Friends and Family Bike Rentals at Passion Trail Bikes

This week’s word on the trail, on November 19, 2009

1. MROSD Approves Bike Access in La Honda Creek Open Space
2. Friends or Family Visiting? Rent a Sweet Demo Bike
3. Turkey Ride, Los Gatos; Appetite Seminar, Fairfax 11/26
4. The Dinner Party You Shouldn’t Miss: ROMP with Scot Nicol from Ibis 12/4
5. Sweet Parting Gift from Soquel Forest Staff, + Trailwork 12/6


1. MROSD Approves Bike Access in La Honda Creek Open Space
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Good news! We got access to La Honda Creek Open Space Preserve. This is a HUGE victory for mountain bikers. This is the first time that the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District has ever changed their mind about bike access to one of the seven preserves they closed to bikes in 2000. We are stoked that eventually cyclists will be able to enjoy the Bay Area Ridge Trail from El Corte de Madera OSP to the Red Barn, and from the Red Barn to the town of La Honda, heading towards Pescadero Creek County Park.

Thank you SO MUCH to all the cyclists who worked on contributing to this effort, which involved nearly a dozen meetings, site visits, and focus groups, hundreds of letters written, many, many people who spoke in public before the board, and a strong effort to reach out and inform and engage more cyclists in this plan.

We asked that the board adopt Option 2, with a modification to allow bikes in Driscoll Ranch once a Regional Trail Corridor to the coast has been identified. Well, we pretty much never get what we ask for with MROSD, but this time, for some inexplicable reason, they actually seemed to listen to, and respect, public opinion, and voted to adopt bike access as described in Option 2. No modification to grant access to Driscoll Ranch was offered however.

The Master Plan for La Honda OSP will be implemented in phases, and cyclists will not see the trail between ECdM and La Honda completed and open to bikes for at least 5 years. It’s going to be a long and irritating wait, but our efforts to get trail construction pushed forward into phase one were not successful. Just goes to show you that advocacy for bike access is something you do for the next generation, not necessarily for instant gratification.

Planning map showing future bicycle access to La Honda Open Space in solid dark purple

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2. Friends or Family Visiting? Rent a Sweet Demo Bike

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Enjoy the long rays of autumn’s light with a four day splurge on a Demo Bike
Photo courtesy Jeff Hecox

We have about 20 different Demo Bikes available for rental, and amazingly, only 2 of them are reserved for Thanksgiving week. Got friends or family visiting who ride? Want to splurge on yourself and get out of the house while the pie is burning, with something funner than your old hardtail to ride? Make a reservation to take out one of our Demo Bikes and enjoy the latest and greatest in mountain bike technology.

You can check out our list of Demo Bikes here,, and give us a call at 650-620-9798 to find out availability and make reservations. Rentals are $75 for the first day, which includes getting the cockpit of the bike fitted to you and the suspension set up so the bike feels balanced and tuned for your weight and proportions. Additional days are $25. Thanksgiving and Mondays will be treated as a free additional day. Reservations are required so we can schedule the setup and make sure the bike is ready to roll.

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3. Turkey Ride, Los Gatos; Appetite Seminar, Fairfax
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Well, it’s that time of year. Yep, the time for overeating, and overclimbing to justify it. Come out to one of the traditional Thanksgiving Day rides and enjoy the wonderful cultural phenomenon that is completely unorganized, unsponsored, unpermitted, and just plain fun!

In Fairfax there is the oldest of any traditional mountain bike ride ever. It started in 1975, and is called the Appetite Seminar.

Poster from the 1981 Appetite Seminar

This ride has no specific start time, you just show up in downtown Fairfax and ride the usual Pine Mountain Loop. If you go early enough, you’ll be able to complete the ride before the kegs run dry at one of the establishments downtown. Work up a great appetite and then head home to family to shower and partake of the traditional fare at home.

The other ride has a much more recent origin, and a different theme. The Turkey Day Ride starts around 8am from downtown Los Gatos, and climbs up Kennedy Rd into Sierra Azul Open Space, where at the summit riders unload their cargo of commestibles for the biggest potluck dinner we’ve ever seen.

Riders surround the Pinoy provisions of roasted pig. Photo courtesy of Photo John

While there are no rules, nearly everyone brings something to share, whether it is cookies, wine, pickles, a pie, popcorn, brownies, a six pack, a tub of smashed sweet potatos, a whole turkey, an entire roasted pig, or what have you. Bring only what you can bear. Some riders use trailers or panniers, and bring folding tables or other support supplies. Everyone brings back their containers and trash, so the summit is left sparkling clean.

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4. ROMP Christmas Party with Scot Nicol from Ibis 12/4
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A row of test Mojos from Ibis wait for test riders at a Passion Demo Day

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5. Sweet Parting Gift from Soquel Forest Staff, + Trailwork 12/6

Last week we reported on staff reductions that were about to hit Soquel Forest’s management team at CDF. Well, on Monday we got a little note from Assistant Forest Manager Ed Orre, telling us that it is traditional to let Forestry Aides choose their project for their last day of work, and that Scott Stephenson elected to work with a chainsaw clearing blowdowns on Braille and the Ridge Trail.

Charles rides a new feature on the Ridge Trail
If above link to the video is missing or not working, click here

Turns out Scott S. had some creative ideas for what to do with the downed wood, and had a lot of fun implementing them. We are pretty blown away at the sentiment in this particular project, as well as the quality of the notched construction, and are looking forward to getting out there to do some sculpting in the dirt on the approach to ensure the trail tread stays in good condition all winter.

If you would like to give a hand with trailwork in Soquel Forest, please visit the Trailworkers.com website and click the link there to sign up for the workday on Sunday December 6th. We think the meeting time for the project is probably 8:30 in the parking lot. But sign up and Scott Robinson from the Stewards will confirm with you.

Also, it’s worth repeating the paragraph from last week:

The Stewards of Soquel Forest is a 501©(3) non-profit that was formed in 2000 during the effort to prevent the closure of the illegally-built Braille Trail. This organization is responsible for maintaining the trails in Soquel Forest, and has been working closely with CDF over the years to put in many of the improvements you’ve seen on the trails of this amazing riding destination. Well, like many other non-profits, it’s seen varying levels of commitment and enthusiasm, and right now could really use an infusion of new blood and leadership to help it fulfill its role in keeping Soquel Forest and awesome place to ride. We are looking for people who could help lead trail maintenance crews, help with patrolling the forest through the NMBP program, and help with other functions, such as updating and managing its website, renewing memberships, and planning the annual year-end volunteer appreciation party and shuttle fest.

Patty and Charles, along with Daryl, Scott, Shane, Nigel, and others, are very active in the Stewards. If you would like to get involved, please shoot an email to Patty at patty@passiontrailbikes.com, and ask to be put on the Stewards list for future notifications. Also, stay tuned for trailwork dates that are being set now for this fall and winter.

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Read back issues of the Passion Trail Bikes Community e-Newsletter on our website.

To contact us, email us at info@passiontrailbikes.com, or call the shop at 650-620-9798.

Happy Trails, from the PTB crew
Charles, Patty, John, Bret, Sterling, Pancho, Will, Peter, and Reba