If you can see it, you must be able to hike to it!

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678) 03/22/2020 at 13:26 • Filed to: None

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Every day Since moving in here, I wake up to see that peak. And each day I have wondered about getting up there and looking back down towards the house. Well on Friday I set off to accomplish that feat, departing home on my bicycle about 1030am after a hearty breakfast and some snack/lunch packed.

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Well about 30 minutes into my bike ride, I had made it up the road a few miles and reached my first dirt road of the day to enjoy my mountain bike on. And as soon as I got started down the dirt road, off goes the chain dangling uselessly due to a link popping out. I had assembled this chain so user error at its finest! I managed to cobble it back together using a couple rocks as hammers but this wouldn’t hold for a long ride so I did the safe thing and rode back home.

At least I got to enjoy the nice views, the perfect biking weather, and a sweet rewarding downhill jam back to base, taking care not to pedal much to avoid faceplanting. One could consider this defeat but to me this merely a set back. I took the afternoon off to eat my lunch, enjoy some peaceful time at home, and work on a wiring project to get the house wired up for ethernet. Still determined, I set off at about 330pm in the Miata along with a roommate to just drive to the trail head and tackle the peak on foot solely. And boy was it worth the determination!

From the trailhead, the mountains awaited us and the entertaining Canyon carve to get there was just icing on the cake. My roommate was like most people unfamiliar with miatas enthused by the cramped interior, the openness of top down life, and also scared shitless of how fast we drove there. Granted, I was going at about 50% and probably didn’t even break the speed limit but everything feels fast when your inches off the ground, the turns are full on Rollercoaster tight, and you aren’t in control of the vehicle. Anyways, the hike was the real adventure so off we went to complete the hike before sundown!

As we neared the top, the view was a bit obscured and seemed like a bad sign for being able to actually see what we came there for. But when we reached the final precipice we could see just enough that I knew it was worth waiting it out and seeing if it would clear up. And boy did it open up to some majesty!

Panoramic views from Catalina island in the south to all the way past Ventura at the North and all of the channel Islands in between. The green valleys, blue ocean, and faraway houses dotting the landscape. Pictures do not do it justice but believe me that it was spectacular. The way the overlook was exposed to a sheer drop-off and the clear skies and spring conditions just made it wonderful. We enjoy some silence, some breathing, and then made our way back down under the rapidly setting sun. Thankfully we saw very few people on this hike, easily keeping up social distancing. That would have been absolutely impossible to accomplish on Saturday considering what the parking lot looked like, so we timed it just right.

So, mission accomplished; If you can see it, you can hike to it! 

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 13:31

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“If you can see it, you can hike to it.”

*results may vary based on local air quality.

farscythe - makin da cawfee! > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 13:36

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If you can see it, you can hike to it!

*looks at the moon*

(sorry couldnt resist...i agree with you..i have a thing for needing to get to the top of any hill/mountain i can see...probably coz we dont have them here...if i find myself near one i have to know whats up top)

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DipodomysDeserti 03/22/2020 at 13:40

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It's surprisingly clear right now thanks to the quarantine. It's a wonderful what no commuting does for air quality! 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > farscythe - makin da cawfee! 03/22/2020 at 13:42

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You can hike the moon, just requires some pre-planning and some gear. 

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 14:06

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Wonder how many people die every year as a result of poor air quality.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 14:12

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Nice view! All I see outside my window are neighbors’ houses and some trees.

I recommend adding a couple of master links and a chain breaker to your toolbag. Then you won’t have to use rocks as hammers.

SiennaMan > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 14:13

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 How does that Scandinavian saying go?  There's no such thing as bad weather,  only bad clothes"?

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 14:18

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We go hike, but people started coming in from SF etc.. so it’s a shitshow now. Ten surfers waiting for a shitty wave yesterday, I didn’t even go in. The trail we did the other day where we only saw two other people looked very busy whe we passed there yesterday. 

avalonian > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 15:41

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It's insane in Atlanta right now. Moon and stars last night!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > SiennaMan 03/22/2020 at 17:47

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Idk, I can only get so naked when it gets super hot. Hiking in 100+ conditions is just not fun, especially if it’s a hard hike. I can manage it when it gets to about 90 if I start early and am heading downhill by midday. But yeah overcast and mid 60s and barely any  humidity is a lot more pleasant. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DipodomysDeserti 03/22/2020 at 17:49

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That sounds like a good news report “Corona Virus saves lives”. I mean if you factor in less pollution, less traffic accidents, and fewer alcohol related incidents it very well could be net positive even with hundreds per day dying from the virus. 

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/22/2020 at 17:51

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Yeah I had the chain tool at home, I just had to get it together enough to bike back up a short couple of hills. I ended up just chopping off the bad link and reconnecting it properly. Can’t tell which link it was now Thankfully. Had zero issues on the more intense ride from Saturday.

I need to put together an essentials tool kit since you can definitely get into some remote places out here! Back east all I ever really worried about was thorns so it was all about tube replacement. But I'm not even carrying that so it'd be good to start. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 18:21

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I carry an Alien, a patch kit, a couple of tubes, and a small pump in my hydration pack. The Alien has most of what you would need for field repairs.

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 18:27

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People keep bringing up these “total number of deaths” estimates as if they really mean anything. Let me look up the total number of deaths in the Salt River Valley c.  500 ca. Maybe we should go back to living like the Hohokam. They left us some useful canals.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DipodomysDeserti 03/22/2020 at 19:47

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I don't mean to downplay the number of deaths from the virus. Any avoidable death is one too many. And Corona virus deaths are absolutely avoidable. People need to social distance, wash their damn hands, and have common sense. The draconian measures to control people are solely because there are too many selfish people out there. The economy could be just fine if people could handle themselves. 

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 20:07

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“ Any avoidable death is one too many.”

That sounds nice to say, but is simply not the reality of living in a free society. We deem plenty of avoidable deaths as acceptable based on the risk an d reward of the activity. Driving being a prime example. Every automobile death is 100% avoidable. Just ban cars. We of course would never do that because the automobile is a pillar of our society.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DipodomysDeserti 03/22/2020 at 22:27

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It doesn’t make it not one too many. We should do everything in our power to reduce unnecessary deaths. Regardless of the reality of it, I like to believe an idealist approach is the only way society has a chance. But yeah that's why things like self driving cars are a necessity eventually. 

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 22:35

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Well, good luck taking my motorcycles away. Also, we’re restricted from hiking until further notice. That activity kills a whole of of people unnecessarily. Just put on an episode  of Planet Earth and get on a stair master.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > DipodomysDeserti 03/22/2020 at 23:25

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Just so you know, I'm not a "take their guns" kinda person. I'm a bleeding heart liberal and an idealist but I'm not a complete idiot. I understand reality and what you are saying makes sense and I generally agree. Sorry to start an argument nearly. 

DipodomysDeserti > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 03/22/2020 at 23:34

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I got you. I take this more as a conversation than an argument. People who enjoy being outdoors are all the same people at heart. All the other shit just gets in the way.