I wanted to try a bit longer ride today for the new year, and to also get on some trails on the west side I had not been to in many years. So I drew a GPS track in Google Earth and loaded it on to my Garmin 800. From Creekside Terrace I went up Trails 31, 34 39, 56 and 75, and down Red Rock Ridge. Then up Trail 43, down the Goat Trail, up the fire roads to Hurl Hill, down and up 47, out 11 and the down and up the entire length of Trail 50. Trail 50 had just reopened after some work and it was quite nice. At the top of 50 I came to an intersection of three fire roads. I tried following my GPS track, but no matter which way I went I was told I was "off course." I had not marked any waypoints on the GPS track I drew so I had no idea which trail I was looking for. I pulled out all my maps and discovered that section was missing. At the Creekside Terrace parking lot the wind was really blowing when I arrived and many things, including my maps blew out of the car. I retrieved them all but one map was so wet I left it behind. Guess which map that was?
I tried taking all three fire roads several times but no matter which one I took I kept getting "off course" warnings. Yesterday on the GPS forum I learned how to add custom maps to my Garmin 800 and I loaded high resolution Google Earth images of this area on it. So I pulled them up, laid my track on them, and I finally found Trail 61 tucked way back between two of the fire roads. It was barely a trail and if I did not have the GPS track to follow I would not have taken it, particularly without a map. But that eventually led me to Trail 22, which was terrible. Massive hills of sand going both up and down, with a few rock waterfalls thrown in. I pushed my bike much of it. Again, without a way point and map I missed Trail 71, which was supposed to take me up Trail 49. Since they very closely paralleled a fire road I did not know until too late I missed the singletrack, and I ended up going up Lookout Ridge road (11) until I hit Trail 49. Then it was back up Trail 43 and down the Goat Trail again, and back via Trail 2.
Except for a few raindrops early on it was dry and quite pleasant out. After I got home I realized you could get an elevation profile for a Google Earth track you draw and it showed over 5,000 ft. of climbing! I ended up doing nearly 4,900 ft. of climbing, the most ever. I have to start paying more attention to this climbing, because it is really killing the knees. But otherwise a great way to start the new year, and I'm finally getting confident using the GPS the way it is meant to be used. But I need to start making waypoints and/or keep a map handy. Pretty poor day for photos, but I wanted to document the first ride of the year. A Bobcat crossed in front of me, and stopped to watch me for a few seconds. I whipped out the camera and got a shot off very hurriedly. Normally I would not post such a crappy photo, but Cohenfive says it didn't happen it there are no photos. Manzanitas in full bloom and attracting dozens of Hummingbirds, but no photos with my P&S camera. If you want trail names and numbers pull up my ride in Google Earth and also open this Google Earth file, which contains them.
Blurry Bobcat
Red Rock Ridge
Goat Trail, missed that rain
Trail 47
The Pacific
Trail 50 open!
Trail 50
Trail 50
Manzanita in bloom
Many gooseberries in bloom
Red Rock ridge
"Trail" 61
Trail 22
Trail 22
Trail 22
Near Trail 71
Mushroom
Not bad for 30 miles
I tried taking all three fire roads several times but no matter which one I took I kept getting "off course" warnings. Yesterday on the GPS forum I learned how to add custom maps to my Garmin 800 and I loaded high resolution Google Earth images of this area on it. So I pulled them up, laid my track on them, and I finally found Trail 61 tucked way back between two of the fire roads. It was barely a trail and if I did not have the GPS track to follow I would not have taken it, particularly without a map. But that eventually led me to Trail 22, which was terrible. Massive hills of sand going both up and down, with a few rock waterfalls thrown in. I pushed my bike much of it. Again, without a way point and map I missed Trail 71, which was supposed to take me up Trail 49. Since they very closely paralleled a fire road I did not know until too late I missed the singletrack, and I ended up going up Lookout Ridge road (11) until I hit Trail 49. Then it was back up Trail 43 and down the Goat Trail again, and back via Trail 2.
Except for a few raindrops early on it was dry and quite pleasant out. After I got home I realized you could get an elevation profile for a Google Earth track you draw and it showed over 5,000 ft. of climbing! I ended up doing nearly 4,900 ft. of climbing, the most ever. I have to start paying more attention to this climbing, because it is really killing the knees. But otherwise a great way to start the new year, and I'm finally getting confident using the GPS the way it is meant to be used. But I need to start making waypoints and/or keep a map handy. Pretty poor day for photos, but I wanted to document the first ride of the year. A Bobcat crossed in front of me, and stopped to watch me for a few seconds. I whipped out the camera and got a shot off very hurriedly. Normally I would not post such a crappy photo, but Cohenfive says it didn't happen it there are no photos. Manzanitas in full bloom and attracting dozens of Hummingbirds, but no photos with my P&S camera. If you want trail names and numbers pull up my ride in Google Earth and also open this Google Earth file, which contains them.
Blurry Bobcat
Red Rock Ridge
Goat Trail, missed that rain
Trail 47
The Pacific
Trail 50 open!
Trail 50
Trail 50
Manzanita in bloom
Many gooseberries in bloom
Red Rock ridge
"Trail" 61
Trail 22
Trail 22
Trail 22
Near Trail 71
Mushroom
Not bad for 30 miles