DR. PLUTO AS – DUALSPORT:
WEST ANGELES LOOP A REVERSED
What . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dualsport Ride, full day
When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Meet Sunday, 01 April, 7:00 AM
Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet @ BMW Ventura parking lot
Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laine_MacTague@verizon.net
When . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Meet Sunday, 01 April, 7:00 AM
Where . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meet @ BMW Ventura parking lot
Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Laine_MacTague@verizon.net
DS RIDE 08: ORIENTATION
The green sections of this document are different from previous Orientation documents. If you have not seen this document before, please read it all. Everybody read the green bits:
WHERE WE GO
Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County (in Newbury Park) @ 7:00AM Sunday April 1st. Show up on time with at least 60 miles worth of fuel. 110 miles of fuel would be best, but is not a requirement.
This ride is a loop with about 80 miles of mostly contiguous un-pavement making up the mid-section. We will leave the pavement for the first time – not including some very short optional side trips – shortly after reaching Castaic. We will loop through Hungry Valley on our way to Gorman, refuel, and enter the Angeles National Forest just outside Gorman. Expect to shell out $5.00 for the entry fee at Hungry Valley.
If you are coming from anywhere significantly east / south of the shop, and would like to join the ride in Castaic, you can meet us at our first fuel stop – at the gas station on the southeast corner of Castaic Road and Lake Hughes Road. If you plan on meeting in Castaic, email me; I will call you when the ride leaves the shop.
Those of you who are one-and-a-half-sporting it (trying to avoid the freeway) might prefer to meet us at the south entrance to Hungry Valley. Meet us at the Smokey Bear Road underpass on I-5. We will not be stopping there, so if you choose this option, arrive early, and be ready to join the group as we ride by. Again, Alert me via email if you choose to meet us there, and I will call you when we leave the shop.
The ride should take the whole day. We will be making a (non-obligatory) dinner stop, likely in Santa Clarita. Email me if you have a restaurant recommendation for that area!
BTW: I usually have a GoogleEarth track of the rides done a few days prior to departure. I will email it to you on request (if you happen to know how I can post the .kmz file on the blog, let me know…).
WHAT GOES
We are well into the Series now. At this point, the more challenging sections of trail are extremely difficult to handle on touring style tires. Consider blowing the $200 for a set of knobbies, either now or in the near future; they will continue to look more like necessary equipment as the Series progresses. If you have never tried them on your GS, you owe it to yourself to experience the difference. I know the shop has a lot of TKC 80’s in stock right now…
YOU MUST BRING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YOU SHOULD BRING
Proof of insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic tool kit for your bike
Water (I bring a 3L camelback) . . . . . . .ATGATT
Driver’s license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Warm clothes
Vehicle registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Snacks / lunch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-way radio!
YOU MIGHT LIKE TO BRING . . . . .I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU DON’T BRING
Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saddlebags
Air pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100% street tires
Cash (in case of restaurant stop) . . . . . . .Saddlebags
Pressure gauge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passenger
We really missed the radios last time. Bring one if you have one.
HOW WE GO
Pavement
At the start of each section of riding, I will designate a sweep rider. That rider will stay at the back of the group for that entire section of the ride. Every rider needs to recognize the sweep rider. If you drop out of the group for any reason, please alert the sweep rider (or me, if you can easily reach the front) – otherwise the group may end up spending a lot of time looking for a rider who simply went home…
There will come times when I at the front will be out of visual range [Sheesh. I watch way too many Star Trek re-runs] of riders in the back. In this situation, go to long-range sensors… No! In this situation, when we make a course change at an intersection, or anywhere I think a rider out of sight of me might have difficulty figuring out which way I went, I will signal to a rider immediately behind me by pointing at the rider and then pointing at the ground. That means, “Wait here and direct other riders until you see the sweep rider.” The results of this should be that 1) everybody leaves the intersection in the right direction; and 2) the rider I pointed at is now in second to last position – right in front of the sweeper. That rider is welcome – once they have shown the sweeper the correct direction – to move back up through the ranks; could be fun… Which brings me to –
Other riders in the group — Ride your own pace, and let others do the same. If you are behind a rider who is taking the turns a little slower than you would like, you should feel comfortable tapping your horn / flashing your lights to request to pass. Likewise, if a rider is maintaining position right behind you in the turns, keep an eye out for his high beam: If you see it, or hear a horn, slow and let the rider past.
The leader — Honk or flash, I’ll letcha by. If you get to an intersection and aren’t sure which way to go, just stop and wait. Keep in mind that if you are in front of me you have effectively left the group; if you miss a turn, well, see ya back at camp.
Un-Pavement
At this point, we are still just developing riding skills, and aren’t focused on learning about longriding equipment. Consider removing extra items that won’t be much use on these short rides, but could easily get broken. The most obvious leave-at-home at this stage is saddlebags, but you might consider removing GPS units, extra lighting, etc.
Consider lowering your tire pressure before beginning long unpaved sections. It increases traction. I found that becoming more comfortable with partial traction saves me the stop and the pumping up the tires later, but until you are comfortable sliding around a bit, enforce a tire pressure stop whenever you like. Remember though: Sliding the rear end around can be extremely useful off-road, and just being comfortable when it happens is itself of great value. I think it is easier to learn this skill on fully pressurized tires.
Crank up the preload on the rear shock to provide a firmer, more stable ride on bumpy roads.
You might want to turn that little flathead screw head on the bottom of your rear shock (I am talking BMWs here; I don’t really know re other makes); it seems to greatly improve off-road suspension. It is especially helpful on moguls. I recommend turning it completely to H, for starters. Check your manual on how to do this if unsure.
You may want to bring along a wrench with which to remove your mirrors. The mounting bolts are only about six bucks, but they are about the most likely thing to break when you tip over, and they are easy to remove and install.
Remove the rubber inserts in your foot pegs – if not before leaving pavement, before leaving home.
We stand up a lot. If your brake and clutch levers are angled up high, sticking more or less horizontally off the handlebars, it will tire your wrists and forearms unnecessarily, to try to use the controls while standing. I find that when I turn the levers down so that they angle downward from the bars (on my Dakar, about as far down as possible) it makes controlling the bike while standing much less tiresome. You will likely need to loosen and lower the hand guards as well.
Disconnect your ABS before leaving the pavement!
There will be short sections which do not include intersections, and at both ends of which we will be regrouping. Such sections can be ridden in no particular formation. A good example from last month would be Bouquet Trail from Sierra Pelona Ridge to Bouquet Canyon Road. I may likely start in front, stop to shoot, and end up in back, on such sections.
Pace-line — Another formation we started experimenting with on DSR 05 is a sort of revolving pace-line formation. In this formation rider spacing is not a concern, but rider order is, and it changes continually: The lead rider pulls to the side after completing any section of notable challenge (a river crossing, difficult turn, rocky climb, etc), or after a mile or two of riding at most. The following riders continue on with the rider who was previously second in line as leader. The previous leader watches to see that all riders come through the tricky section, and then joins on at the back, becoming the last rider. Riders never pass each other, except to pass the leader who is on his way to the back. To do this well, each rider needs to keep track of how many riders are behind him at a given time.* This formation is valuable because it arranges that each rider is observed during challenging sections, the ride flow is not interrupted by repeated stops, it makes the ride itself feel more like a team effort, and each rider gets to experience leading, following, and sweeping. This seems to work fairly poorly with larger groups. One of its main drawbacks is that it requires everyone to either know which turns to make, or to wait at every intersection for the “leader”, who could be anywhere in the group. It seems to work best with half a dozen or fewer riders on a section with few intersections and many short challenging sections.
Single-file — Single-file formation will allow maximum maneouverability for avoiding obstacles. At slow speeds on easy terrain, we can ride closer together, but as speed increases, dust and danger will likely force us to loosen up ranks considerably.
Two-by-two — In the past, dust from other riders has kept us widely spaced. A workaround is to ride in pairs. Ideally, the more experienced rider rides a few bike lengths behind and to one side of the less experienced rider. The front rider has only the road ahead to worry about, and the back rider has the road and the front rider to watch out for. The back rider can adjust his distance from the front rider such that billowing dust passes below his face. This formation is never a requirement, but can be fun, and will serve to keep us a little closer together. This is not a safe formation at high speeds: If the road becomes straight and level enough to allow a significant speed increase, this formation should be abandoned.
We always have new riders on these rides, and are creating experienced riders: As a result, we often divide the group for brief periods, when some riders choose an easier / more challenging trail than the main one. If someone gets into trouble while separated, radios will suddenly be extremely valuable. Bring one if you have one. Consider it safety gear. Speaking of communications, have a look at the Baehr Communication Systems equipment discussed here:
http://www.rawhyde-offroad.com/adventure_camp_tech.html
This might be a good idea, particularly when we begin doing multi-day rides.
PLANNED STOPS
1) P1 – Castaic – Fuel stop at the corner of Castaic Rd & Lake Hughes Rd. The next fuel opportunity will be in Gorman—around 30 miles later.
3) D5 – Hungry Valley – Quick regroup at the top of East Freeman Trail. We are sure to make other brief halts in this area as well.
Don's narcoleptic 1200,
a non-obligatory climb,
Hungry Valley,
DSR o3
4) P6 – Hungry Valley – If we don’t stop at the entrance kiosk, we will stop at the exit kiosk. Rather than taking a break at this point, we will drop down into Gorman.
5) P6 – Gorman – Fuel / rest stop.
6) P8 – Ridge Route Rd – Regroup before climbing into the Angeles Mountains.
7) D9 – 7n23? – We will stop at the first attractive spot we hit after 1:30 for the first ever actual planned and expected official and fully sanctioned VCDSRS lunch break. So bring a slab of Jarlsberg and a bag of mixed nuts, or whatever…
8) D13 – We will stop at the base of the steep climbs on dreaded House Trail, and treat at least the bottom climb as a Crux (ibid.).
9) D13 – We will regroup at the top of House Trail, as well.
Good morning, Mr. Tyler. Going -- up?
Bring your cameras –
House Trail,
DSR 07-08
10) P14 – Boquet Canyon Road – Regroup at the bottom. The parking lot at the base of Bouquet Canyon Trail is a good spot for us to catch our breath before the long climb. Those wanting to go around will be given a head start.
11) D14 – Bouquet Canyon Trail – Regroup at the top. Just for fun, let’s plan on stopping not at the top of the Trail, but at the top of the steep hill we descended last month to reach the top of BCT.
12) D14 – RFOHVA – Regroup on the entrance road, at the top of the saddle. This was our air pressure stop last month. We will just regroup here, this time.
13) P15 – Sand Cyn Rd @ I-14 – Tire pressure and regroup stop. Most likely at the Chevron station.
14) P15 – Dinner stop – TBD.
KNOWN HAZARDS
There is always the risk that the shop will not be opened in the morning, which could result in a serious caffeine shortage. I think this is unlikely to happen this month, but I would be remiss not to warn you of the possibility.
HV SVRA & RFOHVA, and many of the trails near RFOHVA, can be quite crowded. Watch and listen for oncoming traffic. Remember to signal the number of riders following you as described above (see footnote as well). Of course, we could run into traffic anywhere along the ride.
PRIMARY CHALLENGES
Last month it was mostly the descents. This month the climbs will be our biggest challenge. Sand will also be an issue if you are not already familiar with it.
Some of the trails we will be on in HVSVRA are sandy and mogul-infested. Fun!
Remember, 8n01 is silty. It will likely be drier than last month, which means more slippery / loose, a lot like sand.
The real challenge will be climbing Bouquet Canyon Trail. This is long, winding, narrow, and steep. It will require careful steering and power control at fairly low speeds – quite a technical climb. Traction should be good for most of the climb, however; the soil wasn’t too loose last month, and being on a somewhat north facing slope, it dries out slowly. We should give each other plenty of space for the climb; I suggest well-staggered starts, with the less confident riders in the middle of the group.
The other real challenge will be climbing House Trail. We will treat the bottom climb as a crux; I or another more experienced rider will ascend while the rest gather at the bottom. I recommend walking part of the climb first if you are at all new to steep ascents. Then we will ride it one at a time, with riders above and below to keep an eye on the rider in motion. At least one more advanced rider (possibly me) will sweep this trail. We will regroup at the top.
Which brings me to the day’s big bypass. House Trail is in the middle of a long dirt section, which means that the paved go-around is also long. It is, however, faster. If you are concerned now about these steep sections, I suggest waiting til we get to the beginning of this dirt section. Decide there either to go around, or to go have a look at the steep bits. If you go have a look and decide not to ride them, you should be able to backtrack, complete the paved bypass, and meet us at about the same time we emerge from the hills. There is another, similar bypass, available for Bouquet Canyon Trail.
RFOHVA will not present a significant challenge – unless a significant number of riders really want it to – in which case it will provide the most challenging descents of the ride, if not of the Series, thus far (including last month). Sane riders will be able to watch from the ridgeline as a handful of lunatics slip slide and dash themselves to bits on steep sharp rocks in vain attempts to stay upright while descending via a narrow, mogul-infested trail… We opted not to do those climbs last month; if several riders want to try descending them I will lead them and have another rider lead the more sane descent.
Rough terrain in the Angeles, DSR 08
Consider yourself oriented. See you soon!
* You should always do this when off pavement: It is a common courtesy on narrow unpaved or challenging roads to alert oncoming traffic to how many riders they should expect to encounter behind you. You do this by holding up a hand with the right number of fingers extended (if there are more than five riders following you… improvise). If, by the way, the road is so challenging that you can’t spare a hand to alert an oncoming rider, it might be best for you to slow down or stop for the rider to pass.
WHERE WE GO
Meet @ BMW Motorcycles of Ventura County (in Newbury Park) @ 7:00AM Sunday April 1st. Show up on time with at least 60 miles worth of fuel. 110 miles of fuel would be best, but is not a requirement.
This ride is a loop with about 80 miles of mostly contiguous un-pavement making up the mid-section. We will leave the pavement for the first time – not including some very short optional side trips – shortly after reaching Castaic. We will loop through Hungry Valley on our way to Gorman, refuel, and enter the Angeles National Forest just outside Gorman. Expect to shell out $5.00 for the entry fee at Hungry Valley.
If you are coming from anywhere significantly east / south of the shop, and would like to join the ride in Castaic, you can meet us at our first fuel stop – at the gas station on the southeast corner of Castaic Road and Lake Hughes Road. If you plan on meeting in Castaic, email me; I will call you when the ride leaves the shop.
Those of you who are one-and-a-half-sporting it (trying to avoid the freeway) might prefer to meet us at the south entrance to Hungry Valley. Meet us at the Smokey Bear Road underpass on I-5. We will not be stopping there, so if you choose this option, arrive early, and be ready to join the group as we ride by. Again, Alert me via email if you choose to meet us there, and I will call you when we leave the shop.
The ride should take the whole day. We will be making a (non-obligatory) dinner stop, likely in Santa Clarita. Email me if you have a restaurant recommendation for that area!
BTW: I usually have a GoogleEarth track of the rides done a few days prior to departure. I will email it to you on request (if you happen to know how I can post the .kmz file on the blog, let me know…).
WHAT GOES
We are well into the Series now. At this point, the more challenging sections of trail are extremely difficult to handle on touring style tires. Consider blowing the $200 for a set of knobbies, either now or in the near future; they will continue to look more like necessary equipment as the Series progresses. If you have never tried them on your GS, you owe it to yourself to experience the difference. I know the shop has a lot of TKC 80’s in stock right now…
YOU MUST BRING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . YOU SHOULD BRING
Proof of insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Basic tool kit for your bike
Water (I bring a 3L camelback) . . . . . . .ATGATT
Driver’s license . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Warm clothes
Vehicle registration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Snacks / lunch
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2-way radio!
YOU MIGHT LIKE TO BRING . . . . .I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU DON’T BRING
Camera . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Saddlebags
Air pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100% street tires
Cash (in case of restaurant stop) . . . . . . .Saddlebags
Pressure gauge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Passenger
We really missed the radios last time. Bring one if you have one.
HOW WE GO
Pavement
— Formation —
The lead rider rides to the left (usually) of the lane, with the second rider to the right and a few lengths back. The third rider is a similar distance behind the second, and so on. When the road gets more technically demanding, open up into a single-file formation. When we come to a stop at an intersection, tighten up into a two-abreast configuration at the stop. This will help us get through stops without spreading the group out much.At the start of each section of riding, I will designate a sweep rider. That rider will stay at the back of the group for that entire section of the ride. Every rider needs to recognize the sweep rider. If you drop out of the group for any reason, please alert the sweep rider (or me, if you can easily reach the front) – otherwise the group may end up spending a lot of time looking for a rider who simply went home…
There will come times when I at the front will be out of visual range [Sheesh. I watch way too many Star Trek re-runs] of riders in the back. In this situation, go to long-range sensors… No! In this situation, when we make a course change at an intersection, or anywhere I think a rider out of sight of me might have difficulty figuring out which way I went, I will signal to a rider immediately behind me by pointing at the rider and then pointing at the ground. That means, “Wait here and direct other riders until you see the sweep rider.” The results of this should be that 1) everybody leaves the intersection in the right direction; and 2) the rider I pointed at is now in second to last position – right in front of the sweeper. That rider is welcome – once they have shown the sweeper the correct direction – to move back up through the ranks; could be fun… Which brings me to –
— Passing —
Other vehicles — When the group is passing a slower vehicle, assume that the rider in front of you has no plans to leave room for you between himself and the vehicle he is passing, once he has passed it. It’s nice when the rider in front of you can leave you a space to follow behind, but it is not a requirement, nor is it always even possible. Look out for yourself.Other riders in the group — Ride your own pace, and let others do the same. If you are behind a rider who is taking the turns a little slower than you would like, you should feel comfortable tapping your horn / flashing your lights to request to pass. Likewise, if a rider is maintaining position right behind you in the turns, keep an eye out for his high beam: If you see it, or hear a horn, slow and let the rider past.
The leader — Honk or flash, I’ll letcha by. If you get to an intersection and aren’t sure which way to go, just stop and wait. Keep in mind that if you are in front of me you have effectively left the group; if you miss a turn, well, see ya back at camp.
— Communication —
I have included links on the blog (in the sidebar) concerning hand signals for riders. We seem to make use of them rarely, but it is nice to know it when the rider in front of you is waving for you to pass him, and not swatting at bugs. The ability to recognize a quick obstacle warning from the rider in front of you is also quite useful. The MSF-USA link is particularly valuable in this regard.Un-Pavement
— Technical Issues —
Here are a few technical suggestions regarding off-pavement riding that I often forget to share:At this point, we are still just developing riding skills, and aren’t focused on learning about longriding equipment. Consider removing extra items that won’t be much use on these short rides, but could easily get broken. The most obvious leave-at-home at this stage is saddlebags, but you might consider removing GPS units, extra lighting, etc.
Consider lowering your tire pressure before beginning long unpaved sections. It increases traction. I found that becoming more comfortable with partial traction saves me the stop and the pumping up the tires later, but until you are comfortable sliding around a bit, enforce a tire pressure stop whenever you like. Remember though: Sliding the rear end around can be extremely useful off-road, and just being comfortable when it happens is itself of great value. I think it is easier to learn this skill on fully pressurized tires.
Crank up the preload on the rear shock to provide a firmer, more stable ride on bumpy roads.
You might want to turn that little flathead screw head on the bottom of your rear shock (I am talking BMWs here; I don’t really know re other makes); it seems to greatly improve off-road suspension. It is especially helpful on moguls. I recommend turning it completely to H, for starters. Check your manual on how to do this if unsure.
You may want to bring along a wrench with which to remove your mirrors. The mounting bolts are only about six bucks, but they are about the most likely thing to break when you tip over, and they are easy to remove and install.
Remove the rubber inserts in your foot pegs – if not before leaving pavement, before leaving home.
We stand up a lot. If your brake and clutch levers are angled up high, sticking more or less horizontally off the handlebars, it will tire your wrists and forearms unnecessarily, to try to use the controls while standing. I find that when I turn the levers down so that they angle downward from the bars (on my Dakar, about as far down as possible) it makes controlling the bike while standing much less tiresome. You will likely need to loosen and lower the hand guards as well.
Disconnect your ABS before leaving the pavement!
— Formation —
Standard — This is the same formation as that described in the Pavement section; designated sweeper, leader posting a navigational guard at each course change… We’ll have a go at it, although how I am supposed to get photos of you all for the Recap is beyond me, if I am in front the whole time. Maybe instead of designating the guard by pointing, I should toss him the camera…There will be short sections which do not include intersections, and at both ends of which we will be regrouping. Such sections can be ridden in no particular formation. A good example from last month would be Bouquet Trail from Sierra Pelona Ridge to Bouquet Canyon Road. I may likely start in front, stop to shoot, and end up in back, on such sections.
Pace-line — Another formation we started experimenting with on DSR 05 is a sort of revolving pace-line formation. In this formation rider spacing is not a concern, but rider order is, and it changes continually: The lead rider pulls to the side after completing any section of notable challenge (a river crossing, difficult turn, rocky climb, etc), or after a mile or two of riding at most. The following riders continue on with the rider who was previously second in line as leader. The previous leader watches to see that all riders come through the tricky section, and then joins on at the back, becoming the last rider. Riders never pass each other, except to pass the leader who is on his way to the back. To do this well, each rider needs to keep track of how many riders are behind him at a given time.* This formation is valuable because it arranges that each rider is observed during challenging sections, the ride flow is not interrupted by repeated stops, it makes the ride itself feel more like a team effort, and each rider gets to experience leading, following, and sweeping. This seems to work fairly poorly with larger groups. One of its main drawbacks is that it requires everyone to either know which turns to make, or to wait at every intersection for the “leader”, who could be anywhere in the group. It seems to work best with half a dozen or fewer riders on a section with few intersections and many short challenging sections.
— Sub-Formations —
Within the above formations, riders may like to experiment with riding in different relative positions:Single-file — Single-file formation will allow maximum maneouverability for avoiding obstacles. At slow speeds on easy terrain, we can ride closer together, but as speed increases, dust and danger will likely force us to loosen up ranks considerably.
Two-by-two — In the past, dust from other riders has kept us widely spaced. A workaround is to ride in pairs. Ideally, the more experienced rider rides a few bike lengths behind and to one side of the less experienced rider. The front rider has only the road ahead to worry about, and the back rider has the road and the front rider to watch out for. The back rider can adjust his distance from the front rider such that billowing dust passes below his face. This formation is never a requirement, but can be fun, and will serve to keep us a little closer together. This is not a safe formation at high speeds: If the road becomes straight and level enough to allow a significant speed increase, this formation should be abandoned.
— Cruxes —
A crux is a short section of trail that is much more difficult that the majority of the trail – so much so that many riders will want to stop and scout / discuss it before riding it. The lead rider generally stops at the beginning of a particularly challenging section of trail in order to allow other riders to gather. This way, information about the best lines can be shared. The lead rider then rides through the crux, stopping just past the end of the difficulty. Riders then follow, one at a time, through the crux section. This ensures that if a rider has trouble in the crux, help is available from both directions. We go one at a time so that if one rider falls in the crux, the next rider is not obliged either to do the same, or ride over his downed comrade.— Passing —
Remember to let other riders ride at their own pace, whether slower or faster. Passing on fire roads may requite the slower rider to stop briefly, depending on the terrain. If Phil comes up behind you on his 650 and honks, let him by! If we are making conscious use of the Pace-line formation, though, the only passing is the entire group passing the leader after a tricky spot.— Communication —
The information we want to share off-pavement is sometimes different from what we communicate during a slab ride. A good example is a group of riders on a hilltop staring at a downed rider a quarter mile away where the road climbs up the face of the mountain. I would like to adopt some SCUBA signals for this sort of situation, until something better comes along: If you are concerned about a rider at a distance, put your hands together over or on top of your head, forming an O (for “Okay”) with your arms. If you see some one giving you this signal and you need assistance (or simply, if you need assistance), wave your arms around over your head. If you are okay, make the O sign (and remember not to wave your arms, but hold them steady for a moment in an O position). Feel goofy waving your arms around? Get a radio:We always have new riders on these rides, and are creating experienced riders: As a result, we often divide the group for brief periods, when some riders choose an easier / more challenging trail than the main one. If someone gets into trouble while separated, radios will suddenly be extremely valuable. Bring one if you have one. Consider it safety gear. Speaking of communications, have a look at the Baehr Communication Systems equipment discussed here:
http://www.rawhyde-offroad.com/adventure_camp_tech.html
This might be a good idea, particularly when we begin doing multi-day rides.
PLANNED STOPS
1) P1 – Castaic – Fuel stop at the corner of Castaic Rd & Lake Hughes Rd. The next fuel opportunity will be in Gorman—around 30 miles later.
Avoiding traffic
on the I-5 corridor
from Castaic to Hungry Valley,
DSR 03
2) D3 – Hungry Valley – We will probably “stop” at the entrance kiosk, one at a time…on the I-5 corridor
from Castaic to Hungry Valley,
DSR 03
3) D5 – Hungry Valley – Quick regroup at the top of East Freeman Trail. We are sure to make other brief halts in this area as well.
Don's narcoleptic 1200,
a non-obligatory climb,
Hungry Valley,
DSR o3
4) P6 – Hungry Valley – If we don’t stop at the entrance kiosk, we will stop at the exit kiosk. Rather than taking a break at this point, we will drop down into Gorman.
5) P6 – Gorman – Fuel / rest stop.
6) P8 – Ridge Route Rd – Regroup before climbing into the Angeles Mountains.
7) D9 – 7n23? – We will stop at the first attractive spot we hit after 1:30 for the first ever actual planned and expected official and fully sanctioned VCDSRS lunch break. So bring a slab of Jarlsberg and a bag of mixed nuts, or whatever…
8) D13 – We will stop at the base of the steep climbs on dreaded House Trail, and treat at least the bottom climb as a Crux (ibid.).
9) D13 – We will regroup at the top of House Trail, as well.
Good morning, Mr. Tyler. Going -- up?
Bring your cameras –
House Trail,
DSR 07-08
10) P14 – Boquet Canyon Road – Regroup at the bottom. The parking lot at the base of Bouquet Canyon Trail is a good spot for us to catch our breath before the long climb. Those wanting to go around will be given a head start.
11) D14 – Bouquet Canyon Trail – Regroup at the top. Just for fun, let’s plan on stopping not at the top of the Trail, but at the top of the steep hill we descended last month to reach the top of BCT.
12) D14 – RFOHVA – Regroup on the entrance road, at the top of the saddle. This was our air pressure stop last month. We will just regroup here, this time.
13) P15 – Sand Cyn Rd @ I-14 – Tire pressure and regroup stop. Most likely at the Chevron station.
14) P15 – Dinner stop – TBD.
KNOWN HAZARDS
There is always the risk that the shop will not be opened in the morning, which could result in a serious caffeine shortage. I think this is unlikely to happen this month, but I would be remiss not to warn you of the possibility.
HV SVRA & RFOHVA, and many of the trails near RFOHVA, can be quite crowded. Watch and listen for oncoming traffic. Remember to signal the number of riders following you as described above (see footnote as well). Of course, we could run into traffic anywhere along the ride.
PRIMARY CHALLENGES
Last month it was mostly the descents. This month the climbs will be our biggest challenge. Sand will also be an issue if you are not already familiar with it.
Some of the trails we will be on in HVSVRA are sandy and mogul-infested. Fun!
Remember, 8n01 is silty. It will likely be drier than last month, which means more slippery / loose, a lot like sand.
The real challenge will be climbing Bouquet Canyon Trail. This is long, winding, narrow, and steep. It will require careful steering and power control at fairly low speeds – quite a technical climb. Traction should be good for most of the climb, however; the soil wasn’t too loose last month, and being on a somewhat north facing slope, it dries out slowly. We should give each other plenty of space for the climb; I suggest well-staggered starts, with the less confident riders in the middle of the group.
The other real challenge will be climbing House Trail. We will treat the bottom climb as a crux; I or another more experienced rider will ascend while the rest gather at the bottom. I recommend walking part of the climb first if you are at all new to steep ascents. Then we will ride it one at a time, with riders above and below to keep an eye on the rider in motion. At least one more advanced rider (possibly me) will sweep this trail. We will regroup at the top.
Which brings me to the day’s big bypass. House Trail is in the middle of a long dirt section, which means that the paved go-around is also long. It is, however, faster. If you are concerned now about these steep sections, I suggest waiting til we get to the beginning of this dirt section. Decide there either to go around, or to go have a look at the steep bits. If you go have a look and decide not to ride them, you should be able to backtrack, complete the paved bypass, and meet us at about the same time we emerge from the hills. There is another, similar bypass, available for Bouquet Canyon Trail.
RFOHVA will not present a significant challenge – unless a significant number of riders really want it to – in which case it will provide the most challenging descents of the ride, if not of the Series, thus far (including last month). Sane riders will be able to watch from the ridgeline as a handful of lunatics slip slide and dash themselves to bits on steep sharp rocks in vain attempts to stay upright while descending via a narrow, mogul-infested trail… We opted not to do those climbs last month; if several riders want to try descending them I will lead them and have another rider lead the more sane descent.
Rough terrain in the Angeles, DSR 08Consider yourself oriented. See you soon!
* You should always do this when off pavement: It is a common courtesy on narrow unpaved or challenging roads to alert oncoming traffic to how many riders they should expect to encounter behind you. You do this by holding up a hand with the right number of fingers extended (if there are more than five riders following you… improvise). If, by the way, the road is so challenging that you can’t spare a hand to alert an oncoming rider, it might be best for you to slow down or stop for the rider to pass.
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