Once again, we were originally planning to do Big Basin today but Emily got sick yesterday, and Natalie and Kira couldn't make it either. This has led me to conclude the Big Basin ride is cursed! And just like last time, we ended up doing HMB/Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP. Unlike last time, it was warmer, Whittemore Gulch is currently closed to bikes, and I really didn't feel like doing the steep climbs on Borden Hatch Mills so we cut out that loop. It's my first time doing Harkins Ridge since I rode it with Nikki as an evening ride in September 2020!!! It was a lot of fun but unlike the other trails, there was a lot of loose gravel on top of the hardpacked fire road. Ali cleared the gnarly rock garden/root sections like champ. On the way to Purisima Creek, as you get onto Verde Rd. off of Hwy 1, the last time, I noticed some trails off to the right, right before the cemetery This time Ali and I decided to explore it. It doesn't seem to get much use because the trail is pretty soft. I nearly killed myself trying not to run over a big banana slug I saw at the last second. Dad's wasn't too busy. Ali felt my "over-ordering" (I don't) combined with her under-ordering meant we had the right amount of food. I hadn't seen Scott since before the China trip and he was pretty stoked to hear about China and even more stoked about Thailand.