Author Topic: Henry Coe State Park January 11, 2014  (Read 2342 times)

Skyline35

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Henry Coe State Park January 11, 2014
« on: January 12, 2014, 09:18:58 AM »
This was almost a ride with Dan and Shiloh; Dan had posted this in the "Group Rides" group on fb:

"4K25 ride: Shiloh and I slacked off last year and didn't do enough big rides. So this year we will do at least one biggish ride each month of at least 4K climbing or 25 miles. Tomorrow we will be doing this at Coe. Unless the sickness proves to be too much and cuts the ride short. 9:30 tomorrow at Hunting Hollow entrance. Feel free to join us." 8:06am Jan 10, 2013

I had the idea to go to the Fourth of July Trail which would be something new for them and might fit their stats but alas they bailed when Shiloh felt too sick to ride. Dan switched to Soquel Demo.


Except for a short social ride on New Years Day, I hadn't been to Coe since the Schwarzerfreitag (Black Friday) Ride with the Morgan Hill "Nightriders". As it happened, the Nightriders were at Hunting Hollow again today for a ride out to Mississippi Lake—I would see their tracks* on the Willow Ridge Road later in the day—but I kept with my Fourth of July Trail plan. Here is a sample track from that ride (their route was 100% fireroad).

*You ask, how do I know those were their tracks? Jim W has the only Schwalbe Thunder Burt tire in America and it has a very distinctive treat pattern….so there!


Official Timing and Scoring has me rolling out of Hunting Hollow at 9:05:48am. Up Anza/Jackson and here is What It Was Like Out There™



It is a dreary Winter day and I can tell you now, all the photos from today are similarly dreary…



Taking Jackson and Wasno roads to Wasno Pond I thought to stop to check for wildlife in the water which I could photograph. I hear something in the brush and voices.....3 riders appear bushwhacking uphill in the spillway! They are happy to spot me as it means they're not lost anymore. We chat. They are out doing some reconnaissance for the HardCOEre 100 mile (navigating by iphone). A conversation begins—of course!—and they are sucked into the Skyline35-vortex-of-not-getting-anywhere. Okay, not too bad. Maybe 15 mins. They are excited that not only do I know about the event, but I'd done the 100km. They knew about Brian's incredible time on the 100 miler. And they knew about Meí's incredible times on 100 miles and kms. Both riders are legends to them. :-)

Wishing them the best with their endeavor, I point the way up out of the Wasno Pond basin and off they go. I found one of their tracks from today. Clicking around Strava, I also found that "T.C." has done a couple other long Coe rides in connection with scoping out Coe for the event even including a 100km attempt. [Edit to add another of the group from today.]



Okay, back to my route....dreary Coit Lake:





Hoover Airstrip, this was about as bright as it got all day:





This is what passed for floral display:





Looking down the Fourth Trail from the top:





Mostly this goes straight down the hillside. Steep but there are many abrupt waterbars so you can't really get up much speed. Kind of a waste of elevation drop, actually. At the bottom, there is a long section of sketchy side-sloping trail running parallel above the creek. You know, maybe it would have been a bad idea to bring Dan and Shiloh here.

Next, the streambed section of Cross Canyon and Kelly Cabin Canyon Trail was sweet! Well broken-in by traffic and enough moisture for perfect traction, I was making all the technical bits like never before.

A tiny bit of water in the stream next to the Kelly Cabin Canyon Trail:





It was ~3:30pm when I finished those trails. Sunset was at 5:09pm and I didn't bring lights—time to head for home. It was a 25 minute fireroad slog back up to the top of the last ridge ("Sierra View") but the reward is a long succession of downhill single-track leading you back to the paved road to the parking area. Here's a view along the way:



...still dreary!

4:55pm back at the car, Hunting Hollow.



Wildlife report – I saw a few deer, one newt on Gilroy Hot Springs Road, a lone boar late afternoon on Anza Trail near the Jackson intersection, and quite few of the striking Yellow-billed Magpie, random photo from the interwebs:





Start at Hunting Hollow » Gilroy Hot Springs Road » Coyote Creek gate » Coit Road » Anza Trail » Jackson Trail » Elderberry Spring Trail » Rock Tower Trail » Elderberry Spring Trail » Jackson Road » Wasno Road » Bovine Slalom » Wasno Road » Wasno Pond » Wagon Road » Fish & Game Trail » Coit Road » out & back Coit Lake Perimeter Trail » Coit Road » Willow Ridge Road » White Tank Spring Road » Hoover Airstrip » Hoover Lake » Hoover Lake Trail » Willow Ridge Road » Fourth Trail » Cross Canyon Trail » Kelly Cabin Canyon Trail » Coit Road » Sierra View » Wasno Road » Domino Pond Trail » Cattle Duster Trail » Coit Springs Trail » Grapevine Trail » Anza Trail » Coit Road » Coyote Creek gate » Gilroy Hot Springs Road » Hunting Hollow parking. 30.7 / 5:07 / 7:49 / 5,334'


Gilroy:




Cordoza Ridge:






mynameismud

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Re: Henry Coe State Park January 11, 2014
« Reply #1 on: January 12, 2014, 10:43:42 AM »
jeepers, people are training for the 100 already.  I have the cold thing as well.  Sitting in the house...

Maybe Coe next weekend.  Met a new local the other day that wants to learn some new trails. 
Here's to sweat in your eye

Skyline35

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Re: Henry Coe State Park January 11, 2014
« Reply #2 on: January 12, 2014, 11:44:04 AM »
They asked about the procedure for submitting proof-of-completion so they seemed to be thinking of doing it sooner than October.