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06-18-12, 01:48 PM
:(
So a friend of mine has been trying to talk me into riding Weedpatch in San Clemente. Strange I actually told him about the area but since its in his "backyard" he's been out there every weekend. Weedpatch is interesting. It is a sanction legal trail I believe designed and built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers (although I have hiked parts of it). It is entirely singletrack criss-crossed here and there by fire roads (escape routes!).
There were 6 of us. I was sweeping. The ride started out great... the singletack was awesome; nice and flowy; a few ups and downs. Just fun. Then the singletrack and switchbacks got tighter andmore technical. I could see my friends ahead stopped waiting on me. I negotiated across two scary little bridges and went down this steep little hill when =WHUP!= I was tossed off the bike into the hillside. I laughed that off but apparently that was an omen to the rest of the ride.
The trail remained fairly technical. It is so tight you never get more than a few feet glance ahead of you. Turn a corner and all of a sudden a deep rut or sharp hill. I was just never prepared or in the right gear. This is obvious a trail you have to do over and over agai to learn the ins and outs.
We finally started through this area that got alittle less technical except there were these short but very steep hills we all had to walk. After the third one came up, I dismounted my bike prepared to walk up when =ZING= felt something in my left calve give away. Obviously a muscle tear. It was extremely painful. Someone came and got my bike and I was helped uphill. I still had to ride to where I could get out on the street. Finally made it to one of the fire roads and I rode onto the paved road while everyone continued doing singletrack. I was able to ride as long as I kept light pressure on my left leg. I made it to Carl's Jr (5 Fwy and Cristianos Rd.) at and sat to wait for my friends to catch up.
45 minutes later they made it to Carl's Jr. I had fun (NOT) talking to all the homeless guys in San Clemente. I decided to ride on my own and not wait for a pickup (I didn't want to sit another hour talking to homeless guys) so we rode along PCH (I have never liked this stretch of PCH plus try riding it with MTB guys who are not roadies and don't know where to ride or to call out) and then up Avenida Pico to La Pata. 4 mile brutal street climb up a 10% grade to the car. I was not using my left leg' only my right but I made it. Yeah :o!
The next day my right butt cheek was painful (now left and right side hurt) because I used it to get back.
OK so Weedpatch scared me but I can't wait to try it again... after I heal and think about it further...
Does anyone know how to get back to Dog Park without doing PCH????
So a friend of mine has been trying to talk me into riding Weedpatch in San Clemente. Strange I actually told him about the area but since its in his "backyard" he's been out there every weekend. Weedpatch is interesting. It is a sanction legal trail I believe designed and built by mountain bikers for mountain bikers (although I have hiked parts of it). It is entirely singletrack criss-crossed here and there by fire roads (escape routes!).
There were 6 of us. I was sweeping. The ride started out great... the singletack was awesome; nice and flowy; a few ups and downs. Just fun. Then the singletrack and switchbacks got tighter andmore technical. I could see my friends ahead stopped waiting on me. I negotiated across two scary little bridges and went down this steep little hill when =WHUP!= I was tossed off the bike into the hillside. I laughed that off but apparently that was an omen to the rest of the ride.
The trail remained fairly technical. It is so tight you never get more than a few feet glance ahead of you. Turn a corner and all of a sudden a deep rut or sharp hill. I was just never prepared or in the right gear. This is obvious a trail you have to do over and over agai to learn the ins and outs.
We finally started through this area that got alittle less technical except there were these short but very steep hills we all had to walk. After the third one came up, I dismounted my bike prepared to walk up when =ZING= felt something in my left calve give away. Obviously a muscle tear. It was extremely painful. Someone came and got my bike and I was helped uphill. I still had to ride to where I could get out on the street. Finally made it to one of the fire roads and I rode onto the paved road while everyone continued doing singletrack. I was able to ride as long as I kept light pressure on my left leg. I made it to Carl's Jr (5 Fwy and Cristianos Rd.) at and sat to wait for my friends to catch up.
45 minutes later they made it to Carl's Jr. I had fun (NOT) talking to all the homeless guys in San Clemente. I decided to ride on my own and not wait for a pickup (I didn't want to sit another hour talking to homeless guys) so we rode along PCH (I have never liked this stretch of PCH plus try riding it with MTB guys who are not roadies and don't know where to ride or to call out) and then up Avenida Pico to La Pata. 4 mile brutal street climb up a 10% grade to the car. I was not using my left leg' only my right but I made it. Yeah :o!
The next day my right butt cheek was painful (now left and right side hurt) because I used it to get back.
OK so Weedpatch scared me but I can't wait to try it again... after I heal and think about it further...
Does anyone know how to get back to Dog Park without doing PCH????