Geez....I'm sittin' there taking a break under my favorite sycamore grove in ALiso Woods....not enough riding lately...more hiking...so I'm tired already! A gorgeous spring morning yesterday; warmer than expected but we were rewarded with a lovely breeze on the ride back.

We have been hiking 3-4 mornings a week up on West Ridge here at Aliso.....but I've been riding only once a week up until now.....Work has made it's demands.

I am making changes at work so I can have more time OUT THERE!

The trail at O'Neill park was a big surprise for me. I had no idea how beautiful it was up on the ridgeline. It was no easy Easter morning ride up that grind but well worth the view ....and the speedy and easy single track down the other side. Clouds cover the peaks of Saddleback.....

Next week we have a docent ride lined up through the Irvine Ranch Conservancy at Weir Canyon. Then the following Thurs eve., my first group night ride at Limestone Canyon. The IRC promises an easy "get to know" night ride...and it will be a full moon. Coooool!!

Back To West Ridge! Trails opened after a "rain fest" these past three weeks. Hikers, runners, bikers, kids, grandparents, they were all out having a wonderful Sunday visit to Aliso Woods as was myself and daughter Leah. Weather was just gorgeous; cool breeze, warm sun.

Ryan McGarrity (6)and his Dad Jim, were at the top of Mathis, ready to descend back down the fire trail on West Ridge. How could I resist a picture of this kid? He was so sure of himself and happy to offer his best smile. His Dad was saying he'd taken a face plant the day before in a rock garden, without a problem. Check out that helmet, those pads, that determination......no wonder he's back on the trail next day.

He asked me.."Do you wanna see me ride down the hill?" Off he goes, full speed ahead, dodging ruts, cornering the trail edge nicely, heading on up the next run, like he'd been at this his whole life....well, I guess he has! Go Ryan! It was sure nice meeting you!

Daughter Leah and I hiked 6+ miles to Top of The World and back.........meeting my biking buddies along the way! It's rather obvious we sure enjoyed ourselves........................

Chantry Flats- Angeles Nat'l Forest

Oh Glory, another hike out there....this time I discovered Chantry Flats above Alta Dena in the Angeles Nat'l Forest. It was a very cool 50+ degree start but sunshine prevailed, that along with a strenous uphill begin and we warmed up enough to remove my jacket before long.

Chantry Flats is a very popular hiking destination for the locals. It is just below Mt Wilson, which can be reached if you just continue climbing up and following the signs.

We chose Upper Winter Creek to begin our hike and followed through to Lower Winter Creek to return to parking.

The trail was a constant beauty. Winding up and over and down and around and up and down; I wondered; why did they name it Chantry FLAT? There was no flat to be found!

But I must rate this hike as the MOST BEAUTIFUL place I have traveled in my hiking shoes. The dappled sunlight provided gorgeous moments around the turns laid out with giant boulders and dramatic scenes of drop downs below; way down below. The creek winds around and down and through and over there again. We crossed over the creek 's stepping stones and big rocks at least a dozen times. The water was clear and at just the perfect height to enjoy it's sounds and not impede an easy crossing. Shoes stayed dried if you chose your stepping stones correctly!! The rock cliffs, the yellow and orange leaves, the fallen trees, the scent of earthy forest; we looked right, then left , then right to soak in the beauty at every turn.

There were intersections along the trail that direct the hiker to Mt Wilson, just a couple more miles thataway. Next time.
The 6 -7 mile hike took us 3 hours and included a few contemplative rest stops. My almond butter and grape jelly sandwiches I hiked in with never made it out. Nothing like a lunch under giant magic pine trees alongside a bubbling brook with a good friend.

Mountain biking is allowed here but the single track would leave me scared silly. The width of the trail is very narrow in many spots and the penalty for a misstep or misplacement of a knobby tire is a looonnng way down into creek beds.

The trail had a steady flow of hikers on this Sunday morning. The parking lot was just about full when we arrived. Best to get there by 7am on those warmer days to grab a spot.

The final 1/2 mile out was an UP. I had wanted to investigate another 1 1/2 mile trail to a hikers lodge but was advised we'd try it next time. Smart advice. The paved UP, out, had us breathing hard, sweating more than the previous 3 hours and happy to see the parking area again.

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....................................

Back to Monroe Truck Trail, Los Angeles Natl Park

Sunday Oct 4th, a gorgeous cool autumn morning and perfect mountain biking conditions for a return ride up Monroe truck Trail above Glendora.

The first mile in is a rocky, winding creek bed through high reeds and brush surrounded by hills leading us to the start of the single track. Once through the rocky bed, it's a wonderful winding single track on the edge of the mountain. Up, up, up until you turn the corner and are rewarded with a stunning view of the LA basin. Yesterday the partly cloudy blue vista caused a bit of haze but I could still see downtown LA, waaayyy over there.

I climbed faster and further than last time I rode MTT. The deer hunters were out yesterday, honest. They had their bows and arrows wearing camoflouge. It was unsettling to me, the thought of killing any deer.....but then again, I eat meat so what could I say? I told them I hoped they didn't see any deer today.

Back at the truck 3 hours later, I was amazed the ride was over already. It was, shall I say ...easy????