Boulder Creek Semi-Epic Ride on July 5, 2009: Ride Report, Images, and Video

After first riding different parts of this route over the past year (see the videos here on YT) we invited others to join us for a Rough Riders Semi-Epic Ride on July 5, 2009. Eleven riders enjoyed a fantastic day of cycling in the first real hot weather of 2009: It hit about 100 at some points. The route featured "the greatest hits" of the Mt. Laguna back country: Viejas Grade, Boulder Creek, Lake Cuyamaca, Descanso, and Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road") with a start/finish in Alpine, CA. Total distance: 58 miles with over 8,000' of elevation gain. This route can best be ridden by an accomplished rough rider on a bike with 32mm or wider tyres. This is really a phenomenal ride and we highly recommend it!

Above: Viejas Grade

Above: Descanso store

Above: Boulder Creek

Above: Peter Bridge at the bottom of Boulder Creek

Above: Boulder Creek at the very bottom. Not much water in July!

Above: Catching some shade on the ascent out of Boulder Creek

Above: Working our way up and out of Boulder Creek

Above: Rookie Rough Rider Eric Larson with his Moots YBB CX

Above: After a refresh/refuel at Lake Cuyamaca

Above: The fun begins on "Mad Max Road" (Wildwood Glen Ln.)

Above: Elizabeth and Peter head down "Mad Max Road"

Above: The further we go, the more interesting it becomes!

Above: Elizabeth and John C. roll to "the end of the road"


Here's a link to all the photos.
You can even order prints, and more!

Here's a link to the video slideshow.
Turn up your speakers: enjoy the music & pix!

Route Sheet:
The 58 mile loop starts and finishes at the relatively new Starbux located at 2963 Alpine Blvd in Alpine, CA 91901 (along the I-8 corridor in eastern San Diego County). (Start location and mapping here.)
0.0 Start at Starbux in Alpine and head east on Alpine Blvd. (El. 2080')
1.1 Cross over I-8 at West Willows Rd.
1.3 Continue east on the opposite (north) side of the freeway.
2.1 Veer left shortly thereafter on Viejas Grade Rd. into the Indian Reservation.
4.7 Road turns to gravel - head uphill into Rough Rider heaven!
8.6 Summit Viejas Grade (still gravel).
9.0 Pavement resumes: Continue straight and downhill to Descanso.
11.2 Left on Oak Grove Drive (at Perkins Store in Descanso: GET WATER!)
12.8 Right on Boulder Creek (but first check out the llamas on the left at the turn).
16.6 Pass Sherilton Valley Road (Need to investigate this road. Looks interesting.)
16.9 Pass Dubois Truck Trail on left (Need to also research this dirt road). (El. 2780')
17.9 Pavement ends! (El. 3340')
23.6 Bottom of the canyon. Careful for water running across the road. (El. 2500'; 2:30 elapsed time)
24.0 Pass Ranchita Margarita: watch for ostriches.
24.5 This is the very bottom of Boulder Creek Canyon, during 1/3 mile of pavement.
25.7 Pass two truck trails on the left at a hairpin. (Need to research them, too!) (El. 2780')
29.5 Tiny church and a cemetery on the right, within the Inaja Reservation.
29.8 Mile Marker 17. (El. 3630'; 3:40 elapsed time)
30.8 Pavement resumes: Right (uphill) on Engineers Road at Pine Hills Fire Station (where you can get water if you need it).
34.7 Summit.
36.0 Right on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.): Go around Lake Cuyamaca.
36.6 Lake Cuyamaca Store on left; Food and drinks for sale. Bathroom down and around in back. (El. 4410'; 4:50 elapsed time)
39.0 Pass the Paso Picacho State Park on right; begin descent.
44.3 Pass East Mesa Fire Road on left (Must research this dirt road!) (El. 3770')
45.0 Pass Oakzanita Springs / 1000 Trails on left. Bathroom and store.
47.7 Pass Viejas Blvd on right (or you take it and get to the same place after passing the Perkins Store in Descanso); fruit stand.
47.9 Right to continue on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.). (El. 3390')
49.3 Pass Riverside Drive (our outbound route earlier). (El. 3210')
49.8 About a mile before hitting the I-8, turn right on Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road").
50.8 About a mile later, there is a gate across the road and then the pavement starts to disappear: keep going to the end!
52.1 Hike down onto I-8 and continue west on I-8 (this is a bike-legal shoulder).
53.5 Take first offramp, then left over the freeway, then right on Alpine Blvd, continuing west back to Alpine.
56.8 Cross West Willows Rd. (the way we headed out this morning); continue straight west.
58.0 Finish at Alpine Starbux. (El. 2080'; 6:20 elapsed time)

Riders and Bikes:

Brad Zlotnick on his 1989 Miyata Elevation 5000 mountain bike (fully rigid)
Peter Bridge on his Redline CX bike
Dustin Sharp on his ti Black Sheep with Rohloff hub
Chris Kostman on his 1984 Holdsworth road bike with Ritchey 32mm cross tyres
Elizabeth on his 1974 Williams road bike converted to 650B wheels
John Byrne on his GT I-Drive with 6" of travel, front and rear mountain bike (dual suspension)
Bob Hartman on his Fuso by Dave Moulton
John Corkill on his Aegis carbon CX bike
Lawrence Cayton on his Lemond CX bike
Mark Tolivar on his 1972 Albert Eisentraut
Eric Larson on his ti Moots YBB XC bike

Thanks for your enthusiasm, everyone, and thanks especially to all the Rough Riders who rode today! We look forward to seeing you "out there" soon! (Stay tuned for the announcement of another Semi-Epic Rough Ride in the near future!)

New Logos, New Adventures

We are very excited to share the Rough Riders Rally logo with you here! This is an important step for us as we don't like to really move forward, publicly and officially, with a new event or endeavour until we have the logo ready. Well, the logo is done and the official RR Rally page is online here, so we hope you will mark your calendar for July 23-25, 2010 and plan to participate!

We've also revised the original Rough Riders logo: it has an updated Spanish Bayonet, the distinctive yucca plant which is featured on the logo and which we encounter so frequently here in Southern California on our cycling adventures. The original RR logo's Spanish Bayonet never quite "worked" for us; the new one is much more accurate. It will take a little while to get this new logo online everywhere we use it. If you're got the RR logo on your site or blog, thank you; please contact us to get the updated version to use (or just grab it from here, with or without the URL at the bottom)!

Finally, also here is a first look at the new Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic logo, which you will note incorporates the Spanish Bayonet, since they are to be found all over the Mount Laguna region and the route for this event. Although this event takes place entirely on paved roads, it is EPIC and it will be held in one of our favorite rough riding areas! Please also mark your calendars for April 17, 2010 for this exciting new event in southern San Diego County! More info about the MLBC.
All of these works of art were created by Bill Oetinger, a life-long endurance cyclist, charter member of the Rough Riders, and one of the main driving forces behind the legendary Terrible Two Double Century in Sonoma County. Thanks, Bill! Here is Bill's website; he's also an excellent bike tour organizer and purveyor of bike touring routes.

Monthly (more or less) Semi-Epic Rides: YOU Are Invited!

Greetings, Fellow Rough Riders!

We are hoping and planning to tackle one Semi-Epic Ride monthly and all are invited! This will be the main page with an archive of the rides we've done, plus a preview of what's coming up in the future. Please join us! (And if you live in another part of the country and are hosting a ride along these lines, please use the Comments option below to help spread the word about your Rough Riding adventures!)

Coming Up: Stay tuned!

Semi-Epic Ride Reports Archive:
July 5, 2009: Eleven riders enjoyed a fantastic day of cycling in the first real hot weather of 2009: It hit about 100 at some points. The route featured "the greatest hits" of the Mt. Laguna back country: Viejas Grade, Boulder Creek, Lake Cuyamaca, Descanso, and Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road") with a start/finish in Alpine, CA. Total distance: 58 miles with about 5000' of elevation gain.

June 14, 2009: Rough Riding Mt. Palomar via Nate Harrison Grade
After first riding this route on November 6, 2009, we invited others to join us for a Rough Riders Semi-Epic Ride up Palomar Mountain via the unpaved Nate Harrison Grade on June 14, 2009. Twelve riders showed up for a fantastic day of cycling in uncertain weather.

May 17: 2009: Rough Riding the Santa Monica Mountains
Five illustrious Rough Riders turned out for a 40-mile excursion in the Santa Monica Mountains on May 17, 2009, including Matt "Desert Locust" Ruscigno on a Bianchi 'cross bike, Ken Kistinger on a suspension-less Cannondale Killer V, Gary on a Bianchi single-speed 'cross bike, Chris Kostman on a 1984 Holdsworth road bike with 32mm 'cross tyres, and Jennifer Klausner on a suspended mountain bike. The route was 40 miles with 4850' of elevation gain, though 4500' of the elevation gain was in the first 25 miles.

Semi-Epic Planned for Sunday, July 5: YOU Are Invited! Route Sheet Now Posted!

Mark your calendars and join us for a most excellent Rough Riding adventure! This semi-epic ride is planned for Sunday, July 5. The 58.4 mile loop we will ride starts and finishes at the relatively new Starbux located at 2963 Alpine Blve in Alpine, CA 91901 (along the I-8 corridor in eastern San Diego County). (Start location and mapping here.) We will meet there at 730am and roll out no later than 800am.

The route will include the dirt sections (and some paved sections) from two different rides we've done out in this amazing area before. Basically we'll ride a sort of "Greatest Hits" route which includes the dirt sections at the start and finish of this route (click these links for the full reports, but also check out the videos embedded below):

http://www.xo-1.org/2008/12/rough-riding-eastern-san-diego-county.html

along with the entire dirt Boulder Creek section featured in this route:

http://www.xo-1.org/2009/01/rough-riding-south-eastern-san-diego.html

We're hoping you will mark your calendar and join us for an AWESOME ride!

Note: This ride is unhosted, unsupported, and everyone who shows up is on their own. Neither we, nor anybody else, is responsible for anyone who rides. If you ride, YOU are responsible for YOU and YOUR bike. This is not an "event" - it is just a ride on dirt and paved roads for like-minded people.

Recommended Bikes / Tyres: In our opinion and experience, this route all rideable on a road bike with 28mm or wider tyres, although we have used 32mm and 35mm tyres. The wider your tyres, the more comfortable and safer your ride should be. Certainly a full-blown mountain bike will work, too. "Any Bike, Anywhere!"

Route Sheet Is Below (If you plan to ride this route, we suggest you print this section and bring it along. We will not be "guiding" this ride, as we are not in charge, nor "hosting" this ride. This route sheet should be about 98% accurate, but we make no guarantees. We suggest you consult a map and your own sense of direction. We accept no responsibility for safety, utility, nor legality of this route!) Dirt sections are noted in bold.

0.0 Start at Starbux in Alpine and head east on Alpine Blvd. (El. 2080')
1.1 Cross over I-8 at West Willows Rd.
1.3 Continue east on the opposite (north) side of the freeway.
2.1 Veer left shortly thereafter on Viejas Grade Rd. into the Indian Reservation.
4.7 Road turns to gravel - head uphill into Rough Rider heaven!
8.6 Summit Viejas Grade (still gravel).
9.0 Pavement resumes: Continue straight and downhill to Descanso.
11.2 Left on Oak Grove Drive (at Perkins Store in Descanso: GET WATER!)
12.8 Right on Boulder Creek (but first check out the llamas on the left at the turn).
16.6 Pass Sherilton Valley Road (Need to investigate this road. Looks interesting.)
16.9 Pass Dubois Truck Trail on left (Need to also research this dirt road). (El. 2780')
17.9 Pavement ends! (El. 3340')
23.6 Bottom of the canyon. Careful for water running across the road. (El. 2500'; 2:30 elapsed time)
24.0 Pass Ranchita Margarita: watch for ostriches.
24.5 This is the very bottom of Boulder Creek Canyon, during 1/3 mile of pavement.
25.7 Pass two truck trails on the left at a hairpin. (Need to research them, too!) (El. 2780')
29.5 Tiny church and a cemetery on the right, within the Inaja Reservation.
29.8 Mile Marker 17. (El. 3630'; 3:40 elapsed time)
30.8 Pavement resumes: Right (uphill) on Engineers Road at Pine Hills Fire Station (where you can get water if you need it).
34.7 Summit.
36.0 Right on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.): Go around Lake Cuyamaca.
36.6 Lake Cuyamaca Store on left; Food and drinks for sale. Bathroom down and around in back. (El. 4410'; 4:50 elapsed time)
39.0 Pass the Paso Picacho State Park on right; begin descent.
44.3 Pass East Mesa Fire Road on left (Must research this dirt road!) (El. 3770')
45.0 Pass Oakzanita Springs / 1000 Trails on left. Bathroom and store.
47.7 Pass Viejas Blvd on right (or you take it and get to the same place after passing the Perkins Store in Descanso); fruit stand.
47.9 Right to continue on SR 79 (Stop Sign, T-Int.). (El. 3390')
49.3 Pass Riverside Drive (our outbound route earlier). (El. 3210')
49.8 About a mile before hitting the I-8, turn right on Wildwood Glen Ln (AKA "Mad Max Road").
50.8 About a mile later, there is a gate across the road and then the pavement starts to disappear: keep going to the end!
52.1 Hike down onto I-8 and continue west on I-8 (this is a bike-legal shoulder).
53.5 Take first offramp, then left over the freeway, then right on Alpine Blvd, continuing west back to Alpine.
56.8 Cross West Willows Rd. (the way we headed out this morning); continue straight west.
58.0 Finish at Alpine Starbux. (El. 2080'; 6:20 elapsed time)

Video of 2008 Rough Riding (cycling) Viejas Grade and Eastern San Diego County:
(Note: YouTube disabled the soundtrack. If you want to hear the music, and see the video much bigger and clearer, watch it here instead.)



Video of 2008 Rough Riding (cycling) Descanso - Boulder Creek - Lake Cuayamaca:
(Note: YouTube did not disable the soundtrack on this video, but if you want to see much bigger,and clearer, watch it here instead.)

Nate Harrison Semi-Epic Ride on June 14, 2009: Ride Report, Images, and Video

After first riding this route on November 6, 2009, we invited others to join us for a Rough Riders Semi-Epic Ride up Palomar Mountain via the unpaved Nate Harrison Grade on June 14, 2009. Twelve riders showed up for a fantastic day of cycling in uncertain weather. Below is a video slideshow and selected images of the day.

See the 11-6-08 video on YouTube when the weather and views were much better than today and the 11-6-08 ride report elsewhere on this blog with far more detail about the route and the road itself.

The dirt road itself, which goes literally all the way up Palomar Mountain, is 9.5 miles long and ascends about 4000 feet - from about 700' to about 4700'. Once you add in the last, paved, climb to the Boucher Fire Lookout, you've climbed 11.1 miles and ascended to 5438'. Then you have some rolling paved miles across the top of Palomar Mountain through the State Park to Mother's Kitchen, the General Store, Post Office, and bathroom. (We all hung out at Mother's.) There you head over to the stop sign where you can take South Grade back down to where you started, for a total of 33 miles with 5500 feet of elevation gain. Plan on five hours, to allow time to enjoy the views along the way and especially from the top, plus the water / food / bathroom stop at Mother's. Though the route can be climbed by an accomplished rough rider on a road bike with 28mm tyres (as one did as you will see here), we definitely wouldn't recommend descending Nate Harrison without a full-on mountain bike. South Grade can have a lot of "crotch rocket" motorcyclists on weekends, so go on a weekday if you possibly can. This is really a phenomenal ride and we highly recommend it!

"Heading out to where the pavement turns to sand." - Neil Young
Above: All three of the actual "mountain bikes" in the group: L-R: Greg on his Bridgestone MB-1, John on his GT, and Brad on his Miyata.

Above: Andy on his Atlantis by Rivendell

Above: Peter on his Merlin Extralight road bike with 28mm road tyres.Above: Esteban on his Protovelo (a Rivendell prototype) with Acorn bags
Above: Dustin on his ti Black Sheep with Rohloff rear hub with internal gearing
Above: Elizabeth on her 1974 Williams converted to 650B wheel size
Above: Elizabeth with the Pauma Valley in the background
Above: We climbed into the forest and into the fog as we approached the summit.
Above: Most of the group at the Boucher Fire Lookout
Above: Rob M. with his Sam Hillborne by Rivendell
Aboe: Eric with his Bianchi Volpe

Above: Enjoying food and camaraderie at Mother's, high atop Mt. Palomar

Route Sheet:
0.0 Start at Pauma Casino at 777 Pauma Reservation Rd, Pauma Valley, CA 92061. (This is 12 miles of east of I-15 along SR 76: Go north from 76 on Pauma Reservation Road. Don't miss the turn from SR 76: it's at Jilberto's Taco Shop.)
0.2 Left down Pauma Reservation Road
0.8 Left on State Route 76 East: Watch for traffic!
1.9 Left on Nate Harrison Grade Road: Begin climbing. Pavement ends soon.
11.2 End of Nate Harrison Grade at a five-way intersection. Make a hard right uphill. (2:04 elapsed riding time | 5100' elevation | 4320' total elevation gain)
11.9 Boucher Fire Lookout (2:12 elapsed riding time | 5340' elevation | 4560' total elevation gain)
12.7 Back at that five-way intersection: Make a right onto the uphill paved road through the State Park.
16.0 Mother's Cafe on left, at intersection with South Grade. Enjoy the great food and ambience!
16.1 Head down South Grade (paved road): Watch out for speeding motorcycles! (Merge straight onto State Route 76 west at the foot of the mountain: Watch for traffic!)
31.8 Right (at Jilberto's Taco Shop) on Pauma Reservation Road. (3:10 elapsed riding time | 900' elevation | 5190' total elevation gain)
32.4 Right into Pauma Casino
32.6 Pauma Casino Parking Lot

Ride Data
32.6 miles
5500' of total elevation gain
3:15 total elapsed riding time (but plan on a total of five hours to allow for photography and spending time at the Boucher Fire Lookout and Mother's Cafe)

Riders and Bikes
Brad Zlotnick on his 1989 Miyata Elevation 5000 mountain bike (fully rigid)
Peter Bridge on his ti Merlin Extra Light with 28mm road tyres
Dustin Sharp on his ti Black Sheep with Rohloff hub
Greg on his Bridgestone MB-1 mountain bike (fully rigid)
Esteban del Rio on his Protovelo (Rivendell prototype)
Rob M. on his Sam Hillborne by Rivendell
Calvin Mulder on his Felt cyclocross bike
Andy Mari on his Atlantis by Rivendell
Chris Kostman on his 1984 Holdsworth road bike with Ritchey 32mm cross tyres
Elizabeth on his 1974 Williams road bike converted to 650B wheels
Eric on his Bianchio Volpe cross bike
John Byrne on his GT I-Drive with 6" of travel, front and rear mountain bike (dual suspension)

Here's a link to all the photos!
You can even order prints, and more!

Here's the video slideshow. Click the button in the bottom right which is the second in from the bottom right corner in order to see the video full-screen. Also, turn up your speakers so you can enjoy the soundtrack!



Thanks for your enthusiasm, everyone, and thanks especially to all the Rough Riders who rode today! We look forward to seeing you "out there" soon! (Stay tuned for the announcement of another Semi-Epic Rough Ride in the near future!)

Deanna Adams tackles Tour Divide

Deanna Aye-Aye Adams, age 20, female, and vegan, a veteran of the 2007 and 2008 Furnace Creek 508 and 2008 and 2009 CORPScamp Death Valley, will tackle Tour Divide starting tomorrow, June 12, 2009. We wish her, and all the competitors, a safe and successful race out there!

Above: Deanna at Death Valley Double Century - Spring 2008

Above two pix: Deanna at CORPScamps Death Valley, February 2009,
en route to Scotty's Castle on her fixed gear
Above: Deanna at the 2008 Furnace Creek 508 finish line.
Yes, she brought a sword with which to break through the finish!

Tour Divide is a solo, self-supported mountain bike race on all 2,745 miles of Adventure Cycling Association's epic Great Divide MTB Route from Canada to Mexico. With an average time-to-completion of three weeks in the saddle, this grand tour is the longest, most challenging MTB race on the planet. It's a contest for the ultra-fit but only if ultra-prepared for myriad contingencies of backcountry biking.

Tour Divide is born of inspiration from John Stamstad's watershed `99 Divide ITT, and the US border to border challenge known as the Great Divide Race (ca.`04). Tour Divide observes all the historical divide racing controls save length. It pushes the envelope further by staging opening day racing from the top of the GDMBR in Banff, AB, where MTB-legal wilderness of Banff National Park serves as an immediate test of mettle. The Canadian section adds only 10% more trail, yet delivers unforgettable geography, abundant wildlife, and the international flair cycling has come to expect from grand tour racing.

Whether voyager or voyeur, Tour Divide is the ultimate to tribute to both the human capacity to endure and Adventure Cycling's brilliance in crafting the crown jewel of off-pavement touring routes.

As for Deanna, here's an excerpt from the "Sieze the World" blog report about Deanna:
Doubt Kills Dreams. This idea is a way of life for Deanna Adams. Deanna is a twenty year old cyclist, adventure racer, student, and athlete from Prescott, Arizona. She also has epilepsy. Deanna has been racing bicycles competitively for the past four years, and has met with great success. Just a few months ago, she finished the Furnace Creek 508, a 508-mile road bike race which has a 48-hour time limit. Known as, "The Toughest 48 hours in Sport," the 508 follows roads North from Santa Clarita, CA through the heart of the Mojave Desert and Death Valley to a very distant finish in the small town of Twentynine Palms, CA.

When Deanna crossed the finish line after 43 brutal hours of racing, she became the youngest female finisher to complete the race, (in fact the youngest female to have started the race) and the youngest finisher with epilepsy to have completed the race. The 508 is a grueling two-day affair in Death Valley which pits riders against other racers, themselves, and mother nature as they find themselves riding through hundreds of miles of heat, exhaustion, and darkness - it is necessary to ride much of the race at night. Deanna's seizure disorder did not cause any problems for her during the event. Full story.
Deanna's Bike:
While all or nearly of the field will compete on mountain bikes, Deanna will compete in Tour Divide on a road bike converted to fixed gear and shod with Ritchey cyclocross tyres. Here is her blog post from when she first built up the bike. Below are some photos taken two days before the start of Tour Divide in Banff.

Go, Deanna, Go!

Links: Tour Divide official website | Deanna's Blog

Semi-Epic Planned for Sunday, June 14: Mt. Palomar Via Nate Harrison Grade: YOU Are Invited!

Hello fellow Rough Riders!

You're invited to a no-host, self-sufficient ride up northern San Diego's awesome Mt. Palomar via Nate Harrison Grade, a dirt road which is a lovely alternate to the overly popular paved roads. (We will return downhilll via the pavement, however.) Extraordinary views are to be had along the way, and especially from the tippy-top at the Boucher Fire Lookout. Thereafter we'll also enjoy a stop at Mother's Cafe, near the summit.

Here's a ride report and video slideshow from when we did this ride last December (be sure to give it a few minutes to load the video and turn up your speakers as there is a music soundtrack):

http://www.adventurecorps.com/chronicles/2008/2008nateharrison.html

On Sunday, June 14, we will roll out at 8am from Casino Pauma which is amazingly hard to find. It's at 777 Pauma Reservation Rd, Pauma Valley, CA 92061. Three bottles and/or camelbak recommended.

Note: This ride is unhosted, unsupported, and everyone who shows up is on their own. Neither we, nor anybody else, is responsible for anyone who rides. If you ride, YOU are responsible for YOU and YOUR bike. This is not an "event" - it is just a ride on dirt and paved roads for like-minded people.

Weather: Got this helpful note from Rough Rider Blad Zlotnick since it appears that fears of of a hot were unfounded and the reverse is more likely:

I use this weather site because you can click on exact site you want forecast (zoom in and try it) and I have found it to be the most accurate thing around (eg, even timing of clearing fog). Might be a helpful link for your site, also. Best of all, our taxpayer dollars at work.

In any case, this is similar to the forecast of drizzle and heavy fog we had for last Wednesday out there, when ground/car/we were wet at Valley Center Road Junction/Jilberto's 2, with no visibility up the mountain. The associated hazardous weather alert refers to 1/4 mile visibility possible on the mountain from fog.

Weather PS: We were up on Palomar on Saturday (the day before this semi-epic) for the Palomar Challenge and it was foggy and socked in on the upper half of the mountain! We will have lights and rain jackets on Sunday! Click here for pix!

We hope to see you there! This is a FANTASTIC ride and you do not want to miss it!

- Chris Kostman and Elizabeth Jefferson

PS We have a weekly 20 mile / 110-minute "Rough Rider Ramble" in the La Jolla / Sorrento Valley, CA on Wednesdays at 5pm. All are invited! Info here:

http://www.xo-1.org/2009/04/weekly-more-or-less-rough-riders-ramble.html

Rough Riding the Santa Monica Mountains, May 17, 2009

Above (L-R): Ken, Gary, Matt, Chris, Jennifer

Five illustrious Rough Riders turned out for a 40-mile excursion in the Santa Monica Mountains on May 17, 2009, including Matt "Desert Locust" Ruscigno on a Bianchi 'cross bike, Ken Kistinger on a suspension-less Cannondale Killer V, Gary on a Bianchi single-speed 'cross bike, Chris Kostman on a 1984 Holdsworth road bike with 32mm 'cross tyres, and Jennifer Klausner on a suspended mountain bike. Jenn is the head of the LA County Bicycle Coalition, an organization primarily associated with promoting cycling on streets for commuting and such. But as a Santa Monica native and local resident who has been cycling in all manner of styles for many, many years, she impressed all of us with her knowledge of names and geography of the trails.

The route was 40 miles with 4850' of elevation gain, though 4500' of the elevation gain was in the first 25 miles. Here are the essentials of the route for those who are curious:

• Start: 26th and San Vicente, 90049
• Take streets - Mandeville Canyon, Chalon, etc - to enter the bottom of Sullivan Canyon
• Ascend Sullivan Canyon (AKA Farmers Fire Road on maps) to Sullivan Ridge
• Ascend Sullivan Ridge to Dirt Mulholland (AKA Mulholland Drive on maps)
• West on Dirt Mulholland
• Temescal Fire Road south to "The Hub"
• Topanga Fire Road to Trippett Ranch (state park parking lot area) - water stop
• Streets down to Topanga Canyon Blvd, then south briefly on Topanga Canyon Blvd
• Right on Topanga School Rd to end and through the cul-de-sac / front of the school.
• Enter the south end of Henry Ridge Motorway (dirt road, gravel road, paved road)
• Right / West on Summit to Summit Motorway
• Cross the summit of Old Topanga Road (go up drive and follow "Trail" signs)
• Continue south on Calabasas Peak Motorway (a dirt road)
• Option 1: Continue straight / right and drop onto Stunt Road, then take Stunt to Saddle Peak and beyond.
• Option 2 (What we did because it was nearly 100 degrees out and we were almost out of water): Go left at the fork onto Red Rock Road
• Turn right on Old Topanga Canyon Road
• Turn Right on Topanga Canyon Blvd
• Turn left on PCH back to Brentwood

All of these trails and roads can be found in the Thomas Bros. Guide for Los Angeles on pages 591, 590, and 589 (in that order).

A few photos are posted here on this page.

For the full slideshow, check out the associated gallery on our SmugMug site. You can even order prints, and more!

Enjoy!

Next up (all Rough Riding friends are welcome): Riding up Mt. Palomar (northern San Diego County) on Sunday, June 14 via the Nate Harrison Grade. We will roll out at 8am from Casino Pauma which is amazingly hard to find. It's at 777 Pauma Reservation Rd, Pauma Valley, CA 92061. Not sure if you want to join us? Well... Check out our video slideshow of this fantastic ride! Check out our previous blog post about this fantastic ride! You don't want to miss it!

Above: Jennifer at "The Hub"Above: Matt (L) and Chris on Calabasas Peak Mtwy
with Stunt Road and Saddle Peak in the background.

Rough Riders in the LA Times Today, May 11, 2009

Check out this excerpt from the Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2009:

All-in-one bikes

Email Picture

A multi-functional steel touring bike with changeable handlebars from old-school builder Bruce Gordon.

Reviewed: Bruce Gordon Rock N' Road Tour, Specialized Tricross Comp, Diamondback Overdrive 29er, Rawland Sogn

By Roy M. Wallack, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
May 11, 2009

The Rock N' Road Tour was ahead of its time. Sixteen years ago, I rode this strange, do-it-all bike with road bike wheels, knobby off-road tires and a touring rack from the Redondo Beach bike path up 2,000 feet of dirt trails to the Mulholland fire road. I tore past mountain bikers. It was exhilarating to overlook the San Fernando Valley and think, "I did this all on one bike!" Of course, with no suspension and fairly narrow tires, a bike like this was a little dicey on technical descents. But for 99% of riding, this is the bike people ought to have. It tours, road-rides and mountain bikes without taking up all the garage space. Today the Rock N' Road is improved -- and not alone. Do-it-all bikes are gaining in popularity as practical times beckon and acceptance of unorthodox size frames and wheels grows. There's even a website devoted to all-in-one bike adventure called Rough Riders. Here are four bikes that try to do it all.

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Rough Rider Semi-Epic Planned for Sunday, May 17: Join Us!

All are invited to this no-host semi-epic dirt/road ride starting at 26th and San Vicente (the border between Santa Monica and Brentwood. Zip Code 90049). Start time 9am, to allow time for cross-towners to ride to the start.

Route will head up Mandeville Canyon, Dirt Mulholland, The Hub, Trippet Ranch, Topanga Canyon, two unnamed, semi-secret fire roads, eventually cross the top of Old Topanga, drop onto Stunt Rd., ascend Stunt (the first paved road of the whole ride), down little known trails to the coast, then back on PCH to San Vicente for a pavement finish. Figure about 5 hours and 50 miles, but I can't say for sure. A few bail-out options exist for those in over their head. Pace will be medium-to-high, but stops will be made for scenic overlooks and photos.

Most Rough Riders would probably want to ride a "mountain bike" on this route, or at least tyres in the 40mm or wider range. (There's a decent amount or loose, rocky stuff.) Definitely bring three bottles, two tubes, patch kit, etc. There is essentially nowhere to buy anything along the route. Be prepared.

Check out "Forty Days and Forty Nights" on this blog for a few pix of the area and a sense for the type of adventure planned (not that we expect waist-deep water, but anything can happen).

Trust me, this is a fantastic route in a wondrous area. I LOVE riding these mountains!

Stay tuned for the final details on start time. Feel free to RSVP by posting a Comment below this page on the blog, but it's not necessary.

Note: This ride is unhosted, unsupported, and everyone who shows up is on their own. Neither we, nor anybody else, is responsible for anyone who rides. If you ride, YOU are responsible for YOU and YOUR bike. This is not an "event" - it is just a ride on dirt roads for like-minded people.

(Remember, we Rough Riders enjoy getting "out there" by riding roads, dirt roads, trails, and paths on whatever bike we happen to be on or have handy. Sometimes the pavement's long gone and we're still on our "road bikes" or some bike that would be commonly considered inadequate for the job - and that's just fine by us! Rough Riding is not defined by the type of bicycle or type of riding surface. Rough Riding is a state of mind, a riding style with limitless freedom and an all-pervasive sense of adventure.)

See you out there!