July 4 weekend

[Wildgift]

Anyone up for a ride this long holiday weekend (but not on the 4th)...?

[Beefmaster_Mark]

I have tomorrow off and am planning on hitting ACH through Sunland sometime in the morning ... I was actually logging in here to see if anyone else was down?

[Wildgift]

Argh. Monday maybe?  Or early Sunday?

[JimT]

April and I are were planning to do ACH tomorrow.

Let me know if you want to go. We are going to be in Sunland around 10.

[Wildgift]

Bah. Can't. Monday ride?

[smooth1912]

I'm new around here... if you go up ACH, where do you start and what time? Also, if anyone is up for a ride on the 4th (Sunday) I'm down for a ride anytime!

[Cammie]

I'm new around here... if you go up ACH, where do you start and what time? Also, if anyone is up for a ride on the 4th (Sunday) I'm down for a ride anytime!

Welcome!

[smooth1912]

Thank you! Is this the best site for finding rides and friends? Getting tired of riding alone in a state that has SO MANY BIKES!

[JimT]

Hi and welcome. I work Sunday and Monday so I have to ride on Sat.

This is where we've been starting--
Starbucks on Foothill at Oro Vista.
http://bit.ly/bf1gX5

It is the Sunland Blvd exit off the 210. There are a few gas stations between the freeway exit and the Starbucks--it's easier to get gas before we meet. I'll be on an Aprilia Tuono and my wife will be on a Bonneville.

There are several bigger SoCal sites. We are just a small group but you are welcome to join.

We'll stop at the Starbucks for sure if anyone decides to go.

[smooth1912]

Let me guess... You're Jim of "April and Jim?" Out of the few posts I read... your names were in half of them. I'm going to mapquest the starbucks but I searched one of the other starting points and it looked like a really long ride just to get there. I'm in Colton but if I decide to head that way... what time do you usually head out?

Hi and welcome. I work Sunday and Monday so I have to ride on Sat.

This is where we've been starting--
Starbucks on Foothill at Oro Vista.
http://bit.ly/bf1gX5

It is the Sunland Blvd exit off the 210. There are a few gas stations between the freeway exit and the Starbucks--it's easier to get gas before we meet. I'll be on an Aprilia Tuono and my wife will be on a Bonneville.

There are several bigger SoCal sites. We are just a small group but you are welcome to join.

We'll stop at the Starbucks for sure if anyone decides to go.

[Beefmaster_Mark]

I did ACH today, via Sunland.  It was amazing - there was scarcely anyone there.  I thought that perhaps there was NO ONE there, but when I pulled off and did some offroading, I realized others were scattered about (more on that later).

The bad part at the bottom had a lot of little holes and dips to maneuver through, but it wasn't difficult.

It was very clean overall, there was some debris here and there throughout the entire range.  Mostly the stuff I saw was bigger, there isn't really any gravel or dirt except in a couple isolated places.

There WAS snow, past the tunnels, but I didn't bother to stage a picture.    Next time.

I took advantage of the isolation to ride a pretty quick pace - it was truly magnificent.  No "oh shit" moments or anything.  I had lunch at Nukes and watched some World Cup action. 

[aprilmaybe]

Let me guess... You're Jim of "April and Jim?" Out of the few posts I read... your names were in half of them. I'm going to mapquest the starbucks but I searched one of the other starting points and it looked like a really long ride just to get there. I'm in Colton but if I decide to head that way... what time do you usually head out?

Doh! we totally forgot to put down a time. we'll be there at 10, I know it is too late for you...sorry about that!

And yes, that's me/us.

Thanks for the info Mark.

[Wildgift]

Anyone up for a Monday ride?

[Beefmaster_Mark]

So I took a little foray past a closure, where the Vetter Mountain Fire Lookout used to be. 

This is off of ACH almost to Chilao, there is a bathroom right off ACH, next to a little parking area.  I went 'round the gate on the '6, leathers and all, because I had heard that Vetter burned down and I needed closure. 

I managed to go the wrong way for I estimate about a half mile before realizing my error; I went down some seriously sketch road/washout before turning back.  I am happy to say that the FZ6 idled along just fine down all of this, the front end only pushed a few times in really soft sand.  I was going as slow as I dared - you don't want to get a streetbike stuck in sand. 

I drove back almost to ACH and had almost given up when I saw where I should have turned in the first place.  I went the correct way and found the new parking areas and restrooms unscathed, and drove all the way to the lookout.

I was so sad to see the ruins where the historic lookout once stood:





This is what it used to look like:




The bed where the volunteer lookouts once slept:




Various bits and pieces left over.  I think some of this stuff was the original phone and other equipment:



I think that used to be this phone:





This is what it used to look like inside:





Here's a great shot of Upper Big Tujunga road in the bottom left side of the frame, with the "moonscape" visible in the background:




And a gnarly rattlesnake skin that was recently shed - I'd estimate a bit over three feet long:





Before and after collection here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mark_v_socal/tags/vettermountainfirelookout/

[Wildgift]

  so awful!