Wow...
What a day yesterday. BMXman, myself, and a non-RM friend were planning to ride Noble...weather looked bad, but my buddy had already been defeated by Noble weather 3 times, and was determined to make it this time, shuttling or riding up.
So the weather was getting rough by 9 AM, so we abandoned our wait for a 4th rider and headed up in his Defender (nice, open vehicle for a cold day...). Weather was getting crappy, but no one was there saying the road was closed...and my buddy agreed to risk the possiblity of road closure later...they might not let my little Subie back up top to get his truck.
So we rode from the top...BMXman had never been in snow before, so it was fun. We geared up warm...I wore my fullface, against my usual rule of multi-use trail=no fullface. Didn't think there'd be too many hikers to scare, and my ears were going to need some cover. Wore windstopper fleece gloves instead of biking gloves, roadie knicker pants, and a shell...and we were off. I was worried BMXman was going to lose a finger or two to frostbite, but by the time we were halfway down we discovered that arm pump actually keeps your hands warm.
The snow was fanTASTIC...total big-flaked, beautiful made-for-Hollywood Christmas snow. The trail was really, really beautiful all decked out. I've ridden it AFTER snow, and during icy, freezing rain, but never during an actual snowstorm. It was great throwing a literally new layer of challenge on to riding the rocky stuff. By the time we hit the Xtra Credit climb, though, it was rainy and getting miserable. Totally worth the effort.
We managed to pack 3 of us and the bikes into/onto my car and headed up to get the Rover...and there was a CHP officer at the bottom who, very cordially, told me to put it in 4wd when we got to the top. Other people were putting chains on...we made our way slowly up the road, which had 2 inches of snow once you got about a mile up from the S1/I5 junction. By the time we hit the top, it was 3-4 inches and total winter wonderland.
Here's where *some* Californians need to wake up and learn how to drive in the snow, especially the jackass who came barrelling down the road as I was inching past 2 stopped cars in my lane. I'm guessing he was doing 30 or so... I saw his pickup, pulled into my lane between the stopped cars, and he promptly panicked, locked the brakes, lost control, and hit me in my rear driver's side fender as I sat stationary on my side of the road. Luckily, no one was hurt, the damage was fairly superficial, and we bounced apart before he tore the bike rack off with his front end.
I retained my usual calm, got his insurance info, and as there was no injury, we parted company...got to the top, slowly (listening to my tire buzz the fender, grrr) where some friendly rangers waited at the Noble trailhead, signalling us to turn around. They were closing the snow gate, I think.
Anyhow, we told them we were just here to pick up the truck, so they let us park. We got out to help our friend load up, and I commented to one of the rangers about the accident. He looked sympathetic, but then the other ranger, a blond woman wearing Oakley mirrored glasses, came up and demanded to know where my snow chains were. I told her the officer at the bottom had told me to pass without them, and she got extremely angry with me...told me that was not possible, and demanded to see my ID. I explained that there was no way I'd have gotten up here without the officer's permission, and she accused me of lying, saying that the officer "might not have been positioned where the chains needed to be put on."
I felt her manner was extremely rude and unprofessional. She was emotional and accusatory. If one of my Marines acted that way while working on a security post, even when dealing with an obvious criminal activity, I'd have removed that Marine from duty. I think I recognize her as someone who's accosted me and fellow bikers before while riding and shuttling.
Anyhow, after accusing me of lying several times, she took my license and told me she was going to "find out what the truth was." She got on the radio, and much to her chagrin, we heard the person on the other end confirm that CHP was letting people up at the bottom. She got angry with them and asked them to correct the situation.
Nevermind that the driver who hit me had chains on his truck! I don't see the psychological attachment to them...drive carefully in the snow and you should be OK. If you get stuck, well, you should have brought chains or driven a 4wd or both-your problem. Drive like a jerk and you cause problems, chains or not.
Anyhow, she continued to be very emotional and, to her credit, didn't cite me for having no chains. Given the way the day had gone so far, I thought I'd get a ticket and be told to tell my story to the judge. Told us to head down as slowly as we could.
Now I've got the day off and I'm waiting for a claims inspector instead of going riding. Although that's partially just b/c BMXman hasn't called me yet. Anyone else want to hit some DH today?
Fun day, but if I knew the hassle it was going to cause...I don't know. Probably wasn't worth it. But at least the riding was great and nothing truly tragic happened...body damage is a pretty bourgeois concern to get too fired up about.
MD
What a day yesterday. BMXman, myself, and a non-RM friend were planning to ride Noble...weather looked bad, but my buddy had already been defeated by Noble weather 3 times, and was determined to make it this time, shuttling or riding up.
So the weather was getting rough by 9 AM, so we abandoned our wait for a 4th rider and headed up in his Defender (nice, open vehicle for a cold day...). Weather was getting crappy, but no one was there saying the road was closed...and my buddy agreed to risk the possiblity of road closure later...they might not let my little Subie back up top to get his truck.
So we rode from the top...BMXman had never been in snow before, so it was fun. We geared up warm...I wore my fullface, against my usual rule of multi-use trail=no fullface. Didn't think there'd be too many hikers to scare, and my ears were going to need some cover. Wore windstopper fleece gloves instead of biking gloves, roadie knicker pants, and a shell...and we were off. I was worried BMXman was going to lose a finger or two to frostbite, but by the time we were halfway down we discovered that arm pump actually keeps your hands warm.
The snow was fanTASTIC...total big-flaked, beautiful made-for-Hollywood Christmas snow. The trail was really, really beautiful all decked out. I've ridden it AFTER snow, and during icy, freezing rain, but never during an actual snowstorm. It was great throwing a literally new layer of challenge on to riding the rocky stuff. By the time we hit the Xtra Credit climb, though, it was rainy and getting miserable. Totally worth the effort.
We managed to pack 3 of us and the bikes into/onto my car and headed up to get the Rover...and there was a CHP officer at the bottom who, very cordially, told me to put it in 4wd when we got to the top. Other people were putting chains on...we made our way slowly up the road, which had 2 inches of snow once you got about a mile up from the S1/I5 junction. By the time we hit the top, it was 3-4 inches and total winter wonderland.
Here's where *some* Californians need to wake up and learn how to drive in the snow, especially the jackass who came barrelling down the road as I was inching past 2 stopped cars in my lane. I'm guessing he was doing 30 or so... I saw his pickup, pulled into my lane between the stopped cars, and he promptly panicked, locked the brakes, lost control, and hit me in my rear driver's side fender as I sat stationary on my side of the road. Luckily, no one was hurt, the damage was fairly superficial, and we bounced apart before he tore the bike rack off with his front end.
I retained my usual calm, got his insurance info, and as there was no injury, we parted company...got to the top, slowly (listening to my tire buzz the fender, grrr) where some friendly rangers waited at the Noble trailhead, signalling us to turn around. They were closing the snow gate, I think.
Anyhow, we told them we were just here to pick up the truck, so they let us park. We got out to help our friend load up, and I commented to one of the rangers about the accident. He looked sympathetic, but then the other ranger, a blond woman wearing Oakley mirrored glasses, came up and demanded to know where my snow chains were. I told her the officer at the bottom had told me to pass without them, and she got extremely angry with me...told me that was not possible, and demanded to see my ID. I explained that there was no way I'd have gotten up here without the officer's permission, and she accused me of lying, saying that the officer "might not have been positioned where the chains needed to be put on."
I felt her manner was extremely rude and unprofessional. She was emotional and accusatory. If one of my Marines acted that way while working on a security post, even when dealing with an obvious criminal activity, I'd have removed that Marine from duty. I think I recognize her as someone who's accosted me and fellow bikers before while riding and shuttling.
Anyhow, after accusing me of lying several times, she took my license and told me she was going to "find out what the truth was." She got on the radio, and much to her chagrin, we heard the person on the other end confirm that CHP was letting people up at the bottom. She got angry with them and asked them to correct the situation.
Nevermind that the driver who hit me had chains on his truck! I don't see the psychological attachment to them...drive carefully in the snow and you should be OK. If you get stuck, well, you should have brought chains or driven a 4wd or both-your problem. Drive like a jerk and you cause problems, chains or not.
Anyhow, she continued to be very emotional and, to her credit, didn't cite me for having no chains. Given the way the day had gone so far, I thought I'd get a ticket and be told to tell my story to the judge. Told us to head down as slowly as we could.
Now I've got the day off and I'm waiting for a claims inspector instead of going riding. Although that's partially just b/c BMXman hasn't called me yet. Anyone else want to hit some DH today?
Fun day, but if I knew the hassle it was going to cause...I don't know. Probably wasn't worth it. But at least the riding was great and nothing truly tragic happened...body damage is a pretty bourgeois concern to get too fired up about.
MD
mad but kept his cool....I want to go again this time more prepared for the cold...riding on snow and ice teaches you all new things about traction control...D