I don't think I saw anything upside down!! that's probably good......

We started in Encanto, headed to Crystal Lake, back around to Camp Williams and over GMR back Encanto via foothill. Great loop.

A lot of highway 39 is a good bet if you're traffic adverse. The lower section (before the Cogswell Dam cutoff) can get pretty busy, so I'd start your ride there, and head up to Crystal Lake and back. Since the road dead ends just past the Crystal Lake cutoff, there's very little traffic. You're likely to see only a few cars/motorcycles all the way up.

The climb on that section is a little steeper than most (7-9%), but the views are amazing. They repaved the road a couple of years ago, and it is great shape ... it's a fun descent. Plenty of water too ... there is water available at Soldier's Spring or the Coldbrook Campground (at the bottom of the little downhill after the second gate).

Be sure and get something at the Crystal Lake Cafe. They need the business and are very cycle friendly.

And say hello to Bubba the cat. :D

We actually had a burger at the Cafe... the food was awesome... found out the owner is a cyclist as well and he told us about all the MTB and other trails. On his advice we did the closed part of 39... afterwards stopped back in and got some Banana nut bread - that was great as well... I didnt see the cat - maybe it was too cold for him - I will look for him next time...

Thanks for the advice... I think it a good idea to start at Cogswell Dam and then ride up... I am looking forward to it!

Your Loop... for another day - how far is it and what's the mileage?

Hi Pam,

Here's a link to the cat's facebook page so you'll know what he looks like: https://www.facebook.com/#!/BubbaThe...rOfCrystalLake

I did the same ride Victor did, on the same day, and I got 66 miles with 8,000 feet of climbing.

Oh, wait, this is a photo thread, sorry . . . here's a photo of me after I just took a photo of Bubba. He's warming himself on the car hood. It was snowing (flurries) when this photo was taken but it doesn't show.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363007
Rick / OCRR

I will look for Bubba on Saturday - will be going back out there to show a friend... the 66 miles is no problem - the 8000 ft of climbing is... good gracious!

Odd perspective while waiting for a rider on the HooDoo 500. Somewhere between Koosharem and Panguitch.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psdd12f981.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7319/1...00947cab_z.jpg
they live we sleep by ccorlew, on Flickr

Behind my college on the bike trail I use on my daily commute there is a concrete box that attracts graffiti. I admit I rather enjoy some of the odd messages that have appeared. This one inspired my to get all photo-manipulatey™.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363297[

St. Augustine... rugged roads...

While the view can be warm and romantic...

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363498

Getting there can be a bone-rattling experience on a roadie.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363499

The first shot was taken with the Canon G1X... the second, a Nikon D3100 and 55-200 lens.

Cool, literally. :)

Group gravel grind.

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7373/1...e9ab4d82_o.jpg
IMG_4540 by BluesDawg, on Flickr

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3703/1...dbfc32b4_o.jpg
IMG_4578 by BluesDawg, on Flickr

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7439/1...044ea62a_o.jpg
IMG_4579 by BluesDawg, on Flickr

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5511/1...958a758c_o.jpg
IMG_4555 by BluesDawg, on Flickr

^^^^Great pics^^^^

I hate to mess it up.

Here is a grim and kinda creepy photo of my ride a few minutes ago:
http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...psmowptymm.jpg

Yeah, I got hairy legs. So sue me. Maybe I'll shave them.

Ride report in the Clydes section - but a photo from my Beyond the Cogswell Dam ride last Saturday... climbed 13 miles into the San Gabriel mountain - 3100 ft of climbing:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363668

Some of the spots we rode through were lovely...
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363669

Before we turned around and had a 13 mile descent...climb took 2 1/2 hours; return 50 minutes...
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=363670

I keep looking for the Like button for these pics

Lol .. thanks!

Our SoCal weather is finally swinging a little back to normal. We got some snow in the mountains, and this on the beach yesterday:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...psa95886c4.jpg

Last night on the bike path was almost summerish

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps8c6be03d.jpg

Those look like MTB tails even I could ride without killing myself. That's the trail Cogswell Dam?

Happy Valentine's Day!

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...ps7333e91a.jpg

I finally got out for a nice mid-winter ride. It was 17F and sunny.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=364512

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=364513

YIKES!!!!
Did you shoot that?