Too bad you had to work this near all-nighter, Mr. Mud. But at least, with all the photos and videos, you can get a good idea of what it was like out there (WIWLOT, (c) Skyline35). My account is below (same as on mtbr, but at least I'm trying to kickstart things here a bit
). Please forgive and ignore all the inside jokes, if you don't get them...
Three, four days before the ride it looked like only two or three Coe veterans would partake, hence only vague plans were made for what would turn out to become a veritable spring Classic. I must possess previously unknown powers of persuasion, as a really great group of none less than eleven riders lined up at the start. I was a poor excuse for ride tyrant, but thanks to some great and creative route suggestions by Skyline35, my insistence on checking out the Pacheco falls from the 'hard' side and the admirable patience displayed by this fine group when yet another ridiculous idea - or ludicrously steep hill - was thrown at them, it turned out to be a very memorable day. The only negatives were SecretSquirrel's forced early retreat due to a torn sidewall, and what became perhaps the first scratch on tburger's purrty Potts (but it's Ti, and self-healing).
JDT was (mostly) climbed in full compliance with DPR riding standards.
Ratpick is here seen in holistic buddha pose, attempting to encourage the wildflowers to put on a better show soon.
The Law is understandably very dismayed, as she witnesses mudworm nab her Willson Peak descent QOM acquired moments before.
TahoeBC skirting the edge of That Rock...
...and desperately trying to not get sucked into the abyss.
The Hoover air strip treated us to some pretty flowers.
And the White Tank + Rose Dam trail combo provided plenty of singletrack thrills and grins.
TahoeBC started a running gag by putting rocks in people's backpacks. Ratpick, visibly upset at this juvenile behaviour, tries here to get even by pushing the offender off a cliff.
Everyone made it safely to the - ahem - mighty Pacheco Falls. I tried to put on a show by pretending to slip on the green scum and tumbling in one of the pools, but nobody seemed to have captured it on camera...
TahoeBC never ceases to make new friends on the trails.
Plymmer doing his make-up.
Steve Potts in the green grass of Coe.
Turned out Pai Me from Kill Bill fame was on the ride as well...
It was time to round up some volunteers to climb up Serpentine. Notice how everyone seems to casually look away... all except mudworm.
With good reason, as she ended up destroying that hill!
She was so happy she started dancing around on Steer Ridge road.
Later on, we ran into a friendly sleepwalker on the parking lot, who offered us some tasty pie!
Awesome day, and lots of fun was had.
More pics here:
Coe - 2012 Spring Classic