From the West LA area it is an easy ride to many of the trails.
MOUNTAIN
BIKING
From the West LA area
it is an easy ride
to many of the trails.
The Westridge Fire Road offers beginners a moderately challenging and very safe
inroduction
to pedaling off-road. There is a parallel
singletrack that
would make
even
Lance Armstrong breathe. Santa Monica Mountains just north of West LA.
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Famous stuntman Terry Jackson was born in 1962. If you were born in 1982
you probably can't keep up with him on a mountain bike... or a climbing wall... or
50 flights of stairs. This singletrack parallels the Mountaingate/Kenter Fire Road
(just to the west of the Getty Center) and connects to the Westridge Fire Road.
There are hundreds of miles
of beginner fire
roads
and
challenging single track to explore in the
Santa Monica and San Gabriel Mountains.
Massage therapist and biking/hiking guide, Scott
Amiss, sees the light pedaling his
TURNER Mountain Bike. Topping out @ 8,000 ft. makes it worth the 90 minute drive
to escape
the summer heat in June. Mt. Pinos (peenyOs) is just north of LA.
(1) 24
(2) Hour
(3) Solo
(4) semi-pro
(5) racer,
(6) Dave
(7) Pelman,
(8) starts
(9) a
(10) race
(11) at
(12) 12:00 pm
(13) on
(14) a
(15) Saturday
(16) and
(17) finishes
(18) the
(19) race
(20) at
(21) 12:00 pm
(22) on
(23) a
(24) Sunday!
Swimming is optional in Sycamore Canyon State Park, Ventura County.
A PASSION
In my biased opinion, there is no other endurance sport
that is better or harder than mountain biking (& serious
road cycling).
With perfect riding weather nine out of
ten days it is hard to
be
a 'responsible' adult inside
(very overrated). There is plenty of access to the trails
from
Santa Monica, the Pacific Palisades, Topanga,
Malibu,
Ventura County, and everywhere in between.
66 degrees is the average high from December - February.
Another frigid 65 degree ride in January. Malibu Creek State Park
(where M*A*S*H* was filmed) is just
five minutes north of
Pepperdine on Las Virgenes (Malibu Canyon) Road.
This is still the biggest star in LA.
LIVE WELL
Few experiences in life are more rewarding than riding
an 'entire mountain range' with best friends in tow.
From
1993 to 1999,
I lived, worked, skied, hiked, and mtn biked
the 'mountains of youth' in Vail, CO.
If Kobe was a mountain biker this could have been
his experience in Eagle County.
Karl Krupp (& Karl Krupp) doubles the vision on 100 mile mountain
bike rides.
Mt. of the Holy Cross in the background, Vail, CO.
Karl and I know some of the most incredible mountain trails by heart.
Want to get away?
MOUNTAIN BIKE COLORADO
The Holy Cross Wilderness and the adjacent Gore Range of Vail are pristine areas
that leave one breathless ~ elevation averages @ 10,000 ft. At just over 14,000 feet,
summiting Mt. of the Holy Cross is a challenge for any athlete. It stands alone with
views that leave one with a sense of exhilarated humility. The San Juan Mountains
in Telluride, CO are a vertical slice of heaven. Aspen is legendary
and also right around the corner.
Colorado is well worth the trip!
Vail and the rest of the Rocky Mountains are not just for skiing, hiking, and
biking.
There is also river rafting, kayaking, horseback riding, fly fishing,
full service
health spas, and beautiful world class golf courses.
Almost makes me forget about the skiing.
I can arrange inexpensive, luxury accommodations
(my friends are now the property managers*).
*I have no idea how this happened.
Click here
for information on
Mountain Biking
Adventure Getaways!
A summer 'training session' in Vail will
turn
unmotivated legs into steel, revitalize
the spirit,
and
shrink the waistline!
Karl Krupp spends a typical summer day pedaling a path up - up - up and up,
and then down - down - down and down, and then up - up - up again!...
through endless aspen tree heaven.
SMART FOOD
Intelligent mountain bikers and regularly active athletes get 60 to 70 percent
of their daily calories from complex carbohydrates as well as some natural sugars.
A little sugar, especially in natural whole forms from fruits and honey, is great
for endurance exercise (I must admit to my addiction to Animal Crackers).
MOUNTAIN BIKING
IS
GREAT
(YET INCOMPLETE)
Mountain biking is great exercise, one of the best in my opinion.
Unlike running, biking is a non-impact sport...
if you stay on the bike.
Pedaling hard is great for cross-training;
developing lower body anaerobic strength with aerobic endurance.
But by itself,
any type of cycling restricts the strength range of the legs and can reduce
over-all body flexibility due to the small motion of the pedal stroke and
static position of the body. Full range of motion cross-training is a necessity
to maintain proper core muscle engrams.
CAUTION!!
When riding off-road any trail can be technical
and dangerous... especially to the over-confident;
and some can be deadly!
Always wear a helmet!
It's not a medical degree, it's healthier than that.
Please
see
Nutrition
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Strength Training
Sport-Specific Development
and
Motivation!
Jeff Archibald
ACE Certified Trainer
310 890 6783
24 hour phone messages
jeff@boldfitness.com