Ride to the Top of Saddleback…almost [Upper Holy Jim]

One week ago I was riding up the Holy Jim Trail, here is last weeks ride report.

 
 
 My friend Eric Y.has been celebrating his birthday by jumping on his bike and riding from his house to the top of Saddleback Mountain and back home totaling about 65 miles. This year was his tenth year in a row, a personal milestone for him. I have joined him once before two years ago, it was a burner. I skipped his birthday ride last year after competing in the 2008 Traverse it took me a month to recover from racing in extreme heat. The weather was great for climbing on Saturday overcast and 54 degrees, no worries about running low on water.
 
    
Getting to the top of Saddleback is not for the Faint of Heart, you need to be mentally and physically prepared along with a dialed in bike. Hike-a-bike and water crossings are a few obstacles to conquer.
 
   
 
  
I must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed Saturday, the mountain was telling me to turn around at mile 12, it might have been the lack of gears on my bike as well. I dug out another mile to the start of Upper Holy Jim trail. I said Happy B-Day to Eric and he continued up to the top of Saddleback to have his B-Day lunch. I slammed my seat all the way down to drop into Upper Holy Jim.
 
   
   
 If you like descending, this trail is Sweet. Almost no climbing for 13 miles to Santiago Road, about 8 miles of switchbacks, drops, a little bit of everything.
 
 
 
I was able snap a few pictures of the clouds rolling in on the trail, it is a cool feeling riding in the clouds….