Finally.. made it to Santos.

On Sunday I made it out to the Santos trail finally. I rode a total of just under 30 miles in about 3 and a half hours including a couple of breaks.  Using the 'iMapMyRide' on my iPhone is beginning to annoy me.  I know the mileage isnt reporting correctly and it will not stop recording if you stop for a minute or two. So I have to reach into my camekbak - pull out the phone, and pause it.  annoying!  It was very chilly - so I had a base underarmour thermal layer along with jersey and leg warmers. By about 3:30 I needed another layer.

At any rate - the ride was fantastic. I started out at the Santos trailhead.  I didnt get there till 12:30 - so I knew I probably would not get the entire 'Epic' ride in. For nutrition, I had 2 clif bars, one 'clif block' package, and a flask of hammer gel. Mmmm espresso. Unfortunately, the stupid little flask's top wasnt on all the way and it leaked out all over my car's center console. So I only really had 2 full servings.  bah.  Not a great way to start the day. I really could have used those electrolytes later in the day.

Santos is very well marked.  The entire 'epic ride' portion is marked off by little round green signs telling you which way to go.  "Epic Ride - West" on the way out, and "Epic Ride - East" on the way in.  Almost all of the singletrack is nice and sweeping curves. with a few short florida climbs. I did not follow the exact Epic Ride portion until I got past 25th st.  I basically went down Pine Tree trial till I got to Bunny Trail, crossed 25th street and went around twister twice. (I sort of got off track - obviously)  Twister is great, though.  Fast twists and turns, and is over 3 miles long - and it seems to go on forever.  It was after riding twister twice that I saw the Epic Ride signs - and chose to follow them. Even though I had a map, I was too stupid to figure out that the little green signs were what I needed to follow.

This took me south west amd through the brushy 'spider kingdom' and to the landbridge trailhead.  It was going on 2:00 or so - and I wanted to be sure to get back before sundown. So, I only rode on to the landbridge, then turned around and followed the Epic Ride - East signs all the way back to santos. I got back to the Santos area in about an hour or so.  I took a quick break and checked the phone - and it said 26 miles.  So, I rode the Dr. Ruth trail, and hopped on a red trail to see how hard it was. Supposedly its the easiest one - called Sinkhole.  Well, it wasnt easy at all. This trail was really tight and winding - in several sections I was going litterally 2 miles an hour.  I only had to walk up one portion. I was coming around a corner and up to a rocky climb section. As soon as I tried to get some momentum I hit a big stone which stopped the bike cold - and (in what seemed like slow motion) endoed me.  I tweaked my neck a little, and bruised my thigh from the stem hitting me. But otherwise, was fine.

After walking up the rest of that climb I got back on the bike and finished out that trail.  My left leg began cramping bad - and I was completely out of any electrolytes.  My day was done - so I went back to the parking lot and headed home.  I brought the digital camera with me - but I always seem to be too into riding to want to stop and take a pic.  I took a couple, and will post those later.

Next weekend I hope to do all 42 miles.  If I make sure to not spill my hammer gel, and bring a bottle of accelerade along with my camelbak - I wont cramp up.