, and took a refreshing dip.

 

 

Big smile showing off my plastic teeth (Invisalign). I took the slow approach into the river, but stayed longer.

Very proud of his fire…albeit very smoky as the night progressed.

 

Lindsay was the star of this camping show. One would hope so considering how much camping he’s done! He built a large fire, which we then spent the night attempting to escape as the smoke seemed determined to follow us, no matter where we sat. He taught me to use his small portable stove…I burnt the porridge the next morning!

 

 

Hmmm…an acceptable sleep. Much practice needed.

We had to buy suitable bedding for me. I’m a stomach sleeper and I’m in love with my pillow. A lot of campers sleep on their back and use some clothes to rest their head on. Not me…I need a little comfort. We settled on a light weight Therm-a-Rest Neo Air XLite sleeping pad & Compressible Pillow. I slept okay but I think this sleeping/camping thing will take a little while to get used too!

 

Somehow I got suckered into the tyre pumping. I’m amazed at how well a MTBing tyre pump is suited to this work.

 

 

I’d noticed the evening before that truck’s tyre was a little deflated. By morning the rim was almost on the ground. We took turns using the bike pump to inflate it to see what the problem was. It was leaking around the value, so we put the spare on, so now Lindsay is an expert truck tyre changer! Fortunately Rodney (The big red truck) has a lot of clearance for Lindsay to climb under, to sort the spare.

The road out ran aside the Arroyo Seco River, making for a picturesque drive.

Unfortunately this all took some time. We’d hoped to head back into Big Sur national Park to do some exploring but were out of time. So we headed out of the valley, through this amazing part of California with its sprawling agriculture, and went exploring in the coastal towns of Carmel and Capitola on the way back home to San Francisco.

Placidly roaming wild stock that had escaped his pastures. This single fellow had held up traffic and had 2 or 3 police cars helping to wrangle him in again.

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Categories
Bags Gear

Review: Ortlieb 5 Plus Handlebar Bag

My Ortlieb Ultimate 5 Plus Handlebar Bag lasted 50,000km and 11 years, but it’s time for retirement. Here’s a review showing how it held up, what I liked & didn’t, and the replacement.

I’ve had this bag since August 2007. I use it when touring for putting most of my valuables in. I can quickly take it off the bike, and use the shoulder strap for walking around. My snacks for the day would usually be in the bag, for easy access. If I’m just going for a day ride I would often take it. Good place for wallet, tools, keys, phone.

Here’s its first outing, leaving Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan:

First day of use, in front of Lenin

And here it is 11 years later, looking somewhat battered and faded:

Barbag mounted on T-Bar below handlebars

Note the mounting: I mounted it on a T-Bar beneath my handlebars.This was because I used to have carbon handlebars, and the Ortlieb mounting system does not work with carbon bars. It also frees up some handlebar space putting it out lower.

It uses a Klickfix-compatible clip that is super-easy to clip/un-clip. Push forward on the lock barrel, push the bag up from underneath, easy. Putting it back on is faster – line it up, drop down and it clips in place. Very secure on the bike though – the clip never even came close to coming loose.

Prior to using butterfly handlebars, this lower position was good for stretching out and resting my arms on, when riding long distances on good roads, into the wind.

The map case attachment was sold as a separate add-on. This was “guaranteed not to yellow,” but don’t believe it: everything is affected by the sun. This is the second map case, as my first one was much more yellowed, and developed a crack.

Map case – somewhat yellowed

Check the fading here, in the areas that were not covered by the map case. No issues with any leaks, rips or tears. The fabric stayed strong, and everything stayed dry.

Top view – note fading where more exposed to sun

Note the dome clips used for the map case. Two similar clips were used to close the lid. These were awkward to open when riding, and very difficult to close. You had to stop to do it. I’m sure this makes sense to people in a factory considering safety first, but the reality is that on the road, sometimes you don’t want to stop to grab a snack, but want to just keep on rolling. Or maybe you need to grab your camera in a hurry.

You can also see in the above shot that the lid has a tendency to fall in on itself. Technically this doesn’t matter – if there was anything in there it would push back against it. But it always annoyed me when it looked like that.

There were two small exterior mesh pockets, one on each side. I would put a snack bar in one side, my multitool in the other. Eventually the pockets came off, as you can see here:

Side pockets *were* here

The interior had a zip pocket + key clip – useful for keys + phone, and an interior divider. This divider seemed like a good idea, but in practice it was just a pain in the ass. It was not fixed in place, and would move around, and everything would end up underneath it. More trouble than it was worth.

Internal divider

Verdict

I never loved this bag. But you know what? I kept using it for over ten years, and it did what it said it would. It kept my gear dry and secure, along good roads, rough roads, dirt roads. It was was easy to take on or off, it was just a bit of a pain to open & close. It’s only in the last couple of years that bits started breaking, and it started looking pretty old. If it were not for a good deal on a replacement at REI, I would have kept using it for a while yet.

Summary: Not great, but did the job. The Ortlieb price premium was worth it for something that lasted a long time.

The Replacement

I have replaced it with the Ultimate6 S Plus.

This is a smaller, updated model. Similar shape, but smaller, and no side pockets. It addresses several issues with the original: the map case is integrated, and is designed for a smartphone (you can use a touch screen through the plastic).The catch is magnetic, making it easier to open with one hand.

Here’s to another 10+ years and 50,000km?