SoCal Riders...Rode "The Crest" Today
06-23-2009, 08:30 PM
#1
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
Posts: 3,451
SoCal Riders...Rode "The Crest" Today
As some of you may know, Angeles Crest Highway, in the mountains above L.A., was opened all the way to Wrightwood a few months ago after being closed for several years.
This morning my wife (on her SV650S) and I took off from South Orange County, rode over Ortega to the 15, north to the 138 and the 2, then we rode The Crest from Wrightwood to Newcombs Ranch and back. It ended up being a 300 mile trip.
The road is in great shape and NOBODY was on it on a Tuesday. We went for probably 10 minutes at a stretch without seeing another vehicle going in either direction, more motorcycles than cars. On the way west towards Newcombs, we saw many softball sized or larger square cut rocks in the eastbound lane, usually in a blind righthander...not good for the return tip. A few rocks on our side, but they were easy to spot.
So on the return trip going east I figured we'd have to go pretty easy because...did I mention these rocks were HUGE? Well it became evident within the first few miles that a maintenance crew had gone by while we were stopped at Newcombs because there was not one large rock on the road the entire way back to Wrightwood. Great ride.
One other note. Like most good canyon rides in SoCal the CHP is reportedly out in force on weekends. We did see one CHP motorcycle officer giving a tuner car a ticket
on the way west. But he rode past Newcombs Ranch heading west 10 minutes before we headed back east.
Oh, and my needle shimmed but stock jetted '05 VTR rode and pulled great all the way up to 7903' at Dawson's Saddle.
Not a single carb fart.
And I turned 30,000 miles on the odo today.
This morning my wife (on her SV650S) and I took off from South Orange County, rode over Ortega to the 15, north to the 138 and the 2, then we rode The Crest from Wrightwood to Newcombs Ranch and back. It ended up being a 300 mile trip.
The road is in great shape and NOBODY was on it on a Tuesday. We went for probably 10 minutes at a stretch without seeing another vehicle going in either direction, more motorcycles than cars. On the way west towards Newcombs, we saw many softball sized or larger square cut rocks in the eastbound lane, usually in a blind righthander...not good for the return tip. A few rocks on our side, but they were easy to spot.
So on the return trip going east I figured we'd have to go pretty easy because...did I mention these rocks were HUGE? Well it became evident within the first few miles that a maintenance crew had gone by while we were stopped at Newcombs because there was not one large rock on the road the entire way back to Wrightwood. Great ride.
One other note. Like most good canyon rides in SoCal the CHP is reportedly out in force on weekends. We did see one CHP motorcycle officer giving a tuner car a ticket
on the way west. But he rode past Newcombs Ranch heading west 10 minutes before we headed back east.Oh, and my needle shimmed but stock jetted '05 VTR rode and pulled great all the way up to 7903' at Dawson's Saddle.
Not a single carb fart.And I turned 30,000 miles on the odo today.
Last edited by VTRsurfer; 06-23-2009 at 08:38 PM.
06-24-2009, 10:45 AM
#4
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Clemente, CA
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I don't think I would have been able to see you, it was so friggin smoggy in the lowlands along the 15. Broke through the brown sky about 1/2 way up to the Wrightwood turnoff. Great views of the Mojave from The Crest. The 50 mile each way drone on the arrow straight 15 was a killer.
06-25-2009, 01:42 PM
#5
I don't need any Meds
Superstock
Join Date: May 2009
Location: West Coast, SoCal Inland
Posts: 265
I don't think I would have been able to see you, it was so friggin smoggy in the lowlands along the 15. Broke through the brown sky about 1/2 way up to the Wrightwood turnoff. Great views of the Mojave from The Crest. The 50 mile each way drone on the arrow straight 15 was a killer.
06-27-2009, 12:14 AM
#6
Hmm?
SuperBike
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: San Gabriel Valley
Posts: 2,069
I love that road - especially the turn-off for Angeles Forest Highway (it's at the first ranger station you come across if you're heading up from La Canada).
Just have to watch out for the early-morning commuters - they all haul *** on that road, crossing over the DY several times (I've been "chased" more than a few times).
Just have to watch out for the early-morning commuters - they all haul *** on that road, crossing over the DY several times (I've been "chased" more than a few times).
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