When I learned about 2 months ago that I was bound for San Diego for the better part of a week for a convention, like any common-sensical mountain biker, I decided I would take an extra day and ride. For years, I’ve been seeing pictures and reading ride reports about Noble Canyon and the amazing terrain there on Ridemonkey, MTBR, and countless other sites. Definitely a ride that was on my “If I’m ever in the area, I have to” list.
Trailhead Parking lot: Pre-ride Sunny (Laura) and me.
I tracked down an old friend of mine from college who lives in SoCal, and more importantly, rides bikes. The plan was hatched. He’d take Thursday off, I’d rent a bike and we’d go ride Noble. E-mails and good natured taunts were fired back and forth: East Coast vs. West Coast technical skills, Left vs Right Coast virtues, etc. We were both looking forward to catching up and hitting a great trail together.
Getting warmed up to Noble Canyon
Fast forward to about 10 days before I was due to head to San Diego. My friend sent me an urgent e-mail apologizing that he’d be unable to make the ride. His employer needed him that day and asked him to cancel his day off. In this economy and these financial times, when you have a decent job, I imagine the correct response is, “Absolutely. No Problem. Do you need me to work Christmas?” He tried to hook me up with some locals, but he’s from the OC, so the SD contacts were limited. He also strongly recommended against trying to do the ride on my own, solo. Probably excellent advice.
Don't think we're in Massachusetts anymore, Toto
Brett, same spot
As it turns out, my wife’s mother was flying in while I was out on the West Coast, and I would already be missing part of her visit, so extending the trip further to try and ride over the weekend wasn’t exactly in the cards. Best laid plans thoroughly scuppered, I was right on verge of changing my ticket and coming back a day early from the tradeshow with the rest of my co-workers. I had the e-mail typed up to change my flights, but hadn’t yet sent it to the office. Depressed about my plan coming undone, I was skimming the Ride Reports forum and saw Erich’s Noble Canyon post about hitting the trails with Sunny Ride’s Laura Drexler. Coincidence, divine intervention or planets aligned? Who cares!
Brett, going up
I fired Laura an e-mail and the plan was back on track. She coordinated the whole deal. She set up the shuttle, loaned me her husband’s Stumpjumper, picked me up at my hotel, with coffee no less, and the game was afoot! Adventure tours is a new and budding offshoot of Laura’s company Sunny Rides, so I was her 3rd or 4th customer. Having “met on the internet,” both our respective spouses were a little concerned about who exactly we would be meeting. Friends at home told me to make sure I didn’t get drugged and have my kidneys harvested. Laura’s husband warned her that she would be heading off into the wilds with someone she barely knew. Her response, “But he’s on Ridemonkey!” Laura and I had a good laugh about all this on the drive up to meet Brett, a friend of hers who’d be riding with us and making the shuttle possible.
Fortunately this was the last of three mechanicals (all chain breaks, weirdly enough.)
We met Brett, loaded the bikes, and, no impromptu operating rooms or bathtubs full of ice in evidence, headed to the top. What can I say? The ride was fantastic, other than a few mechanicals (hey, it’s mountain biking, right?) Incredible scenery, FANTASTIC trail, and Laura and Brett to show me the way, point out the best technical lines in unfamiliar territory, and make sure that an East Coast flatlander had a truly great and memorable day.
Rocky Noble terrain
Top of the "Extra Credit" climb
Some sweet Extra Credit singletrack
Kidneys intact, after picking up the shuttle vehicle post ride. Great views from the top. Salton Sea barely visible in the middle rightish of the photo.
At the end of the ride, we stopped off at Ramon’s Smokehouse for some great BBQ and beverages: a great end to a great day.
I wholeheartedly recommend Sunny (Laura’s) Adventure Tours to anyone living in/around or visiting the SD area. Shoot her a pm or e-mail and get ready for some amazing riding with really good, positive people. Thank you Laura! Thank you Brett! Thank you RM for being the type of MTB community that makes these connections possible and gives us a two-wheeled commonality to hang on to in an uncertain world and insane times. After all, aren’t we all just monkeys in the end?
Here's a link to Sunny's commuting site, as the Adventure Tours one is in the works, but it has her contact info: Sunnyrides.com
Trailhead Parking lot: Pre-ride Sunny (Laura) and me.
I tracked down an old friend of mine from college who lives in SoCal, and more importantly, rides bikes. The plan was hatched. He’d take Thursday off, I’d rent a bike and we’d go ride Noble. E-mails and good natured taunts were fired back and forth: East Coast vs. West Coast technical skills, Left vs Right Coast virtues, etc. We were both looking forward to catching up and hitting a great trail together.
Getting warmed up to Noble Canyon
Fast forward to about 10 days before I was due to head to San Diego. My friend sent me an urgent e-mail apologizing that he’d be unable to make the ride. His employer needed him that day and asked him to cancel his day off. In this economy and these financial times, when you have a decent job, I imagine the correct response is, “Absolutely. No Problem. Do you need me to work Christmas?” He tried to hook me up with some locals, but he’s from the OC, so the SD contacts were limited. He also strongly recommended against trying to do the ride on my own, solo. Probably excellent advice.
Don't think we're in Massachusetts anymore, Toto
Brett, same spot
As it turns out, my wife’s mother was flying in while I was out on the West Coast, and I would already be missing part of her visit, so extending the trip further to try and ride over the weekend wasn’t exactly in the cards. Best laid plans thoroughly scuppered, I was right on verge of changing my ticket and coming back a day early from the tradeshow with the rest of my co-workers. I had the e-mail typed up to change my flights, but hadn’t yet sent it to the office. Depressed about my plan coming undone, I was skimming the Ride Reports forum and saw Erich’s Noble Canyon post about hitting the trails with Sunny Ride’s Laura Drexler. Coincidence, divine intervention or planets aligned? Who cares!
Brett, going up
I fired Laura an e-mail and the plan was back on track. She coordinated the whole deal. She set up the shuttle, loaned me her husband’s Stumpjumper, picked me up at my hotel, with coffee no less, and the game was afoot! Adventure tours is a new and budding offshoot of Laura’s company Sunny Rides, so I was her 3rd or 4th customer. Having “met on the internet,” both our respective spouses were a little concerned about who exactly we would be meeting. Friends at home told me to make sure I didn’t get drugged and have my kidneys harvested. Laura’s husband warned her that she would be heading off into the wilds with someone she barely knew. Her response, “But he’s on Ridemonkey!” Laura and I had a good laugh about all this on the drive up to meet Brett, a friend of hers who’d be riding with us and making the shuttle possible.
Fortunately this was the last of three mechanicals (all chain breaks, weirdly enough.)
We met Brett, loaded the bikes, and, no impromptu operating rooms or bathtubs full of ice in evidence, headed to the top. What can I say? The ride was fantastic, other than a few mechanicals (hey, it’s mountain biking, right?) Incredible scenery, FANTASTIC trail, and Laura and Brett to show me the way, point out the best technical lines in unfamiliar territory, and make sure that an East Coast flatlander had a truly great and memorable day.
Rocky Noble terrain
Top of the "Extra Credit" climb
Some sweet Extra Credit singletrack
Kidneys intact, after picking up the shuttle vehicle post ride. Great views from the top. Salton Sea barely visible in the middle rightish of the photo.
At the end of the ride, we stopped off at Ramon’s Smokehouse for some great BBQ and beverages: a great end to a great day.
I wholeheartedly recommend Sunny (Laura’s) Adventure Tours to anyone living in/around or visiting the SD area. Shoot her a pm or e-mail and get ready for some amazing riding with really good, positive people. Thank you Laura! Thank you Brett! Thank you RM for being the type of MTB community that makes these connections possible and gives us a two-wheeled commonality to hang on to in an uncertain world and insane times. After all, aren’t we all just monkeys in the end?
Here's a link to Sunny's commuting site, as the Adventure Tours one is in the works, but it has her contact info: Sunnyrides.com
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I sure do get a stiff neck at the end though just to keep it very still for you viewers. 
