Looking at the clock in Chris’ car, I wasn’t surprised that we were the first at the trailhead. It was a little surprising that Root was moments behind us. Being a holiday, I was expecting the parking area to be full, but there was only one other user. Jeff, Sara, Danny and first-timer Craig arrived, and just about when the introductions were finished, Ckucke and JT arrived. It was good to see the stand-up crew back on two wheels in the dirt. There was some question as to whether JT could make it, since he had left his ride kit at work last week. He managed to borrow a helmet and shoes, so he was good to go. That made for a full crew!
The climb up Government road was heinous as expected, but this time punctuated by a significant accumulation of dog feces. This is becoming more of an issue. To take it easy for those who had been of the bikes for a long time or were experiencing trails for the first time, we took the Ditch cutoff first. We only saw one other rider and two horses on the outbound leg. Since the horses were outbound also, we didn’t make the normal rest stop, but blasted all the way out to the end, then took the new mystery singletrack back. We did break at the rest stop on the return leg, and two pedestrians and two weimeraners passed outbound.
After the break, Chris, Ckucke, JT, Root, and I took the climb up to the inner loop for some rock drop fun, and the stand-up crew took the main trail out. On the descent out to the main trail, everyone took the ferny drop except me. I went further down and startled two hikers as I suddenly appeared at the rock drop. We weren’t sure where the others went, so we waited at the junction. Sara and Craig came down Government road and said Jeff and Danny were waiting at the side loop entrance. We made the climb and regrouped for the side loop run. Conditions were just moist enough for perfect traction.
Post ride was Kailua Town Pub. Craig had been lured on the ride by Jeff’s promises of burgers and beer, so the die was cast. Ckucke and JT had other commitments, so passed on food and libation. The food was pretty much the same, but the draught selection has changed a little. There was another pub customer from a generation ahead of us with an original Mountain Cycles San Andreas with proprietary Pro Stop mechano-hydraulic disc brakes in the parking lot who was all down with our newfangled rides. He was really fixated on Sara’s bike’s orange finish.
D = 9.14 km (5.68-miles), Vavr = 11.1 km/h (6.9-mph), Vmax = 29.6 km/h (18.4-mph). T = 49-minutes (actual trail time about two hours)
GPS says: 8.79 km (5.46-miles), Vavr = 8.7 km/h (5.4-mph), Vmax = 25.6 km/h (15.9-mph), T = 1-hour
Pictures here
Today was fun. Nice to have the old crew, plus Craig, out together again. When are we gonna venture into Sunset Hills?
I’d say…next weekend?
Damn Ckucke is all gung ho! Sunset hills does deserve some investigation. Pack those musubi and all the water, it’ll be a full day thing!