- Jan 20, 2001
- 1,517
- 0
As some of you know the girls of Cali got together for a little ride this weekend... While I wasn’t apart of that ride I did get me some spoils-of-war muffins (Thanks Natty!) and heard a tail about the “chick” with pig-tails and a broken arm that tried to conquer Comp Hill. Some one else will have to elaborate on that one. :rotfl:
I got in to Hollister around 8:15ish and started unloading gear and mingling with random riders that I saw. After getting the bike warmed up I headed off and hooked up with RickyD, one of his friends, and KawiDude. We took off on a short fast and fun loop, but at the end of it KawiDude said he had to go. After that the three of us when for another loop after a quick break. I was in the back of the pack and took a wrong turn and ended up separated from RickyD. Since most of the trails in Hollister are one way I couldn’t really back track. So after about 15 miles I was back in camp where RickyD was waiting.
We took another break and were off again, and once again I got separated. And a little latter I was back in the camp. After a third break we took off and hit up the other side of Hollister. I was goofing off in the back of the pack like I always do when RickyD had me take the lead. I decided to pick up the pace for once and was moving along at a speed that was a bit faster then I was comfortable with. That was fun. After a bit I gave the lead up to RickyD’s friend and we continued riding around. We came to this muddy up hall that was 100’ to 150’ long or so and I tucked the front end. No big deal really so I get up and see RickyD has stalled his bike about half way up and there is another rider with a different group stuck also. I start up the hill and lug up is about half way with out any problems until I get where RickyD is. Then the bike gets alike squirrelly and I go to put my foot down to save it. Sadly for me there is nothing there but a hole. So down I go. No big deal I’m thinking, that was until I tried to stand up. That was the slickest crap I have ever stood on. And I slid down the hill a few times trying to get back to the bike. Once I got back on the bike and got it started I lugged up the rest of the way like it was nothing. Weird stuff. Once up the hill I walked/fall/slide back to RickyD’s bike and try to help him out. He tries to start it, but his foot keeps slipping off the kick-start. I try to start it with the same effect. We end up getting help for the other group of riders and drag the bike up the hill. We kept riding for quite a bit longer and I had my odd crash hear and there in the mud. I had one slow speed get off that ended up with me pinned under the bike by my neck. That took awhile to get out from under. RickyD and his friend had to head home so we all headed back to camp and they packed up and took off.
After that I was sitting around the spouses/significant others’ of the Chick’s ride and one guy named Mike asked if any one wanted to go ride some more. I was up for it and after a quick introduction we were off. Mike is a fast smooth rider to say the least and after a gnarly and fun hill climb he has me take the lead and I do the go-as-fast-as-I-can thing again. I’m doing pretty good until I jump into that slick mud and get deflected off the side of the trail. I was stoked as I was flying through the air and off the trail because I was I was headed for a really sturdy looking bush. (You know, the kind that snatch you off of your bike and/or snatch the bike away from you?) Normally that would be a bad thing, but it’s a long frikkin’ way down off the side of the trail, and I don’t want to take that trip at all. So I land in the up hillside of the bush and the bike and I come to a quick stop. Luckily the bush was strong enough to hold the bike and me up and I was able to lean on th bush to get the bike started. With a bit of help from Mike we were able to bulldog/drag the bike back up to the trail about five feet above us. After that Mike takes the lead and I click in to ride-even-faster-then-you-have-all-day mode to try and keep pace with Mike. I was riding my bike so hard that I spent a lot of time with the front tire in the air chasing Mike. I’d like to point out again that Mike was just amazingly smooth. Any way I’m chasing him with every thing I have. We go tarring down a long choppy hill (RickyD: that was the same one we when down when I was in the lead with you guys) followed by a hard right. I have the bike pinned, and am going up through the gears, and finally I start to catch up to him. (I wonder how far back I’d be if he were going at his max speed?)
Mike asks if I want to try out the vintage track, and with a yes we’re off. We get on the track, and I am having a hell of a time trying to ride it. Mike sees me struggling, and does something that no one has ever really done for me. Mike stops, and shows me what I’m doing wrong, and thing shows me what I need to be doing. After letting a few riders pass and with Mike showing me what he was talking about with how the other riders are taking the corners we’re off again. I practice what Mike said, and take it rather slow. As I was going into one of the corners the back of the bike starts to back out, but as it’s sliding out of nowhere it gets traction and high-sides slamming me into the ground with some authority. I get a handle bar to the chest right between the front and back of my chest protector, and slam my knee pretty good. I then do a complete roll under the bike and finally get away from it coming to a stop by the edge of the track. Once I bash a knee my riding day is pretty much over. I do two more laps and call it a day.
All in all it was a great day. You couldn’t ask of better weather, or better people to ride with.
I got in to Hollister around 8:15ish and started unloading gear and mingling with random riders that I saw. After getting the bike warmed up I headed off and hooked up with RickyD, one of his friends, and KawiDude. We took off on a short fast and fun loop, but at the end of it KawiDude said he had to go. After that the three of us when for another loop after a quick break. I was in the back of the pack and took a wrong turn and ended up separated from RickyD. Since most of the trails in Hollister are one way I couldn’t really back track. So after about 15 miles I was back in camp where RickyD was waiting.
We took another break and were off again, and once again I got separated. And a little latter I was back in the camp. After a third break we took off and hit up the other side of Hollister. I was goofing off in the back of the pack like I always do when RickyD had me take the lead. I decided to pick up the pace for once and was moving along at a speed that was a bit faster then I was comfortable with. That was fun. After a bit I gave the lead up to RickyD’s friend and we continued riding around. We came to this muddy up hall that was 100’ to 150’ long or so and I tucked the front end. No big deal really so I get up and see RickyD has stalled his bike about half way up and there is another rider with a different group stuck also. I start up the hill and lug up is about half way with out any problems until I get where RickyD is. Then the bike gets alike squirrelly and I go to put my foot down to save it. Sadly for me there is nothing there but a hole. So down I go. No big deal I’m thinking, that was until I tried to stand up. That was the slickest crap I have ever stood on. And I slid down the hill a few times trying to get back to the bike. Once I got back on the bike and got it started I lugged up the rest of the way like it was nothing. Weird stuff. Once up the hill I walked/fall/slide back to RickyD’s bike and try to help him out. He tries to start it, but his foot keeps slipping off the kick-start. I try to start it with the same effect. We end up getting help for the other group of riders and drag the bike up the hill. We kept riding for quite a bit longer and I had my odd crash hear and there in the mud. I had one slow speed get off that ended up with me pinned under the bike by my neck. That took awhile to get out from under. RickyD and his friend had to head home so we all headed back to camp and they packed up and took off.
After that I was sitting around the spouses/significant others’ of the Chick’s ride and one guy named Mike asked if any one wanted to go ride some more. I was up for it and after a quick introduction we were off. Mike is a fast smooth rider to say the least and after a gnarly and fun hill climb he has me take the lead and I do the go-as-fast-as-I-can thing again. I’m doing pretty good until I jump into that slick mud and get deflected off the side of the trail. I was stoked as I was flying through the air and off the trail because I was I was headed for a really sturdy looking bush. (You know, the kind that snatch you off of your bike and/or snatch the bike away from you?) Normally that would be a bad thing, but it’s a long frikkin’ way down off the side of the trail, and I don’t want to take that trip at all. So I land in the up hillside of the bush and the bike and I come to a quick stop. Luckily the bush was strong enough to hold the bike and me up and I was able to lean on th bush to get the bike started. With a bit of help from Mike we were able to bulldog/drag the bike back up to the trail about five feet above us. After that Mike takes the lead and I click in to ride-even-faster-then-you-have-all-day mode to try and keep pace with Mike. I was riding my bike so hard that I spent a lot of time with the front tire in the air chasing Mike. I’d like to point out again that Mike was just amazingly smooth. Any way I’m chasing him with every thing I have. We go tarring down a long choppy hill (RickyD: that was the same one we when down when I was in the lead with you guys) followed by a hard right. I have the bike pinned, and am going up through the gears, and finally I start to catch up to him. (I wonder how far back I’d be if he were going at his max speed?)
Mike asks if I want to try out the vintage track, and with a yes we’re off. We get on the track, and I am having a hell of a time trying to ride it. Mike sees me struggling, and does something that no one has ever really done for me. Mike stops, and shows me what I’m doing wrong, and thing shows me what I need to be doing. After letting a few riders pass and with Mike showing me what he was talking about with how the other riders are taking the corners we’re off again. I practice what Mike said, and take it rather slow. As I was going into one of the corners the back of the bike starts to back out, but as it’s sliding out of nowhere it gets traction and high-sides slamming me into the ground with some authority. I get a handle bar to the chest right between the front and back of my chest protector, and slam my knee pretty good. I then do a complete roll under the bike and finally get away from it coming to a stop by the edge of the track. Once I bash a knee my riding day is pretty much over. I do two more laps and call it a day.
All in all it was a great day. You couldn’t ask of better weather, or better people to ride with.
