Author Topic: Henry Coe State Park November 29, 2013 Schwarzerfreitag Ride  (Read 6328 times)

Skyline35

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Henry Coe State Park November 29, 2013 Schwarzerfreitag Ride
« on: December 01, 2013, 03:54:08 PM »
Nothing.

It was Tuesday morning and nothing happened when I turned the key to start my Pathfinder.  Over the past few days the starter motor had been cranking over slower and slower. It seemed there was a battery purchase in my future, now I could tell that the starter motor was bad.

My shop was booked with Holiday work so I'd have to do this myself if I wanted it done for Thanksgiving weekend travel. In 2008 I did it so I knew I could, I also knew it was simple but not easy. Simple as in just two bolts, one nut, and one wire connector. But access to all of that is very tight and once the bolts are out, it's difficult to thread the starter motor out between the engine and the frame. Here I've finally got the starter motor out (sitting on top of that stool) but it's still attached by one last wire which is a puzzle to figure out the latch on the connector:



Sorry about the blurry, random, neighbor kitty-cat that walked in front of the camera and ruined the photo.

Besides turning wrenches there are phone calls, tow truck, and borrowing a car to fetch the part. Tuesday and Wednesday are consumed by the project. There are a couple traditional Thanksgiving rides were are difficult to commit to or plan....friends are asking what’s sup? For example, this convo on Strava:

Tom V. Sunday 11/24/2013: See you Thursday at the Turkey Ride?

Skyline35 Monday 11/25/2013: Hi Tom, yes! Well unless it rains but the forecast Thursday has improved.

mudworm  Monday 11/25/2013: Is this the Turkey Ride on Kennedy? Me thinking about taking the nephew there for a hike to the top to join the party. And...Skyline35, no more Black Friday Coe ride (not that I can join this year anyway)?

Roy R.  Monday 11/25/2013 I'll be there. I hope you will be there Charlie. Good to see you, Tom and you, Meí and hopefully Erik also.

Skyline35 Monday 11/25/2013: @mudworm, here is my track from last year: http://app.strava.com/activities/290549891 Hope that helps, and that we see you, Erik, and your nephew out there. A vid from last year: http://vimeo.com/54171356

Black Friday at Coe is a tradition! But I haven't planned that far ahead yet.

mudworm Monday 11/25/2013: The video says "a few thousand cyclists." OMG, why am I suddenly scared. And I came from China!

"Haven't planned that far ahead yet." This is Black Friday we are talking about! :) Well, who am I to tease you. I very rarely plan a ride even one day in advance.



Oh man! I really had to get my car fixed!

.....and I did!!! The starter motor transplant was successful and completed late Wednesday afternoon. Worked great though the garage was a mess and my arms-shoulders-neck were all very sore from working under the car.

As for the Black Friday ride planning, that worked out too...Tuesday evening Jim on the Morgan Hill "Nightriders" email list sent out:

“I am proposing a Schwarzerfreitag MTB ride in Coe this Friday starting at HH 10am.  The plan is for an intermediate ride about the scope of a good nightride.   Rough estimate is 3-4 hours plus bonus options.   I'm thinking of loop to Coit lake, Hoover landing strip and willow spring trail.   Most "technical parts" (cross canyon) should be avoidable.”

I forwarded that message on to a few of the usual suspects…



Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2013

It is a word-of-mouth tradition to ride up Kennedy “Trail” Thanksgiving morning. 100’s show up. By chance, I see Tom V. while riding the road to the trailhead. We ride together for the first mile or so:



He’s the one with the red backpack.



What It Was Like Out There™:



The second rider, yellow jersey, I later identified as a co-worker of my friend Plim. Years ago we all rode at Coe together.



Lots of rangers and sheriffs this year:



There is no organizer. No permit. The Preserve is open for business. What can they do when 100’s just show up? Wisely they let it go on but they do make their presence known.



This year they attempted to keep a clear lane along one side:



but it turned into bike parking.



The crowd:











Don Myrah' s 650b Ibis Tranny:



I don’t think that is available to the public.



Some mtbr folks...

Dan & Shiloh:





Amiel:





Paul & Erik:





Mr Mud, Roy, & Meí:





Roy and the Thursday evening riders aka IcedTea





Pete with his Movember mustache:





11am Time to head down to the Los Gatos Roasting Company so IcedTea can have some Hot Chocolate:





We had the best weather ever!


(Mt.  Umunhum)

Erik’s track






Black Friday November 29, 2013

14 riders show up to the Schwarzerfreitag ride. Mr Mud will ride with the group while Meí takes her nephew, Aldous, shopping at the nearby Gilroy outlet stores. Before she goes, I get this photo of the DogMeatQueen twins




An inside joke, Chris, right, has the nickname DogMeatQueen and Meí, left, captured the Strava QOM for climbing "DogMeat" in Sierra Azul on Thursday.



Ride Tyrant Jim holding pre-ride meeting:





Rolling out of Hunting Hollow to the bridge:







About a third of the group stayed on dirt Coit Road and the rest went Grapevine » Cross Canyon…Brian points that the way is up:





Mike and Erik on Cross Canyon Trail:







12:30pm This is the mid-ride regroup, Cross Canyon Trail and Willow Ridge Trail:



We lost a couple riders at this point. Chris G turned back. Chuck was feeling ill and also turned back. Chris aka DogMeatQueen wanted to bail too but I was able to convince her to keep going…”come on, we’re more than half-way!”



On to Willow Ridge Road (varying opinions on how much Camelbak is needed today):



Roy left and Brian L. right.



We did the jog over to Hoover airstrip and lake, Erik and Janet:







Some of the group hit Organ Donor and others descended the Willow Ridge Trail. Franz is a tiny dot tip-toeing down the Willow Ridge Trail:



I waited up for him to guide him through the Narrows and up Lost Spring Trail.



One last group shot (on Mahoney Meadows Road) before the bifurcation at Coit Road:





Some turned down Coit Road and these guys went to the top of Cross Canyon/Grapevine:





Most headed downhill. Roy and Patrick made a last second decision to head over to Middle Steer Ridge. I took a long break and rested-up. It was only 2:45pm and it was so nice out. Great just to sit there a while.

After 20 - 30 minutes, I headed down Cross Canyon » Grapevine » Anza. Back at Hunting Hollow (4pm), a few were still hanging out at the picnic bench. Meí was giving her nephew a mtn bike lesson and the two of them rode up the hollow on a short ride. Aldous, riding Erik’s bike, had a nice smile when he returned :-)



Roy’s track
Patrick’s track
Erik’s track
Brian’s track
Janets’ track
Chris V-N’s track
Mike’s track
Kley’s track
Chris G.’s track
Franz’s track


Patrick's photos on Picasa

Patrick's photos (g+ style)


<a href="
">Franz’s video:[/url]





Start at Hunting Hollow » Gilroy Hot Springs Road » Coyote Creek gate » Coit Road » Grapevine Road » Grapevine Trail » Coit Springs Trail » Cross Canyon Trail » Willow Ridge Road » White Tank Spring Road » Hoover Airstrip » Hoover Lake » Hoover Lake Trail » Willow Ridge Road » Willow Ridge Trail » Narrows Trail » Mahoney Meadows Road » Lost Spring Trail » Mahoney Meadows Road » Coit Road » Cross Canyon Trail » Coit Springs Trail » Grapevine Trail » Anza Trail » Coit Road » Coyote Creek gate » Gilroy Hot Springs Road » Hunting Hollow parking. 25.80/4:08/5:39/4,798'


Gilroy:




Cordoza Ridge:







Saturday November 30, 2013

Tired and sore. Went to Santa Teresa for a lazy ride with IcedTea. More awesome weather. Achieved a perfect 50/50…..ride stats were 33 minutes riding and 33 minutes stopped. :-)  Chips and humus at the Stiles entrance picnic bench afterwards, yay!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

mynameismud

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Re: Henry Coe State Park November 29, 2013 Schwarzerfreitag Ride
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2013, 08:52:09 AM »
Fun weekend, participated in the Kenedy Road Turkey ride for the first time. Turns out there are a half dozen of these rides in the bay area.  Really cool concept.

The Coe ride was a blast, would have been nice to have mudworm there but I am glad she let me have this one while she went shopping.  I know she would have preferred to be on her bike.  Been a long time since I have seen this many Coe regulars.  Could not believe how fast Brian rode past me en route to the Mahoney Wall KOM.

Here's to sweat in your eye

mudworm

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Re: Henry Coe State Park November 29, 2013 Schwarzerfreitag Ride
« Reply #2 on: December 02, 2013, 06:27:17 PM »
Quote from: Skyline35
Sorry about the blurry, random, neighbor kitty-cat that walked in front of the camera and ruined the photo.

You totally had your camera focus off on this one!!!  Other than that, it's a fun report and nice pictures as usual. One place really got me LOL, and I'm not telling you where.

Well, yes, on Black Friday, I braved the crowd and took Aldous shopping with a shopping list from my sister.  At least, I got him all he needed. Even though I didn't get to ride on Friday, I did on Sunday after I dropped him off at school since Wilder Ranch was on my way. It was a gorgeous afternoon. I managed to capture a few shots in the setting sun.

Here are the barn cats at Wilder.




Finished my short ride at sunset:


Inch by inch, I will get there.