Okay: so it rains the day before and it looks like a good opportunity to get some fun SoCa high desert/sub-alpine seat time.
Shorty wants to leave early and I’m always up for that. We get started on 166 east at about 6am and land at the Ballinger Canyon campground (all one of them!) a little after 7. There’s a surprising number of mo-hos and trailers, even some folks tenting it; all are no doubt sleeping in from the fortnight’s festivities.
We unload and notice the ground is moist though not saturated; more rain did not make it here as closer to the coast – just enough to elevate the fun factor. Since it was overcast and no sun in our eyes, we took off onto the Interstate 5-wide uphill out of camp, Trail 10; you can just give it as much throttle as you dare, even lofting the front while soaring to the top up and up ~ 1 mile. Just over the peak – say 15’ or so there’s a new or better: restored trail, to the right – go too fast and you will miss it - #12. With #12 you can now bypass the long uphill out of the canyon to the south side’s trail hub.
#12 was made using their mini bulldozer, and as such is kwad friendly – don’t let that fool you, as there are some sections I would not do on four.
Did I mention the conditions could not be better? Front-tire stickem’ and all. Even my maybe-I-can-get-one-more-ride back tire hooked. At the south hub’s peak we hung a right onto #48, then down, down into whoop canyon – the warm up section where you do get a workout. And during our rest at the end Shorty reminded me how he hates whoops. But hey: so do I! Make the best of it.
Using a 4wd connecter #36, we hung another left back up what I will call canyonlands trail, the lower portion of #49. What’s really kewl about this portion is not only can you rail the turns; eventually both sides are steep and twisty – more fun!
At the spur we took #50 down, across on 51 and up 52 to tee into 34 briefly. We don’t stay on 34 long and hang a hairpin right onto 53 (some nice air can be had on the water breaks), as Shorty overrode his abilities last time we were there. We paused for a break at the end of 54 to crew on some jerky, almonds and dates; I’m going to have to pass on the jerky from now on as the knawing stresses my choppers for some time following.
The 4wd trail #40 connects us to whoop city! my least favorite trail, # 37. The whooped section is not that long but demanding beyond my ability to master, let alone cope. I always come close to trouble and often times do. The whoops are tall/deep, and yet close so you just cannot get the speed needed to rhythm them whatsoever; no skimming the tops (pros only?), can’t put the front tire on them (experts), can’t lift the front on every-other (amateurs); all that’s left is rolling them (novice; just like me!) and no gear ever seems right to even hint at improvement – either too much speed and “he’s left; no: he’s right! No: he’s…..awww, down!”, or not enough and it’s pogo time. This time I determined to give it Hades – so off I went….into the bushes. Well, at least I got a good launch!
We connected to 39, then 29. Speaking of 29, if you ever go, make a point of doing 29 in its entirety as it gets real fun and different on the west end; rarely traveled to that end. 29 connects to 40, and after crossing a cattle barrier, onto 30, a quick right onto 33 (watch those mud puddles! They come up fast) onto the main valley floor. Before reaching the valley floor we wind through scrub oaks and start pitching mud and the tires lift it and throw it to the front and behind. Fun! 28 offers terrific views of the huge valley adjacent to Ballinger; reminds me of Zibrinski Pt. in Death Valley or Redrock Canyon north of Jawbone.
We enjoin Trail 25, 24 then descend 23 and our favorite: #22 – the canyon of canyons! Once you do this you will certainly want to do it over and over again. It’s only 2 miles, but it’s the longest and most memorial 2 miles in the area. As we get our pace, we find conditions chance as the clay sections are saturated, and whoops! front-end washouts are common here today – easy on the brakes! Shorty takes his share of soil samples, as do I - no big deal as we rarely get out of second gear. The dreaded bike-sucking water and mud pools are not worth mentioning yet as we are just beginning to experience the rainy season. Don’t forget to tuck/duck under that log across the trail! Unbeknownst to me I lost a helmet vent there two years ago. Then there’s the final obstacle: a 20-foot section of off-camber clay – either you do it right or you slide into the wash and need help pulling your bike back onto the trail (3-4 man job). You have to use the sides of the knobbies to stay on the trail; use steady/gentle throttle control, and no brakes or funny body English. I make it to the far side and my back tire starts to slip…ohhhh! it stalls but my front is over the critical zone and safe for now. I signal Shorty to “hold up! not so fast”, until I scoot clear so he can have a hope. And he clears it cleanly! Phew! We later break at 23, hang a left on 17 by the spring (year ‘round), then 24 to 18. Do the 17 hillclimb without difficulty (this time) and west on 18; the latter part of 18, a razorback ridge, is just as difficult as coming up. Then it 9 and 6: those fun quick ups and downs; only thing is you have to be on the alert for opposing traffic.
Did I mention it was tacky? As in tires stickum’? Well, it’s not all stickum’ as my feet were not always on the pegs, flaying along – I’m going to have to mount my Moose Burley pegs afterall. And then I miscalculated a rut, again going off into the bushes.
In the latter part of 6, which leads back to camp, I let Shorty ride the 250; he can’t start it but enjoys the power over the 200.
Three hours later we load up and head home, just in time as the rain returns.
Shorty wants to leave early and I’m always up for that. We get started on 166 east at about 6am and land at the Ballinger Canyon campground (all one of them!) a little after 7. There’s a surprising number of mo-hos and trailers, even some folks tenting it; all are no doubt sleeping in from the fortnight’s festivities.
We unload and notice the ground is moist though not saturated; more rain did not make it here as closer to the coast – just enough to elevate the fun factor. Since it was overcast and no sun in our eyes, we took off onto the Interstate 5-wide uphill out of camp, Trail 10; you can just give it as much throttle as you dare, even lofting the front while soaring to the top up and up ~ 1 mile. Just over the peak – say 15’ or so there’s a new or better: restored trail, to the right – go too fast and you will miss it - #12. With #12 you can now bypass the long uphill out of the canyon to the south side’s trail hub.
#12 was made using their mini bulldozer, and as such is kwad friendly – don’t let that fool you, as there are some sections I would not do on four.
Did I mention the conditions could not be better? Front-tire stickem’ and all. Even my maybe-I-can-get-one-more-ride back tire hooked. At the south hub’s peak we hung a right onto #48, then down, down into whoop canyon – the warm up section where you do get a workout. And during our rest at the end Shorty reminded me how he hates whoops. But hey: so do I! Make the best of it.
Using a 4wd connecter #36, we hung another left back up what I will call canyonlands trail, the lower portion of #49. What’s really kewl about this portion is not only can you rail the turns; eventually both sides are steep and twisty – more fun!
At the spur we took #50 down, across on 51 and up 52 to tee into 34 briefly. We don’t stay on 34 long and hang a hairpin right onto 53 (some nice air can be had on the water breaks), as Shorty overrode his abilities last time we were there. We paused for a break at the end of 54 to crew on some jerky, almonds and dates; I’m going to have to pass on the jerky from now on as the knawing stresses my choppers for some time following.
The 4wd trail #40 connects us to whoop city! my least favorite trail, # 37. The whooped section is not that long but demanding beyond my ability to master, let alone cope. I always come close to trouble and often times do. The whoops are tall/deep, and yet close so you just cannot get the speed needed to rhythm them whatsoever; no skimming the tops (pros only?), can’t put the front tire on them (experts), can’t lift the front on every-other (amateurs); all that’s left is rolling them (novice; just like me!) and no gear ever seems right to even hint at improvement – either too much speed and “he’s left; no: he’s right! No: he’s…..awww, down!”, or not enough and it’s pogo time. This time I determined to give it Hades – so off I went….into the bushes. Well, at least I got a good launch!
We connected to 39, then 29. Speaking of 29, if you ever go, make a point of doing 29 in its entirety as it gets real fun and different on the west end; rarely traveled to that end. 29 connects to 40, and after crossing a cattle barrier, onto 30, a quick right onto 33 (watch those mud puddles! They come up fast) onto the main valley floor. Before reaching the valley floor we wind through scrub oaks and start pitching mud and the tires lift it and throw it to the front and behind. Fun! 28 offers terrific views of the huge valley adjacent to Ballinger; reminds me of Zibrinski Pt. in Death Valley or Redrock Canyon north of Jawbone.
We enjoin Trail 25, 24 then descend 23 and our favorite: #22 – the canyon of canyons! Once you do this you will certainly want to do it over and over again. It’s only 2 miles, but it’s the longest and most memorial 2 miles in the area. As we get our pace, we find conditions chance as the clay sections are saturated, and whoops! front-end washouts are common here today – easy on the brakes! Shorty takes his share of soil samples, as do I - no big deal as we rarely get out of second gear. The dreaded bike-sucking water and mud pools are not worth mentioning yet as we are just beginning to experience the rainy season. Don’t forget to tuck/duck under that log across the trail! Unbeknownst to me I lost a helmet vent there two years ago. Then there’s the final obstacle: a 20-foot section of off-camber clay – either you do it right or you slide into the wash and need help pulling your bike back onto the trail (3-4 man job). You have to use the sides of the knobbies to stay on the trail; use steady/gentle throttle control, and no brakes or funny body English. I make it to the far side and my back tire starts to slip…ohhhh! it stalls but my front is over the critical zone and safe for now. I signal Shorty to “hold up! not so fast”, until I scoot clear so he can have a hope. And he clears it cleanly! Phew! We later break at 23, hang a left on 17 by the spring (year ‘round), then 24 to 18. Do the 17 hillclimb without difficulty (this time) and west on 18; the latter part of 18, a razorback ridge, is just as difficult as coming up. Then it 9 and 6: those fun quick ups and downs; only thing is you have to be on the alert for opposing traffic.
Did I mention it was tacky? As in tires stickum’? Well, it’s not all stickum’ as my feet were not always on the pegs, flaying along – I’m going to have to mount my Moose Burley pegs afterall. And then I miscalculated a rut, again going off into the bushes.
In the latter part of 6, which leads back to camp, I let Shorty ride the 250; he can’t start it but enjoys the power over the 200.
Three hours later we load up and head home, just in time as the rain returns.
