Mount Unumhum - higher than Carrantuohill

Spring and Autumn are the nicest times of the year to go mountain biking in the bay area.  You don't have to get up super early to avoid the heat and the seasonal changes always make the rides particularly beautiful.  Before my most recent bump in the trail so to speak Dave, Fred and I did a bunch of really fun rides.

The first ride we took on was Mount Umunhum (which means resting place of the humming bird).  We hadn't actually intended to climb to the top of Umunhum, it was just that the Barlow road trail comes out on the mountain road.

Like a possessed man, Dave ignored all the keep out, warning trespassers shot on sight, skull and crossbones on the road, private property, armed and dangerous.... the list goes on signs warning us to turn around or the locals will take the law into their own hands.
Too afraid to be left alone, and afraid for Dave's life, Fred and I followed him up to the top of the mountain to the gates of the Almaden Airforce station (now defunked).  The summit height - 3486feet - towering a whole 80 feet above Carrantuohill (3406ft).  By the way what happened to Carrantuohill, when I was in school it was 3414 feet???
Hard to believe they are around the same height, Carrantuohill looks like something from the Himalayas


Thankfully Dave had the good sense to stop at the final gate.  Heidi could be a widow today.
Here is Dave and Fred looking relaxed, by now my blood pressure was returning to normal too.













Fred and I enjoying the views all the way to the ocean.

A week later we took on Demonstration Forest.  This place was designed for mountain biking dudes, preferably young enough that they have not yet figured out how much damage they can do to themselves.
Having only been there once before Dave took charge.  He pulled out a hand drawn map (from memory) that he swore would work.
First stop to check the map.  We are lost, Dave just refuses to admit it.

Dave finally admitted defeat and decided to look at the real map.

This is why dudes love Demonstration Forest, it is full of opportunities to break your collarbone.  Here is one of the many trail jumps. How come they look way less scary than when you are actually on them.

Fred  macho brain won out over his sensible brain

I saved him the embarrassment of showing the "after" picture.

Still not sure where we are going, Fred takes over as trail director.

Chicken, pussy, wimp, pathetic!

This really is a beautiful redwood forest and well worth the visit.  There is something very exhilarating riding through the redwood groves and having the soft forest floor underfoot.