Arroyo Trabuco Wilderness Park

Oh yeah, another adventure on dirt! Me, AL, Steve rode from O'Neill Park in Trabuco campground through the riverbed trail of Arroyo Trabuco, all the way to the beginning of Tijeras Creek trail in Rancho Santa Margarita. The amazing combo of singletrack and paved sections treated us to amazing forest-like sections the locals called the "HoChiMinh" trail.

Pictures couldn't quite capture the beauty of overgrown trees and brush and tunnels of vines we rode through, the creek crossings and surprises around every turn.

At one section I heard some big creature bounding through the crunching leaves off to the left of the trail, I was afraid to take my eyes off the trail in front, as my tires rolled up and over and down and through. But Al and Steve saw it, a big buck running alongside us back into the dense overgrowth.

Our ride was 16 miles in all and a new fun trail we will return to with the rest of the posse as soon as possible, before the rainy season or afterwards.

Al was so pleased. This is the trail right down the street from his new condo in RSM.

FAT TIRE FESTIVAL

Fat Tire mountain biking festival in Kernville, CA last month was an epic ride adventure for me. Three days in the beautiful Angeles National forest with temp's in the high 80's. THAT was a bonus. The air was clear and clean and crisp in the early mornings, then warming up to fantastic riding weather!

Friday the boys rode up and down Cannell Plunge, while I opted for a solo hike and ride around down, saving my energy for SAt ride up through Portugese Pass and Sunday ride thru Alta Sierra single track heaven.

It was all I'd dreamed of and more. The conditions were perfect from a bit of rain earlier in the week. Tacky, tight, and packed down dirt. Sunday through the forest single track was like a dream ride for me. I'd seen videos of such rides and hoped, maybe some day I'd find myself floating along one of those "E" ticket rides. And there I was.I wish I'd filmed it. Well, I did in my mind! I replay the video when I close my eyes!

GIRL ON BIKE

Did I mention I'm writing a book? "GIRL ON BIKE, What the Boys taught me about Love, Life and Mountain Biking"...........It's done,or so it seems. Now it's time to get some serious input and some "critiquing" (is that a word?) from the experts. I've included stories from the trail, and chapters featuring 7 guys who have taught me all I know about more than biking. The time is now to get it out there. I feel it! It's very exciting and no matter what, I am determined to see it in print, one way or another.

Now it's visits to Barnes and Noble, visualizing! I have the cover design thanks to Al's fabulous photo of me he took this weekend with his new Kodak Coolpix.

I'm back on schedule with my early morning writing and story telling. Amazing dreams have been coming to me just before I awake and I'm turning them into short stories and essays. Suddenly I feel I have SO MUCH to tell, so many stories, poems, essays to get printed; my passion, my dream since I was 17 years old after traveling to Paris. They say it's never too late. It's time to test that theory for myself.

I'm rearranging my writing studio finally!

TBC....................................