After a quick check of the water levels on Saturday morning, I decided the best bet was to join the crew that was headed to Lake Creek for some playboatin'. Typically, it's difficult to get me to head there, but the level was good (~10 foot on the gauge) and creeking options were slim; plus I've started coming to the realization that although playboating is not my forte, it's good practice for hole rides, edge control, and rolling while on the creeks.
Gauge used for Lake Creek (~10 feet)
On this day our group gathered at the Shell station, just west of Eugene on the main road to the coast. From here, I jumped in with Pete, Arthur, and Brad and we headed to the put-in just above the Grassy Lawn play hole. Once there, I quickly changed and was the first one in the water. I headed downstream to a nice glassy wave on river left about a hundred yards or so from the put-in. Soon after, Brad came down and also got in a couple of surfs before we both headed to Grassy Lawn.
My favorite level for Grassy is actually between 10 and 11 feet, so I was hoping for a good day. Basically, when it starts to get into the 14 foot range it gets pretty bouncy, (and sticky) and it really just turns into out-of-control survival boating for me. That said, I know many people that love it at those higher flows, but they are also much better playboaters than myself.
Both Brad and I were able to get in quite a few rides at Grassy before the next batch of boaters showed up. In fact, from this point on they just kept coming, and after awhile the eddy started to get pretty crowded. It's a funny thing, you can go almost a full season without seeing any other groups on the river, but when Lake Creek comes in people travel from far and wide. I believe that this is mostly attributed to the fact that on the whole, the playboating in the PNW is not all that great (just what I've heard), so when Lake Creek is in, it's the place to be. Once the eddy does get full at Grassy it can be hard to keep your place in line, as well as not accidentally cut someone else, which is due to the swift upstream current it creates. Luckily, it's always a friendly atmosphere and exact line order is of minimal concern. On this day our group was fairly large (~8 peeps), but there also two other groups sharing the hole which included a playboating clinic of sorts.
Brad works the outside shoulder at Grassy Lawn
Arthur at Grassy Lawn
Jeremiah sets-up for a cartwheel at Grassy
Pete mid cartwheel at Grassy Lawn
Pete at Grassy Lawn
Kim throws a loop at Grassy Lawn
Kim diggin' in at Grassy
I'm certainly not one to get extensive rides, but for some reason in large groups they tend to be really short and I seem to flush-out every time I try a spin. This can be quite frustrating, especially since you won't see another turn for about 10 minutes or so. Luckily for me, our group started heading down river to Mill Wave one by one, and soon enough I was the only one left from our group. Since this cleared the eddy quite a bit, I was able to get rides more frequently and soon enough I started to find my edges and get into more of a flow. It was also good to mingle with some of the others with whom I had never met before or hadn't seen in awhile.
After about 3 hours of playing at Grassy, Bob and Dan showed up after getting a later start out of Eugene. Unfortunately, I was too tired to hang out with them so I climbed up the steep muddy riverbank to the road above and walked back to Pete's car. In hindsight, it's really best to paddle down to the bridge just downstream, since it probably takes less time and is certainly better from an erosion standpoint. Once back at the car I quickly loaded up my boat, and drove to the takeout to meet the others. As I pulled in, I could see everyone else just starting to get changed. It turned out that we had all gotten tired around the same time, which made for perfect timing. The word from the rest of the crew was that Mill Wave was super good, and Red Hill was just a tad too high.
After we all changed and loaded up, we drove to Mapleton for some coffee and then headed home. All and all a great day of surf had by everyone!
The last Saturday in March brought us warm temps, and what appeared to be enough flow on Lower Brice Creek (based on internet gauges) to have a great day on the water. With water in the forecast for the weekend, and after going through an extended drought period, I was actually a bit surprised that I was having problems finding anyone to commit to getting out on Saturday. However, in the end I was able to convince Bob Lee and Ken Hutchinson that we needed to get in our boats.
From reviewing the gauges the night before, it looked like Lake Creek would end up being the best choice, but after a quick check in the morning, it appeared that it would be too low for the surf to be any good. That said, we turned our attention to Lower Brice Creek. I knew from the gauges that the Upper (and better) section would certainly be too low, but I was fairly convinced that the lower would have enough water, and heck, with sunny skies and 7o degrees forecasted, even a low water event would be better then hangin' in Eugene.
The Row above Pitcher Creek gauge Typically you want between 5.75' and 6.5' for the Upper Run, and between 5.25 and 6.25 for the Lower Run (which is what we did). It should be noted that since this gauge is actually on the Row River, these figures will only get you in the ballpark.
The Row above at Dorena Dam gauge I actually don't like to use this gauge except for the forecast since I don't find it to be as accurate as the Pitcher Creek one. However, If I recall correctly, you want between ~2,200cfs and 3500cfs for the Upper Run, and between ~1,500cfs and 2,500cfs for the Lower Run.
After making calls to the other two, we all agreed Brice would be the best choice and to meet-up at LCC at the relaxed departure time of 11am. It was pretty nice getting a late start, which allowed me to put together some pancakes and sausage for Emily and myself. After throwing down breakfast and kissing the family goodbye, I was off to meet the fellas.
As I pulled into the parking lot of LCC, I could see both Ken and Bob were sitting against their cars waiting for me, which made for a speedy departure. Since I knew it would only be the three of us, and not wanting to waste any more fuel than necessary, I had also brought along my commuter bike to shuttle with. With that, we all loaded up in the ol' Suby and headed south-east toward the creek. On the way up, we took a quick detour to Wildwood Falls on the Row River (which Brice flows into) to give a quick scout. Truth be told, I've been wanting to run this 15'er for awhile now, but it was always too high (with a beefy hole) for my comfort level when going to do Upper Brice. On this particular day it actually looked really good, with the hole flushing out nicely. The blue sky and sun beating down on it didn't hurt either. However, we decided it would be best if we ran the falls on the drive back down, after a day on Lower Brice, which would allow us to get a little warmed up.
After a short bit we crossed over the Row where Brice entering just upstream. At this point, I noticed that there didn't look to be much water coming in from the creek, but I remained silent and hoped for the best. We were now driving up the road paralleling Brice in an upstream direction, my observation on water level was confirmed, and it was indeed on the low side. Since we already made the drive, we decided there was still enough water to have a fun day and continued to the take-out, Cedar Creek Campground. Once there, I pulled the bike off the car, walked it down out of sight, and cable locked it to a tree. Next, we drove up to the put-in at Champion Creek, where we were not alone. ATVers, hikers, and bikers were also enjoying their respective recreation as well. The three of us changed into our kayaking garb, stashed a couple of beers in our boats (for the takeout) and hiked down to the creek to put on.
I immediately paddled out ahead so I could get some photos at Upper Trestle, which is only about a 1/4 mile down from the put-in. The first mile or so of Lower Brice is actually the steepest section, and a majority of the major ledge drops are found in this stretch with Upper Trestle being the first. After paddling some boogie water, I pulled into a small eddy on river right just above the drop. As I pulled my camera from my boat and out of the case, I turned to see both Bob and Ken coming into view from around the corner. As they approached, I gave them the standard head tap to signal that all was clear, and motioned toward the normal airplane boof over the left side of the drop. Bob went first, followed quickly by Ken, both having good lines.
Bob prepares to fire off Upper Trestle
Ken goes for the boof at Upper Trestle
I quickly packed my camera away, and joined them in the pool immediately above the next drop, Lower Trestle. This ledge is pretty straight forward at this level, as the hole at the base is pretty forgiving; however as flows increase so does the potential of a serious beating. Essentially, the creek splits around a small rock shelf into a boily cauldron, which exits through a short narrow gorge. Once again, both Bob and Ken had great lines and I followed in similar fashion after putting my camera away.
Ken in the pool above Lower Trestle (upper Trestle is just out of sight in the upper-right corner)
Bob lining up Lower Trestle
Ken drops down Lower Trestle
Bob and Ken just below the mini gorge that exits Lower Trestle
The next ledge drop (just downstream) is called Pogo. I've never liked the looks of this drop and therefore have never run it. At low flows (like we had this day) the hole doesn't look too bad, but the lead-in is quite scrapey, and pretty much forces you down the center slot where there is a high potential for getting flipped in the fold. This would most likely result in a swim, since it is highly aerated at the base, which makes it difficult to get the necessary blade purchase for snapping off a roll. At higher flows the lead-in is much cleaner, but once again the extra water makes the hole very sticky, and hitting your line is critical to avoid getting mangled (notice a theme here?). Both Ken and Bob didn't like the look of it either, so we all shouldered our boats and made the easy portage along the rock shelf on river right.
Pogo (the only real option on this day was the center slot due to the shallow lead-in)
Ken and Bob make the easy portage around Pogo
The next major drop you come to is a shallow/gritty slide, aptly named Cheesegrater. I've actually had a few run-ins with this particular rapid, and I'm not looking forward to another. One came during my first trip down the creek. While running the lead-in, I was stern squirted in a small hole just above the lip of the drop. As my nose came down, it was pointed to the right, setting me up for that angle as I went down the slide. Unfortunately, at this point there was no way for me to re-correct, and I was forced hard right where all the current shoots directly into an undercut. Luckily for me, I was flipped before going into the wall and floated upside down through the undercut. Had I not flipped, I'm pretty certain it would have resulted in some facial reconstruction. My second incident occurred at high water, where I swam in unison with a couple of buddies out of the bottom hole. At one point, all three of us were stuck at the same time before pulling the pin one by one. In fact, another guy in our crew barely escaped being the fourth-- it was his lucky day. Once again, the hole on Cheesegrater gets pretty nasty at high water, so a left side sneak is recommended at those flows. Since the water was low on this trip, we all ran down the center of the slide without issue.
The Author running the center line at Cheesegrater (photo by Brad Bassi; taken on an earlier trip at similar water level)
From here, the creek continues with a class III character for a mile or so before entering the next series of drops, Fun and Not Fun. Fun should be run left of the big boulder at the bottom, and Not Fun is typically run down the center of the right channel, which is created by another large boulder. Both drops are actually quite fun and fairly straight forward; although wood can be a problem here, so caution is advised.
Bob and Ken in the pool between Fun and Not Fun
Ken havin' fun at Not Fun
After these two drops you are faced one again with more class III style creekin'. Just as you start getting itchy for some more sizable drops, the lead-in for Laura's appears in front of you. Typically we run the lead-in by starting center, and heading left about halfway down. From here, the creek flows along the left bank before heading back to the right through a small wave-hole into a moving pool. This pool is what separates you from a series of two drops known as Laura's (Thighs). After running the lead-in, all three of us took up the small river right eddies just above the lip, (of the first ledge) and got out of our boats to scout. This rapid is the single largest on Lower Brice, and is still exciting at lower water. The first move consists of a pour-over ledge, which shoots you through a narrow line between the right wall and a large (mostly underwater) boulder to the left, that a good amount of the water pushes into. From here, a short fast moving pool is the only thing that separates you from a~5' wide slot of turbulent water that the whole creek funnels through before depositing you into the slack water below. While we were scouting, a couple that was enjoying a picnic overlooking the falls realized we were going to be going over it in our kayaks, and became very interested. After listening to the usual "Are you gonna run that?", "Have you ever done this before", and my personal favorite "You guys are crazy!",Bob made his way back up to the top to get in his boat. Once again I was on camera duty, and Ken armed himself with a throw bag. Bob pulled out of the eddy and greased the whole thing, barely getting his head wet. The couple that was spectating seemed taken aback, and both agreed that he made it look pretty easy.
Bob running the first part of Laura's
Bob drops into the bottom slot at Laura's
Next up was Ken. He, like Bob, came through the top drop with style, and as he lined up for the slot and dropped through, he was overtaken by the violent flume and had to snap off a quick roll in the pool below. All in all, still a great run.
Ken cleans the top drop at Laura's
Ken gets swallowed by the bottom slot at Laura's
Now it was my turn. Since Bob was gracious enough to walk back up to the viewing platform and take over the camera, I wanted to make sure I had a good line. After visualizing it in my head, I pulled out of the eddy and prepared to drop over the first ledge. Not wanting to hit the partially submerged rock at the base of the drop, I entered left with a right angle. I actually ended up starting further left than I wanted, but I was still able to make it through nice and clean. Next, I lined up on the small diagonal just above the slot, busted through, and dropped into the slot finishing it off nicely. It always feels good to run a clean line on this one, since you have to make a couple of moves to do so.
The author a little left at the entrance to Laura's
The author makes a clean break from the top drop at Laura's
The author up to his pits in the bottom slot at Laura's
After some thumbs up and waves from our spectators, we paddled away from the falls and made our way down the short section between it and the takeout. As I eddied out underneath the bridge, I was happy to see my bike sitting against the tree to which I had locked it. Knowing that I still needed to run the bike shuttle I quickly carried my boat up to the parking lot, degeared, and walked over to my bike to unlock it. "Shit!" I had left the key up at the car which was sitting at the put-in. At this point, I really didn't want to dwell on the situation, so I walked back to my boat where I had strategically stored a delicious, hoppy, northwest style beer. After poppin' the top and taking a couple swigs, I decided to inform the others of our misfortune. Luckily, I was able to convince a nice lady and her son to give me a ride back to my car. I offered her a bottle of beer for her troubles, and she turned it down. Can you imagine?!
After finishing our beer, the three of us were feelin' a little too tired for a huck session at Wildwood, so instead we headed for the border (Taco Bell), and grabbed a quick bite before heading home. Although the water was low, and the company was questionable... we all had a great day on the water!
The following video was one that I put together about a year ago, which combines both Upper and Lower Brice runs at higher flows. This video was also taken from multiple trips, and features too many boaters to list. Enjoy!
Last Saturday, Emily and I decided to take a trip east of the Cascades to Bend, Oregon for some mountain biking. This trip was actually going to serve a couple of purposes: 1) enjoy some dry trails and sunny weather on the east side, and 2) pick up my new 29er full squish mountain bike frame. The latter was really the driving force behind the trip, but we thought we should get in a ride while we were over there.
Ya see, I've been eying Salsa's "Big Mama" since it came out in 2008, but since I had recently bought my Stumpjumper FSR, I couldn't rationalize adding another horse to the stable, especially since the two bikes would serve the same purpose (all mountain). Fast forward 2 years, and Salsa has decided to start blowing out the old model to make room for the new ones. This, along a few more years out of the Stumpy, helped make my decision, so I called in the order to WebCyclery. I also knew that since I was buying just the frame (and I didn't have the cash to build it up right away), I would get at least one more season out of my old steed. Salsa's discount was also what convinced me to purchase my El Mariachi singlespeed 29er frame a couple of years back, and I've been a fan of their product ever since.
At first, Emily and I were planning to make a weekend of it and camp out. However, due to cold nights and our new dog's surgery (she had just gotten spayed), we decided it would be best done as a day trip. We had prepacked the night before and planned to get out of town between 7 and 7:30am. Because of the daylight savings change the weekend before, it was still dark when the alarm went off. After crawling out of bed (literally) we quickly took the dogs for a walk and ate breakfast before packing our bikes, dogs, and ourselves in the Outback. We were now on our way.
We stopped quickly for coffee in Eugene, and then hit Hwy. 126 up the McKenzie River and over Santiam Pass. We drove through Sisters and into Bend, where we headed east on Hwy. 20 (~15 miles) to the Horse Ridge trailhead at the intersection of Hwy. 20 and Forest Road 2015. The first thing we noticed in the parking area was that there were no trees to provide shade for the dogs. Although the temps were only supposed to get into the high 60s, we knew the car would get much warmer, so we both agreed we would need to find another place to park. After reviewing our Tread Map, we discovered that there was also a trailhead on the southeast side of the ridge. Hoping it would have more shade, we drove a mile or so down a couple of dirt roads to the marked position. To our relief, there were plenty of trees to park under to keep the car cool. The other thing we discovered about this parking lot was how empty it was, in fact we were the only car! This is quite rare for a trailhead near Bend, especially on such a nice day as this one.
While Emily and I changed into our riding gear, we let the dogs out of the car to run free. After we were ready, and the dogs had tired themselves out chasing each other through the dirt, we corralled them to their confines and we were off on our ride.
Tracks and elevation profile of our ride (yellow arrows indicate our out direction, and white arrows indicate our back direction)
After spending a couple of minutes trying to find the trailhead, we discovered on the side of the parking area with a trail marker labeled "30". As we began our climb to the top of the ridge, it became very apparent that it was going to be a tough slog through deep sand. I turned around to see Emily dismounting from her singlespeed and preparing to do a little pushing. At this point I was glad that I had brought my geared bike, but the feeling wouldn't last long. As I hit the first steep pitch, I also had to jump off my bike and join Emily in a hike-a-bike to the top. (you gotta love instant karma!) The one nice thing about the climb is that it was short, and soon we were at the top of the east ridge looking out over the high desert valley. Even though I'm relatively out of biking shape and Emily was on her singlespeed, this climb would be almost impossible to make it up all the way without walking at least a few stretches, due to the deep sand on an incline.
Emily says: " Riding uphill in sand sucks!"
After a short distance along the ridge, we found ourselves at the intersection of the main trail, "Has No Horse". We made a left turn onto the trail, and continued along the ridge to the west. This is where the trail started to get fun, and felt more reminiscent of the trail systems right out of Bend. (the Phil's network, etc...) I'm glad we had given the trail a chance, for there was a moment where I considered turning back since I thought the whole trail might be a sand pit, and I'm sure Emily was also feeling the same way!
Emily enjoying the first part of the ridge trail, "Has No Horse"
Although the trail did have a similar feel to the other trails around Bend, it was definitely more technical than most, I would actually compare it to the likes of C.O.D. or Voodoo. The trail pretty much takes you along Horse Ridge from east to west alternating between long, smooth, flowy stretches and short technical rock gardens; super fun stuff. As a bonus, you also get some great views of Mt. Jefferson, and even Mt. Hood in the far distance if you look hard enough.
View of Mt. Jefferson from "Has No Horse"
Emily rides through one of the more technical stretches on "Has No Horse"
The author rides through a small rock garden on "Has No Horse" (photo by Emily G. Pfeifer)
It should be noted that you do have to climb over two sections of barbed-wire fence along the way, since it goes right across the trail marking an environmental research area.
Emily on the other side of the fence that bisects the trail
After a little over 5 miles from the parking lot, we arrived at the lookout at the west side of the ridge. As promised, it delivered great views of the Cascade range, not only could you see Jefferson and Hood, you also got a shot of Bachelor, The Three Sisters, and other peaks in between.
View from the lookout, and our turnaround point. Bachelor (left) and the Three Sisters (center-right) are prominent in this picture.
From here, the trail does continue down the southern face to the valley below and up another ridge. However, one of the maps I had said the descent wasn't really worth it, and it's best to just do the trail as an out-and-back to this point. Actually, this worked better for us anyhow, as I was on a tight schedule to get back to Bend and pick up my new frame before 4pm, when the shop closed. We also wanted to try one of the descents off the north side, so after quickly taking in the view and eating a quick snack, we sped back down the trail we had just ridden up (still "Has No Horse").
On a side note, I did walk down the trail a bit, and it actually looked really good if you were up for a challenging technical descent.
A shot of the first rocky pitch of the trail that headed down the south side of the ridge. (Looked like fun stuff!)
More fun stuff around the first switchback
While riding back, I was surprised with how much descending there was. I really didn't remember climbing that much, so it was a nice surprise. We also ran into the first people of the trip; actually we ran into two sets of 2 riders along the ridge who were going in the opposite direction. Even with seeing these other folks, it still felt like we had the whole area to ourselves, which is unlike any other Bend ride we've ever done.
Instead of heading all the way back on the trail we had come up on, we decided to take a little detour and head down a trail to the left called "Parkway". After riding along some flat terrain and a quick climb, we were faced once again with another fence to climb over. Once past this obstacle, we started down the north face of the ridge as the trail snaked its way back and forth over some pretty technical trail. This is some of my favorite type of terrain, so I was grinning ear to ear as I sped around the corners and over & through the rocks in my way. Once again, I was feeling glad that I was on my full squish, hoping I wouldn't jinx myself this time.
Emily gets some turns in on "Parkway"
Emily drops down a small set of rock stairs on "Parkway"
The author enjoying the ride down "Parkway" (photo by Emily G. Pfeifer)
Although it was a fairly long downhill, it was over way too quickly, and only left us wanting more. There was an option to extend the downhill by way of a left turn at the intersection we were now stopped at. The map called the trail "Escape from Moscow" and it sounded appealing, however, we were on a race against time and we didn't feel like pushing our luck. With that, we chose to go right, down a dirt double-track, until we reached the old highway below (no longer in use). Although not nearly as nice as the trails we had just come down, I was glad to have some old cracked pavement to ride on instead of deep sand, which I had expected it to be. Our forward progress was also no longer going downhill, instead the road follows the edge of the ridge on a slight incline back to where we had started.
Before the road had a chance to reach the eastern edge of the ridge, we once again saw a trail off to the right marked "30". Knowing that it would probably connect back with the trail we had started on from the trailhead, we decided to take it as a shortcut crossing over the ridge instead of riding around it. Once again we were faced with an unridable sandy hill that we had to push our bikes to the top of. It was fairly short and within a couple of minutes we did rejoin the first trail at the top of the hill.
Emily once again gives the big "thumbs down" to another sand climb
Luckily, this time we would be riding down the sandy trail we had previously hiked up. It was actually pretty fun in this direction, and as long as you kept your wheel straight and your momentum up, you could float right through the sand; it kind of felt a little like skiing.
Once we were back at the car, we let the dogs out for another run, and quickly changed and loaded up so we could make it to the bike shop in time. With the bike shop's location loaded into the GPS, we made it there with some time to spare, and after talking with one of the guys in the bike shop about components, I walked out the door with my new Mama! Next, we once again followed the directions from the robotic woman in my GPS, but this time she navigated us to Cascade Lakes Brewing Company, also in Bend. We each enjoyed a burger and beer before heading back to Eugene with the dogs.
Our final destination in Bend, Cascades Lakes Brewing Company
By the time we got home we were all pretty tired out. After going out for banana milkshakes and watching some T.V. we called it an early night, and all slept well (including the dogs).
The Brice Creek area is one of my favorite places. The trail is actually the first hike that Emily and I did after moving to Oregon. Not only does it offer great hiking, it also provides excellent mountain biking by use of the same trails, and some of the best class 4/4+ kayaking in the area during winter months after a good hard rain.
Since Saturday was spent playboating on Lake Creek, and sunny skies were in the forecast for Sunday, I was pretty excited to get back on my bike after some extended down time. For the record, I'm not much of a playboater, and mountain biking in the winter has never really appealed to me; however for some reason this weekend I felt like breaking the norm, and I'm glad I did.
The great thing about Brice Creek, like most river tails, is that the trail surface holds up really well during the wet season, which can be attributed to a greater rock to soil ratio. Another thing I like about Brice Creek Trail is that it's one of the more technical trails in the area. By no means does it rival or come close to places like Moab, Whistler, or even Flagstaff, (where I learned to ride more than 15 years ago) but compared to most of the buffed, flowy trails in the Willamette forest, it does keep you on your toes a bit. Another thing that the trail has is some exposed areas where the side of the trail drops off steeply toward the creek below. Because of these reasons, this may not be the best place to bring a novice, however, an intermediate rider would do just fine. As for physical difficulty, it not very long (~12 miles as an out & back) and only has a couple of climbs, which aren't too tough. That said, if you were really pushin' hard, I'm sure you could wear yourself out. Also note, the trail can be extended and turned into a lollipop by adding the Upper Trestle Creek Falls Trail. Unfortunately, in the winter time this trail gets pretty sloppy and should probably be avoided.
I was actually the latecomer to the trip, which had been planned by my wife Emily (EGP), Emily Coonrod, (Coonabomber) and Kim McGovern. I was looking forward to riding with this all girl crew which typically doesn't generate the competitive atmosphere that can occur with the fellas. Basically, I was just along for the ride, so I loaded my bike and myself into Emily's car and headed to wherever it was taking me. The first stop ended up being LCC, where we met up with Coonabomber and Kim. From there we caravanned about an hours' drive southeast to the lower trailhead of Brice Creek.
My riding buddies for the day (Coonabomber, Kim, and EGP)
After quickly gearing up in ~40 degree temps, we pedaled around the parking lot a bit to warm up. Once everyone was ready, we crossed the road and started riding up the trail on the other side. The first thing I noticed was how out of practice I was, and after bobbling on some easy rocky sections I told myself to loosen up and get into a flow. Wanting to do a post about mountain biking, I asked the girls if it would be okay if I jumped out ahead so I could get some photos for it. They all agreed, and I set off to find a spot. This is where I also noticed that I was a little out of shape as well. (cardio wise) This, plus the fact that these girls are super fast riders, had me hammering away while still hearing their voices behind me. After some time I was able to make up enough distance to set up for a couple of quick shots.
Coonabomber leadin' the pack
Once they passed by with big smiles, I quickly put my camera away so I could try and catch back up. By the time I did, I was starting to feel a little overdressed and needed to shed a couple of layers. After giving the signal to Coonabomber, she said there was a great spot coming up just past Cedar Creek Falls (a.k.a. Laura's Thighs by the kayaking community). She was right, and we stopped at a nice little pullout overlooking a small rapid leading into the falls.
Cedar Creek Falls (a.k.a. Laura's Thighs)
Emily and me taking a second to strip off some layers and show some public affection
Once everyone had a chance to un-layer, we were off again with the girls in the lead. As we tore down the trail, I could hear yips and ye-haws as they took turns cleaning some of the more rooty and rocky stretches. Soon after, we approached the first real climb, and once again I tried to get out ahead to take pictures of them coming up. This is where both my lungs and legs really started to burn. Luckily, I was able to get far enough ahead that they couldn't see me walk the last pitch of the climb...hee-hee, they would never know... Just after setting my bike down and grabbing my camera, I caught a glimpse of Coonabomber powerin' through the climb on her 29er single-speed, making it all the way to the top without having to dab. Right on her heels, both EGP and Kim made it up with the same success.
EGP pushes though to the top of the first hill (Kim just behind her)
Coonabomber takes up the lead at the the top of the first hill
A couple of quick breaths, and we were back on our way. We had one more hill to climb, and this time I paced myself a little beforehand, so I was able to make it all the way up without touching down. (but still panting!) Once you're past the two hills, the trail starts to gradually head back down to the river, and pretty much stays there for the remaining mile our so to the upper trailhead, near Champion Creek. There is a fun little rock garden in this stretch, which usually isn't a problem getting down, however making it up without dabbing can be tough.
EGP drops down the rock garden near the end of the trail. No problem!
Coonabomber exits the trail near Champion Creek
Once we made it to the upper trailhead, we lounged around a bit and ate some energy bars and GUs. By this time, the temps had increased and it was turning out to be really nice day. I was looking forward to putting away the camera and just enjoying the ride back. The pace also picks up a bit on the way back since the lower trail head is ~500' lower, that and you don't have to contend with the two hills.
Kim, all smiles, and headed back down the trail
On the way back down the trail, we ran into quite a few hikers. This is a high-use area on the weekends, so it's a good idea to check your speed, especially around blind corners. Everyone that we encountered was pleasant, which was good since biker/hiker confrontations are not uncommon. Another thing we encountered was Emily C's chain falling off a few times. After the third or forth time we decided it would be best to pull over and tighten it up. After turning a couple of bolts she had the tension set nicely, and we were off again. About 2 miles from the trailhead where we had started the ride, there's a nice little root drop that I rolled up on too quickly and ended up dabbing and and walking it down. As I looked behind me the gals had held up to take a look. After a quick talk about what would be the best line they all fired it up and had great lines with no dabs. It's cool to see how good of riders they've turned into.
The girls negotiate a rocky bit just up from Cedar Creek Falls
The girls heading through one of the flowy sections toward the lower trailhead
Another shot of the flowy stretch
There is one tricky bridge crossing on the way back down due to a 90 degree turn, step up, log overhead, and slick surface during the wet season. This section has given EGP troubles in the past, but she was determined to clean it this time. With that determination, she flew past and cleared it like it wasn't even there.
EGP defeats her nemesis, the slimy, 90 degree, elevated, overhead log having, bridge Thing
Soon enough, the bridge came into view marking the end of ride. What a great day! I'm glad the girls were cool with me comin' along.
Gauge used for Lake Creek (~10 feet) 
Brad works the outside shoulder at Grassy Lawn 
Arthur at Grassy Lawn 
Jeremiah sets-up for a cartwheel at Grassy
Pete mid cartwheel at Grassy Lawn 
Pete at Grassy Lawn 
Kim throws a loop at Grassy Lawn 
Kim diggin' in at Grassy 
