gotls1

I went for my first after work mountain bike ride for the year last night. It was a lovely cool afternoon so I decided to go to Almaden Quicksilver Park and do some climbing. I was in a picture taking mood and the camera on my Droid is actually pretty decent, so I took a few shots on my ride.

My trusty steed, ready to haul my butt ~1000ft up in a little under 2 miles.


About 1/2 way up the hill.


Where I'd come from.


Where I was going.


About 3/4 of the way up and another fork in the road. The trail I didn't take.


The trail I did take. Why do I always take the steeper one?


The lovely Almaden Valley.

gotls1

Poppies are out!


Finally made it to the top. You can kind of see downtown San Jose through the haze.


My bike made it too.


Just a little bit of single track out to the vista point.


Safely back down at the bottom and ready to go home. ~40 minutes up and 15 mintues to come down. lol


It takes a "special" kind of biker to get not one, but two greasy chain ring marks on the outside of the left leg. Perhaps next time I'll get one on a shoulder blade or behind an ear.


I had a great time. Might have to do it again Wednesday.

bbeck

cool pics

Neil_B

Thank you for the beautiful photos, and a leg shot worthy of Claudette Colbert!

gotls1

So you'd pick me up if I were hitch-hiking?

Neil_B

Not if you are carrying a rifle as you are in your avatar.

gotls1

Where's your sense of adventure?

Neil_B

13 years ago I dated a woman who, after we broke up, stalked me and later phoned a bomb threat to my office. That was adventure enough for a lifetime.

jboyd

Fantastic. Thank you for the pics. it makes me happy to see your mtn bike gettin dirty I have beat the hell out of my Peace the past month. I am on a quest to ride as much single track as I can this year.

Keep postin the pics. I love em.

iforgotmename

Great pics...thank's for sharing. I am having an extreme bout of deja vu.

gotls1

You live an interesting life, Neil. At least you didn't come home and find your pet bunny cooking on the stove.

I think this will be the summer of the mountain bike for me. I'm taking a skills class for women the first weekend in May and going on a camping/biking trip at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in June. I'm very much looking forward to both. Pictures will be taken and shared.

Thanks. Why deja vu? Are you local?

Neil_B

Almost. I made the mistake of dating someone who was on the rebound from a horrible experience of betrayal, abandonment, and probably abuse. She saw more in our one date than I did.

breadbin

great pics and love the leg shot bike is nice too - good luck with the next one

Daspydyr 

Great pictures, great bike and a cool avatar. Are you related to Sarah Palin? hahahahahaha! I like the kitty with an AK.

Hill-Pumper

Thanks for the pics, the ride reminds me of some that we have around here. Unfortunately, the weather forecast is rain for the next week or so.