Recommendations on places to Muni in SoCal

[UniGeezer]

@shermanator94

where?

Chantry Flats?

Yep. Looks like the Winter creek loop is what I’ll be riding. Looks really fun, technical and with lots of trees for UCC! In my mind I’m already there! Looks like the rain will taper off to only slight (20%) chance by Saturday-until 10am-then no rain through Sunday! It’s so on!!!

Actual pic from that trail:
http://www.geoladders.com/show_route.php?route=1910

[UniGeezer]

Update on Chantry flats trail(s):

@IMALLSLO

Channel 9 news reports road is closed today due to rain(obviously). May want to check before you head out. It seems to always have some kind of mudslide during heavy rains.

@Piranha

Chantry Flats is closed and the Mt. Wilson Trail is closed. I would not want to be in big or Little Santa Anita Canyon right now.

Hopefully it will reopen by Saturday. We’ll see.

[entropy]

@MuniAddict

Yep. Looks like the Winter creek loop is what I’ll be riding.

Winter creek loop has several stream traversals, and if the stream is still swollen, expect to do some swimming.

[UniGeezer]

@entropy

Winter creek loop has several stream traversals, and if the stream is still swollen, expect to do some swimming.

I’ll bring my wetsuit! Well, it’ll actually start out as a “drysuit”.

[shermanator94]

@MuniAddict

Update on Chantry flats trail(s):

Hopefully it will reopen by Saturday. We’ll see.

probably not. the soil will be saturated and unstable. i’m betting that it won’t reopen until next week. hopefully, i’m proven wrong

[johnfoss]

Please don’t ride on trails if the MTB crowd says no. In (mostly) dry places like California, lots of rain can make the trails very fragile. Riding on them can rut them up pretty bad, and cause other erosion and damage that will remain after things dry up.

Great trails are worth preserving!

[UniGeezer]

@johnfoss

Please don’t ride on trails if the MTB crowd says no. In (mostly) dry places like California, lots of rain can make the trails very fragile. Riding on them can rut them up pretty bad, and cause other erosion and damage that will remain after things dry up.

Great trails are worth preserving!

I have almost daily communication with the mtb community, and we’ve been discussing UWC (Upper Winter Creek loop at Chantry) since the heavy rains started, and it’s almost unanimous that chantry is almost more fun to ride right after the rains! Here are a few replies on one of the threads:

@just ride

i rode it monday morning during the rain and got better grip than when it is dry. there is a chance of the road being closed just check with the city of arcadia.

@davidB

210 East, Exit Santa Anita Ave, head north until it turns into a mountain road and eventually dead ends into the parking lot at Chantry Flats.

you can do an out and back on Upper Winter Creek, or take UWC to Lower WC to the pavement climb back to the cars. Both are 5 miles. Or the the Mt Zion loop, 9 miles.

When are you going and how many miles do you do? should be quite a scene

edit: here’s a rough map

@davidB

The Mt Zion loop you linked to includes the 3 mile pavement climb to the parking lot (not typically ridden up by anyone but roadies). So take that out and you get a 8-9 ride up and over zion from the parking lot. The climb/hike up Mt Zion is pretty brutal and a lot of it we hike on 2 wheels.

As for technical, you’re in the right place for sure.

@mtbski

This is a great place to ride during and after rain and snow.

The obvious point worth mentioning is don’t forget to check noaa, weather.com, etc., you don’t want to be caught out there in any kind of flash flood situation.

@JoeTruth

Gate to Chantry (4 miles to Chantry) is closed. I rode it yesterday afternoon from the gate up. The paved road was in fair shape but there was mud everywhere and little slides here and there.
I thought I’d get lucky and miss the rain but got dumped on pretty hard. You can either park at the gate and climb up the road (which we do regularly) or start @ Chantry. As of yesterday, UWC had a few slides on it and LWC was a complete mess. 2-3 sections of the trail had been taken over by water and the creek crossings were impassible without stepping in 3-12 inches of very cold water. I’d wait until heavy rains and strong water run offs have slowed down.

Gotta love the internet; misinformation is everywhere.

@mtbski

On LWC, I’ve been submerging my hubs and bottom bracket. I’ve even had surges going over my lowers/stanchions interface. Needless to say I’m going to have to do some intense servicing soon. Last time I changed out my BB, the bearings on both sides were rusted and one side had seized up.

@IMALLSLO

Thats been my nightly rain routine :>). Your welcome to come by anytime man,just give me a jingle when your in the hood.

@Yves

I love everything Chantry

[vivalargo]

Don’t forget Suicide Connector - a real fun one, rarely ridden.

[UniGeezer]

@vivalargo

Don’t forget Suicide Connector - a real fun one, rarely ridden.

Yeah I’ve done that one a few times it pretty fun, but I think there’s too much clay in that soil, and if so, not really roideable 'till it dries out. And there’s really no trees (for ucc) or much shade, although shade’s not an issue right now. Pretty technical in spots though.

[johnfoss]

@MuniAddict

I have almost daily communication with the mtb community, and we’ve been discussing UWC (Upper Winter Creek loop at Chantry) since the heavy rains started, and it’s almost unanimous that chantry is almost more fun to ride right after the rains!

Thanks for copying most of the thread into your post for my convenience. When FATRAC (Folsom Auburn Trail Riders Action Coalition) cancels rides due to the weather, it’s not because they don’t like riding in the rain, it’s to preserve those trails for a longer life. These are the people who build the trails and advocate for access. All planned rides for this weekend were canceled (similar weather to down there). Some of those trails are probably a blast to ride when they’re wet; that’s not what they base it on.

But a trail’s susceptibility to rain depends on what it’s made of. A trail of rock is probably minimally affected. Most of the ones in the FATRAC area get too malleable when wet, where riding on them can greatly accelerate the wear & tear process on them. Many of these trails are on hillsides that are gradually washing away, which is probably true of many SoCal trails.

[UniGeezer]

@johnfoss

Th…
But a trail’s susceptibility to rain depends on what it’s made of. A trail of rock is probably minimally affected. Most of the ones in the FATRAC area get too malleable when wet, where riding on them can greatly accelerate the wear & tear process on them. Many of these trails are on hillsides that are gradually washing away, which is probably true of many SoCal trails.

I should have added that not only do these mtb-ers live very close to this particular trail, but they’ve been riding there for a very long time, some for decades, and they do indeed spend much time maintaining the trails in this area.

The other, very important little detail I forgot to add, is that the trail is closely monitored by the police dept. for that area, and apparently, they are in total charge of any closures-due to rain fires, etc-year-round. I would have expected rangers to handle that stuff, but as far as I know, the PD takes care of it.

In fact, I had already spoken with them over the phone two days ago, and they told me to check in with them this weekend, before I head up there, to find out if the trail will be open. So, I think I am following proper procedure here, and having ongoing communications with the regulars and the PD, but I appreciate your concern.

[entropy]

@johnfoss

Many of these trails are on hillsides that are gradually washing away, which is probably true of many SoCal trails.

Almost all of my local favorites washed straight out to the ocean this week, thanks mostly to the damn station fire.

[UniGeezer]

Although when I first called this morning, the PD said the Chantry would be closed until further notice. They did, in fact open it to hikers/bikers around 11am today. It will be open all day tomorrow. YAY!

[amiantos]

Wow! Lot of replies now…

To follow up: I went on a ride in Turnbull yesterday and, dang, it was wet. The first singletrack I tried, (later, by a mtb guy, I was told that it as called “three bitches”) was fun but very steep and with the mud, and the cliffs flanking both sides, my confidence was destroyed and I could hardly ride most of it. I had to walk back up the hill, as the mud made riding back up even a low grade kind of frustrating… at one point my foot sunk into what looked like a flat patch of trail all the way up to my ankles and I had to slog through it. Not fun!

When I got back to the top even though I felt a little funny (I had a very small breakfast and then unloaded a container at the warehouse I work at before I went on my ride) I decided to go down the side I normally do (I think it’s the “7th Avenue” track and it’s usually lots of fun) and that was a real pain to get down. Had a fun UPD where the pedal got caught behind my knee and my wheel started sliding toward the edge of a switchback, pulling me toward it and my right foot was useless sliding in the mud… had to throw myself over my seat and land kneeling with my hands on the ground right on the edge. I was like WHOA, and sat there for a bit, dripping sweat.

Overall riding in ground that saturated, even though a lot of it was pretty solid, was not much fun. What made it worse was that I started to feel really ill on the hike back up the hill, so ill I had to stop every minute or two because I started to feel nauseous. Half a mile from my car I thought I wasn’t going to make it, like I would just have to lie down and fall asleep for a bit to regain any sort of strength. When I got back to my car, the mtb’r who I saw at the bottom came up in a truck and gave me some trail mix when I told him I think I didn’t eat enough before I came and I felt ill. He said I was visibly steaming (the air was bout 55/60 degrees). I sat for a while in my car trying to cool off before I took off, but a few minutes into driving I pulled over and puked my guts out. I didn’t figure I had anything in my stomach but I swear to god I puked up a bottle of water worth of fluid. Pretty gnarly. Went home and passed out for an hour or two and then felt shaky all day.

I don’t blame the mud, but bad planning on my part, just stressed my 135 lbs frame out big time.

P.S. if there’s anyone here who hasn’t ridden the 7th avenue singletrack down the Puente Hills side of Turnbull Canyon, it’s really awesome when it’s not muddy. Kind of a ‘speed run’ sort of thing, pretty much entirely downhill, steep switchbacks, one drop off section I can’t do yet. This is why I want to go to Fullerton, Turnbull offers just an long uphill ride or a long downhill ride, nothing in between and varied. I think the Fullerton loop, while maybe just being a straight ride, offers some variation in terrain so I can better train my uphill strength without wearing myself out in 5 minutes…

Anyway, aside from the getting sick everywhere, I had an alright time. I just planned poorly and I think riding in mud was more stressful on my body than I expected. I should have just put the road tire on my uni and had a leisurely distance ride on the paved bike path nearby.

In reply to MuniAddict: Chanty Flats looks awesome. I used to work for a guy named Donald Duckworth who lives right down the street from where the parking lot for it is. Did a little hiking up there. Isn’t there a little stream with rocks you can go out on?

I’ll have to check out Aliso Wood…

[UniGeezer]

@amiantos

In reply to MuniAddict: Chanty Flats looks awesome. I used to work for a guy named Donald Duckworth who lives right down the street from where the parking lot for it is. Did a little hiking up there. Isn’t there a little stream with rocks you can go out on?

I’ll have to check out Aliso Wood…

Went to Chantry flats for an EPIC 6 hours of riding/filming! I’ll give my full ride report when I post my video in the Video forum later.

[deadbeatpope]

Fullerton Loop

I have hit the loop a couple of times on a mtn bike but am not confident about remembering the route. If a trip is planned I’d love to go! I don’t know any other riders.;

[amiantos]

@deadbeatpope

I have hit the loop a couple of times on a mtn bike but am not confident about remembering the route. If a trip is planned I’d love to go! I don’t know any other riders.;

I totally want to hit the loop. If we can’t find a trail guide I’d say if you wanted to just go for an epic explorative ride the two of us and a map can’t get very lost. I also have a google phone w/ GPS plus a GPS unit plus I know the streets in the entire area, just not the trail. I’ll send you a PM at some point…

Anyone else wanna do a group muni ride in fullerton sometime?

[lobbybopster]

Loop Ride

@amiantos

I totally want to hit the loop. If we can’t find a trail guide I’d say if you wanted to just go for an epic explorative ride the two of us and a map can’t get very lost. I also have a google phone w/ GPS plus a GPS unit plus I know the streets in the entire area, just not the trail. I’ll send you a PM at some point…

Anyone else wanna do a group muni ride in fullerton sometime?

I’m In, When?

[amiantos]

@lobbybopster

I’m In, When?

I just went on a 7 mile road ride on my uni and my muni shorts that I thought were awesome left me all chafed to hell, so, sometime after I find a good pair of shorts that don’t screw me up… Maybe in two or three weeks? I’ll drop you a PM.

[lobbybopster]

Shorts

Yeah well here’s a posting.

Padded Shorts Recommendations?

It’s been a long night at work and to make things worse, another phone call from home. After 15 years, my trusty no name gel padded cycling shorts were destroyed by accidentally going through the dryer. Luckily the gel turned hard as a rock and stayed in one piece instead of separating and destroying the rest of the laundry, but separated out from the shorts, tearing through the fabric in the seat which was probably worn from a couple thousand miles on the bicycle. So now I’m looking franticall…

Myself, I like the FOX downhill short with removable inner liner/pad, cause you can use them with other shorts or combined. Plus, just as they are is great.

Hurry up because Scott and I are going to discuss a Loop ride soon. Maybe you and deadbeatpope want to join in?