Sweet Riding in SC!

Despite heavy rain, thunder, lightning, and gloomy forecasts, the Cal Cycling team braved the bad weather and slick roads to make our way down to Santa Cruz for our mountain bike training camp this Saturday morning. In Cal Cycling style we were all about an hour later than we were supposed to be. As we pulled up and parked on Old Mission the prospects of a good day of riding were dismal, but we chamoised-up anyways. Then just as we left our cars to head over to Wilder and Campus the rain let up and things began to clear.


As a group, a very large group, probably breaking traffic laws, we headed up Bay Street to start our ride. Once we made it up to campus and over the fence, the 24 of us split into three groups to take on the elements. Tsering led an advanced "death" ride, Nitish led to intermediate ride, and Emma headed up the beginner ride. As we split up the rain subsided and the trails were sweet! The rain had made everything fast and smooth and every loved Upper Campus riding!



The sweet riding continued until around 5 when we all headed to a taqueria on Mission for burritos. Unfortunately the mexican food did not sit so well without me, but everyone else seemed to be down with the after ride food! A trip to the beach, with some crazies going all the way in, and then we were off to our campsite. Yes, campsite. Outside of Felton was the Cotillion RV Park and Campsite where we set up tents and sleeping bags for the evening. Being me, I headed to the showers and then to sleep, even giving my beer away! What can I say, I was tired! Everyone else on the other hand filled the campsite with debauchery and smores before heading to bed. There were a few Chatty Cathys who stayed up afterwards but they finally dozed off too.


As good as the riding was on Saturday, the riding Sunday was even sweeter! We headed off to Soquel Demo for a few hours of climbing and descending. When we showed up the upper parking lot was packed, as so was the road. It was good to see so many people out on their bikes enjoying the trails. The grueling fire road climb to the ridge sucked big time, but once we got to the top it was game on! We descended the first trail, which took about an hour to get everyone down and I was stoked because my technical skills seemed so much better than ever before. I was going down stuff that I never would have done before, and well. On a side note, I didn't fall all day! YES! Then we all did a ridiculous single-track mile and a half climb to descend the Braille Trail. Now this was some awesome riding! Single track that had been built up with logs and jumps, burms and sweet turns! It was so much fun and I raced down it at full speed ahead!



The hellish rolling back to cars was brutal, but Emma hung back and toughed out having to wait for my slow ass! Then it was good byes, some In n Out in San Jose and a short ride back to Berkeley. I got on my scooter and headed back into the City and home. The weekend was a real success! The mountain team is going to be really sweet this season! Fast, good handling skills, great descenders, good cross country riders, we have it all! I cannot wait for the first race this weekend in Reno. The altitude will suck, but doing it all together will keep is all going! Here's to a great season to come and another Conference Championship and all five Omnium Jerseys.