Trip Report – Angeles Crest Run, Saturday, July 11th 2009 from Chula Vista, CA
Method: Triumph Sprint ST
After logging the first 500 miles on my new bike and getting its initial servicing I decided that the first trip would be a long epic day ride. I figured that riding through Angeles Crest, LA County would be good since it wasn’t too far and I could make it back in one day. Maybe…
When I got up in the morning, I looked out the window and saw sunny, clear blue skies, I knew I couldn’t have chose a better morning to go on this ride. I grabbed the essentials; helmet, jacket, digital camera and of course the iPod since this long ride would require a soundtrack. I originally planned to get on the 5, then head up the 15 and cross east to go to Idyllwild, but I decided that I didn’t want to get on the interstate for front side of the ride. It’s all about the 2 lane back rodes. Right?? Besides, I wanted to get my morning coffee in Julian. So, I headed east on Otay Lakes Road. I usually don’t stop at the lake but I did this morning because it was so quiet, the sun just rising over the mountains and the water was calm and glassy. No iPod yet as I rode through on to Japatul Road to connect to the 79 North. I just wanted to hear the sound of the engine and take in the morning scenery in the mountains. I take this route all the time out to Julian and what was really surprising was that at 7:30 am on a Saturday, I encountered little traffic both motorcycle and cager.
When I rolled into Julian, I gassed up there because in my haste to leave the house I didn’t fill up yet. Next to the gas station is the coffee house I like to have a cup of coffee and sit on the patio. I was also shocked not to see one other bike parked in the vicinity! Soon as I sat down, lo and behold 3 bikers pull up. While I sitting there enjoying my coffee and contemplating the rest of the journey, I couldn’t help overhearing a conversation a few tables away. 4 men were talking about the “murdercycles” that showed up. They were cackling and said they would rather ride a horse because they could enjoy the scenery, get drunk and fall of the it without injury. With that, I laughed to myself, plugged in the tunes and got back onto my “murdercycle”. I headed down the mountain and further north on the 79. One my favorite views is the last stretch down into Santa Ysabel and into this valley. There are a few Indian reservations on the 79 and I like that its no too built up and you can just enjoy the country.
By the way, the Sprint was running perfect and at less than 1000 on the odometer I wasn’t grabbing a full handful throttle. There wasn’t a need to at this point since I was taking in a perfect sunny, summer California morning. I continued up through Anza on the 374. I couldn’t help but think how amazing the scenery and terrain changes along the way, brush, rocky mountains, forests, dry rolling valleys, then high desert and back to pine forests. Once I got to Idyllwild, I stopped again to get a bottled water and a baby ruth (my energy bar). I sat outside the grocery store and noticed more bikes rumbling through town, lots of Harleys.
I saddled back up and was looking forward to go down the mountain on the 243 to Banning. Great views of Riverside county below looking west. Its started get a bit twisty and interesting here and I was having a blast since it was my first time going down this road. I swear there is one left turn that was a 360 turn around a smaller hill on the way down. Wow! Also, I must confess I have a fear of heights and there are parts on this road where I had a vertical perspective, as in a birds eye view of the town below and I-10 in the distance!
I made it down and proceeded to get on the 10 so I could reach the next way point which was to get the on entry into the Angeles Crest. At this point it was 10:30 am and was starting to get very hot. It was at this point it was time to open up throttle and take my bike and butt down the road! The Sprint was up to the task and didn’t disappoint because I knew this bike was at its best grooving at 80 mph plus. I sped along to the 215 and to the 15 where I missed the turn off went south instead of north. McFly?!? My mistake must have been early signs of heat exhaustion and impending hunger. I finally made it the exit and set my sights on the golden arches and the air conditioned, fast food meal. I gassed up and got a second wind for the big push up through the Angeles Crest.
I rode up Highway 2 into Wrightwood and the scenery dramatically changed from the typical brushy hills to forest country. My first site was a steep mountain with exposed rock. I thought to myself that the next 40 plus miles was going to be like this! The little town had an alpine feel to it and I was picturing how it much looking during months snow was on the ground. I was still in disbelief in the overall lack of traffic as I trekked upward. The other thing worth mentioning is the quality of the road was impressive. I made my first stop to face northward and overlook toward Palmdale and the desert below to snap the first of many pictures. A few miles up, I reached the Blue Ridge at 7300 ft. It was at this point, I stopped and took it all in. It was quiet, and probably at least 25 degrees cooler up here from where I just was less than a hour ago. I realized at that point that I didn’t get into motorcycling in and of itself, but to enjoy experiences like this. I hopped back on continued along this amazing road, riding deliberately to savor every turn and view that came with it.
My next noteworthy stop came at a turnout facing north. Someone had come by and stacked rocks on each of guardrail posts as if to make some spiritual point. I guess it worked because I stopped to check it out! From here I noticed another road down below that wove up the northside of the crest. Future route? Who knows? I pressed on through the crest and felt a bit of fatigue nagging at me once the odometer hit 300 miles. My last stop up there was a cool view of downtown LA and the valley below. The skyscrapers looked tiny in the distance! I was getting thirsty and hot again so I wanted to get to another gas station mini mart for a Gatorade.
I made it down the mountain to a gas station in Glendale and while I was there I met a Harley guy who just about to make his way up the way I just came. He mentioned that he just finished an 11 day trip from Cypress, CA all the way to Mt. Rushmore! I was impressed. The way back to San Diego was not glamorous at all since I was just sticking to the wide open interstate highways 210, and down the 15. I stopped only one more time in Corona to gas up one last time and absorb some A/C in the Arco mini-mart. I stripped off the jacket and blasted down all the way home.
All in all, I was completed satisfied with the trip and the performance of my newly purchased Sprint ST. I did it. I rode 459 beautiful miles on a fantastic machine. I’m looking forward to the next long ride and will report back with the latest!
Check out the route here!
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=2282+Adventure+Lane,+Chu la+Vista,+Ca+91915&daddr=Otay+Lakes+Rd+to:Lyons+Va lley+Rd+to:Julian,+ca+to:idyllwild,+ca+to:I-15+N+to:Angeles+Crest+Hwy%2FCA-2+to:34.129995,-117.537231+to:2282+Adventure+Lane,+Chula+Vista,+Ca +91915&geocode=%3BFVxV8gEdGCIJ-Q%3BFdge8wEdbBMK-Q%3B%3B%3BFZZcCwIdrr3_-A%3BFXLHCgIdxq_1-A%3B%3B&hl=en&mra=dme&mrcr=3&mrsp=7&sz=8&via=1,2,5 ,7&sll=33.596319,-117.015381&sspn=1.990264,5.410767&ie=UTF8&ll=33.53 6816,-117.954712&spn=1.991635,5.410767&z=8
Linear Mode
