In the last month we have finally navigated all the bureaucratic paperwork, designs, reports, CEQA statements, City Council approvals etc. and have started construction on the new Lake Loop Trail in Waterdog Park. This is actually a trail realignment project; there is currently a trail that goes around the lake (shown in red), however it was built below the high water mark and it has become impassible in spots, even for hiking. It was never intended to be a multi-use trail and while it wasn’t illegal for bikes it wasn’t rideable either.
The new trail (shown in white) is intended to be an EASY trail, suitable for family outings – beginner riders, kids, strollers, etc. It will be wider than most of the singletrack that already exists in Waterdog, built to a 4’ to 5’ width and at a mild grade of less than 10% with no sustained climbs – it will be mostly flat. There will be three bridges over streams that feed the lake and a bridge over the spillway that will bypass the pavers. Volunteers will build both the trail, AND the bridges, as well as some really cool retaining walls.
My hope is to get this project completed by the end of September. I would really like to get the trail tread cut in before the end of May, and to build the bridges in the summer. So I’m looking to recruit some extra volunteers for the next two months to make some progress on the bench cutting.
If you can make any of the dates I have posted on our community calendar please let me know. Email me at patty@passiontrailbikes.com
The work projects are four hours long, and start at the times listed (subject to change):
Saturday 3/28 8:30am
Saturday 4/4 9:00am
Thursday 4/9 8:30am
Sunday 4/12 8:30am
Wednesday 4/22 5:30pm (Earth day)
Sunday 5/3 8:00am
Sunday 5/10 8:30am
Monday 5/18 2:00pm
Saturday 5/23 9:30am (Memorial day weekend)
Saturday 6/6 9:00am
Alex, Valerie and Krishna cutting in new trail tread at Waterdog Lake
“Thanks to everyone that showed up at Carlmont today. We had over a dozen people show up to help. Specifically, thanks to Andres, Krishna, Bobby, Dirtbag Matt, Adam, Daniel, Gideon, Passion Trails Patty, and geez there were others, and thank you all.
“We pulled out three couches, a sink, a piece of car, and five super-stuffed large trash bags. Pictures to follow.
“Also, thanks to Charles and Patty from Passion Trails for letting us use their dumpster. Patty was out there at 10am and stayed until late, so double reps to her.
“Thanks to the SF DirtLab crew and San Jose Greg for letting us use your trucks. You guys rock!
“We installed a garbage can at the tree by the Math Line. There’s extra bags at the bottom of the can. If you want to earn some karma, you can drop full bags off at the Passion Trails dumpster.
“Please respect the garbage can! Use it for trash, and we’ll make sure it gets emptied on a regular basis.
“After the clean up, we had a good ride session. It was awesome to see so many people of different ages and skill levels stepping it up.
“Remember, Carlmont is one of a kind! There is no place in the Bay Area that has pro-level riding like Carlmont. If Carlmont gets closed, we are screwed. Keeping it clean of trash is one easy way to keep it open.
“Thanks again to everyone that showed up. See you on the trails.”
Damon
Wrecked TREK 3500 hybrid bike, found at the bottom of “Rocky”
Here are some tips on choosing a place to ride in winter
Where to go when it’s ACTIVELY RAINING:
We recommend pavement or gravel surfaces, or very sandy or rocky trails.
Option 1: Paved MUPs
Paved off-road multi-use paths are great if you don’t want to share space with cars when their wipers are wiping and visibility is poor. They also tend to be relatively pedestrian-free at these times, which makes biking much more pleasant and conflict-free.
The San Francisco Bay Trail is great, especially from San Mateo to Redwood shores, and from Palo Alto Baylands to Shoreline Park in Mountain View. The Bay Trail is incomplete, so check their website for what sections are finished in your area. Unpaved sections of the Bay Trail tend to be greasy gooey mud, so be aware. Other paved MUPs include…
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Here is something to keep you going while the cold and rain is outside…
A group of our customers were up in BC this past summer. One of them (Brian) edited up some videos of their trip. Here are two videos for your viewing pleasure…
Berry has an interesting method for doing some stream crossings, though I am not sure how to describe it. This shot was from Thursday’s Appetite Seminar ride in Marin.
There are not official rides, as there isn’t a ride leader, official departure time, or anything like that. Just mass gatherings where people go to a designated start area and ride a designated route. Routes are pretty easy to find – just follow the mass of people.
There is a bull pen in the town of Fairfax where a few kegs of donated beer are available for your enjoyment after the ride (though it often runs out early, so plan to be there before 11 or so to make sure you get some). And Los Gatos’ tradition has come to include a picnic at the top (so watch for people towing roasted pigs, kegs, etc.) to the top.
I think you may find Charles in Los Gatos, and Berry up in Fairfax…
2 years ago, Charles wrote up a bit about the history of the Appetite Seminar and his experience on the ride and posted it here.
We got word today from the Soquel Demonstration State Forest Managers that repairs to the slide on Highland Way are nearly done. The contractor reported that the paving is done and they will finish ahead of schedule. We don’t know if the K-rails blocking the road have been removed yet, but if not they should be soon.
Belmont issued the following press release today about a person of interest related to the fires set in Waterdog Park.
Age: 30’s
Gender: Male
Height: 5-10 to 6-0
Weight: 170
Eyes: Unknown
Hair: Brown
Complexion: Medium
Race: White
Date of last contact: 9/4/08
On Thursday 9/4/08 at approx. 4:50pm, two separate fires were reported in the canyon area, on the east side of the Hallmark neighborhood. Both fires were near Wakefield Dr & Somerset Dr and the two fires each burned approx. 1/4 of an acre. No structures were involved and there were no injuries. A preliminary investigation has determined that both fires were human-caused and may have been intentionally set. The Belmont Police are asking for the public’s help in this investigation.
Our original plan was to use yesterday, Wednesday, as a rest day of sorts, so we would be plenty fresh for a long ride on Thursday. The long ride of choice was the Alpine Trail, just outside of Oakridge in Westfir, also known as the venue for the Cascade Cream Puff . After the prior day’s dubiously restful nature, we had a lot of trouble getting ourselves motivated and out the door early enough to load our Camelbaks with a days rations and hit the trail in time to catch the shuttled riders leaving the Trailhead Cafe at 10:00, so we slept in, and it was good. Real good, and easy to tacitly rationalize at this point in our trip, so instead we grumbled. Or at least I did, all the way up the hill in the shuttle van. It seemed a shame to waste a perfectly good ride day with just one short shuttle that would have us back in town by 1:00, especially now that we were so well rested.
Address: 415 Old County Rd, Belmont 94002 Phone: 650-620-9798
Our name says it – we are passionate about bikes and trails. We are all dedicated mountain bikers, and our knowledge of local trails can't be beat. Our mechanics are the best in the business, and we take customer service very seriously. We are committed to making your bike run perfectly. We guarantee great rides.
Age: 30’s
