EISPIRATEN

We married folk know that we have to take care of the domestic side of things in the amidst of our outdoor activities. Combining the two often doesn't work if your spouse doesn't like your preferred types of outings. One solution of course is to "tone it down." Last Friday, I took my wife on an easy mountain bike outing along the Gabrielino Trail from the parking lot on Windsor Ave. above JPL in Pasadena. We got an early start and thus avoided the crowds that would show up later in the day to hike off Thanksgiving Day excesses.

It was a beautiful day and we even got in some wet creek crossings. My wife became a "real" mountain biker in my estimation when she took a (mild) spill off the bike -she learned how sand can sneak up on you and grab your front tire and down you go.

We were out about two hours. Usually, I take this trail all the way to Oakwilde Camp, but this would have taken more time and effort than was comfortable for her.

At times when the creek is full, the ride is really exciting. I've been there times when the creek crossings were knee high and it was a real challenge to get across staying on the bike all the way. When the water is flowing, take a left at the Paul Little Campground and visit the falls provided by the Brown Debris Dam. It's a great place to stop to watch the creek come roaring down the dam wall. You can even have a swim underneath the falls if you're so inclined.

Augie wrote:We married folk know that we have to take care of the domestic side of things in the amidst of our outdoor activities. Combining the two often doesn't work if your spouse doesn't like your preferred types of outings. One solution of course is to "tone it down."

I hear you. My fiancee and I went out to Palm Springs over the holiday and, among other things, hiked in Palm Canyon for a couple of hours. I carried a pretty big pack (~30 lbs) just to get a little training and to slow me down a bit so we'd hike together. As it happens, I was still faster than she was even with a pack, but at least we narrowed the disparity.

I remember some of those "wet" crossings in the Arroyo Seco all too well. Do it on a warmer day is all I have to say about that. brrr.