The Goat Trails in Palm Springs

Goat Trails of Palm Springs

Primary access to the Goat Trails, off Highway 111

The Goat Trails is a network of doubletrack roads and informal singletrack trails that are in the low hills above the south part of Palm Springs CA. The Goat Trails have also been called the Rimrock Trail and the Von's Trail.

The Goat Trails receive use that varies with the season. As many as 300 users per day can be seen from October to April, from sunrise to sunset. About 50 users per day take to the trail in the morning and late evening from late Spring through October.

Property Ownership

The Goat Trails are on private property. The initial doubletrack ascent and an iron gate are owned by John Wessman, as represented by his acquisition/management firms GRIT Development, Wessman Development Company and Wessman Holdings. A small parcel of 3.92 acres is owned by Desert Water Agency to locate two large water storage tanks. The upper portions of the Goat Trails are owned solely by Palm Hills Land Corporation, a large landowner in undeveloped portions of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto National Monument. Less than one quarter mile of trails edge into property owned by U.S. Department of the Interior, which has the parcel (APN) 681-160-018.

Controlled Access

The iron gate maintained (perhaps) by Wessman Development Company contains several indications that the property is private, including a painted-over sign that directs inquiries to the Palm Springs Police Department. Calls to the listed number did not reach a person with knowledge of the property and any restrictions to its use.

The gate is usually secured with a heavy chain to which several padlocks are attached. At least one padlock is controlled by the Palm Springs Fire Department, another is controlled by Desert Water Agency. Presumably, other padlocks are controlled by the Palm Springs Police Department, Wessman Development Company, and an agent of Palm Hills Land Corporation.

Uncontrolled Access

Uncontrolled access points to the Goat Trails

Two points near East Palm Canyon Drive (Highway 111) allow the easiest access: bypasses of the iron gate and a trail to Hermit Crest. In the overview image from Google Earth...

• Highway 111 crosses the top of the image.
• The iron gate is marked with a green cyclist avatar and the doubletrack is outlined in a magenta curve at the botrom of the image.
• The trail (Path T) to Hermit Crest is outlined as a magenta curve from near the top center of the image to double back on itself as it climbs to Hermit Crest. A secondary trail (Path Y) continues to meet the doubletrack up from the iron gate.

Accesses are also available from official trails nearby: Araby Trail at the northwest corner of the Goat Trails, Garstin Trail to Berns Trail at the northwest corner of the Goat Trails, Wildhorse Trail to the southwest corner of the Goat Trails, Clara Burgess Trail to a couple points on the south side of the Goat Trails, and Eagle Canyon Trail to the east side of the Goat Trails.

Iron Gate

The iron gate is usually padlocked, and near-annual grading activities include placing large rocks and dirt piles outside the gate to thwart access. However, the padlocks are often cut off, and the many hiking and biking users wear a trail that bypasses the dirt piles soon after they have been placed.

Hermit Crest

A second access from the area of Highway 111 is via a separated hill, unofficially named "Hermit Crest." A poorly maintained doubletrack climbs the hill, starting from the northwest in a clockwise semicircle. As it reaches six o'clock in its circle, the doubletrack breaks apart and doubles back to the right, still heading up. Shortly thereafter is a trail to the left that will join the ramp up from the iron gate.

Araby Trail and its access to the Goat Trails

Araby Trail

The end and highest point of Araby Trail (orange line) connects to the Goat Trails (magenta). Limited parking is available on Rim Road, near the lower trailhead.

The distance on Araby Trail is 1.78 mi. The ascent from 415 feet to 1347 feet is difficult for mountain bikes, but possible. The descent is "black diamond," but enjoyably challenging.

Dogs are not allowed, not even on leash. Several cutoffs exist, and the Desert Riders attempt to keep these from growing—please avoid following cutoffs.

Garstin Trail and Berns Trail and the access to the Goat Trails

Garstin and Berns Trail

The end of Berns Trail (orange line) connects to the Goat Trails (magenta). Berns Trail can be reached by climbing Garstin Trail (orange line) or Shannon Trail from the north (not highlighted). Limited parking is available on Barona Road, near the lower Garstin trailhead.

The distance on Garstin Trail is 1.19 mi. The distance of Berns Trail is 1.04 mi. The Garstin ascent starts at 543 feet to the turnoff to Berns at 1424 feet, and Berns ascends to 1513 feet (a large cairn), descends to a wash at 1151 feet, and climbs to meet Araby Trail and the Goat Trails at 1322 feet. The ascent is difficult for mountain bikes, but possible. The descent is "black diamond," but enjoyably challenging.

Dogs are not allowed, not even on leash, due to conservation of Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. Several cutoffs exist, and the Desert Riders attempt to keep these from growing—please avoid following cutoffs.

Bogert Trail and its access to the Goat Trails

Bogert Trail

Bogert Trail (middle orange line) leads up to the area of the Goat Trails, although its upper trailhead is about a half mile short of the Goats.

Bogert Trail is 1.76 mi long. Its lower (west) trailhead is at 772 feet, which rises to 922 feet in the first quarter mile. From this point, the trail descends to 815 feet in the second quarter mile, then rises to 1298 feet over the next half mile, where it meets the junction of Garstin (top orange line) and Wildhorse (center-to-bottom orange line) trails. Heading east from the junction, Bogert rises to 1307 feet where it connects to a minor trail of the Goat Trails (magenta lines). The ascent is moderate for mountain bikes, and the descent is intermediate difficulty, with a few challenging aspects.

Dogs are not allowed, not even on leash, due to conservation of Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. The Desert Riders maintain this trail—please avoid following cutoffs.

Clara Burgess Trail

Clara Burgess Trail (orange line) descends north to its trailhead from Murray hill (mountain symbol). From the trailhead sign, descend into Eagle Canyon, and ascend on the north bank to the Goat Trails.

From the west, Clara Burgess separates from Wildhorse Trail at 1780 feet and ascends to 2192 feet over 0.73 mi to the tops of Murray Hill. From Murray hill, Clara Burgess descends to 876 feet over 1.56 mi. For bikes, the west ascent is moderate; the north ascent is difficult but doable. The descents are "black diamond."

Dogs are not allowed, not even on leash, due to conservation of Peninsular Bighorn Sheep. The Desert Riders maintain this trail—please avoid following cutoffs.

Eagle Canyon Trail

Section to be added...

Goat Trails overview of doubletrack and points of interest

Goat Trails Guide

The Goat Trails consist of doubletrack trails (shown in matenta) and singletrack trails (not shown here). Several points of interest can help orient the hiker or biker:

• Hermitage—an abandoned former encampment of homeless to the west of Wessman Ramp
• Hermit Crest—a sometimes active encampment of homeless on a low hill northeast of Wessman Ramp
• Wessman Ramp—a long, wide rock and gravel roadway that rises from an iron gate to a set of iron posts
• Corral Cut-Off Trail—a steep singletrack that occurs within 100 yards of the iron gate, passes the Hermitage, and reaches So-So Corral Road after about 0.58 mile of climbing
• Double Tanks—a pair of water reservoirs maintained by Desert Water Agency that are near the top of Wessman Ramp
• Palm Hills Quarry—an inactive quarry for sand, gravel, and rock that is reached by the Wessman Ramp
• Momtakwit Wall—a small cliff that rises above the doubletrack as it leaves Palm Hills Quarry at its south end; Momtakwit is the first leader of the Cahuilla
• Merry-Go-Round—a curved rectangular mound surrounded by doubletrack
• Eagle Canyon—a major geologic feature of the Goat Trails that forms the south boundary of the trail network
• Gene Autry Hook—a hillside curve of doubletrack that, when seen from Lonely Heart Overlook, seems to be a continuation of Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs
• Lonely Heart Overlook—a promontory and corner of the doubletrack that is the site of a heart-shaped cairn, which is gradually rebuilt after near-annual road grading destroys the past year's work
• Caliente Basin—a broad drainage shelf that spreads west of the Merry-Go-Round and northwest of Lonely Heart Overlook and that includes several criss-crossing singletrack
• So-So Corral—an abandoned corral that is adjacent to a long-unmaintained half circle of doubletrack
• So-So Corral Road—the long-unmaintained half circle of doubletrack that circles north side of Caliente Basin
• Mad Dog Canyon—the canyon to the west of So-So Corral Road, named for the aggressive dogs kept by the owner of land at the canyon mouth
• Istam Way—a section of doubletrack from Lonely Heart Overlook to the Stone Man Monument; Istam is the coyote clan of the Cahuilla
• Stone Man Monument—a human-shaped cairn at the tee-intersection of Istam Way and Tuktum Way
• Tuktum Way—a section of doubletrack from Bob Hope Overlook that passes Patencio Promontory and continues into middle Eagle Canyon; Tuktum is the wildcat clan of the Cahuilla
• Patencio Promontory—the highest point of the Goat Trails; Alejo Patencio was the leader of the Cahuilla Kauisiktum clan ~1890 to 1930
• Bob Hope Overlook—the northwestern corner of the Goat Trails, where the Berns Trail and Araby Trail access the Goat Trails.

Entrance trails and points of interest, Goat Trails

Entrance Trails

Most hikers experience only this first third of the Goat Trails, which constiutes the entrance trails. The aggressive climbs on the entrance trails are, arguably, the more difficult part of the Goat Trails.

Wessman Ramp 

This .28-mile doubletrack trail rises from the parking area to beyond the access to the water tanks. This private property is owned by Wessman Development Company, and Desert Water Agency has an easement for its use to maintain the Double Tanks.

Corral Cut-Off Trail

Corral Cut-Off Trail 

This steep singletrack west of Wessman Ramp starts within 100 yards of the iron gate. The trail passes the Hermitage and reaches So-So Corral Road after about 0.58 mile of climbing.

Double Tanks 

Desert Water Agency owns and maintains this pair of water reservoirs. Trespassing is absolutely forbidden, and its property is video monitored and secured by a padlocked gate. Dr. Grottis Path affords an overlook of the tanks.

Dr, Grottis Path and Water Tanks Trail

Dr. Grottis Path and Water Tanks Trail

The lower trailhead of Dr. Grottis Path is on the right, just beyond the Double Tanks road. The ascent is challenging for mountain bikes, and it is a popular alternative to the longer doubletrack through Palm Hills Quarry. The upper trailhead of Dr. Grottis Path is at the north side of the Merry-Go-Round.

An alternative path, Water Tanks Trail, separates from Dr. Grottis Path above the water tanks. The Water Tanks Trail has an upper trailhead near the northeast corner of the Merry-Go-Round.

Palm Hills Quarry

Palm Hills Quarry

Palm Hills Quarry was active while the primary landowner, Palm Hills Land Corp, pursued rogue plans for building roads outlined in their planned housing development. Although PHLC mapped a development of some 75 lots and connecting streets, the addition was never approved by Palm Springs. The quarry still has piles of sand, gravel, and rock as well as roughly-graded portions of the planned streets. During the rainy season, some portions of the quarry are filled with accumulating run-off from the higher trail and hills.

Several short trails head off to the north and east from Palm Hills Quarry. Only two of these are of note: Path E leads down to Canyon Plaza, and Reservoir Lane leads to the dam at the mouth of Eagle Canyon (0.22 mi).

Quarry-Wall Way, trails, and points of interest

Quarry-Wall Way

This 0.59-mile doubletrack trail continues from Wessman Ramp into Palm Hills Quarry (473 feet above sea level) and then up three distinct, steep sections separated by small reliefs. It finishes at the northeast corner of the Merry-Go-Round, at 797 feet. Several small trails depart from the third climb.

Momtakwit Wall

Momtakwit Wall is a small cliff that rises above Quarry-Wall Way as it leaves Palm Hills Quarry at its south end. Momtakwit was the first leader of the Cahuilla.

Quarry Fall Line

Opposite Momtakwit Wall is a primary fall line (the shortest line downhill, which is often the location for most water erosion) that threatens Quarry-Wall Way seasonally. The landowner has never successfully built a bypass of this fall line, and winter storms often take out the doubletrack to become as small as a singletrack trail.  Cue the training in building sustainable trails!

Brakeman's Lane

The lower trailhead for the short Brakeman's Lane has been obscured by recent heavy equipment work on Quarry-Wall Way. The trailhead will be reinstalled once the grading work is complete. Wooden stakes at the top of Momtakwit Wall locate the trailhead in the meantime. Brakeman's Lane has relatively few users, and its upper trailhead is at the southeast corner of the Merry-Go-Round.

Merry-Go-Round and trails

Merry-Go-Round

This .3-mile doubletrack circles a hill at the top of the approach into the Goat Trails. Many singletrack trails connect to the Merry-Go-Round:

• Its north side to Dr. Grottis Path
• Its northeast corner to Quarry-Wall Way
• Its southeast corner to Brakeman's Lane
• Its southwest corner to Gene Autry Hook and Lonely Heart Trail
• Its northwest corner to Caliente Crossing and So-So Corral Road. 

This trail is more extreme than a pump track, with nice downhills followed by tough climbs, whether you ride clockwise or counter.

Eagle Canyon

a major geologic feature of the Goat Trails that forms the south boundary of the trail network

Gene Autry Hook

This quarter-mile doubletrack continues from the southwest corner of the Merry-Go-Round up to the Lonely Heart Overlook. When seen from Lonely Heart Outlook, the hook seems to be a continuation of Gene Autry Trail in Palm Springs.

Lonely Heart Overlook

a promontory and corner of the doubletrack that is the site of a heart-shaped cairn, which is gradually rebuilt after near-annual road grading destroys the past year's work

Caliente Basin

a broad drainage shelf that spreads west of the Merry-Go-Round and northwest of Lonely Heart Overlook and that includes several criss-crossing singletrack

So-So Corral

an abandoned corral that is adjacent to a long-unmaintained half circle of doubletrack

So-So Corral Road

This .83-mile, long-unmaintained half circle of doubletrack circles the Caliente Basin. The trail offers superb downhill clockwise and some extreme climbing counter-clockwise.

Mad Dog Canyon

the canyon to the west of So-So Corral Road, named for the aggressive dogs kept by the owner of land at the canyon mouth

Istam Way

This .85-mile doubletrack leaves Lonely Heart Overlook and heads to the Stone Man Monument. Several singletrack trails head off along its length.

Back Trails

Owners of Record

Palm Hills Land Corporation 

141 W Jackson Blvd, Fl 39
Chicago IL 60604
Reference: California Business Directory
Reference
Reference

Palm Hills Corporation 

135 S LaSalle St, Suite 3250
Chicago IL 60603
Reference
Reference

Schlecht Shevlin & Schoenberger

600 E Tahquitz McCallum
Palm Springs CA 92264
Reference: company website 
Reference

US Dept Of Interior 

Washington DC 21401
Reference
Reference

Wessman Development Company 

555 S Sunrise Wy, Ste 200
Palm Springs CA 92264
760-325-3050 (Jeanette Sanborn)
Reference: California Business Directory
Reference: Personal profile of John Wessman
Reference

Reference: lawsuit
Reference: 14th story
Reference: Palm Springs council mention "Palm Hills"

Online sources

Text

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/apr/03/travel/la-tr-0430-palm-springs-biking-20110403
http://www.mapmyride.com/us/cathedral-city-ca/goat-trails-palm-desert-route-168637262
http://www.mountainbikebill.com/PalmSpringsGoatTrails.htm
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/the-goat-trails-private-property
https://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/the-goat-trails.html
http://hikeyhikey.blogspot.com/2012/10/hiking-palm-springs-goat-trails-to.html
https://pscyclery.com/about/goat-trails-to-cat-trails-route-pg412.htm (content removed due to lawsuits against several local businesses)
http://www.mtbr.com/trails/united-states/california/Palm-Springs/goat-trails-and-indian-trails.html
https://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=BGS048-025
https://www.trailforks.com/trails/goat-trails-outlet/
https://www.bikepirate.com/tag/goat-trails/
http://www.distancetobetraveled.com/goat-trail-page-information.html
https://www.triabike.com/local-rides-and-trails/
http://dirttreaders.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3629&view=previous
http://dirttreaders.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=3629&view=previous

Video

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxMKlxruVsw (3:27)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0qT998vsC0 (6:33, May 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Cfa8LQ9kM (2:15, March 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SO2PFAXzTA (2:11, March 2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXV50PRMsvs (9:55, March 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8h5LGjBMqZw (4:56, May 2010)
 

New tire setup for Fury

Saturday, 30 April 2016

I finally converted my Trek Fuel/EX mountain bike to tubeless tires. I chose two different tires for their response: a Continental Trail King on the front, a Maxxis Minion DHF on the rear. I bought both from Competitive Cyclist, and I called Mike Dartt at http://mikesbiketruck.com/ for his at-your-door service to do the conversion. (Supposedly the conversion can be pretty easy to do, but my arthritic wrists say otherwise, even for getting a well-stretched tire onto my rims.)

For the front tire, I expect confident cornering grip and enough stability to track the riding line correctly. A reinforced sidewall can improve support for riding on rocky terrain, although too stiff a sidewall can lessen feel and suppleness from the ride. The correct tire pressure and suspension set-up play their parts in the front-end performance as speed increases on rougher, drier tracks. Finally, well-balanced weight distribution and correctly-tuned bar height aid the grip. Reviews lead me to believe that the Continental Trail King meets these needs.

On the back tire, some riders advise a slightly narrower tire with a lower profile center tread or a closely spaced tread pattern. These attributes should result in a faster rolling wheel on dry and rocky ground. Since I'm still new at riding the hills, I chose a wider tire (2.4 inches) and a fairly open tread pattern, to help slow the roll. Cornering tread is still important, and I want plenty of traction in the turns. So I followed reviews to choose the Maxxis Minion DHF that is 0.1 inch wider than my front tire.

References

Dry trail riding advice.
Different needs for front and rear tires.
Continental Trail King.
Maxxis Minion DHF.
Competitive Cyclist.

This morning I took Fury out for some trial on the roads, going to the Farmers' Market and on a ride with Chuck over his favorite route. The front tire had lost some pressure overnight, and it had a lot of rolling resistance for the ride to the market. I pumped it up to 35 pounds before I rode with Chuck, and it rode really well at that pressure. I might reduce the pressure to 25 pounds when I hit the trails.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 75°F at 08:30,  79°F at 12:40
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm to 5 early, then about 15 mph with gusts from the north and west
Clothing: Casual MTB shorts, shortsleeve tee, open-finger gloves
Bike: Trek Fuel/EX mountain bike
Time: 23:12 for 4.0 miles, 1:08:12 for 8.7 miles
Heart rate: 111 and 89 bpm HRave, 140 and 128 bpm HRmax Playbacks of the rides: Farmers' Market, With Chuck

It's now four years later since my last post on this blog. I no longer commute by bike to work. For a while, my work was at home, and I am now retired. So there seemed to be no need for entries about commuting by bike.

I ride my bike now for the enjoyment itself. To enjoy the activity. To enjoy my new hometown, Palm Springs CA. I ride often for errands, and I ride often in the hills to the south of Highway 111.

It's time to rethink what this blog is about. So bear with me as I try new topics, new approaches.

My most recent rides are documented on Strava:

• Quick climb before cooking dinner 
•  Out to G. Ford-Sinatra, Cook to Kurt's and 111
•  After 4 p.m. Indian Cyn and Tuscany
•  Toward the Trading Post with John S
•  Tooling around after the gym
•  Long short way to the gym 
•  Joshua Tree NP with John S 
•  Goat Trail Dbltrk at end of day

May the wind be at your back, even after the turn-around to go home!

Set up the suspension for your mountain bike

My MGT mountain bike really is a product of my frugality. (Some would say cheapness.) I bought it at a pawn shop on East Third Street. It had great promise in my eyes, even with the broken cables, rusted chain, and sheared bar-end grips. I was lucky that the bright yellow color didn't raise its price in the appraiser's mind, and that the selling price was only twenty-five bucks.

I took the MGT in to my buddy Brian at Links & Kinks, and he refurbed it for the cost of a thorough tune-up. I was on the trail after spending less than $150.

That was a couple years ago. After buying another bike in Palm Springs and using it on the rocky hills there, I've become more discerning, more demanding of the performance on the trails. I'm still happy with the MGT, even though it's a small frame, so I don't intend to buy into the next level of performance. Instead, I've begun to pay attention to the suspension.

I noticed in one of my first rides this spring that the front forks really didn't have much movement. So I had Brian look at it, and he saw that the forks had seized. Where the forks should compress about 20% when I get on the bike, there was less than 5% change. On the trail, I could sense a bit of response in the forks, but not much.

So I asked Brian to replace the front fork and its suspension. Now the bike is so much more enjoyable. More responsive when I pull up to hop a log. Less of a jolt when the front wheel sets back down after a jump or hop. And more sensitive to my need to change direction as I pass through two shoulder-width trees and need to avoid a third tree that encroaches the path.

Now I’m no expert at the workings of front and rear suspension systems, but I do know that the suspension has to be set up for your weight and riding style. The right setting can make you faster, the bike more controlable, and the ride more enjoyable.

• Check the air pressure in your fork each season. The manufacturer usually recommends air pressure for your weight, and you should check it annually. Either the shocks will lose some seal contact or your  weight may be different.
• Each time you ride, check the amount of displacement as you mount the bike. Both the front shocks and rear suspension should drop about 20% of the available movement. 

So what does the setup do for your ride? Less drop means a stiffer setup, more drop a more cushioned ride.

• A stiffer setup loses the full travel of your suspension, and the bike bounces more through rocky terrain instead of smoothly tracking through. You may loose traction in corners, too. 
• Too much cushioning can allow the suspension to bottom out on bigger hits, and you may feel like you’re riding a sofa with worn springs.

But remember that your tire type and the tire pressure contribute to control and responsiveness. The choice of tire type is a long discussion, but the depth of tread, tire width, and flexibility should be appropriate to your usual trail. You can experiment with changes in air pressure on a couple rides. Raise the air pressure to slow the rebound, lower it to increase rebound. Make air pressure changes of about 5psi, which should result in a big difference.

Thanks to

Chris Carmichael Systems

for many ideas in this post.

Short MoMBA ride

Sunday, 12 February 2012

This is the week to start commuting by bike for another year. The daylight is strong enough for leaving home by 7:20, even on cloudy days, and for returning home by 6:30 in the evening. So there's plenty of time to put in eight hours of work. ...Now if Kodak doesn't lay me off as part of its stated aim of reducing the workforce by 16%, I can be cycling as much as 125 miles per week just in a daily commute.

Today, Sunday, was extremely cold, in comparison to the Winter we've had in Dayton so far. The bikeways were covered with a light snow that had fallen yesterday. But an alternative, the MetroParks Mountain Biking Area was open, according the the daily update on their phone line (937-277-4374).

I took Howard, my 11-year-old yellow Labrador with me, and he alternately followed and led me on the Twisted trail and the Mr. Zig-Zag trail. For the early half of the ride, trails were frozen pretty solidly, but by 11:45, the trail segments that received direct sunlight had thawed and the mud built up. So I decided to follow only two of the trails. The decision was good for another reason too, because Howard's stamina started to fail with only a half trail left to cover. He'll sleep well tonight.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 21 to 25°F at 12:00 noon
Precipitation: none currently, but about an inch of snow still covering the ground
Winds: 11 to 15 mph from the north and west
Clothing: Skinsuit, longsleeve undershirt, quilted tights, Goretex light jacket, ankle socks, quilted gloves
Bike: Lotus Legend fixed gear
Time: 00:32:45 for 2.69 miles
Heart rate: 142 bpm HRave, 164 bpm HRmax
Bikeway users: 3 cyclists, 1 dog
Playback of the ride

Second ride with the World Gym group

Sunday, 11 December 2011

I met up with the group from World Gym/Palm Desert on Mesquite as they crossed Crossley. Several riders greeted me by name, among them Cheryl from Tri-a-Bike, Anthony from World Gym, and Craig. Then a woman who had not been with the group last week rode up and introduced herself as Tracy. Off and on during the ride, Tracy spoke of some of the best trails for off-road riding (Art Smith, Goat Trails with an access from Cathedral Cove, and up around Pinyon Flats).

We rode as a group through Palm Springs to The Coffee Bean on North Palm Canyon, rested there a bit—this was a half-way point for them, and headed through the airport roads back to Dinah Shore Drive for the return to the Palm Desert area. Some discussion aimed at a breakfast at Aqua Pazza fizzled at the end of discussion, since several riders had plans with their families or preparing for the holidays.A couple of the riders (Roger and —) were heading back to the World Gym meeting location, and I tagged along to find the best way there from The River. Then I headed back to Palm Springs as a solo rider, following streets with marked bike lanes or separated bikeways.

Ride conditions
Route: major roads of Dinah Shore, DaVall, Frank Sinatra, Country Club, Bob Hope
Temperature: 62 to 66°F at 11:30
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm 
Clothing: Bibshorts+jersey, undershirt, ankle socks, open-finger gloves
Bike: Trek 3700 trail bike
Time: 02:10:31 for 30.68 miles
Heart rate: 134 bpm HRave, 160 bpm HRmax
Playback of the ride

Rimcrest and Goat Trails, first return

Saturday, 10 December 2011

Panorama from the Goat Trails, above the Bob Hope mansion

 So today I finally got the self-confidence to return to the Goat Trails above Rimcrest Plaza. Lots of walking the bike and maneuvering with one foot to terra firma, even though I was riding double-track trails for the most part. But as the ride progressed, the tentativity relented except for the most crumbly descents.

The walk-a-bike sections were in what are usual places for my Winter visits to the trails: the steepest part of the second climb (below a north-facing cliff), in the approach of the first hilltop, on the south uphill of the circle around the first hilltop, on the steep escape from the same circle, and a couple of isolated sections after the stone man intersection. With another ride or two through this course, some of these walks will transition to riding, I'm sure. Part of that expected progress is in regaining a sense of body position over the wheels combined with slightly better timing of my shifting.

On the way nearing the stone man intersection, I heard somewhere behind me a police siren, and I stopped to view the course behind me. Stopped at the promontory of the plateau corner was a Palm Springs black-and-white with its lights flashing. I wondered if they were trolling for riders because of some closure that wasn't announced at the gates. The black-and-white continued toward me as I headed on to reach the overlook to Bob Hope's home.

The patrol truck reached another promontory above me as I negotiated a sliding downhill between them and the Bob Hope overlook. I stopped again when their siren sounded, and I whistled a shrill blast after a silence from them. One of the patrolmen had stepped out of the truck, and waved me on. He turned and raised binoculars to sight across the deep divide between Araby Cove and the hills that formed the east side of Palm Canyon, and I looked in that direction. There on the northeast-facing hills was a glider wedged between two outcroppings.

From the overlook above the Bob Hope
mansion, looking north to Palm Springs

I headed on to my goal, and the patrol truck headed down the same trail, showing more traction than I thought possible with the sliding rock and dust trail. They took a turn-off that I knew headed toward a wash through even rougher terrain while I headed the short distance to the overlook.

Heading back from the overlook, I took the same turn-off, even though it meant some tough walk-a-bike stretches. I just had to see if their truck could actually navigate the trail and cross the wash. By the time I had made it through 150 meters of downhill, I saw one of the patrolmen far ahead near the wash, walking the trail toward me. His attention was to his rear, walking up the trail, looking backward below him, and signalling as he went. In a few seconds, the black-and-white passed from behind a ridge. It was returning up the trail in reverse, guided by the gesticulating officer. I too turned around, and reached the main tail only shortly before the patrol truck. To make way for them on the trail back, I took a rockier single-track around the most rocky and steepest double-track while the truck navigated the double-track with much more surety than I could.

Ride conditions
Temperature: 68 to 72°F at 11:00
Precipitation: none
Winds: calm 
Clothing: Skinsuit, ankle socks, SPD-cleated sandals, open-finger gloves
Bike: Trek 3700 trail bike
Time: 01:37:51 for 12.36 miles
Heart rate: not available

Playback of the ride

Addition to Dayton Daily News article

In the middle of March, Robin McMacken of the Dayton Daily News asked me to answer several questions. The answers became the basis of an article that appears today in the Life section. There were other questions too, and here are my answers.

How long have you been riding?
I've been riding a bicycle ever since my mom & dad refused to drive me to school, when we moved to town for me to attend fourth grade—my first nine years were as a farmboy. So since I'm 59 now, this year is the golden anniversary of bicycling for me! Thanks for that revelation.

What have been the advantages and challenges to commuting via bike?
My use of a bike for commuting really started with my daily bicycling to elementary school, and when I had part-time jobs in junior high and senior high, I got there by bike and then biked to school. Then in college and in my jobs to support my college education, I used a bicycle to get around.

When I was without a car, I did everything by bike. I went to the grocery store more often, but I would have my large leather backpack filled as much as possible. The biggest challenge is the city itself, especially a city that is not cognizant of alternate modes of transportation. I lived in Houston a short time, on special duty in the Air Force and also for a short-term assignment to write for a Lockheed proposal for NASA. I tried cycling there for a week, but it was too dangerous because of the traffic.

The biggest challenge for centering your transportation around the bike is following the arts venues. I’ve always been interested in the arts and I like going to a concert, movie, or an art gallery or studio. But if I were to have only a bicycle to attend such events, it would be a challenge to balance such a sweaty mode of transportation with that part of my life. After all, that milieau expects attendance by a leisured person, or at least someone who doesn’t have the “aura of exertion” about him. So enjoying a broad cultural experience is almost anathema to the active life of a devotee of cycling.

What impresses you most about our area bike paths?
I love how interconnected our communities are by the bikeways. Of course, the connections aren't always direct, and some important paths are yet to be developed, but I can take bikeway to almost every part of the metro area—the greatest exceptions are Centerville, Oakwood, much of Kettering, and the mall shopping areas. The Five Rivers Metro Parks staff take great care of the paths and keep them clear of overgrowth, and the paths are safer than the roads and streets, both for cyclists and pedestrians.

I lived in Los Angeles for a couple years from about 1985 to 1987 and I used what they called bikeways, which were actually paved access roads to the concreted river system in the city. Believe me, the Dayton system, even then, was more extensive, a better transportation mode, and safer. I have never seen scores of homeless living near the bikeways here, nor neighborhood gangs. But in L.A., they were common.

What are you favorite trails in the area?
I enjoy the MOMBA trails. They are well cared for, compact, and they have a nice mixture of ease and challenge. Usually I bike there the same day that I help maintain the trails, which is the 3rd Saturday afternoon each month. I have a special place in my heart for the loop from Wegerzyn Gardens to the Green Bridge at Deeds Point. That's actually my partner Chuck's favorite area, and I have special memories because of times there with him. I really love all the trails, but I enjoy them mostly because there are enough to ride a lot and yet not repeat the same experience. —My commuting is the exception, though. Twice a day I take the same route, unless the river is flooded or a bridge is being reconstructed, and I always see some new detail, some change, some fresh indicator that Spring has come.

What kind of bike do you ride?
I have several bikes. I have a Serotta Colorado road bike that I bought for racing, with thin tires and a touchy shifter set, that I actually seldom ride now. I have an old, old Trek mountain bike, very basic, very durable, that I ride early in the year, before the streets and bikeways have been cleared of the Winter detritus. I have a bright yellow mountain bike with suspension, knobby tires, and heavy-duty gears and chain that I ride in MOMBA, near Huffman Reserve. I have a converted Lotus fixed-gear bike that has been with me a long time, at least since 1975, and I love it most. It has seen a lot of good times, and it's been with me in bad times too. I have what I call my "Beater Bike," that I have on vacations to ride off-road in rocky single-track.

Any safety tips you can give our readers to ensure their safety?
Always follow the laws for vehicles, and always ride defensively! Expect the worst from auto drivers, and you'll never be disappointed. Never leave home without a cell phone, some ID, preferably something like RoadID, which has medical emergency information and a website for detailed medical and contact data. And if you're a gay man or lesbian, carry the medical power of attorney you've worked out with your partner and lawyer. Accidents, real accidents, can happen anytime, anywhere. Be ready to help yourself and the emergency crews when you can't answer a simple question.



What health benefits have you enjoyed during your riding history?
Hmmm. My partner Chuck would ask what health hazards have I met head on: a car hit me in 1994 and nearly killed me—that's no exaggeration. In 2009, I slipped on a gravelly corner on the bikeway and found that I had osteopinea (a "mild" form of osteoporosis) because of the broken hip that occurred. And an inattentive driver hit me on a downtown street during a commute last September.

But I am an optimist, cock-eyed perhaps. My fitness and general level of health are greater than most people my age.

How many miles do you log weekly?
I commute from March to November, and I commute an average of four days a week. That's 100 miles almost exactly. Then I'll take a light ride with Chuck and maybe a longer solo ride too on the weekend. So perhaps my average is 150. That's pretty low compared to some cyclists I know, but I have a life off the bike too. Almost all of that milage is on the bikeways. My commute starts with 2 miles of quiet residential streets, then 10 miles of the bikeways before I have a quarter mile on Research Park streets.

Do you enter any races? If so, which ones are they?
I raced as a "kid" in my 40s. I wasn't any strong contender for a road racing title. Far from it; there wasn't a criterium that I wasn't pulled out of before being lapped by the advancing pack of younger riders. I started racing because I wanted to compete in cycling events in the 1990 Gay Games in Vancouver BC. I double-silver-medalled there, though the divisions by age were so narrow that I seldom had more than 5 competitors. Then after another four years of racing, when I was a week away from competing in the 1994 Gay Games in New York City, a car hit me in a training race held on open, rural roads under the auspices of the Dayton Cycling Club, but not authorized by any of the local sheriffs or other authorities. That put an end to cycling for me for several years, out of respect for all the concern and heartache that the surgeries and recuperation cost Chuck, and me too, of course.

Since that collision 17 years ago, I’ve become more cautious, and I ride when it's wet only if I’ve biked to work and rain comes before I can leave for home. I do ride on city streets occasionally, because the bikeways near the rivers may be flooded or bridge and road construction projects over the bikeways don’t typically provide an off-road bypass for cyclists. I try to choose those alternate streets as carefully as possible—Is there little or no traffic? Is there adequate lane width to separate cars from me? Is the distance short to another part of the bikeway?

My friends have asked why I continue cycling. I love the sense of freedom and independence, the multi-modal aspect of exercise and commuting, the beauty of enjoying and sensing every moment. And there are other, important things, like the low impact on the environment, the savings on car maintenance and fuel, and the certainty that this avocation is a healthy and fulfilling one.