SoCal FJ Dollar Bill run 2/13/16

[FJmonkey]

Today three FJowners had great ride. We meet up in Valencia at a Starbucks conveniently located at a gas station. No pics, so maybe it did not happen. Fueled up on Unleaded and coffee (leaded) we head off West on the 126, then 150 to Ojai, then the 33 for some real fun. Traffic was not bad and we ate up the twisty bits. A few pics of our first stop at an overlook of the valley we came through.







Enough chit chat, more twisty stuff and a good meal is calling. Our stop is Reyes Creek Bar and Grill. We made our mark again. The first Dollar Bill was getting short on room so we put up number two. That is the bill Steve is pointing at, just above Bill.



Time for a close up...



An old mining town tavern, family owned and operated, large portions of delicious food.


We head out for more twisty bits and make Frazer Park and fuel up. This where we bid a farewell to Bill as he will peal off for home in a few miles and Steve and I head into an unexpected adventure. I had chosen and old road I traveled about 5 years ago, a bit of history before the freeway made it obsolete. I led Steve down a goat trail to nowhere....

The sign states that the road beyond is no longer maintained. On we go....


This is where the goat trail begins. Some of the original concrete road is still intact, there are newer parts that cut the corners, we had to dodge pot holes, rocks, boulders, 2+ inches off loose dirt, dirt track like humps, a small pond almost the with of the road. Bill on his V-Strom would have left us way behind.



Bye Steve, don't fall over....


The we came to a rock wall with an arch, seemed like a good place to stop.





This arch and wall is all that is left of a restaurant and inn that served as a stop along the Old Ridge Road built back in the 1930's




Shortly after that the road was closed... WTF? Crap, we double back (goat trail and all) and slab it home to get Steve home on time.

I had a great ride, enjoyed meeting Bill, riding with good blokes and the weather was great (no snow other than a few small bits hidden the shadows a side of the road). 

Did I miss anything Steve and Bill?

[moparman70]

Mark - I love the arch shot -- I might have to frame that one.   It was a good -no great ride today.  It was also nice to met a new member Bill -- - Bill - I should have taken you up on that burger offer --- the ride home through LA was brutal ---- LANE SPLIT-A-HOLIC ----from South of 134 on the 5 all the way to Oceanside I was pretty much straddling the lanes ( only fast area was in the OC from the 57 to the 405) arrrrrrrg


Note - to all - If you do visit Reyes Creek Bar and Grill be sure to add a buck to the board just below our start ( BIll number 3 actually as there are two others FJ bill in the old location,

steve

[moparman70]

Side NOTE --  I did some research after the fact and that Ridge Road is a road I have been wanting to try for sometime.  I only looked at it from the other end.   Its blocked off at the Castaic end ( very close to Castiac Canine Camp. 

Also the route we were going to finish on looks good to N2 PineCanyon Road to Lake Hughes Rd back to Castiac --- Next time for sure.

Side Note 2 --- I need to do the Templin Hwy as well --- its doesn't go anywhere anymore but it looks like a cool road to explore even if you have to turn around.

Sc2

[simi_ed]

Sorry I missed this ride. N2-pine canyon is/was a pretty decent ride, nothing flashy, but great compared to the reclaimed (by nature!) goat trail that the Ridge Route has become. 
I remember when I was 6-8 going over that Ridge Route (actually the original road from LA to the San Joaquin valley, before the US-99 or I-5 were built).  It was a pretty run down strip of asphalt then, probably is disuse for ~30 years at that time.  I'm surprised you found any pavement at all!
Lake Hughes road is pretty good too, but not a favorite-still better than slabbing I-5 every time.

[moparman70]

Ed- they don't build them like they used to  -- the Ridge Road will be there for a long time as most of it is concrete -- 15 ft wide.  the only thing that will take it out is landslides and we saw how it just covers it up in places.   The interesting thing I noticed was how curvy the concrete road was -- when you travel it now all the curves have been cut away and hard gravel put in its place,.   Some of the road has disappeared under the landslides and they just cut a path away from the orignial road.   its a pretty cool history --- I read a lot about it and all of it was interesting ---- then its replaced with the Golden State Hwy -- 99 ---  a  little interesting road --- then the 5 took over and well -- dull -


sc2

[azure]

It's 16 f just west of Boston  as I read this. So nice to dream , thanks!!