Oct. 5
Last week, we talked about how to dip a tire into the world of mountain biking (MTB) around San Marcos, starting with the River Recharge Natural Area (RRNA) and moving up to the trails of Lower Purgatory. But before we move on to a few of the more advanced trails, a word about safety.
Wear a helmet—not just for crashes, but, as I found out repeatedly, for low hanging limbs, too. Wear some gloves— not just for grip, but to keep the skin on your hands, especially around elm trees and cacti. And lastly, start with platform pedals—your shins will curse you, but the rest of your body will thank you. I’ve been told there will come a day when I’ll want to switch to clip-ins, but I haven’t reached it yet. I’ll let you know when I do. Now, on to some of the more intermediate rides in our neighborhood.
Spring Lake Flow: Once you get comfortable on the RRNA and Lower Purgatory trails, Spring Lake becomes a developing rider’s dream. Park at the North LBJ trailhead and enjoy a fun descent down the Road Runner Trail, where you can then choose your own adventure along the Grey Fox, Blue Stem, and Blue Heron Trails. Whatever you do, don’t miss out on the Buckeye Trail coming down from the Lime Kiln entrance, and if you’re feeling really froggy, tack on the Blind Salamander or Centipede Trails to work your quads and your courage.
Madrone Trail Legit: Having tamed the local trails sans Upper Purgatory and Outer Ringtail, it’s time to take your MTB game to the next level. A short 30-minute drive to Canyon Lake delivers you to the free parking area of the Madrone Trail. The first part of this trail consists of a spaghetti bowl of interconnected paths that wind around a mountain, delivering jumps, drops, and banked turns that urge you to go a little faster or circle back to try that descent again.
Having exhausted the mountain, a short forest run delivers you into a picnic area that is part pump track and part skate park as you blister past concrete tables and ride the plank off a nice 5-foot drop. Sometimes, I just go round and round here until my face hurts from smiling.
Lastly, the trail takes you into the open for a ride along the lake before one last plunge into a forest ride that delivers you back to the base of Spaghetti Mountain. Ridden directly, it’s a 7.6-mile outing. . . but don’t ride it directly. Go out, get lost, and have some fun. And if you need any more wisdom— head over to Galaxy Bicycles here in town and talk to one of the Andys. . . or Cosmo.