SoCal Triple Play - Idyllwild, Borrego Springs, Palomar Mountain

Rise up this mornin',
Smiled with the risin' sun,
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin' sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true,
Sayin', "This is my message to you-ou-ou:"
Singin': "Don't worry about a thing, worry about a thing,
oh! Every little thing gonna be all right.

-Bob Marley

Words and Pictures by Jim Foreman

Ride Details

Destinations: Idyllwild via CA 243, Borrego Springs and Palomar Mountain.
Total Miles: 353
Best time to go: Year Round (Except for Snow or Ice)
Difference in Temperatures: 40ºF (92º in Beaumont 62º at Palomar Mountain)
Participants: Pan Huang, Hanson Xie and Jim Foreman
Fun Factor: Off The Hook!
Passenger Fun Factor: Same as Above
Lunch Enjoyed at: Gastrognome
Miles Visable from the Top of Palomar Mountain: 75+
Number of Cops Seen All Day: 2
Map of the Route: GoogleMaps


Every day one hears 'Epic' this and 'Epic' that and each time it's heard it becomes evident that it's not 'Epic' at all.  At best when the word 'Epic' is used it really means, mildly interesting. 
That was not the case for the SoCal Triple Play that even included a bonus run.

Last week, a message was received from Hanson suggesting He, Pan and I go out for a ride over the weekend.  Last time around we went all the way through Angeles Crest Highway and had a great time.  

It was agreed to all meet at Pan's home in Tustin near the old Marine Corps Air Station.  We donned our gear, mounted up and headed out for a day of fun.  As is often the case, the weather in SoCal was spectacular.  Truly, one couldn't wish for better weather.  Clear, sunny, not too hot, just perfect weather.

Pan was riding his 2013 Honda Goldwing, Hanson was riding Pan's 2013 CVO Street Glide and Jim was riding his 2002 BMW K 1200 RS.  Amongst the Goldwing and the StreetGlide, the full-size BMW K 1200 RS seemed tiny, like a Ninja 300. 
 
When the destinations tend to lead far away from home, getting the Interstate travel out of the way early on has proved an efficient strategy.  Just like with Ojai, we decided to burn the interstate to CA 243 (Palms to Pines Scenic Byway).  That way, we would be heading, gradually, back toward home, on a day trip.  This course also allows us to warm up our bikes and ourselves before hitting the awesomeness.
 

Heading up CA 243 Palms to Pines Scenic Byway

Riding into Idyllwild

Upon reaching the CA 243 exit off of I-10, we rolled up to the base of the mountain.  This is the point we mounted the GoPRO Cameras and really started our journey.

If one has traveled CA-243, then the next few sentences will be old news.  If you haven't had a chance, to make the run to Idyllwild, why the heck not?  
This road must have been designed by motorcyclists.  It's really that amazing!  The corners will cause your cheeks to hurt from smiling in your helmet too much.   The scenery and sights will be a visual feast for your eyes.  Going up the first part, it's impossible not to notice and smell the remnants of the recent fire.  After the first summit, all the fire damage is in the past.  What's left is mile after mile of shady, cool, pine-scented roadway that simply beckons you to open the throttle just a little bit more.  

Along the glorious 24 miles between the base of the mountain and Idyllwild, there is just one area where the speed limit drops.  It's only a brief slowdown and then normal speed to Idyllwild.  Idyllwild is a great stopping point.  This rustic village is known for being exceptionally motorcycle friendly.  There are three gas stations in town.  None of them are exorbitantly priced.  

The Three Amigos in front of Gastrognome Restaurant.

Dining options are aplenty in Idyllwild.  Many riders simply pull into Jo'anns Restaurant and Bar.  The unfortunate live rendition of Ella Fitzgerald's 'At Last' coming from their performance stage would upset even the most robust appetites.  I recommend trying a new place each time.  There are many European ex-pats living in the area.  Many offer some terrific culinary options.  We decided to enjoy 'Gastrognome Restaurant'.  After a delicious meal and attentive service, Hanson and Pan took a stroll around part of the town.  It was my job to setup the cameras again for the next leg of our journey.

A brief fill up at one of the gas stations, and we were off.  We continued south on Hwy 243.  It's a nice wind-down as the amazing twisties, elevation changes and scenery continue.  Upon reaching the 2000' level, a choice to continue on 243 south or head south/west on Hwy 74 is presented.  We continued south on the 243.  
At Kenworthy Bautista Road (CA 371), we made a right and headed to Aguanga.  CA 371 dead-ends into Hwy 79, so a left turn was made onto Hwy 79 and the journey continued.

Coming down CA 243 south of Idyllwild

Up until this point the option of going to Borrego Springs was uncertain.  Given the relative early time in the afternoon, the decision was made to go for it.  A quick left turn was made on San Felipe Road (S2).  A Couple miles later, there's a 'Y' in the road.  San Felipe continues on the right,  but you will want to veer left onto Montezuma Valley Road (S22).  This is what leads into Borrego Springs. 

Montezuma Valley Road (S22) is the second part of the three road triple play that made up this journey.  

This road is a must for all serious motorcyclists.  The well cambered roadway matches perfectly with the speed and degree of the corner to bring about excitement and joy!  

   
  

That's a great sign!

This time of year is butterfly season and the roadway was covered, in places, with butterflies.  As we would ride through, the road would seem to disintegrate and rise above the expected surface.  Think of a cool slo-mo scene in the Matrix to get the idea.  Though our bikes got a little peppered with butterfly guts it was surprisingly minimal give the tens of thousands we actually rode through.  

At the bottom of the hill, Borrego Springs was a virtual ghost town.  Two thirds of the businesses were closed or vacant.  We couldn't even find a coffee shop to rest for a quick break.  A small market remained open.  We settled on some bottled Mocha Frappucinos for the three of us.  Given all the fun we've had, so far, one might think we were ready to call it a day.  No Way!  Pan and Hanson were ready for more!  I was too!  Off we went to ride Montezuma Valley Road, AGAIN!  It was even better going back since the recent run of the corners going down were still fresh in our memory.
 

Hanson (L) and Pan (R) overlooking Lake Henshaw.

We backtracked to the 79 and made a left.  A short way down the road is CA 76.  Turn right toward Lake Henshaw and made another quick right onto East Grade Road.  Be careful.  East Grade Road comes fast.  Look to the right because it's easy to miss.  After making the right, head up the hill toward Palomar Mountain and part three of the SoCal Trifecta.

East Grade Road and Palomar Mountain Road are a motorcyclists paradise.  Sadly most riders will follow the darned GPS Master and just roll along Hwy 76 without even a clue to the amazingness that they are missing just a few miles away.  If you don't have one already, get a Butler Motorcycle Map and study it.  Also turn off the GPS once in a while.  Remember, you ride to get away from being told what to do.

A short way up East Grade Road, there is an overlook with an impressive view of Henshaw Lake.  This is a great spot to get some 'Glamor' shots of your bike.

Hanson chasing Jim up East Grade Road

Continuing on along East Grade Road will bring cooler temperatures again and certainly challenge the lean angles of your bike.  The visuals are amazing and perfect for GoPRO footage.  As we reached the end of East Grade Road, several vistas became evident and should be stopped at for more glamor shots with you and your bike.

At the intersection of East Grade Road, Palomar Mountain Road and State Park Road is Mother's Kitchen.  Mother's Kitchen is very  motorcycle friendly.  It's also a great place to eat.

Jim and Hanson playing around.

We stopped at a vista point overlooking San Diego County and Catalina Island in the distance.  

From there we completed the "Pièce de Résistance".  Palomar Mountain Road is well known amongst serious sport riders.  Often you'll see them gathered at the base or the top of the hill making their runs.  Even at the late hour, there were still supersport riders readying for another run.  It's incredible going both uphill and downhill.  Conveniently, there is a fire station at the top of the run for the inevitable novice who tries to outride him or herself.  On weekends, it's quite common to hear sirens responding to incidents.  Please ride within your limits.

Any one of these roads is a great destination in itself.  All of us were fine doing a good distance and we really wanted to do a lot of riding.  While these roads are relatively close to each other there is no reason to rush it.  Especially with a passenger, it would be worthwhile to spend half a day in Idyllwild or explore Borrego Springs.  Palomar Mountain has a lot of side roads and a world-class observatory. 

It was now 5:30pm and we had an hour of daylight left and a rather long way to go.  A right at the base of Palomar Mountain road brought us back onto Hwy 76.  This stretch is quite fun.   Expect to ride a fair distance, until the road split near the Pala Casino.  We stayed right onto Pala Mission Road.  A subsequent right onto Pala-Temecula Road came shortly.

Now it's not uncommon for some drivers, typically in hybrid powered cars, to go slow and not use the proper turnouts to let others pass.  These self-entitled, self-righteous, narcissistic drivers may not even realize that there is anyone else even on the road.  An even worse situation was encountered on this road.  The offending driver had a full-size late 90's Ford F-150 with a H-D Sticker, a License plate frame that says, "I'd rather be riding my Harley-Davidson" and a H-D logo trailer hitch cover.  One would think they might have a sense of others on the road.  Perhaps it's not too much to ask to drive the speed limit, not 10 MPH under.  We were clearly seen in his side and rear-view mirrors, yet turnout after turnout was passed without the slightest courtesy to pull-over.  We wound up aggressively passing the driver and while doing so I looked at him shaking my head.  All three of us later commented on what a jerk this guy was. 

Pala-Temecula Road drops us off at CA 79.  There is a gas station there as well as an In-N-Out Burger and Starbucks along with other places to eat.  Once refreshed, we headed west on 79 and immediately jumped on Interstate 15 going north.  This was a bit frustrating as traffic was backing up and splitting lanes, approaching dusk, for 30 or so miles was not appealing.  A proverbial lightbulb flashed bright in my head.  We exited a few miles later at Clinton Keith Road and made a Left.

We continued west on Clinton Keith Road until we hit Grand Avenue.  At Grand, we made a right.  A few miles up was......  Wait for it......  Wait for it.....

Yes!  The Mighty Ortega Highway (CA 74).

We weren't planning on hitting Ortega, but the traffic on the 15 and likely traffic on the 91 made this choice very appealing.  We made the left onto Ortega and never looked back.

As we reached the lookout, the opening salvos of dusk were fast approaching.  Fortunately traffic was quite light.  We were able to keep a hastened pace.  

Only a short 15 minutes of night riding was required up Interstate 5 to Tustin and to return to Pan's residence.

From there we all thanked each other, talked about how much we loved today's ride and when we would plan another one.

A sudden rush of gratitude was upon me as I realized how many good friends I have to share these motorcycle adventures.

Please 'Like' Irv Seaver BMW on Facebook.

Jim on East Grade Road

One of the lookouts from Palomar Mountain

Pan was killing it on the big behemoth

Hanson and I stopping for a moment.

The BMW K 1200 RS looks tiny at the Lake Henshaw Lookout

Pan may not speak a lot of English, but it was evident all day how much he enjoyed riding today.

Getting ready to head out from Idyllwild

Getting ready to tackle CA 243

And...  Cut!

Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu

Let's Ride the Malibu Alps! -Chris Weir
©2013 Photos and words by Jim Foreman

Destination: Santa Monica Mountains
Type of Riding: Sport
What to Expect: Amazing Motorcycle roads with both tight, technical corners and high-speed sweepers.
Best Time To Go: Year Round M-F or weekend afternoons.
Police Presence: Weekends, heavy.  Today, only four on PCH.  One turning into La Salsa for lunch, two on bikes chatting it up with passers by and one just driving on the road.
Link to map: http://goo.gl/maps/bl4fj
Total Miles: 106
Roads covered: Latigo Canyon Road, Mulholland Hwy, Decker Rd, Encinal Canyon Rd, Stunt Rd, Topanga Canyon Blvd, Old Topanga Canyon Rd, Tuna Canyon, Pacific Coast Hwy.


Aug 07, 2013 -Today, is a bit of a sad day.  My friend Daniel Rice (excuse for taking time off work to ride) has to fly back to Shanghai, China to begin his fall semester.  I can say that we made the most of it!  Last weekend we did a track day at Buttonwillow Raceway with TrackDaz.  We both had an amazing time and both became much better riders because of it.

Because it was Daniel's last full day in SoCal, we decided to go big.  We began the ride at the Chevron Station at the corner of Sunset Blvd and Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades.  This is a good place to gas up and meet friends.  From there a quick right turn onto PCH was the start of this great day riding.

After being on PCH for a few minutes we both realized at the same time that we were both hungry.  It was lunchtime, so we decided on returning to Malibu Kitchen for some great Boar's Head Deli Sandwiches.  Malibu Kitchen is nestled in a shopping center right behind the Shell Station at PCH and Cross Creek.  There are several cafes in this area.  There is a Starbucks (with tons of celebrity sightings) and across the street toward the back is a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf with a nice patio.
If you enjoy sightseeing or star gazing, there are few better places in SoCal to enjoy this.

With our very satisfying sandwiches put down, we continued our journey.  Next stop, Latigo Canyon Road.  Latigo Canyon Road is one that Daniel and I have run numerous times.  At the base, we pulled off, fired up the GoPRO Cameras and made haste.  We are both familiar with Latigo and wanted to see how our skills have improved as a result of our track day experience.  I was a lot more confident, smooth and found it very enjoyable.  Daniel too was taking the corners like a pro.  We followed it up to Kanan-Dume Road and took a right and then an immediate left at Mulholland Hwy.  Most riders take a right on Mulholland to run 'The Snake'.  On any weekend one will see photographers and videographers shooting pics and video of bikes and cars running through.  Some even have YouTube channels such as RnickyMouse.  We saved 'The Snake' for later.  Decker Canyon was our immediate goal. 

On Mulholland Hwy headed west, we passed the branch for Encinal Canyon and Westlake Blvd.  At the branch to Decker Canyon Rd, keep left or make sure you have good U-Turn skills.  Like Latigo Canyon, Decker Canyon Rd has lots of technical corners but it also has some nice fast sweepers and beautiful vistas as you approach the ocean.  At the base of Decker Canyon Rd and PCH, we made a left onto PCH and then a Left onto Encinal Canyon.
Many sportbikers skip Encinal Canyon road but I tell you this...  Don't skip it.  It's a fast road with some very cool sweepers.  The Speed Limit is 55MPH meaning you can take these very aggressively.  If you're like me, you'll even scrape your pegs on the way.  Going up Encinal Canyon there is little traffic so let it loose.  At the end of Encinal Canyon, we rejoined Mulholland Hwy and re-crossed Kanan-Dume Rd and began our run on 'The Snake' and the famous 'Dead Man's Curve'.

'The Snake' basically starts at The Rock Store and works it's way up Mulholland to the 'Top of the Snake' which is the 'Dead Man's Curve'.   We went the other direction and started at the top and worked out way down.  The corners are tight and leave little room for error.  If it's your first time through here, slow down for the first couple runs until you know what's coming.  Way too many sport riders crash here because of overconfidence and unskilled ego.  We had a blast and again I scraped my foot peg going through.  We ended up at the deserted Rock Store and stopped to grab a few pics.

For those wondering, Daniel is riding a 2013 Kawasaki ZX-6R with ABS.  (BMW Doesn't make a 600 Supersport)  In the future He wants an S 1000 RR or HP4 but for now, this'll do.  I'm riding a 1999 BMW K 1200 RS (with a Wunderlich Performance Chip).  These were the same bikes we recently took to the track.
From the Rock Store we headed east on Mulholland Hwy.  Again, many sportbikers avoid this but don't.  There are lots more very fast sweepers and elevation changes that will keep one's interest piqued.

We followed Mulholland to Stunt Rd and made a right.  Stunt Road is also amazing.  It has fast sweepers too but they're a little bit tighter.  If you're wearing knee sliders, you'll definitely be making new scratches.  Taking Stunt to the top reveals a visual treat.  There is an overlook with the Pacific Ocean below.  We parked our bikes and asked a group of onlookers to snap a photo of us.  They were chatting up about how they want to ride motorcycles and I encouraged them to take the Basic Riders Course through the MSF by signing up for a class.
From the top of Stunt Rd, we turned around and went right back down it.  Stunt Rd is just as much fun going down as it is going up!  We continued back to Mulholland Hwy and took it to Topanga Canyon Blvd. 
Ah... Topanga Canyon Blvd.  Many sportbikers avoid this road because of the cars.  I say 'Bullocks!'  If you take a right on Topanga and just wait at the side of the road, you will witness a miracle akin to Moses parting the Red Sea.  In a short while, you'll see a two to three minute gap of cars going south.  We just crept on Topanga until a car caught up to us.  We had the whole side to ourselves until we caught up to the cars near the village of Topanga.  The speed limit is 45 but you can do much more.  The sweepers are intense and without the aforementioned cars in the way, it worked out really well.  More sparks were flying from my footpegs as I raced through a perfect carousel.  Lot's of elevation changes also work well.  This trick only seems to work going south on Topanga Canyon.  We got to Old Topanga Canyon Road and made a right and took it back up to Mulholland Hwy.  We made a right and ran Topanga Canyon Blvd AGAIN!  We were like a couple of crack addicts desperate for our next hit.  Old Topanga Canyon Rd shouldn't be discounted either.  It's a lovely road with many fine and well cambered corners and switchbacks.
The village of Topanga has a wealth of history including being one of the hangouts of John Phillips (the Mamas and the Papas), Brian Wilson (Beach Boys) and Charles Manson(Cult Leader).  Topanga is also the location Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper chose to film the Hippie Commune scene of 'Easy Rider' when the New Buffalo Commune in Taos, New Mexico refused to let them shoot there.  If you have the time, explore a little bit.  You'll certainly be thankful you did!
Shortly After Old Topanga Canyon Road on the Right is Fernwood Pacific Dr.  It becomes Tuna Canyon Road.  Tuna Canyon is difficult.  It's a one-way, one lane challenge on a Motorcycle.  It's downhill, very technical and lacks guardrails so if you misjudge, it'll be a long way down.  Lots of bicyclists take this road so please keep a watch out.  At the bottom of Tuna Canyon Rd, we made a left onto PCH and a quick left onto Sunset and into the 76 station.

This was a great run but there are even more canyons worth running.  We would have run them if we had more time.  Look up Las Flores Canyon road (but going uphill is really the preferred way)  Downhill, there is a really nasty, narrow, off camber corner that will really mess up your day toward the base.  You'll know it because the road is also really bad.  Piuma Rd, Yerba Buena, Deer Creek and others also deserve lots of attention.

Being in canyons, road debris can be a factor, so take those blind corners a little slower just in case there is some nastiness on the road. 
Soon an Off-Road Adventure will be posted for the dual-sporters.  Stay tuned!

Latigo Canyon

More Latigo Canyon Road

Encinal Canyon Rd

Stunt Rd

Our sandwiches from Malibu Kitchen

Fun place for observing people.

I'm gonna miss riding with Daniel while he is away.

Encinal Canyon Rd.

One of Latigo Canyon's many crests

....And Stop.

©2013 Jim Foreman