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Post 06 Jul 2021, 19:59 • #1 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
I hadn't been to the park in a month or so. Temps can often be in the triple digits during the summer, but over the holiday it was "only" in the 80's, with an onshore / coastal breeze. I packed a Maxcatch Uniglass 4wt 7'6" 5-piece in my Osprey Raptor 14 loaded with 3L of water and headed out at 8am from the trailhead.

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Typically I use this rod with a WF5F. After an hour and a half of pedaling I came to the first pond.

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I'd had good luck in past years, catching bluegill and largemouth here, but the last couple of trips I've come up empty, and this was no exception. I saw a few tiny fish, and a larger model hiding in the weeds, but nothing like it was before. The area looks like it is being grazed again. Dunno.

"vintage" bike (1999)
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I suppose one might say I should get a new bike, but this one works fine for me, and with all the hardware in my spine and neurological issues it's not like I ride hard anyway.

By mid-morning I headed out again, up and down the rolling hills on more fire roads, to the second pond.

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After some lunch I had better luck here on foam dragonflies and Bailes' mini-mouse.

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After a few more fish I was off again, up and down, then doowwn, and then uuupp. By late afternoon I arrived at the day's last pond.

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It wasn't looking good. Water level way down, and a dead fish in the shallows, near a bobber someone had snagged apparently. Still, I took a few casts with a hippy stomper tied in damsel blue and caught a couple little guys.

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I'd seen bluegill and crappie here, but today they were no-shows. I think I'll let that pond be until the winter rains come again.

By 4:30pm I was ready to head back to the car, and the 1100' fire road descent. Think squealing brakes :) Total damage for the day: 26 miles / 4500' elevation gain.


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Post 06 Jul 2021, 20:17 • #2 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
That's a good ride!


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Post 06 Jul 2021, 20:58 • #3 
Guide
Joined: 02/06/15
Posts: 160
Location: Colorful Colorado
I'm hip to not doing much mtn biking anymore because I spent a couple of years in Moab one Friday afternoon. I deliberately bought a hard tail 29er as my last mtn bike in 2014 knowing full well it would be my last mtn bike after 3 spinal surgeries and it has been.

Looked like a fun way to spend part of the day even if the fishing was slow!


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Post 07 Jul 2021, 07:42 • #4 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 10/09/09
Posts: 2796
Location: US-NM
My last mtn bike was a ti Merlin I bought in 1994........Aurelio


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Post 07 Jul 2021, 09:34 • #5 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Thanks all.

Wow, that is a lot of hardware ! After a car accident in 2007 and two surgeries, and a stay in a rehab ward learning to walk again (plus being in a halo for three months due to C1 fracture) :

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As if I didn't learn anything, after a rock climbing accident six years later.

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I started riding in the 90's, and hardtails are close to my heart. I still have a steel Trek 930 I bought in 1994.

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I've replaced most of the parts on it (much like my FSR) and a few years ago put a chromoly fork on the front, since I couldn't find any decent disc-compatible suspension forks in that size anymore. "Steel is real", or so they say. I was surprised at how well it still rides.

Titanium bikes sound very cool. I've been thinking about a Litespeed Pinhoti III recently ... but realistically I think I like not spending five grand a bit more :)


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Post 07 Jul 2021, 17:44 • #6 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 03/30/09
Posts: 1525
Location: Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
I really like the looks of that pond.


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Post 07 Jul 2021, 18:18 • #7 
Sport
Joined: 08/13/17
Posts: 30
Location: PA
Looks like fun! Id keep the bike. If it aint broke, no need to replace it.

Thanks for sharing.


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Post 07 Jul 2021, 22:18 • #8 
New Member
Joined: 01/15/21
Posts: 11
Mountain biking and fishing are two of my favorite things!!! Had a bad get off about 5 years ago, slowed down a bit after that lol. My current ride is a 2016 trek stache, the 3 inch tires make the hard tail frame ride just a little smoother.

Thanks

Sam from KY


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 03:03 • #9 
Guide
Joined: 10/14/19
Posts: 128
Location: Tauranga, New Zealand
Great photos and story Odonata. Thanks for sharing. Cheers


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 04:26 • #10 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 11/06/17
Posts: 2498
Location: South of Joplin
I'm exhausted just reading about that ride.


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 07:40 • #11 
Master Guide
Joined: 12/11/20
Posts: 378
Location: Dallas, TX
Great ride/fish excursion! A 26 miler is a solid ride on a road bike; doing it on a fat tire at elevation is impressive.

I still regret getting rid of my 1992 Specialized Rockhopper. It was a good bike. I donated it for a good cause though so I hope someone is using it more than I was in Dallas at the time.


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 09:40 • #12 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Thanks again all.

Max altitude on this ride was maybe 2500', so not really that impressive :). The park has a lot of steep stuff though, and there are places where I personally have to just get off the bike and walk.

Including those little details does not make for such a good story though ... ;)


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 09:47 • #13 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/26/14
Posts: 3578
Location: US-MN
I've still got a Trek 930 - great bike! I did get a 29er a long time ago now too - a Gary Fisher Cobia.


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Post 08 Jul 2021, 22:10 • #14 
Guide
Joined: 02/06/15
Posts: 160
Location: Colorful Colorado
Haha you're right you didn't learn especially after a C1 fracture. You got lucky there.

It's amazing how big the screws are they can bolt onto your spine now. I saw an xray once that was left on the screen while I was in the office for my stuff and I was shocked how big the screws were they ran into somebody's pelvis. I swear they looked like 3" wood screws. You have some nice ones in your thoracic spine!


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Post 09 Jul 2021, 08:55 • #15 
Guide
Joined: 02/04/14
Posts: 181
Location: US-MA
I know a doctor well-they describe orthopedic surgery as glorified carpentry with bone instead of wood.


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Post 09 Jul 2021, 09:10 • #16 
Master Guide
Joined: 11/04/15
Posts: 631
Location: US-FL
Looks like you had a good time. Nice to get out, even if the fishing isn't over the top.


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Post 09 Jul 2021, 11:37 • #17 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 07/11/14
Posts: 1784
Location: urban Colorado
very nice..

options are limited for the mtb/flyfish duathlon around here.. I ride up Waterton canyon rail-to-trail on the bike to look for trout, and down the S. Platte concrete trail to look for smallmouth in the urban S. Platte.. most mountain lakes are either road-accessible, or in wilderness with no bikes allowed..

2009 Specialized Hard Rock, just wore everything out and replaced drivetrain, tires and brakes this last month. That was immediately followed by my first ever bad crash on MTB, holes in leg and arm and a nice big hematoma on the shin, still causing swollen ankle etc after nearly a month. But at least I didn't break my neck, the x-rays in this thread make me shudder..


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Post 09 Jul 2021, 19:19 • #18 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Thanks guys.

Hope you are feeling better soon after that get-off.

When I started mountain biking in earnest was just after recovering from a broken ankle sustained in a motorcycle crash (I sold my motorcycle after that, or what was left of it). Now you are thinking, that guy really should have learned his lesson, but noooo...

Needless to say, my medicine cabinet is fully stocked with first aid supplies :)


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 06:42 • #19 
Guide
Joined: 09/05/17
Posts: 305
Location: On a Stream
Nice looking location. Which state?


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 09:08 • #20 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 02/10/07
Posts: 1632
Location: The Netherlands
Wow you've come a long way!
Great outing with solitude that's getting rare these days


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Post 12 Jul 2021, 10:13 • #21 
Master Guide
Joined: 03/09/15
Posts: 684
Location: Arkansas
Wow. What a physical comeback. The only time I ride my bike is on three occasions . One is when I park at a shopping center and ride up a road to a mountain bike trail which I then ride about half a mile. I chain it to a bench at a bridge and wade in.

Another place, I park at a Walmart and ride my bike to a bridge. Then down and under the interstate where I chain the bike to a barbed wire fence and wade in there. Used to drive and park at that spot but it got closed due to crime and what became a homeless encampment.

The third is a four mile ride from the house. I use a system of paved bike trails to travel downhill to the creek. On the way back, I travel a paved bike trail about halfway and then hit a dirt trail. It provides a ride through gradual elevation and more shade than the steeper way down.


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Post 19 Jul 2021, 02:20 • #22 
Guide
Joined: 09/03/20
Posts: 191
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Overwhelmed by your passion... Thank you for sharing.


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Post 03 Nov 2021, 12:25 • #23 
Sport
Joined: 03/13/18
Posts: 28
Location: boston
Love to run and gun on the mtb. Curious to as how you rigged your bike to accommodate rod transportation.
I just finished restoring a schwinn homegrown and am trying to figure out how to go on about attaching my rods without having to break them down when going in between spots.


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Post 03 Nov 2021, 16:41 • #24 
Glass Fanatic
Joined: 05/22/16
Posts: 1760
Location: SJC
Thanks all.

I use the same system for hiking and biking: get a T-11 fluorescent tube protector from your favorite home improvement store, cut it to length, add some bubble wrap at both ends, and voila, instant ultralight rod protector. The ones from Home Despot come with end caps, but have some slots in them which I just put some electrical tape over.

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The tube simply slips into the pocket of the pack. Pictured is an Osprey Raptor 14, but it can work equally well with backpacking packs and daypacks. Here is an Osprey Talon 22.

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I was hiking with two rods that day. When I'm out backpacking it is not unusual for me to carry both a fly rod and a tenkara rod, or a fly rod and a spinning rod.

The top end of the tube generally protrudes some distance above the pack. On a bike this is usually not an issue, but depending on the length it can be an issue when bushwhacking. In that case, the shorter the rod packs down, the better. I have still managed to lose end caps that way, but as long as you haven't cut the tube protector too short, the rod is still mostly protected, and the tube protectors are inexpensive to replace.

Obviously, this means I break the rods down while riding and hiking (though in the latter case that is optional :) ).


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Post 03 Nov 2021, 17:32 • #25 
Sport
Joined: 07/27/16
Posts: 38
Location: MI
I own a ti Bontrager from the late 90's but have recently upgraded to a Honda CRF 250L... :)


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