web site: www.nrmbc.org
885 St. Charles Dr. #11, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
805 373-8824 e-mail: mtbikesman@aol.com

November 2013

Looking for a map link to the trailhead? Just click on the "directions" under the ride write-up, this is a link to google maps! And remember to have your radios for the rides and tune them to channel 5.25.

Summary

The Fine Print

By riding with the North Ranch Mountain Bikers I understand and accept the following:

► I understand that mountain biking can be dangerous and accidents can result in either injury or death.

► I understand there is no charge for the bike rides.

► I understand that the trails the North Ranch Mountain Bikers ride may not be verified for safety or ridability.

► I understand that it is my responsibility to determine if my riding skills match the difficulty of the trail we are riding on.

► I understand that the ride leaders accept no responsibility for my safety on any ride and that I undertake any ride knowing that I and I alone am responsible for my safety on the ride.

NEWS FOR EVERYONE

Saturday, November 9: CORBA Trail Work Day.   Come out and help build and fix up the trails we love to ride! It feels great to ride a trail you've helped build and maintain. For more information, visit the CORBA Trail Crew page. Work days usually last until about 2:00. Be sure to wear suitable clothing (sturdy shoes, long pants and sleeves, hat, GLOVES) and bring snacks, sunscreen and WATER. CORBA will provide the tools and training.

Remember that CORBA treats volunteers to lunch after the event and gives away great swag to volunteers who register beforehand! Further info on the trailwork can be found on the online registration page (see below). Pre-registration is greatly appreciated because it helps CORBA know how many tools to bring, and to plan how much work can be done.

CORBA's lunch will be after trailwork ends, so bring along a snack to tide you over! Time: 8:30 am.

This month we'll fix up the Backbone Trail near Latigo Canyon Road. We'll be doing treadwork, clearing silt out of the drainages and possibly building some new ones. Our work will help keep the water off the trail and prevent the ruts from getting bigger and swallowing the trail! For online registration and more details, go to http://www.meetup.com/CORBAmtb/events/143256862/

Sunday, December 15: HOLIDAY PARTY!!.   It's time for a Holiday Celebration!  Let's get together for a fun potluck with good food, joyful gifts and share some holiday cheer.   Please bring an appetizer, salad, side dish or dessert to share.  If you have a preferred beverage be sure to bring it with you.

GIFT EXCHANGE:  We will have a gift exchange. For those who would like to participate, bring a $20 wrapped, new gift with a "from tag" wrapped INSIDE of the gift.  NO GAG gifts or used items, etc...you will be given it back!

WHERE?  Graham's is hosting it this year.  If you need directions send him an email at Graham6122@att.net.  The party starts @ 2p.m.

TOY DRIVE!  In addition to your gift to swap, Charlotte will be collecting toys on behalf of NRMB for the local toy drive. If you would like to participate, please bring a new, un-wrapped, children’s toy or children’s sporting equipment.  She will deliver them all to the collection center at a local Fire Department. Every year, thousands of children experience a Christmas morning with no gifts to open. With the love and support of toy donors like you, many children will receive a new toy this holiday season.

WEEKEND RIDES

Saturday, November 2: [***NEW TRAILS***] Castaic - Tapia Canyon.   We begin at the Castaic Sports Complex and ride about a mile of pavement to the Tapia Canyon Fire Road.  After a short side visit on bonus XC single track we follow the fire road about 3.5 miles gradually up to the "Twin Power Towers".  After regrouping, catching our breath and snapping a photo or two we take a combination of single track and fire road over to one of the most thrilling single track adventures in Southern California: "G-Out".  Divided into two segments, Upper G-Out starts as speedy a ridge-line traverse, giving way to Lower G-Out, a seat-of-your-pants, roller coaster ride through a desert canyon.  It's packed with BMX-type rollers, off-cambered turns and flow sections, technical yet not too hairy, gets the heart pumping, suspension squishing, gears shifting and a huge smile on your face at the bottom.  Think "El Prieto" without all the rocks and drop-offs.  A one-and-a-half-mile fire road climb out of G-Out leaves us back at the power towers where we begin the second thrill of the ride:  "Kona".  The Kona descent is akin to Sin Nombre on steroids, long, flowing sections of single track with twists & turns, rollers and a few jumps to keep you smiling.  It offers several braided sections, giving riders a chance to customize their descent.  Kona deposits us about a mile and a half up the Tapia Canyon Fire Road, which we take back to the Sports Complex the way we came, smiles still affixed to our faces. Meet at 8:30 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = 3.0, Technical Rating = 3.5, 16 Miles and 1550 Feet of Climbing , About 2.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Jesse

Please bring:
***A two-way radio, tuned to 5.25***
Plenty of electrolyte-based fluid
A snack or two
A spare inner tube & patch kit
A pump and/or CO2 cartridges
A helmet
A working mountain bike . . . Yes, please bring a working mountain bike.

Post-ride refueling location TBD on-site.

We will ride our mountain bikes. It will be fun.

Directions:   From the I-5 / I-405 interchange, take I-5 northbound 17 miles to the PARKER ROAD exit. Turn right/east on RIDGE ROUTE ROAD, then right/south on CASTAIC ROAD. Park at the Castaic Sports Complex, 0.2 miles south on the east/left side of the road. Restrooms are located inside and outside the main building.

31320 North Castaic Road
Castaic, CA 91384

Sunday, November 3: Sycamore: Ranch Center FR, Wood Cyn, 2 Foxes.   We start off on the connector trail and then descend the asphalt hill to the Sycamore Canyon Fire Road. When we get to the base of the Sage Trail & Ranch Center Fire Road, we’ll climb up the fire road to the water tank. Then we descend down through Wood Canyon & almost back to the main Sycamore Canyon Fire Road. We turn left onto Two Foxes which merges back into the main fire road. We continue on, up the asphalt hill, then a short ride back to the parking area. Meet at 8:45 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2.5, Technical Rating = T2, About 2.25 Hours , Ride Leader: Michelle

Beginners Ride

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Wendy exit in Newbury Park. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south on Wendy until it dead-ends at Potrero Road. Park in the adjacent dirt parking area.

Sunday, November 3: [***NEW TRAILS***] The Fullerton Loop.   The Fullerton Loop is a cross-country gem in Orange County, worth exploring and revisiting each year.  It's best compared to the Dos Vientos circuit in Newbury Park, and has everything to satisfy *all* levels of riders.  This intricate network of trails begins & ends at the Fullerton Courthouse.  It circles around and passes through open spaces, residential areas, golf courses, a dam & flood-control area, unused railroad tracks, and several city parks.  Terrain includes pavement (just a bit), fire roads, multi-use bridal paths, double track and single track.  Several sections include braided trails, offering riders a chance to take challenging & personalized routes.  Terrain is mostly gentle with several climbs & descents to keep riders on their toes.  There are two vista points along the loop which, on a clear day, offer views from downtown L.A. to Mt. Baldy.  This is an ideal advanced-beginner through advanced-intermediate XC ride in a rarely visited location.

 Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = 3, Technical Rating = 3.0, 18 Miles and 1800 Feet of Climbing , About 3 Hours , Ride Leader: Jesse

Be sure to park in the lower lot, south of the courthouse, as close to the south-east edge as possible. Call or text Jesse at 818-968-4104 if you need help with directions.

Please bring:
***A two-way radio, tuned to 5.25***
Plenty of electrolyte-based fluid
A snack or two
A spare inner tube & patch kit
A pump and/or CO2 cartridges
A helmet
A working mountain bike . . . Yes, please bring a working mountain bike.

[***Radios are of UTMOST IMPORTANCE on this ride, as there are many opportunities to become separated from the group***.]

Post-ride refueling location TBD on-site.

We will ride our mountain bikes. It will be fun.

Directions:   From Ventura County: Take US-101 south through downtown L.A. to I-5 south. Take I-5 south 17.5 miles to CA-91 east. Take the Harbor Blvd. exit toward Lemon St/Anaheim Blvd 3.5 miles later. Turn left onto S. Harbor Blvd. After 2 miles turn left on N. Berkeley Ave., followed by a quick left into the southernmost parking lot at the courthouse. Once parked & prepped, head to the grassy area at the southernmost edge of that lot. The Juanita Cooke Greenbelt Trail lines the southern edge of the lot, and is the start/end point. Restrooms are available at the two gas stations at the intersection of Harbor Blvd. and Berkeley Ave.

Sunday, November 10: Mar Ranch Open Space + Chumash.   We park at the Las Llajas (ya-has) trailhead.

1st part of ride (about 4.8 miles and 900 ft elev gain): We roll down Evening Sky to Yosemite, make a right, go for .5 mile, and meet at the Chivo Cnyn Rd Trailhead. We start by veering left after passing the gate. At .8 mile up this fire road, we turn rightish (north) and continue on Chivo Cnyn Rd (a Single Track at this point). At .55 mile up, we take the uphill right fork (Mar Ranch Rd ST). At .7 mile further up, we continue straight (rightish) at the fork. At .4 mile further along, we take the left uphill fork. Now we enjoy the 1.3 miles DH to Las Llajas Cnyn Rd. We will take a short break. If anyone has any time constraints, it is only about 1/4 mile back to the cars.

2nd part of ride (about 4.3 miles and 1200 ft elev gain): We ride up Las Llajas Cnyn Rd, a gentle climb of about 580 ft in 3.3 miles, until we reach the junction of the steep Oil Wells climb. Then we climb about 620 ft up to the junction of Rocky Peak fire road (similar gain as the Las Llajas climb, but in only 1.0 mile). Nice.

3rd part of ride (5.5 miles and 700 ft elev gain): We continue on Rocky Peak fire road for .7miles, and 300 ft elev gain, climbing to the top of Seashells. Then it is .8 mile, down then up, to the top of Chumash. Finally, a 2.5 mile, T4 technical, downhill to the bottom of Chumash. We will take a break and a re-count at this point. Now we take the pavement for a few blocks, make a right at Broken Arrow, go to the end, and enjoy the final ST, .8 mile, through Chumash Park and back to the cars.

 Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E3.5, Technical Rating = T4.0, 15 Miles and 2800 Feet of Climbing , About 3.25 Hours , Ride Leader: Bob

Directions:   Take the 118 Freeway to the Yosemite Avenue exit in Simi Valley. At the end of the off-ramp proceed north to Evening Sky Drive and make a right. Proceed approx. 1/2 mile up to the Las Llajas trailhead and park on the road

Sunday, November 10: Sycamore Canyon from the Beach - Wood Canyon and Singletracks.   We’ll begin at the parking lot and ride up the Big Sycamore Trail and Wood Canyon. From there we'll go up and down Wood Canyon and climb up to the water tower. The rewarding part of this ride is going down Ranch Center Drive (paved bike path) and the singletracks (Sin Nombre Trail, and Two Foxes/Coyote Trail). Then it’s back to the main fireroad which takes us back to the beach. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2, Technical Rating = T2, 13 Miles and 1000 Feet of Climbing , About 2.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Michelle

Beginners Ride

Directions:   For those who are coming from the San Fernando/ Los Angeles area: Take the 101 Fwy towards Ventura and exit on Kanan Road (make a left turn from the exit ramp).
Then make a right turn on PCH 1 and head towards Sycamore Canyon (it is approximately 14 miles northwest of Kanan Road and is on the right side).

For those who are coming from the Santa Barbara/ Ventura/ Oxnard/ Camarillo area: Take the 101S Fwy (101N for those who are coming from Thousand Oaks/ Simi Valley) and exit on S Las Posas Road (going towards PCH). Then go to PCH 1 South and look for signs to go to Sycamore Canyon (which is on the left side).

If you don’t want to pay the $12 fee for parking in the lot you can look for parking on PCH. For the ride we'll meet on the park side of Pacific Coast Hwy 1 for the ride (in front of the restrooms, located by the campground/ parking lot area, turn left after you pass the gaurd).

Saturday, November 16: Wildwood/Lynnmere.   Wildwood is a great place for an easier ride. There's a lot of neat riding (single track, fire road, creek crossings, and a small waterfall). We'll head out towards Lizard Rock via the fire road. At the base of Lizard Rock, there's a short hill that we'll be walking. From here we'll take the singletrack, that has a few technical sections (all walkable), down to the valley floor and head on to the falls for a short break. Then there's a climb up the Lynnmere trail that we’ll be walking. Then lots of fun to be had on the singletrack that leads out to Lynn Road. After a couple miles of road riding we'll end up back at the main Wildwood parking lot. Meet at 9:30 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2.5, Technical Rating = T3, 7 Miles and 1000 Feet of Climbing , About 2 Hours , Ride Leader: Randy

Directions:   Take the Lynn Road exit, off of the 101 Fwy in Thousand Oaks, and go north until you come to Avenida De Los Arboles. Turn left and go about 1 mile to the end. From Simi Valley, go west on the 118 Fwy and then south when it turns into the 23 Fwy. Get off on Avenida De Los Arboles and go right for about 2 miles to the end. Hang a U-turn at the end (watch for opposing traffic) and then turn right into the dirt parking lot.

Sunday, November 17: Brown Mountain Dam for Advanced Beginners.   We start with an easy counter-clockwise trip around the watershed, then get into the Arroyo Seco canyon proper as we start up the Gabrioleno trail. It starts out paved, then turns to fireroad, then double track, then singletrack. The further up we get, the more fun and technical it becomes. Think of the rock garden leading to the MASH set in Malibu Creek for comparison. Overall more rideable, but with hike-a-bike sections for everyone. Also lots of stream crossings. We'll take a break at the dam, then double back down for a quicker run back down the trail. When we arrive back at the watershed, we'll continue counter-clockwise around the park, with JPL on our right. A brief encounter with a sandy wash, and we're back to the parking lot. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2, Technical Rating = T3, 11 Miles and 700 Feet of Climbing , About 3 Hours , Ride Leader: Kevin

Directions:   [***Three options, two from the west and one from the east, are provided to the park entrance, followed by directions to the parking lot where rides are staged. Please read all options before departing. Contact the ride leader with questions.***]

[From Conejo Valley & Points West to Park Entrance]

Option 1:
Take US-101 S to CA-134 E to CA-2 N to I-210 E. Take the first exit, CA-2 N, Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada/Flintridge.

Option 2:
Take CA-23 N to CA-118 E to I-210 E. Exit at CA-2 N, Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada/Flintridge

Options 1 & 2 from the off ramp:
Turn right/south. Make a left at the second light, Foothill Boulevard, heading east. Cross the intersection at Oak Grove Drive about 3/4 of a mile later, and head straight into the the park.

[From Pasadena & Points East to Park Entrance]

Option 3:
Navigate to I-210 W. Exit at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada/Flintridge. Turn right/east on Foothill Boulevard, heading east. Cross the intersection at Oak Grove Drive about 3/4 of a mile later, and head straight into the the park.

[All options from Park Entrance]
Follow the unnamed road about 500 feet and take the first left turn, followed by a quick right at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. An ample parking lot is on your right, near the soccer & baseball fields, just before the watershed. If that lot is full, use overflow parking on the dirt lot in the watershed. Rides start & end at the paved lot.

****Don't park in spots on the upper road near the entrance of the park. They're limited to two hours.****

Sunday, November 17: Brown Mountain Dam and Brown Mountain with Optional El Preito Descent.   We begin in Hahamongna Watershed Park at the base of Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Alta Dena, heading south across Devil's Gate Dam to a northbound trail head on the southeast side of the watershed (1.2 miles).  We join the Gabrielino Trail (2.5 miles) via the JPL employee parking lot, and head to the Brown Mountain Dam (6.1 miles). This XC canyon run offers a bit of everything, including a few water crossings.  After a brief respite we head back out of the canyon to climb Brown Mountain (9.5 miles).  We ascend the Fern Truck Trail to the Brown Mountain Saddle (12.1 miles), catch our breath, and summit via Brown Mountain Road, a single track (15.0 miles).  After another respite we enjoy down-hill action back to the Saddle (17.8 miles).  **Advanced riders** may opt for a run down the east side of the Fern Truck Trail and the **highly technical** El Prieto Trail, while the rest of the group descends Fern Truck Trail.  Both routes lead back to the junction of the Gabrielino Trail (20.3 miles).  Once regrouped we head back to Hahamonga Watershed Park via trails on the eastern perimeter of JPL, including a one-quarter mile stretch of tricky gravel (22.1 miles).  **The El Prieto trail is optional on this ride, and carries a T rating of 4.0.  It requires great skill and control**.

 Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = 4.0, Technical Rating = 3.5, 22 Miles and 3000 Feet of Climbing , About 3.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Jesse

Please bring:
***A two-way radio, tuned to 5.25***
Plenty of electrolyte-based fluid
A snack or two
A spare inner tube & patch kit
A pump and/or CO2 cartridges
A helmet
A working mountain bike . . . Yes, please bring a working mountain bike.

Post-ride refueling is at Los Gringos Locos, where the guacamole is made fresh at your table.

631 Foothill Blvd, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
www.losgringoslocos.com/‎


We will ride our mountain bikes. It will be fun.

Directions:   [***Three options, two from the west and one from the east, are provided to the park entrance, followed by directions to the parking lot where rides are staged. Please read all options before departing. Contact the ride leader with questions.***]

[From Conejo Valley & Points West to Park Entrance]

Option 1:
Take US-101 S to CA-134 E to CA-2 N to I-210 E. Take the first exit, CA-2 N, Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada/Flintridge.

Option 2:
Take CA-23 N to CA-118 E to I-210 E. Exit at CA-2 N, Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada/Flintridge

Options 1 & 2 from the off ramp:
Turn right/south. Make a left at the second light, Foothill Boulevard, heading east. Cross the intersection at Oak Grove Drive about 3/4 of a mile later, and head straight into the the park.

[From Pasadena & Points East to Park Entrance]

Option 3:
Navigate to I-210 W. Exit at Foothill Boulevard in La Cañada/Flintridge. Turn right/east on Foothill Boulevard, heading east. Cross the intersection at Oak Grove Drive about 3/4 of a mile later, and head straight into the the park.

[All options from Park Entrance]
Follow the unnamed road about 500 feet and take the first left turn, followed by a quick right at the stop sign at the bottom of the hill. An ample parking lot is on your right, near the soccer & baseball fields, just before the watershed. If that lot is full, use overflow parking on the dirt lot in the watershed. Rides start & end at the paved lot.

****Don't park in spots on the upper road near the entrance of the park. They're limited to two hours.****

Saturday, November 23: Ojai - Shelf Rd/Gridley/Pratt.   This is a beautiful loop ride on 75% singletrack and affords some spectacular views. We start with an easy two mile warm up on Shelf Rd fireroad.  Then, after a ¼ road ride we’ll cutoff onto a short connector singletrack for a fairly technical climb up to the main Gridley trail.  The first half of Gridley is a moderate climb and passes through several avocado groves. The second half of the main trail narrows and steepens a bit with many switchbacks. At the top of the saddle we’ll cutoff onto a fairly short but steep fireroad that leads to an old fire lookout tower. The views from the top are spectacular on a clear day!  After taking in the view we'll continue on the Nordhoff Ridge fireroad over to the beginning of the Pratt singletrack for some decadent downhill.  Upper Pratt is a fun singletrack with some exposure that will have you smiling all the way down to the Cozy Dell fireroad.  After a short jaunt on fireroads we'll catch Lower Pratt for some really super fun technical downhill singletrack to end the ride. Meet at 8:30 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E5, Technical Rating = T4.5, 16 Miles and 3700 Feet of Climbing , About 4.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Tamara

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to Highway 33, just a bit west of Ventura. Continue north on the 33 for approximately 13 miles until the road branches and take Highway 150 to the East. Just before the main downtown section of Ojai(and before Libbey Park) make a left (north) onto N Signal St. Stay on N. Signal Rd and park at the end of the road.

Sunday, November 24: Grasslands to Dam.   Starting from De Anza Park, we’ll bike over to Malibu Creek State Park via the Grasslands Trail. Once inside the park, we will proceed along the main fireroad that leads up to Crags Road, which passes through a fairly short but technical rocky streambed (some of the technical parts can be rideable, but you can walk this area to be on the safe side). After a short stop at the M*A*S*H area, we continue on to the dam. We’ll retrace our tracks that take us back to De Anza Park. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2.5, Technical Rating = T3, 12 Miles and 1400 Feet of Climbing , About 2.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Kevin

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

Sunday, November 24: Grasslands - Short Bulldog Loop.   We’ll bike over to Malibu Creek State Park via the Grasslands trail. Once inside the park we’ll proceed along the main fireroad, which passes through a fairly short but technical rocky streambed. After a short stop at the M*A*S*H site we’ll tackle the first 1.25 miles of Bulldog. After the steep but fairly short climb up Bulldog we’ll cut off onto Lookout Fireroad that will bring us down to a paved road in the Malibu Lake area. Then we’ll take Crags Road to a back entrance of the park and pedal back to the cars via the same path as before. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E3, Technical Rating = T3, 14 Miles and 2100 Feet of Climbing , About 3.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Tom

If you have a two way radio please bring it.

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

Thursday, November 28: Sycamore: Sin Nombre-2 Foxes-Guadalasca-Backbone.   We start on the connector trail and take it over to the asphalt hill. We then descend to the Sycamore Canyon Fire Road, pick up the Sin Nombre ST & merge back into the main FR. Then we’ll ride the Two Foxes ST & take a right onto the Wood Canyon FR. We continue to the base of Guadalasco, climb it, and come down the Backbone ST to the main FR. We begin our return by going up the main FR, up Two Foxes, up Sin Nombre, up the main fire road, up the asphalt hill. From the top it’s a short ride back to the cars. Meet at 9:30 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E3.5, Technical Rating = T3.5, 18 Miles and 1600 Feet of Climbing , About 3 Hours , Ride Leader: Kevin

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Wendy exit in Newbury Park. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south on Wendy until it dead-ends at Potrero Road. Park in the adjacent dirt parking area.

Friday, November 29: Cheeseboro-Dead Cow Singletrack Loop.   

We'll begin with a moderate climb up the Sulphur Springs trail to Shepherd’s Flat. From there we head west on the Palo Comado connector singletrack and rest at the overlook spot. Then we ride down the technical Dead Cow singletrack. From the bottom of the singletrack we climb up the lower portion of the fireroad back to the Palo Comado Overlook. From here we retrace our tracks all the way back to the cars via Sulphur Springs while enjoying some fun downhill. Meet at 9:30 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E3.0, Technical Rating = T4.0, 13 Miles, About 2.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Randy

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Chesebro exit in Agoura. Head north and make a right on Chesebro Road. Follow the narrow road one-mile and turn right at the park entrance. Continue up the paved road 1/4 mile to the top parking lot.

Saturday, November 30: Backbone from Encinal Rd to Etz Meloy for beginners.   This ride has lots of swooping, curving singletrack and some great views! We start with a gentle climb up the new Encinal singletrack segment to the Decker/Mulholland singletrack segment of the Backbone Trail, cross the road and continue up to Etz Meloy Motorway. Then we’ll turn around and enjoy some fun downhill all the way back to the cars via the same route as before. Once we are back to our cars, for extra bonus we can add first segment of Trancas Canyon trail. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = E2.5, Technical Rating = T2, 10 Miles and 900 Feet of Climbing , About 2.5 Hours , Ride Leader: Kevin

Directions:   From Thousand Oaks and points west, exit the 101 Freeway at Westlake Blvd and head south. About 3.5 miles past Potrero, turn left onto Mulholland and go 2.5 miles. Make a very sharp right turn onto Encinal Canyon Rd (west, back towards Decker), drive for 2.3 miles until you see the LA County Fire Camp sign on the left. Turn up the dirt road on the right that takes you to the trailhead parking.
From Agoura and points east, exit the 101 at Kanan and head south. After 6 miles, turn right onto Mulholland for 1 mile, then bear left onto Encinal Canyon Rd. After 2.3 miles more, you will see the LA County Fire Camp sign on the left. Turn up the dirt road on the right that takes you to the trailhead parking.

Saturday, November 30: Space Mountain - Rosewood - Space Mountain.   From the parking lot we head toward Space Mountain/Los Robles West, diverting quickly to the Oak Creek Loop for a warmup. We take the loop counter-clockwise: Down the Whoops, left at the pavement, left for the easy climb back up. We then climb Space Mountain, descend Rosewood, climb back up Rosewood and descend Space Mountain. A fun extra-credit option is to climb Los Robles East, ride around the Vista Loop then descend the Janns Fire Road and Sherwood Forest/Los Padres Trail. This adds 2.5 miles and 400 climbing feet to the ride stats. Meet at 9:00 am and be ready to depart 15 minutes later.
Endurance Rating = 3.5, Technical Rating = 3, 12 Miles and 1500 Feet of Climbing , About 3 Hours , Ride Leader: Jesse

Work off the Turkey.

Please bring:
***A two-way radio, tuned to 5.25***
Plenty of electrolyte-based fluid
A snack or two
A spare inner tube & patch kit
A pump and/or CO2 cartridges
A helmet
A working mountain bike . . . Yes, please bring a working mountain bike.

Directions:   Take the 101 Freeway to the Moorpark Road exit in Thousand Oaks. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Take Moorpark till it dead-ends at Greenmeadow Avenue and park in the dirt lot on the right.

NIGHT RIDES

Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday Nights.  See Summary Section of the Newsletter for meeting times, ride times are 15 minutes later. The lengths of all rides are between 10 & 15 miles with ride times of 1.5 - 2.5 hours. Lights are needed for the months of September to May. During the summer months they may not be needed, but it's a good idea to bring them just in case there's a delay. The specific routes taken for the night rides will be determined at the trailhead.

Meeting Locations for Evening Rides:

Calabasas Peak at Night.   Take the 101 Fwy to Valley Circle/Mulholland Dr. exit. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south (towards the ocean). Continue south on Mulholland and make a right on Valmar which becomes Old Topanga Canyon Rd. Continue on Old Topanga which will join Mulholland Hwy briefly and then continue on the left. Follow Old Topanga about 1.5 miles and look for the Calabasas Peak trail head on the right across from Summit to Summit trail.

Lang Ranch/Sunset at Night.   Heading north on the 23 toward Simi, get off at Sunset Blvd and turn right. Continue straight until just before you get to the guard shack. Park in the lot on the right.

MTB Backbone from Kanan at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Kanan exit in Agoura Hills. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Take Kanan for several miles until you reach the third tunnel. Park in the paved parking area just before the tunnel.

MTB Cheeseboro at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Chesebro exit in Agoura. Head north and make a right on Chesebro Road. Follow the narrow road one-mile and turn right at the park entrance. Park in the lower, paved parking lot (the gate to the upper lot is closed and locked at sunset).

MTB Chumash at Night.   Take the 118 Freeway to the Yosemite Avenue exit in Simi Valley. At the end of the off-ramp proceed north to Flanagan and make a right. Park on the side of the road at the end of Flanagan.

MTB CLU/Santa Rosa at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lynn Road exit in Thousand Oaks. At the end of the off-ramp proceed north. Take Lynn for several miles (it will turn into Olsen Road) until you reach Mountclef Blvd (at CLU). Or, from the 23 Freeway, exit at Avenida de los Arboles and go west. Turn right on Mountclef (at the stop sign after Moorpark Rd.), cross Olsen Rd. and park on the street.

MTB Dos Vientos at Night.   From the 101 freeway, turn south onto Wendy Drive, towards the ocean. Continue for about 0.7 miles and turn right at Borchard Rd and head West 0.5 miles. Turn left on to S. Reino Rd taking this South for about a mile passing Maurice Dr. On your left as you pass Paseo de Leon will be a Church parking lot. We will meet there.

MTB Grasslands at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

MTB Grasslands/Las Virgenes View at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

MTB Grasslands/MCSP at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

MTB Johnson's Motorway at Night.   From Thousand Oaks take the 118 and exit at Rocky Peak Rd. Turn right, and then an immediate left onto Santa Susana Pass Rd. Proceed to Iverson Rd. and turn left. From the the South, from the 118 exit Topanga Cyn Blvd & turn left. Turn right on Santa Susana Pass Rd., and right onto Iverson Rd.
Parking is just outside the gate, near the underpass in Iverson Rd.

MTB Lang Ranch/Albertson at Night.   Exit the 101 Freeway on Westlake Blvd and head north for about 3 miles. When you go past the North Ranch Community Center you will go downhill and the first traffic light is at the corner of Westlake and Lang Ranch Parkway. Turn right onto Lang Ranch Parkway and drive about 0.8 miles to where the pavement ends and Albertson Fire Road begins.

MTB Las Virgenes Canyon at Night.   From the 101, exit Las Virgenes and turn North (away from the ocean). Proceed approximately 1.5 miles to the dead end. Parking is on the street.

MTB Malibu Creek State Park - Bulldog at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Las Virgenes Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south on Las Virgenes toward the ocean. Turn right onto Mulholland and proceed a 1/4 mile and park on the road at the trailhead.

MTB Malibu Creek State Park at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Las Virgenes Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south on Las Virgenes toward the ocean. Park in one of the dirt areas on the corner of Las Virgenes and Mulholland.

MTB New Millennium/Las Virgenes View/Grasslands at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Lost Hills Road exit in Calabasas. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Park in the lot for DeAnza Park located on the northwest corner of Lost Hills and Las Virgenes Roads.

MTB Reseda at Night.   Due to the extra drive, we will meet @ 6:15 and ride by 6:30. Meeting place: Take the 101 Freeway to the Reseda Blvd. exit in Tarzana. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south (towards the ocean). Continue up Reseda and park at the Caballero trailhead. Trailhead is on the left. If you pass the Braemar Country Club you’ve gone too far.

MTB Space Mountain at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Moorpark Road exit in Thousand Oaks. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south toward the ocean. Take Moorpark till it dead-ends at Greenmeadow Avenue and park in the dirt lot on the right.

MTB Sycamore Canyon at Night.   Take the 101 Freeway to the Wendy exit in Newbury Park. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south on Wendy until it dead-ends at Potrero Road. Park in the adjacent dirt parking area.

MTB Triunfo Canyon Trail at Night.   Exit the 101 Freeway going south on Westlake Blvd. Go south for about a mile and then turn west (right) on Triunfo Canyon Road. This will lead you to Triunfo Park. Turn left onto Tamarack St and turn into the second parking lot on the left. We start at the far west end of the park.

MTB Wildwood at Night.   Take the Lynn Road exit, off of the 101 Fwy in Thousand Oaks, and go north until you come to Avenida De Los Arboles. Turn left and go about 1 mile to the end. From Simi Valley, go west on the 118 Fwy and then south when it turns into the 23 Fwy. Get off on Avenida De Los Arboles and go right for about 2 miles to the end. Hang a U-turn at the end (watch for opposing traffic) and then turn right into the dirt parking lot.

Night Ride Placeholder.   

Trippet Ranch to Overlook at Night.   Take the 101 Fwy to the Topanga Blvd exit. At the end of the off-ramp proceed south (towards the ocean). Continue up Topange approx. 5 miles until you reach Entrada which is the entrance to the park on the left. Follow Entrada to the park entrance.