11,053

We started off real Saturday with scramble eggs, bacon and toast courtesy of TLE and Brenda, then gathered ourselves together (those of us who were riding) and rolled our bikes down to the parking lot to get our riding gear out of our cars.  One thing I love about staying in the Silver Bear Condos is we just hop on our bikes and ride a mile downhill to the shuttle, and then up to the Mammoth Mountain Adventure Center.  We don't have to drive anywhere.  At the end of our riding day we just exit the trail above the condo and essentially (there is a short uphill) coast down to the condo parking lot.

Left to Right: Brenda, moi, Richard, Paul and Mark

We began our first downhill run of the day around 10 am at the top of Mammoth Mountain......11,053 feet in elevation.  It was a cloudless day, no wind, and a magnificent view of the Sierra Nevadas in every direction.  On this day, unlike our first day on our last outing, there were no mechanical issues.  We just rode and rode and rode.....finally covering just over 22 miles before we arrived back at the Village and the shuttle.  By this time it was 12:30 and time for lunch, so we opted to eat lunch at the Lakanuki Tiki Bar.....Yelp gives them 2.5 stars, and I don't know why.....we have eaten dinner here once, and lunch a couple of times and all three times the food and service were above average.  We would give them a 3.5 to 4.0 without hesitation, and Saturday's lunch experience was no exception.  TLE met us there for lunch as well as Richard's wife, Gloria and their son Richard Francisco, so we had quite a crowd.  I had the Blackened Fish Tacos, which were cooked to perfection.

TLE joined us at the Lakanuki Tiki Bar

I have been riding mountain bikes with Paul since 1994, and with Brenda since 1999, and Richard since 2004.  I could not ask for better friends......not only for mountain biking, but just as friends in general.  Being able to meet up with them twice this summer has been pretty special, and that I can still keep up with them is just as special to me.  We all used to ride a lot faster than we do now, but after a few bad crashes over the years we have all learned that we can have just as much fun without shedding any blood, or breaking any bones.....I guess that would be called "maturity".

After lunch we all (except TLE) boarded the shuttle once again for the ride up to the Adventure Center and a gondola ride back to the top.  TLE spent her afternoon browsing through used book stores, and a thrift shop, or two.

Adventure Center

Brenda, Richard and I had decided this would be our last run of the day, so we rode with Paul and Mark back to the adventure center and then bid them adieu as the three of us continued on our last ride of the day which would put us at 32 miles total for the day.....that's the first time I've  broken 30 miles in one day in a long time.  Our last trail of the day is called "Big Ring"......we always have a competition to see who can ride the entire 4 miles of trail without pedaling, or "dabbing" (touching the ground with our shoes).  I managed to do it for the first time in years.  

Back in the late 90's Paul and I set out one day to do 100 miles, which was nuts.  I called it a day at 72 miles after breaking three spokes on my rear wheel, and Paul made it all the way to 96 miles before calling it quits.  Those days are gone forever now as we are about 20 years older, grayer, and maybe a little wiser.  For all of us Mammoth Mountain Bike Park holds a lot of wonderful memories, and camaraderie stretching back many many years.

We arrived back at the condo around 4 pm where TLE and Brenda quickly made up some Margaritas for us.  Around 5 my son, Tim and his girl, Laila, arrived.  We, of course, haven't seen them since we left Riverside back in March, so it was really, really good to see them.  Around 6 we drove down to Gomez' Mexican Grill for appetizers and a couple of pitchers of Cadillac Margaritas.  Paul and Mark eventually joined us (they rode 20 more miles after Brenda, Richard and I called it a day) and then Richard, Gloria and Richard Jr. arrived as well.  We spent a couple of great hours laughing and talking and just enjoying the company of good friends.

We'll make a run, or two first thing in the morning (Sunday) and then begin our trek back to our respective domiciles.  

Thanks for stopping by!