Golden Eagle to Leona Valley

[chriscor]

Posted in ClubMTB.com for those who are interested....

"OK...the return of the `40 Something` Ride. 40+ miles of dirt, enough elevation gain to make it interesting. 5+ hours. Begins at Sandbergs on the old Ridge Rte, over Liebre Mtn/Sawmill Mtn/Grassy Mtn/Leona Divide and ends in Leona Valley. Self supported, requires shuttle return. Ping me for more details. Not for the weak or beginners, non-techy, just a good, long, 1/2 day in the saddle."

Mike Troy Can be reached at grannygear AT ca DOT rr DOT com for more info.   Sounds interesting...im gonna try and make it.

[chriscor]

**** UPDATE FROM MICHAEL TROY REGARDING THIS EPIC RIDE **************




A few things:

- I need a head count if I am to get a handle on the shuttle situation.
  You realize that it is up to you to work that out for yourselves,
BUT...I want to take care of as much as I can.  My Suburban can carry 4
riders and 4 bikes + a non-riding driver.  My wife can drop off and
pick up.  Above 4 and we need a second vehicle.

- The weather shows a warming trend into the mid to high 80s for next
Saturday.  The elevation will be slightly in our favor and I expect it
to be 5 or so degrees cooler overall.  Still, we should look to an
early start to the day.  That start will be at my house at 06:00.  I am
in Castaic right along the route to the ride.  If you are coming from
the Antelope Valley, you may want to meet us at the starting point at
Sandbergs on the old Ridge Route.  If this is your situation, let me
know.  Otherwise we will meet at Castaic and drive approx 40 mins to
the beginning of the ride.

Mike's House
31512 Karena Ave.
Castaic  91384

661 257 1237 hm
661 312 6138 cell

- The route.  Briefly, an 8 mile climb over Liebre Mtn, then rolling
fireroad across Sawmill, bit of a climb there, 10 miles of mostly down
to Lake Hughes Rd where we will pop out on pavement briefly and then
back to dirt up to and around Tule Ridge, Grassy Mtn, crossing San Fran
Cyn Rd to Leona Divide and then to Bouquet Cyn Rd at the end.  The ride
is interspersed with climbs throughout.  The biggest climb is at the
beginning and the views are excellent.  The last hour is always a
challenge with seemingly endless drops and climbs in sandy conditions. 
The last few miles are a fast, open, fun DH screamer to the end.  In
the middle is a bunch of pedaling.  No single track.  Sorry.  Great
fireroad stuff, though.  I will not poach PCT with a bunch of folks I
barely know and riding up Golden Eagle would be a killer start to a
long day.  Maybe some day, we will turn the ride around and end on
Golden Eagle trail.  Much harder ride that way.

There are bailout points in two places.  It will get you to
civilization, but not a shuttle ride.  Cell phone service should be
pretty good most of the time, maybe.

- Supplies.  I may cache water ahead of time at a certain point,
however I plan to carry a full Camelback (100oz) and another bottle of
performance drink.  Bring stuff for a 5 hour ride, food, Powerbars, GU,
whatever.  On your own here.  We do pass by a little convenience store,
but in the little podunk town, I would not bet on it being open.

-  It would be nice to be riding by 08:00.  Based on past rides, we
should be done by 01:00.  But, the group dynamic controls that to a
large extent.  I suggest you do not have any deadlines, like your
wedding is at 04:00 and you need to be home by then or you will be
killed, etc.  Anything can happen.  Afterwards I think it would be fun
to get some food, but again, depends on the group.  There is a good
Mexican place in Castaic, and a few other options as well.

SO, I hope this is the beginning of lots of semi-epic to epic rides. 
The 40 Something is an old tradition that I am bringing back to life,
but there are lots of other ideas as well.  God willing and the creek
don't rise, we can all share in them.

Any questions, let me know.  This is the first time I have opened this
up to riders I don't know...yet.  Always been the 'rat pack' up to this
point.  Hey, should be interesting.

[chriscor]

Here is Mike Troy's recap of that blistering hot weekend ride.  Brutal as it was, I had a great, great time.  Wish we had today's weather last Saturday though.

 ----> http://vintageone.blogspot.com/2008/05/40-something-postscript.html