Jump to content

So Cal Drives


kinnsella
 Share

Recommended Posts

So going to give you a few of my favourite drives in So CAL.  First up Pine Mountain in Frazier Park. It's truly an epic road, fast sweepers, great sight lines, only one problem corner that can catch you out.  Tightens up quickly. Terry.....pancaked his car. As you head into Ojai, 12 miles of straight deserted road. Throttle down. Post yours.

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Inland more, Glendora Mtn Rd is a great starting point for as short or long of a drive as you want.  Just watch for cyclists in the lower 5 miles or so, especially on the weekends.  It's a great drive, just over 20 miles from the lower gate to Mt. Baldy Village, then about 5 miles down Mt. Baldy rd and dumps you into Claremont.  About 1/3 of the way up, if you keep left at the road fork it connects you down to East Fork Rd.  This either goes right up to the Bridge to Nowhere trailhead, or left down to Highway 39, that takes you past Burro Canyon (shooting spot) and runs into Hwy 39.  From here if you go left you're down into Azusa Canyon. Go right and you can take 39 all the way up to Hwy 2.  Go right and it will take you all the way to Hwy 138 in Wrightwood.  Go left and you'll run into Big Tujunga Canyon before dropping into La Canada.  This could easily be a 70 mile mountain road drive, but check before you head out for any road closures, especially after heavy rains.  There are multiple gates along the way that get locked due to rock slides, etc during the winter months. 

Fun one for any mountain bikers around here.  Thanksgiving morning there is a ride from Sunset Peak (about mid way from Glendora Mtn and Mt. Baldy village) that is a short climb followed by about 14 miles of fireroad downhill, and drops you into the north part of La Verne off Wheeler.  Will be several hundred riders there early Thursday morning, most getting dropped off at the parking lot below Sunset peak (it's a huge radio tower installation at the top), but some crazy bastards will start at like 5am and ride all the way up.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

GMR, AC, Ortega, Santiago, all are very well known.

My surprise drive was the Temecula hwy to Palm Springs run. 15>79>371>74>Rancho Mirage. It can carry some serious speed, not very technical until the decent in to PS where it is pretty twisty and if your brakes are hot, you're-gonna-have-a-bad-time along the "palms to pines hwy" section. The intersection of 371 and 74 is a little diner (with ferraris on their site) where the "local color" comes out and plays a keyboard while singing songs. He just showed up one day and never left. He works for tips and the place is dog friendly, so bring your wives! :lol: This is a drive popularized by JohnH aka "yellowenzo123" from Fchat while he was still alive. We did this road a few times, never failed to get the blood flowing. Nearly crapped my pants in his Enzo the first time out.

I drove it once in my Z4 with the top down in late November. There was little snow/ice, but the car ran like a beast and the ONLY car that gave me trouble was a Lambo of Las Vegas trailer, but he pulled off.

You can also go to Hemet > Palm Springs on the 74. https://goo.gl/maps/LUYb2bQ8HNw

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

 

It is not a drive in itself, but once you go up Angeles Crest, make a right on Mt Emma Rd.  A couple miles further, once you pass Cheeseboro Rd 3 glorious miles of dead straight road with great sight lines. Great sandwich shop Valley Hungarian close by too. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

74 into Temecula then onto Ortega hwy is great, but this time of year through March it's full of all the snowbirds who winter in Palm Desert /Rancho Mirage, so it can be painfully slow at time.  But a great drive on an early summer morning, and yeah coming down 74 into PD is a good brake test. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Tuna Canyon in Topanga/ Malibu drop down Saddle Peak Rd. Single lane one way down the ocean. Autocross with a 500 foot drop off on the left. My commute for 7 seven years in my E90 M3 sedan. Glad to see all the homes (and old neighbours) are still standing area. Area was destroyed in the 93 fires.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

23 hours ago, kinnsella said:

 

It is not a drive in itself, but once you go up Angeles Crest, make a right on Mt Emma Rd.  A couple miles further, once you pass Cheeseboro Rd 3 glorious miles of dead straight road with great sight lines. Great sandwich shop Valley Hungarian close by too. 

some of us have done the hungarian spot for sausages, i believe the town is called little rock. hell, last time i was out there was with chwee, tommy, josh (Prowler!) and chrisg. gotta be like 10 years ago, Rose Bowl out to there.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...