Kathy Frank, Roger and Jim do this ride often, and I've joined them a few times now. Worthy of some memory pix, and more - as there were some moments of unusual beauty in the forest...
Sunday Dec 4.
This was right before I was to leave for Marin Headlands for the North Face Half Marathon early the next morning. Probably not good rest before a very tough race, but the temptation of playing on muddy single track in the rain and all the fun I'd miss with my buds... was too hard to resist. It was 16 miles and 1600 feet of climbing fun.
Kathy and I rode up from Santa Cruz, while Roger and Jim came up the back trails from Felton, meeting here at the tanks |
Roger and Jim regularly explore and make new single track trails in the back country of UCSC. Today included. |
'shroom season came early this year. They were everywhere. Wish I knew better which are the tasty ones on sight. |
Sunday Dec 11.
Another cool cloudy day, but immediate rain didn't threaten.
We gather again; Roger, Kathy, Jim and I , at the tanks at UCSC |
Jim - A gnarly guy in a gnarly forest |
|
Me and Kathy on the edge of an ancient fairy ring |
 |
This web, while interesting, looks a bit quick 'n' dirty. Gaps are big, and what's with the spiral instead of the complete closed loops? Sorry, Mr. Spider - I'm afraid a "D" is all I can give it. |
God beams through the fog, bizarre mushrooms, spooky spider web dripping with dew - gave the forest a primeval quality this winter morning |
Jim and Roger put in a bit more work on a new mountain bike trail they're constructing. |
On the single track I hit a muddy rut wrong and did an endo, somersaulting about 20' from my bike. Here's some blood poking through my tights. But hey, no bones poking through, so that's good :) |
