raitchison
Well-known member
First ride report in a while, for that matter first good ride in a while.
This winter I haven't been getting in much riding, between family obligations, volunteering on the USS Iowa and just plain inconsiderate timing for the relatively few rain days we've received (relatively few compared to the rest of the country) I've only been able to get a ride in about once a month and haven't had a ride over 150 miles in several (usually I just scoot around the Santa Monica mountains) This weekend we have a 3 day weekend, while there were still family obligations the 3rd day afforded me the opportunity to get out and ride.
The question was, where do I go? Normally I love (LOVE) to ride Angeles Crest all the way to Wrightwood then mosey back through Palmdale & Santa Clarita to head home, perfect mix of road types, almost no freeway and exactly one tank-full of gas. The problem is that there's snow up in them there hills which means there's salt on the roads, I try to avoid that for the deleterious this has on the bike (especially since I'm lazy and only wash the bike a few times a year) so I decide to take a different route:
https://goo.gl/maps/tYR4x
I did almost this exact ride about a year ago, it's a good long (for me) ride - which I was looking for.
I wake up early and get on the road just before 7:00, late enough that it's light out but early enough that I have plenty of time.
Just for nostalgia purposes I make a detour to the Rock Store as well as the "Snake" section of Mulholland Highway. Normally in the early morning these places are pretty quiet, usually a handful of Goldwings, today it's as dead as I've seen it apart from when they are actually closed:
The short ride up to the Snake I didn't see a single other vehicle
\\
Back on the bike, I hop on the freeways into Moorpark through Filmore, I get all the way to Santa Paula before I remember that I was planning on making stops periodically to take pictures.
I've ridden by this overlook a half-dozen times but never stopped.
Ride the 150 into Ojai & top off on expensive gas, last time I did this ride I was sucking fumes later so not taking any chances that I'll run out in the middle of nowhere.
Grab the 33 and head North, make a quick stop at the Deer Lodge, of course it's 9:00 a.m. so they aren't open yet, still it's time for me to eat (on a diet that has you eat on a specific schedule) so I kick back on their patio chairs and eat a 100 calorie meal bar
Now onto the meat of the 33, now the few times I've ridden it before I've honestly not been that impressed, always rated it as equivalent to Mulholland only considerably less convenient. Today it's different, not sure if it's because I'm ride deprived but the road is just amazing today, definitely on par with Angeles Crest.
Have to remind myself to stop for a pic again
Of course shortly down the road from where I took this pic what do I encounter? Road Salt! ugh, oh well., At least there was no snow or ice on the roads (temps in mid 50s) and essentially no traffic.
Later on down the 33 I come into the valley (not sure what this one's called)
Ride through some easy terrain on my way into the farming areas
Once you get to the farming areas it's nothing but long, perfectly straight stretches of road
Of course you know I completely obeyed this sign.
From here it's mostly pretty boring, straight roads filled with the smells of manure and Malathion, I did stop in the bustling metropolis known as New Cuyama for some lunch:
Not exactly on the diet but I figure once a year I'm allowed.
There's actually some interesting road past this point I don't have any pictures of, riding through rolling hills as the farmland gave way to coastal terrain.
Get to Santa Maria and the 101, turn South and book for home. I hate riding on freeways, they are boring at their best, still, the 101 along the coast does have a nice view.
Got home in mid afternoon but then was forced to wash the bike to get the salt off of it.
Next time I'm going to try to bring my old 5MP digital camera, I've got it on a lanyard and am able to take pictures with one gloved hand and should be able to get some on-bike shots.
Hope you guys like it.
You can see the whole album (has a few shots not posted above) here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109847323153942071457/albums/5846518822050277841
This winter I haven't been getting in much riding, between family obligations, volunteering on the USS Iowa and just plain inconsiderate timing for the relatively few rain days we've received (relatively few compared to the rest of the country) I've only been able to get a ride in about once a month and haven't had a ride over 150 miles in several (usually I just scoot around the Santa Monica mountains) This weekend we have a 3 day weekend, while there were still family obligations the 3rd day afforded me the opportunity to get out and ride.
The question was, where do I go? Normally I love (LOVE) to ride Angeles Crest all the way to Wrightwood then mosey back through Palmdale & Santa Clarita to head home, perfect mix of road types, almost no freeway and exactly one tank-full of gas. The problem is that there's snow up in them there hills which means there's salt on the roads, I try to avoid that for the deleterious this has on the bike (especially since I'm lazy and only wash the bike a few times a year) so I decide to take a different route:
https://goo.gl/maps/tYR4x
I did almost this exact ride about a year ago, it's a good long (for me) ride - which I was looking for.
I wake up early and get on the road just before 7:00, late enough that it's light out but early enough that I have plenty of time.
Just for nostalgia purposes I make a detour to the Rock Store as well as the "Snake" section of Mulholland Highway. Normally in the early morning these places are pretty quiet, usually a handful of Goldwings, today it's as dead as I've seen it apart from when they are actually closed:
The short ride up to the Snake I didn't see a single other vehicle
Back on the bike, I hop on the freeways into Moorpark through Filmore, I get all the way to Santa Paula before I remember that I was planning on making stops periodically to take pictures.
I've ridden by this overlook a half-dozen times but never stopped.
Ride the 150 into Ojai & top off on expensive gas, last time I did this ride I was sucking fumes later so not taking any chances that I'll run out in the middle of nowhere.
Grab the 33 and head North, make a quick stop at the Deer Lodge, of course it's 9:00 a.m. so they aren't open yet, still it's time for me to eat (on a diet that has you eat on a specific schedule) so I kick back on their patio chairs and eat a 100 calorie meal bar
Now onto the meat of the 33, now the few times I've ridden it before I've honestly not been that impressed, always rated it as equivalent to Mulholland only considerably less convenient. Today it's different, not sure if it's because I'm ride deprived but the road is just amazing today, definitely on par with Angeles Crest.
Have to remind myself to stop for a pic again
Of course shortly down the road from where I took this pic what do I encounter? Road Salt! ugh, oh well., At least there was no snow or ice on the roads (temps in mid 50s) and essentially no traffic.
Later on down the 33 I come into the valley (not sure what this one's called)
Ride through some easy terrain on my way into the farming areas
Once you get to the farming areas it's nothing but long, perfectly straight stretches of road
Of course you know I completely obeyed this sign.
From here it's mostly pretty boring, straight roads filled with the smells of manure and Malathion, I did stop in the bustling metropolis known as New Cuyama for some lunch:
Not exactly on the diet but I figure once a year I'm allowed.
There's actually some interesting road past this point I don't have any pictures of, riding through rolling hills as the farmland gave way to coastal terrain.
Get to Santa Maria and the 101, turn South and book for home. I hate riding on freeways, they are boring at their best, still, the 101 along the coast does have a nice view.
Got home in mid afternoon but then was forced to wash the bike to get the salt off of it.
Next time I'm going to try to bring my old 5MP digital camera, I've got it on a lanyard and am able to take pictures with one gloved hand and should be able to get some on-bike shots.
Hope you guys like it.
You can see the whole album (has a few shots not posted above) here: https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/109847323153942071457/albums/5846518822050277841
