Quite the motley crue hit the road yesterday morning about 8:00am out of the Path Bike Shop (Saturday morning road rides are back in full effect)!  Karl, Brett, Barry Walsh, Gerritt (sp) S, and myself rolled out on a Santiago Canyon loop catching the great break in the weather.  We couldn't have asked for better weather.  It was clear, sunny, and brisk.  Following the desparately needed rains, like the Sound of Music said, "...the hills are alive..."

Here we are loafing around before we rolled out.  Karl on his Seven Alaris, Brett on his Trek carbon fiber madone something or other, Barry on his crosscheck, and of course Gerritt would kill us on his REI Novara cross bike.

We would stroll up Tustin Ranch Road to Frontier where Brett would flat, but that was the only mechanical on the whole trip.

Here’s the lone action shot at the top of the climb on Santiago Canyon just past the toll roads.

Gerritt was the great leveler on the trip and hammered along showing the high end road bikes that it has more to do with the engine than the bike itself.  Once we rode over the grade, it was literally all down hill from there.  The bike path that parallels El Toro road is a super fast down hill slalom from Cooks corner to Trabuco.  Trabuco road has a slight downhill grade all the way back into Tustin where it turns into Irvine Blvd / Fourth Street.

Here’s everyone chilling back at the shop.

Personally, I think it was worth missing a day of XC racing at Fontucky for a good workout on the road with a solid group of friends.