Off roading with TC
Took TC out biking last Saturday. She has a 6 speed mountain bike (20" wheels) so when we go out, I take my mountain bike. She wanted to bike to Voyager Park near Rancho Del Rey Middle School. When we got to the park, we rode down to the biggest gazebo that overlooks Telegraph. We found a gravel path that leads down to Telegraph and decided to ride it down. It was pretty steep, so I made sure she kept her hands on her brakes. Even so, she "fishtailed" a bit.
As we neared the bottom, we saw a trail that ran to the west. I wasn't sure if TC would be adventurous enough to take it, so we just made our way down to the sidewalk. Once at the sidewalk though, TC asked if we could go back and take the trail. So we rode the trail and she really enjoyed it. She tipped to the left once into some bushes, but was OK. A little dirt on the left handlebar grip and her jeans was all. Some of the inclines were a little steep so she walked them up. Once we made it to Paseo Ranchero, she wanted to take the same trail back. So we did. There was a big rock on the trail that we named "Steve".
When we got back to the gravel path, we noticed the trail continued east. After taking a break, we took the trail east. It was a pretty easy ride until the end. That's where the trail took a steep decline to the street corner. I took the lead to make sure TC could slow down into me if needed. When we got down to Telegraph, we continued east on the sidewalk to La Media. We then crossed Telegraph and went west on the jogging trail that is on the southside of Telegraph. That took us all the way back to Paseo Rancheo. We crossed Telegraph and walked the bikes up my "favorite" incline that I have yet to master. We then rode back home.
It was a good day and I think TC is now more receptive to taking her bike on the trails. I'm going to see if she'll be up to doing the canyon trail near our house the next time we go out.
As we neared the bottom, we saw a trail that ran to the west. I wasn't sure if TC would be adventurous enough to take it, so we just made our way down to the sidewalk. Once at the sidewalk though, TC asked if we could go back and take the trail. So we rode the trail and she really enjoyed it. She tipped to the left once into some bushes, but was OK. A little dirt on the left handlebar grip and her jeans was all. Some of the inclines were a little steep so she walked them up. Once we made it to Paseo Ranchero, she wanted to take the same trail back. So we did. There was a big rock on the trail that we named "Steve".
When we got back to the gravel path, we noticed the trail continued east. After taking a break, we took the trail east. It was a pretty easy ride until the end. That's where the trail took a steep decline to the street corner. I took the lead to make sure TC could slow down into me if needed. When we got down to Telegraph, we continued east on the sidewalk to La Media. We then crossed Telegraph and went west on the jogging trail that is on the southside of Telegraph. That took us all the way back to Paseo Rancheo. We crossed Telegraph and walked the bikes up my "favorite" incline that I have yet to master. We then rode back home.
It was a good day and I think TC is now more receptive to taking her bike on the trails. I'm going to see if she'll be up to doing the canyon trail near our house the next time we go out.
posted by bert wolfe at
11:38 PM
2 Comments:
Awesome ride. Must have been fun. It's really hard to stop when you are going downhill on gravel. You lose control usually when you break going down hill. It's better to not break if possible until you get to the bottom of the hill and the road flattens out, but....
Also try to keep your weight back on the bike to keep from flipping over and helps give you a little more control
By
Thor, at 16 March, 2009 22:12
Thanks for the tips. Yeah, we really couldn't wait until the gravel flattened out because Telegraph was right there. TC loved it though. Adrenaline rush.
By
bert wolfe, at 17 March, 2009 08:55
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