10.27.2008

Trinity Alps...


Are da bomb. It's a little bit further than the Desolations... but I think it's often worth the drive. Here are some of the main pros of the Trinities...
  • it's quieter (a LOT less people... the Desolations are the #1 most visited Wilderness Area in the US)...
  • you can get a view of Shasta...
  • lots of free NF campsites near every trailhead...
  • free permits...
  • the trees are larger and plentiful...
  • you can have a campfire more often (less days of limited use)...
Don't get me wrong. I love the Desolations (probably head in there 10+ days a year), but after the 5th visit of the year, I always get a hankerin' for the Trinity Alps.

Went up to Stoddard Lake from the E. Fork of Coffee Creek with roommates Erika and her two doggies (Oscar and Bugsy), and former roommate Marian, and Kevin.

Marian with Oscar


Sunset at Stoddard Lake...


On the ridge above Stoddard Lake


Kimbo with the doggies


Group shot. Erika, Kimbo, Me, Kev, and Marian (in a paddling shirt)


More pics here.

And pics from Kevin.

10.24.2008

MOrning ROad RIde (MoRoRi)



It's a great way to start the day... yeah, you're tired, it's cold, and you don't look good in spandex... but I've yet to regret going on one. I used to head out to the E. bay to do morning rides with Khalid and Co., since I work there anyway... but with Seth acquiring a new bike, we've been heading out fairly regularly during the week. Start at 6:45... then get back around 8. If any of y'all are interested in riding, let me know... For the early ride, it's been really, really nice to have Khalid's NiteRider TriNewt. $$$, but really, really spendy. It lights up the whole road.

Here's some pics...

The city waking up...


The GG bridge...


Almost...


At the top, had to wait a bit...


Keep this view in your head, when your alarm clock goes off to go riding in the dark... and you look back at your comfy bed...


Not a bad place to live...

Yosemite Climbing... SErenity Crack to Sons Of Yesterday (SEC to SOY)



After a nice long week of work, riding *almost* to the top of Diablo via moonlight (we think there was a private party up there...), playing soccer, and drinking.

A group of us went to see Cool Hand Luke at the Paramount Theater in Oaktown. I've never seen the movie before, and seeing Paul Newman on the big screen was pretty awesome. Then we drank at Van Kleefs, and so I didn't get home til around 1.

Sat. 3:30 am. Woke up, picked Messy up, and headed off to Yosemite. We had a few climbs in mind that neither one of us had done (Royal Arches -> Crest Jewel [overruled since we haven't climbed together for a while... and speed is key for that climb], East Butt of El Cap, etc.) but we settled on Serenity Crack (3 pitches, 10a, 10b, 10d) to Sons of Yesterday (5 pitches, 10a). I tried to sleep a bit on the way up, but that really never happened.

We pulled into the Ahwanee parking lot around 8 am, the approach took 5 min (woohoo!), and we were ready to climb.

Looking up the first pitch of Serenity Crack. Used to be an aid route, until the pin-scars made the route fee-able. There is no good protection for the first 30 ft (supertopo claims a bolt, but no longer there). This pitch was really, really painful on your toes... and you never have good feet. My beta would be to climb FAST.

The all three pitches of Serenity Crack were tough. Some of the toughest trad I've led. I thought I was gonna pop off multiple times, but somehow I managed to cling on. The 10d section was really painful. In fact, my left index finger is still slightly numb. I should've just run it out a little more to get to a better rest to place gear.

The first pitch of Sons of Yesterday was the only "easy" pitch of the day. With two 5.5 sections, I'm sure most parties just solo it.

Matty on Son's of Yesterday. By this point there were three parties behind us. The all female party behind us took a few falls and never caught up to us. And one of the guys in the party behind them belew out his shoe, so they bailed. The party behind them did Serenity and rapped down.


Matty was ready to bail on the fourth pitch of Son's. But after I climbed it, I told him it was definitely the best pitch of the day (which it was) so he had to come up. Then we decided to do the next one, which wasn't very difficult, and ended on a nice ledge, so I convinced him to do that pitch too.

Summit shot. We chilled up on this nice ledge, taking in the day.


The day was supposed to be clear, in the high 70s... but it turned out cloudy. Earlier, on the drive up, it was raining hard driving through the central valley (I hadn't brought any rain gear, so I was a little nervous). But these clouds kept the temps down, making it perfect climbing weather. Plus, these clouds made for some nice pics.

Ravens (Crows? the bigger of the two...) were gliding right next to us all day long. Really fun to stare down at them during the day. There were also some Red Tails, but they got chased away by these bullys.


After 5 double rope raps (we took up a 60m tag line) we were happily back on the ground, craving pizza and beer... so we headed to Curry Village.

Nice alpenglow on Half Dome.


After quickly scarfing the overpriced, frozen-pizza tasting, but astonishingly satisfactory pizza... it was time to head home. We successfully came in before, and left after the kiosk was manned... successfully avoiding the entrance fee...

This is how we both felt. But I had a can of MONSTER in my hand. So I didn't sleep.


More pics from the day here.

Next day, went on a tandem ride to Sausalito with Kimbo... ate at a really popular hamburger joint. Rode home. Called Metres and went mountain biking at El Corte De Madera. Man... I love that place, my favorite place in the bay to ride. Lot's of lady bugs. Drove back, picked up Kimbo and went to Burma Superstar. Got there at 7:30. Mendelson had put in their reservation at 6:45. We got seated at 8:30. Good thing the cafe across the street serves beer. And the food is damn good...

10.13.2008

Kiting...

Is AWESOME...

got to go out for a nice session last Fri. Haven't been able to go out for a while as I've been busy with other activities... but man... there aren't too many things that equal the sensation you get after a good session on the board.

And as of last month of so... Kiters are the fastest sailors on earth. As a french man hit 50.57 knots.

Landed a few front and back loops. Not bad considering I haven't kited for 2 months now...

For those wanting to learn... take a lesson. Kiting is dangerous. You need a professional lesson. Don't think about learning on your own...

10.01.2008

MOuntain Biking NOrthSTAR... (MOB NOSTAR)

Northstar Resort in Tahoe has the best downhill mtn. biking terrain that I've seen. Fo' Shizzle.

At 39$ a day, it's not bad... depending on the number of rides you can manage. They got 2 highspeed lifts and a gondola that doesn't slow the lifts down at all. Mtn Biking downhill is actually pretty tiring. I'm still sore. 3 days later. And not where I crashed... but my arms, and my core.


Check out the trail map. Nick on some of the many, many features at the resort... first a short log-ride




...getting some air


...getting bigger air (this I didn't do... the rest I managed on my hardtail)


...log ride


...log drop


...wall ride


And there are many, many built up jumps, singles, doubles, table tops throughout every trail in the park.



Although we all crashed many times, we had a blast. Actually Chris banged up his knee pretty bad... I got the wind knocked out of me, and Nick had 3 flats... I'm gonna rent a full suspension next time.



Also a good idea would be to get a full helmet, body armour, knee and shin pads. That's a lot of gear...