To all Vision Quest Participants:

They expect around 3-4 inches of rain on the peak from this storm but the snow level will be above 7,000 feet so snow won’t be a problem. They are calling from the hardest rain to hit this evening and tonight with the storm tapering off tomorrow morning/afternoon. Aside from the possibility of some slides on the Main Divide, the creek levels should subside by late this week.

We have not had much rain so the precipitation from this storm should soak into the ground pretty easily and not cause the mud conditions we experienced on Black Star Canyon Road at last year’s Pow Wow. We will check the Black Star Canyon Road after the storm and give you its condition in our next update on Thursday.

The more critical storm is the one expected on Friday. As I mentioned as of today they aren’t predicting it to be a big storm and I’m hoping it does not materialize.

If we do have to postpone our back up date is the following week, Saturday, March 11th. Currently the long-range forecast for that weekend is sunny. We will not be giving refunds, per your event application, if the event is rescheduled and you can’t make the back up date, but you will have a choice of a comp at one of our remaining 2006 Events:

* The Cytomax Spring Cross Country Classic on Saturday, April 22nd

* The JAX Toad Festival on Saturday, May 13th

* The Rock and Road / Specialized 24-Hours of Orange County on Saturday, June 3rd thru Sunday June 4th.

* The Switchback 6-Hours of Orange County on Saturday, October 21st.

* The Sho-Air Fall Cross Country Classic on Saturday, November 18th, which will crown the male and female Orange County XC Champions

I’ll have another update issued on Thursday morning to let you know the status of the events but we will not go forward if Black Star Canyon Road is in the same condition as it was last year.

For the latest info check our message board:

http://www.warriorssociety.org/voices/

Or call our info line at:

(714) 894-8211

Chris

In this issue:

1. The Mountain Bike Pow Wow is next Saturday

2. Our next Flying B XC Trail Building Event on Sunday, March 12th

3. Upper Holy Jim Trail Rehabilitation Project completed

4. Race Report – The 12 Hours of Temecula – January 21, 2006

5. Interpretive hike on the Holy Jim Trail

1. THE MOUNTIAN BIKE POW WOW IS NEXT SATURDAY

The Mountain Bike Pow Wow is next Saturday. If you intend to spectate and support friends doing the event we remind you that you’ll need to purchase an Adventure Pass to enter the National Forest where the event is being staged.

We also ask that you assist our support crews manning our Aid Stations/Finish line by following any requests they have to clear areas, which will allow them to help keep track of and support those participating in the events.

Park only in designated areas, do not block the roads and please do not litter.

Please do your part in making this event problem free and a success.

Thanks!

2. OUR NEXT FLYING B XC TRAIL BUILDING EVENT IS ON SUNDAY, MARCH 12TH

Our XC trail course designers, Jason Martin and Eron Boyer, have laid out a killer single track with a great dual solum like section for our 2006 Event Series at the Flying B.

We need volunteers to help build this single track. If you’re free we could use your help. All those volunteering to help build this single track will be invited to its grand opening party once it’s completed and they will also be invited to our end of the year Christmas/Thanks ride on Saturday, December 2nd. Food, drink and prizes are included in these free volunteer events.

Volunteer course builders will also be invited to private pre-rides/practices on the courses to be used in our 2006 Flying B Series of Events.

We’ll be meeting at the front gate at the Flying B Ranch at 9:00 a.m. Food and drink will be provided after the work; all you need to bring is a pair of gloves and water/snacks for during the work.

To RSVP contact Jason at:

mtnbikej@comcast.net

We plan on constructing a total of 3 new single tracks that will be a blast to race/ride on.

3. UPPER HOLY JIM TRAIL REHABILITATION PROJECT COMPLETED

Ken Rands, Mike Caffrey, Bob McCarter, Matthew Nourmohamadian, Jeff Parrish and Treve Misemer and Dale Zeh finished the reroute of the lower section of Upper Holy Jim on Sunday, February 19th.

They worked in extremely cold conditions and snow. In Bob’s words:

“Going over the top of the peak, and especially down the steeper backside, was just a little challenging in my 2 wheel drive Toyota. I wasn’t too concerned on the way up, but coming down the back to HJ I kept it real slow so as not to build up any momentum and start sliding. All went well, though, having driven over the top of Santiago many times in my youth in many different vehicles (horse drawn carriages!!).

I thought it was going to be a bad omen when it started dumping snow and freezing rain on us within 5 minutes of parking and getting out of the vehicles. It could have gotten ugly quick. Fortunately, the gods smiled on us and the storm cell quickly passed. Most of the rest of the day was actually pretty good working weather – cool enough to keep us from overheating with the exertion without really breaking into a sweat (or, maybe, I was just sandbagging it 😉 ).”

Ken Rands, Bob McCarter, Jeff Parrish and Treve Misemer returned on Saturday, February 25th to install the new trail head signs and to put finishing touches on the re-route.

Many thanks to Mike Caffrey, the project leader, and to all those who helped complete this project.

4. RACE REPORT – THE 12-HOURS OF TEMECULA – JANUARY 21, 2006

Warrior’s Society Race Team Member and Distance Expert Mario Correa writes on his experience at the 12-Hours of Temecula:

http://www.warriorssociety.org/Racing/Report047.html

5. INTERPRETIVE HIKE ON THE HOLY JIM TRAIL

On Sunday, March 5th, the Santa Ana Mountains Natural History Association (SAMNHA) and the North American Butterfly Association (NABA) invite you to join us for an insect walk in Holy Jim Canyon. The drive trip up Trabuco Creek will begin at 9AM. We’ll meet at the junction of Trabuco Canyon road and Trabuco creek then car-pool from there. High clearance vehicles recommended. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early, wear appropriate clothing (long sleeves and long pants recommended), sturdy shoes, hat and sunscreen. Bring plenty of water and a snack. You are welcome to bring binoculars, camera, field guide books. Rain cancels the program.

In this Vision Quest and Counting Coup update:

1. Pre-registration for the Vision Quest and Counting Coup starts this Saturday

2. Upper Holy Jim Trail update – yes, it will be part of the course

3. Snow on the course

4. Core Chiropractic to offer massage at the event

5. An Adventure Pass needed for spectators to enter the Forest

1. PRE-REGISTRATION FOR THE VISION QUEST AND COUNTING COUP STARTS THIS SATURDAY

Pre-Registration will be begin at Switchback Cyclery from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. beginning this Saturday, February 25th and ending on Friday, March 3rd. Registration for those from out of town who are camping out at O’Neill Park will begin at 8:00 p.m. Friday night and end at 9:00 p.m.

Early 5:00 a.m. starters MUST PRE-REGISTER and are responsible for their transportation to the start at the end of Black Star Canyon Road. There is no charge to participate in the early start and we encourage anyone concerned about making the cut-off times to participate in the early start.

Vision Quest participants can have their own supplies transported to Aid Station 2 – we must be able to throw away any left over contents and the CLEARLY MARKED BAG they are in. WE WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY NON-DISPOSALBE ITEMS PLACED IN THE BAGS ONCE THEY ARE TRANSPORTED TO AID STATION 2. We will only allow disposable personal supply bags to be taken out to Aid Station 2.

Those participating in the regular start and taking the shuttle from O’Neill can also pre-register at Switchback Cyclery to save themselves time the morning of the event; but allow at least 30 minutes for parking and the loading of your bikes at O’Neill Park Saturday morning. Be sure and drop off your VISION QUEST aid station #2 bag at Switchback if you intend on pre-registering.

If you are participating in the regular 6:00 a.m. start, and are taking the shuttle from the finish at O’Neill Park to the start at Black Star, you can drop off your VISION QUEST Aid Station 2 bag at the registration table at O’Neill Park when you register Saturday morning. Registration at O’Neill Park for those that do not pre-register and are taking the shuttle from O’Neill to the start at Black Star begins at 4:00 A.M.

2. UPPER HOLY JIM TRAIL UPDATE – YES, IT WILL BE PART OF THE COURSE

Last Sunday, in freezing conditions, Ken Rands, Mike Caffrey, Bob McCarter, Matthew Nourmohamadian, Jeff Parrish, Treve Misemer and Dale Zeh finished the rehabilitation of Upper Holy Jim and reroute of the lower section of this trail. Ken Rands and Bob McCarter will be going up this Saturday to place new trail signs and put some finishing touches on the trail.

Many of you remember “tumbling” down the last 300 feet of this trail last year due to the terrible condition it was in. But that’s in the past and the new reroute of the lower section of the trail will be a blast to ride on (see attached pictures). The new reroute does take you about .3 of a mile south of the where the old trail met Lower Holy Jim but those who are familiar with the trail will agree it is a big improvement.

We will also be including the four miles of Trabuco Creek Road from Aid Station #2 to the pavement of Trabuco Canyon Road east of O’Neill Park.

3. SNOW ON THE COURSE

About 3 to 4 inches of snow fell on the course from four corners 2/3rds of the way up Saddle Back Peak (where Maple Springs connects to the Main Divide Road) to just above the trail head of Upper Holy Jim. If we do not get any more cold storms some of this snow will be melted off by the day of the event, but be prepared, as in past years, for some snow and ice to remain on the back side (north side) of Saddleback Peak.

4. CORE CHIROPRACTIC TO OFFER MASSAGE AT THE EVENT

Core chiropractic will be present at every single Warriors Society event this year, including the upcoming Vision Quest on March 4th. We are providing massage for post race recovery with the popular DMS (deep muscle stimulator). Check it out on our website, www.choosechiro.com.

In addition to being present at the race, our office is offering a pre-race massage and adjustments at 50% of our regular prices. A 30 min. DMS session is only $20, regularly $40. Our Adjustment is also only $20, regularly $40.

Call us (949) 837 7463 to make your appointments. Vision Quest is a long, hard race, taking care of your body both before and after the race is vital to optimal performance.

5. AN ADVENTURE PASS NEEDED FOR THOSE SPECTATORS ENTERING THE FOREST

The officials of the Forest Service have asked us to mention that any vehicle without an Adventure Pass will be cited if they park in the National Forest.

Both Aid Station #1 and #2 are in the National Forest so if you have family or friends who are intending to go out to these aids stations be sure they purchase and adventure pass.

We also ask that you please be courteous to the nearby residents and do not park illegally and don’t litter.